Cluster's Last Stand

In the acreage outside our winery, as the calendar page flips to November, only an isolated few rows still hold fruit, netted in anticipation of a winter freeze.  Elsewhere, it’s an empty-looking place.   Days ago, the farm hummed with people and farm machines, but the circle drew daily tighter until, by the end of last week, the final clusters had been picked.  Cabernet franc was last to go.

As recorded in Vineyard Manager Tristan Bondett’s daybook, a wet, cold spring this year gave way to a sweltering, parched summer that could have had significant consequences.  Drought stress threatened to impede flowering and ripening.  Fortunately, September rain arrived in time to relieve the pressure.

The growing season’s intense weather has left its fingerprints on the harvest.  Restrained flowering meant fewer berries on vines, and scant precipitation meant smaller berries.  For wine, that translates to lower volumes but highly concentrated flavours, thanks to higher skin-to-pulp ratios when we ferment.

To cite one example, a smaller-than-average pinot gris yield reduced this fall’s harvest by seven tonnes from 2024.  If it’s a wine you like, you might want to jump on it quickly.

Cabernet franc tonnage, on the other hand, will be higher, but that’s because vines we planted a few years ago have begun adding to what we grow.

Our 2025 Melon and Pinot Gris hold the front of the line for bottling, in December.  This means, if you’re eager for first taste of the new vintage, that chance may come within the first two-to-three months of the new year.