What’s Happening in the Vineyard: September

Photo by Sarah Anne Risk

September usually marks the start of harvest in Napa Valley, but this year picking got underway earlier than usual. A warm March and April pushed bud break and bloom ahead of schedule, and vines that had already been pruned were exposed to that early heat, encouraging faster development from the start of the season. On top of that, several vineyards are carrying lighter crop loads after a few years of heavier yields, which means less fruit to ripen and quicker sugar accumulation. Growers are describing this combination, early tissue exposure paired with smaller crop loads, as the main driver behind this year's accelerated pace.

White and rosé varieties led the way, with Sauvignon Blanc and other whites largely in by mid to late August. Red varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, began coming in around the end of August, noticeably ahead of the 2023 vintage, when many reds weren't picked until October. Growers are walking rows daily, checking sugar levels and flavor development, and timing each block's pick carefully rather than rushing simply because the season is early.
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A lighter, earlier crop often means more concentrated fruit, so there's real optimism about what this vintage will bring. As always, the pace varies from block to block and vineyard to vineyard, a reminder that no two harvests in Napa Valley ever look quite the same!

Vineyard Glossary

Bud break: The moment in early spring when buds on the grapevine begin to open and new green shoots emerge after winter dormancy. It marks the official start of the growing season.

Bloom: The period when tiny flowers on the vine open and are pollinated, which determines how many grape clusters (and eventually berries) will form later in the season.

Crop load: The total amount of fruit a vine is carrying. A heavier crop load means more clusters for the vine to ripen; a lighter one means fewer clusters, which typically ripen faster and more evenly.

Sugar accumulation: The process by which grapes build up sugar as they ripen. Growers track this closely (often measured in "Brix") to help decide the right time to pick.

Block: A defined section of a vineyard, often planted with a single grape variety or clone, that growers manage and harvest as its own unit.

Vintage: The year a wine's grapes were harvested, used to describe the specific growing conditions and character of that year's crop.