Wine, a work in progress

"Around this time of year, we usually start getting questions like, “How does this year compare to last year?” or “What vintage is this similar to?”

For 2026, the answer is easy: there really is no comparison. Not only did harvest get off to an unusually early start, but it will also wrap up early. The vintage was mild overall, with no pressure from heat spikes or rain events. Yields were lighter, but the fruit showed beautiful flavor development and great concentration.

Winemaker Kevin Hall says the wines have wonderful color and livelier acidity than last year. He is particularly impressed with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. While we were prepared for this year's pace, the early harvest dates caught some of our suppliers by surprise, and we’re still waiting on our final barrel deliveries this week.

Fortunately, our newest wines are not quite ready for those last 300 barrels!

Now that the frantic pace of grape picking has slowed down, the vineyard crews can relax a little. However, our winemaking team will be busy with the 2026 harvest for the next four to six weeks.

Fermentation is still underway across many of our varietals, so we still have plenty of work to do. Punchdowns, draining tanks, and moving the young wines into barrels will keep Kevin Hall's team busy as the wines begin their ultimate transformation from fresh-picked fruit to wine.

While our vineyard crews no longer have to wake up in the middle of the night to pick grapes, they’ll soon be busy back in the vineyards. Family farming happens year-round, with the coming months bringing equipment maintenance, erosion control work ahead of the rainy season, and, most importantly, months of pruning during the vines’ dormant period. Their work sets the foundation for next year’s crop."

- The Family Team, Alexander Valley Vineyards, 10/1/26

"We’re busy wrapping up Harvest 2026 here at Porter Creek Vineyards! Only our 2026 Estate Syrah remains on the vines at this point.

It’s been a productive, enjoyable process, with perfect fruit coming in, and enough time to rest between days of picking … and that made everything run super-smoothly.

Despite the high temperatures of the last few days, it’s been a relatively cooler summer here for us on the property … so the early harvest really has more to do with the warmer-than-normal weather we had back in the first week of February and the third week of March."

- Jonathan DeMichael, Tasting Room, Porter Creek Vineyards, 9/10/26

"Every vintage begins long before the first grapes arrive at the winery. The days leading up to harvest are spent walking vineyards, monitoring ripeness, preparing the cellar, and eagerly anticipating the start of another winemaking season.

This year is particularly meaningful for me as I begin my first harvest at L'Ecole № 41 and become part of its storied winemaking history.

The first fruit of the 2026 harvest has arrived. We officially kicked off the season with Sauvignon Blanc from Upland Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, welcoming the first bins of fruit with a celebratory toast and marking the beginning of one of our favorite times of year. The juice is already showing beautiful tropical notes and refreshing acidity.

We're keeping a close eye on the vineyards and expect to bring in additional Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, and Syrah this week. Before long, the cellar will come alive with the aromas of fermentation and the steady rhythm of fruit arriving from vineyards across Washington. While harvest begins with just a few bins, it quickly transforms into one of the most exciting and rewarding times of the year.

The 2026 growing season has delivered healthy vines, steady ripening, and excellent-looking fruit arriving at the winery. While every vintage unfolds in its own way, we're encouraged by what we're seeing so far. Now the real work begins as my team and I guide this fruit through the cellar and bring the 2026 vintage to life!"

- David Rosenthal, Director of Winemaking, L'Ecole № 41, 8/25/26