Good Growing Season Conditions with Few Challenges in Napa has Vintners Excited About the 2024 Vintage

Katherine Martine, Wine Business

​Good growing season conditions and weather leading to a slightly earlier harvest in Napa Valley has vintners excited about the 2024 vintage with some saying the stars are aligning, it's a “pretty awesome vintage” and others noting that optimal harvest conditions means wines, such as Chandon’s sparkling, will be extremely balanced and bright.  
Those were some of the sentiments expressed by four Napa winemakers who convened for a virtual harvest press conference organized by Napa Valley Grapegrowers and Napa Valley Vintners on Oct. 24. 
The four winemaker panelists included Vineyard Manager Matt Stornetta, Stornetta Made Farming; Farm Collective/Tank Garage Winemaker Bertus van Zyl; Senior Director of Winemaking, Richie Allen of Rombauer Vineyards; and CHANDON Director of Winemaking, Pauline Lhote.
Despite some heat waves at the end of June and into early July—Stornetta counted nearly 30 to 40 days above 100 F, a big difference from years past especially 2023 when there were maybe eight to 10 days of over 100-degree heat—nice soil moisture and vegetative growth helped vines cope with warm temperatures. 

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