2024 Harvest Report | By Christian Palmaz

As of October 15, after the end of harvest. 

If 2023 is remembered as one of the cooler vintages in recent memory, then 2024 will certainly stand out as one of the warmest. Although these temperature differences are measured in fractions of a degree, their cumulative impact can shift the harvest by weeks.

Following a moderately wet Q1, bud break in the Chardonnay occurred on March 19th, just one day earlier than in 2023. In Q2, we began to observe a significant increase in temperatures compared to a categorically cool vintage. However, the conditions remained near the historical averages for Napa Valley (since 1970).

The strategy in the vineyard mirrored that of other warm vintages: reducing leafing on the afternoon side of the vines to shield the fruit from sun damage and irrigating in shorter, more frequent intervals to minimize stress buildup. With higher soil moisture from the winter rains and elevated temperatures, our VIGOR application recorded vigorous canopy growth. As the soil moisture diminished, an early transition to irrigation became necessary. The 2024 vintage was shaping up to be one with high water demands.

By the end of Q2 and into Q3, triple-digit highs began appearing periodically in the forecast. Although 2024 did not break any daily records, its heat was reflected in the averages. Fortunately, nighttime recoveries remained impressively low, on par with 2023. This allowed the vines to recover from the day’s heat and, along with generally low winds, likely contributed to a strong berry set.

The irrigation totals were substantial. Thankfully, the winery’s commitment to its 100% net-zero water consumption policy and state-of-the-art water treatment plant paid off. With over a million gallons of reclaimed water banked from the previous vintage in underground storage tunnels, the winery was well-positioned to keep the vines properly hydrated through the heat.

Harvest began slightly earlier than usual on September 10th—17 days ahead of 2023. What really caught my attention, however, was the sequence of parcels arriving at the winery. In a typical year, we finish picking the 300-foot elevation vineyard before starting on any reds from the 1,200- and 1,400-foot blocks. This time, though, Tina, Mia, and Doug noted how close to ready the upper vineyards were tasting by the end of September! Sure enough, on October 1st, the first red parcels from 1,400 feet were harvested—a surprising development.

Upon reviewing the data, I believe the unusual warmth between the 1,400- and 1,200-foot elevations was the key factor. In previous years, these elevations typically reach nearly identical average high temperatures on any given day, once the fog clears from the 1,200-foot bowl. This year, however, the temperature split resulted in a distinct ripening pattern for the 1,400-foot vineyard. Tina is thrilled with the bold expression of the 1,400-foot fruit and ecstatic about the results in the fermenter.

In just 33 short days, the 2024 harvest is complete—and it’s wonderful. This uniquely warm vintage has produced exceptionally high-quality fruit, carrying all the bold and expressive characteristics we’ve seen in other warm vintages like 2020, 2017, 2012, and 2004. That said, I suspect this vintage will present some surprises when it reaches the blending table.

I look forward to revisiting these thoughts in two years, when Tina, Mia, and Doug transform this exceptional vintage into a uniquely storied wine.

Until then, cheers!