2026 Vintage Update

Rain & Replenishment.

From the earliest days of dormancy, long before the first signs of budbreak, Spring Mountain has been shaped by water. Storm after storm moved through the valley, soaking into the shallow, volcanic soils that define this place. On the mountain, where drainage is quick and reserves are often limited, this kind of sustained rainfall is both rare and consequential.

Beneath the surface, the vineyard responded quietly.

Soils recharged. Microbial life reawakened. Roots, which in drier years must push deep in search of moisture, found abundance waiting for them. By the time the vines emerged from dormancy, the foundation for the season had already been set, not in the visible growth above ground, but in the unseen balance below it.

Budbreak arrived early, with a touch more energy than usual. Shoots began to extend, leaves unfurled, and the vineyard moved quickly into a phase of accelerated growth. The water held within the soils is now being translated into vigor, shaping canopy development and setting the tone for the months ahead.

Now, we stand at the edge of flowering.

It is one of the most delicate and defining moments in the growing season. For a brief window, each vine determines its potential yield. Tiny flowers bloom and, under the right conditions, set into the clusters that will eventually become fruit. Warm, dry weather allows this process to unfold evenly, resulting in balanced clusters and a clear path toward harvest.

But rain, if it persists into this moment, introduces uncertainty.

Moisture during flowering can interfere with pollination, leading to shatter and uneven fruit set. Clusters may form irregularly, yields may decrease, and the uniformity of the vintage becomes less certain. It is not failure, but it is variability, a reminder that farming, at its core, is a partnership with forces beyond control.

And so, we watch.

On Spring Mountain, decisions are rarely rushed. Canopy management becomes more precise, airflow more critical, timing more deliberate. Every choice is made with the understanding that what happens now will echo through the entire season.

There is, however, a quiet optimism in years like this.

Water, after all, is life. The reserves built through this prolonged season of rain may sustain the vines through the heat of summer, allowing for steady, balanced ripening. If the skies begin to clear in the coming weeks, the vineyard is well positioned for an early and beautifully expressive vintage, one defined not by excess, but by equilibrium.

If they do not, we adapt. We adjust. We listen more closely.

This is the rhythm of farming on the mountain.

A conversation between vine and season. Between what is given and what is asked. Between patience and precision.

And for now, as flowering approaches, the story remains unwritten.

Everything is still possible.