The winter rains were heavy and soaked the soil to its core, refilling the region’s aquifer. It was a wet season overall but not a cold one, therefore spring came fairly early by mid-March. Conditions during flowering were near perfect and the keys to a condensed season. Early summer experienced magical weather for the vines to develop. The sudden and intense heat spike of early July was mitigated by the ranch’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean. We experienced wilting and slight loss of cluster weight in our Pinot Noir crop, providing extra concentration in the final crop. The conditions recovered rapidly by mid-July with the final weeks being very mild and slow – the dream conditions for energy, layering of aromas, and flavors. Harvest season was one of the more condensed and intense in memory resulting in a vintage for the ages.