2024 Harvest: A Fast yet Well Mannered Vintage
This past month has been nothing short of exhilarating! The 2024 harvest kicked off with a rapid pace, beginning with our first Pinot Noir grapes on September 4th —twenty-three days ahead of last year! We wrapped up the season with our last Pinot Noir on September 27th, completing the entire harvest in just twenty-three days! For context, the 2023 vintage didn’t start until September 27th. In fact, we finished this harvest on the anniversary of when we brought in the first grapes in 2023!
Ed Morris, Winemaker Sorting Pinot Noir
Weather Insights
The growing season started out with wonderful moderate temperatures; we had a heat spike over the 4th of July weekend which was early enough in the season to have little effect on most vineyards. Fortunately, from that point on the weather remained steady without any major heat spikes leading up to harvest. This even weather really made the pace of harvest very manageable and made the conditions perfect for creating extremely high-quality, well-balanced grapes!
Vincent Yeh, Winery Worker Sorting Pinot Noir
Fermentation Process
Most of our Chardonnays are currently fermenting beautifully. I like to ferment Chardonnay at colder temperatures to enhance its aromatic qualities. The first Chardonnay fermentations are nearing dryness, while we still have many Pinot Noir tanks in the cold soak phase the first ones are completely dry and pressed of the skins. The fresh wine is now settling in tanks or have already completed their journey to barrel. Over the next two weeks, we’ll finish our fermentations and fill all our barrels. The wine will enter its élevage period, transitioning from fermentation to bottling.
Quality Expectations
I’m thrilled about the quality of this year’s wine, thanks to the perfect growing conditions we experienced. The grape-growing community in Sonoma County truly excelled this season. Winemakers and growers collaborated closely, making timely decisions that ensured only the highest quality fruit made it to the wineries. The combination of ideal weather and teamwork has set us up for an exceptional vintage. Every day, as I taste the juice and the young wines, my excitement continues to grow. I can already envision how remarkable the finished products will be once they’re in the bottle.
Lessons Learned
The key takeaway for me this year is the value of patience. Even in a fast-moving harvest like 2024, taking the time to assess conditions and make thoughtful decisions is crucial. With the ideal weather, we had the luxury of allowing our grapes to reach their full potential before picking. I’m incredibly proud of my team’s performance this month; we navigated the dynamic nature of this exciting harvest with care and diligence. I’m confident that our patience will result in the production of outstanding wines!
On behalf of the entire team here at River Road Family Vineyards and Winery, we wish you all continued good health!
