Atwater Vineyards / December 24, 2025
As 2025 comes to an end and we reflect on the vintage, we can’t think of a better harvest in recent memory. Yields were good, the weather was ideal, and the quality was amazing.
Winter 2024/2025 was fairly average, and while “average” is often not notable, winter is an important exception. It was about as cool as is typical, with a bit less snowfall. We did not, however, have any major temperature swings or cold events. That may be the departure from average of last winter. We often face extreme low temperature events or large temperature swings in short periods, both of which can cause bud and vine damage. Last winter gave us some welcome relief from those hazards. Similarly, we can risk damage in the spring if we are faced with early warmups followed by frost. We had warm temperatures but no frost—another win!
Although a significant amount of rain in May was a little challenging from a disease control standpoint, it set us up well for the rest of the summer. Bloom weather was ideal—something that we rarely experience. Fruit set was good and disease pressure stayed low. The rest of the summer was dry and disease-free. Fortunately, we had enough moisture in the soil to sustain us without major drought impacts. The vines stayed healthy and happy.
Fall did not disappoint either, magically giving us the right levels and mix of warmth during the day and cool at night to allow for excellent color in reds, flavor development in both whites and reds, sugar accumulation, and acid retention. Harvest went smoothly across the board. The rain returned as we finished up, allowing the vines to be replenished in time for dormancy. We are very excited to see these wines hit the shelves. We hope you are, too!
