Richie Allen, senior winemaker at Rombauer Vineyards, expressed optimism about the 2024 harvest, stating, 'Here is Cabernet from St. Helena, we can tell by the aroma it's a high-quality lot. It has the right amount of extract and tannin we want.' His assessment underscores the quality of grapes despite the challenging growing conditions this season.
Mike Stornetta from Stornetta Made Farm and Vineyard Management highlighted the extreme temperatures faced during the growing season, noting, 'This year, we counted 38 to 40 days of above 100 degrees, that's a big difference from years past, especially 2023 when we had 8 to 10.' This insight emphasizes the impact of climate on vintage production.
Pauline Lhote from Chandon remarked on the positive effects of moisture during the growing season, stating, 'We had plenty of moisture in the soil when we started with the growing season and had early rain in the growing season, which helped with good canopy growth.' This highlights the importance of favorable weather conditions during crucial growth phases.
Despite facing challenges, Allen mentioned, 'I say it's a good harvest is when nothing goes wrong, while it's been warm nothing's gone wrong.' This reflects a sense of resilience and satisfaction with the harvest quality amidst rising temperatures.
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