The 2023 harvest came to an end with the pressing of the Signature Cabernet Sauvignon barrels on November 27th. Starting with the first pick of Estate Chardonnay on September 1st, this vintage stretched out for a full 88 days. Having the harvest last so long created an extremely unique situation. How these wines evolve is yet to be determined, as the early and late picks almost seem from separate vintages. The early picked fruit, including all the whites, are extremely bright with fresh fruit. The reds are deeply red colored with young spicy tannin and the age worthy structure that comes from such a cooler than usual growing season.
The much feared early rainfall never materialized and the temperature remained warm and mild well into November, so more than half of our Estate fruit was allowed to hang onthe vines for an extended time. This later picked fruit had much rounder tannins, lower acid, and a softer ripe fruit character. The color was equally dark yet more purple in hue.
This winter, as we revisit the wines after a bit of barrel aging, we will start the blending process. This year's blending will be more intensive as the stark difference in character between all the picks will allow for the creation of extremely complex wines. The single varietal wines such as Cab, Syrah, and Grenache will be blends to a certain extent. Even the Devil's Canyon Syrah was split in picks between the top and bottom halves of the vineyard block, thus allowing for a more nuanced expression.
Overall I am extremely excited about these wines. I've never had such varied ingredients to play with in creating the final wines, so the potential for some extremely powerful, complex and unique wines is unmatched in my time here.
Jason Joyce
Winemaker
