While the 2024 growing season started off with concerns about too much precipitation too fast for some and not enough for others, a cool spring, and slow start to the growing season, winemakers across Oregon are now celebrating what turned out to be an outstanding harvest season and a vintage that promises excellence. After a cool spring, the first notable heat came to Oregon in mid-to late June when the berries were in the early stage of development, followed by a weeklong heat wave in July.
The July heat wave likely led to some variance in fruit set, including some shatter and varying averages in quality and quantity of fruit set. August brought slightly warmer than average temperatures followed by September, which was a roller coaster for temperatures with record breaking heat early and late in the month, sandwiching a very cool period in between, which helped retain a wonderful nervous acidity. October continued a run of very nice conditions to end the 2024 vintage. Generally mild to warm temperatures and not much precipitation until late in October made for a vintage with little to no pressure to pick until the fruit was showing its best flavours and acidity.
