Jeff’s Letter From September 2025

The 2025 harvest is underway. Yesterday we crushed four tons of Verdelho from the estate vineyard. It is typical to want to get as much information about the upcoming harvest as possible from the first deliveries. This year is no different. Last year we harvested Verdelho on August 22. This year we harvested on the 25th. Both vintages provided just over four tons. Not much difference on the timing or the quantity and the chemistry of the grapes was almost identical, 25.2 degrees brix last year and 25.3 this year.

Estate Zinfandel for the 2025 harvest

The big difference is that in 2024 after we picked the Verdelho, we waited thirteen days before collecting the Estate Zinfandel. This year we are hitting the ground running. Today we will crush five tons of Tempranillo from the Miravet Vineyard and tomorrow the Sangiovese from The Hill and some Zinfandel from the Joe Aparicio Vineyard. After today’s field sampling I suspect we will have Syrah from the Dal Porto Ranch and Petite Sirah from Fox Creek to round out our first week. Every year at this time I feel like a surfer looking out for the perfect wave, only I don’t see ocean water I see a tsunami of grapes. We manage to paddle fast enough but there is always some anxiety for the first week or two.

We have had a very mild summer. We didn’t have our third and fourth triple digit temperatures until last week. The vines have been treated to a growing season in their optimum temperature zone between 75 and 85°F. One major contributor to an early harvest is a light crop. The healthy foliage and vineyard canopy has the capacity to ripen a small crop rapidly. For the past three to four years California vineyards have produced more grapes than the wineries need. Given the surplus of grapes, many growers pruned conservatively not sure if they have a buyer. A light crop could potentially turbo charge an early season. In my 48 years we have concluded harvest only once before my birthday. I was born on September 29. Maybe 2025 will be the second.

While the temperatures haven’t moderated to the point of allowing us to ship the July and September wine clubs, we usually see a window of opportunity in mid-September. For those of you that pick up your club shipments here at the winery, the wine will be available this weekend. The September wines are a collection of sturdy reds: the Estate Zinfandel, Petit Verdot, Three Way Syrah from Paso Robles, Charbono, and the Shake Ridge Tempranillo. We have also released the 2024 Verdelho, a crisp refreshing way to enjoy the last third of summer. Come and check out our new entry and cajole someone in the tasting room to show you the cellar. Fermentations are underway.

Cheers,
Jeff