Grape Expectations: Temecula Valley’s 2024 Harvest Promises Quality

From regenerative agriculture dinners to grape stomps, explore how these SoCal wineries are approaching the 2024 harvest and engaging with the community along the way

As the summer heat peaks and the days start to shorten, the excitement in Temecula Valley’s vineyards is palpable. The annual grape harvest is approaching, promising another year of exceptional wines from this beloved Southern Californian wine region. We spoke to some folks deeply involved in Temecula Valley’s winemaking operations to get an insider’s look at how the harvest is shaping up, what makes this region so special, and how wine lovers can join in the celebrations.

Wilson Creek Winery: Embracing Nature’s Bounty

At Wilson Creek Winery, the anticipation for the harvest is building. “This is the second consecutive year of good winter and spring rains, which has supported a robust cover crop and boosted natural fertility,” says vineyard manager Greg Pennyroyal. Despite an unusually hot and humid spring and summer causing some mildew pressure, the team has applied lessons from the previous year to manage it successfully, including a series of raw milk applications. “Our plant sap data indicates that the grapes this year will have above-average complexity and density, leading to another banner year for great wine in Temecula.”

Picking Dates and Grape Varieties:
Wilson Creek is set to start picking Chardonnay on August 21, followed by Sauvignon Blanc and Muscat.

What Makes Temecula Valley Unique:
“Despite the heat, we are blessed with a reliable cool diurnal airflow from the ocean breeze in the afternoon and evening,” Pennyroyal explains. “This allows us to grow many varieties from Chardonnay to Tanat.” According to Pennyroyal, the Valley’s high-quality and reliable aquifer ensures consistency from vintage to vintage, and the European model of small, independently owned vineyards with their own harvest crews extends the harvest window, letting grapes reach the best balance between maturity and freshness.

Harvest Celebration Events:

• Regenerative Agriculture Dinner: August 15 – Guests are invited to enjoy a three-course wine-paired dinner and the opportunity to participate in a discussion on regenerative agriculture with Pennyroyal, along with an exclusive barrel tasting.
• Harvest Festival & Grape Stomp: October 27.

Lorimar Winery: Tradition Meets Modernity

Sara Cox, marketing director at Lorimar Winery, is optimistic about this year’s harvest. “This year’s harvest is shaping up to be quite promising, despite the challenges presented by higher humidity levels over the past 2-3 months,” she says. “The increased humidity has led to concerns such as powdery mildew, but our team is diligently managing these issues to ensure the health and quality of our grapes.”

Picking Dates and Grape Varieties:
Lorimar anticipates starting their harvest at the end of August or the beginning of September, with Viognier being the first grape variety to be picked, followed by lighter to medium-bodied reds like Sangiovese, Montepulciano, and Cabernet Franc.

What Makes Temecula Valley Unique:
“At Lorimar Winery, we pride ourselves on our commitment to bio-diverse farming practices. Unlike conventional farming, our approach enhances soil health and promotes a balanced ecosystem, which is crucial for the quality of our grapes,” says Cox. The harvest process at Lorimar blends tradition and modernity, utilizing state-of-the-art machines for efficiency and precision while hand-picking certain grapes to maintain meticulous care.

Harvest Celebration Events:

• Annual Harvest Festival: September 29 – Celebrate with a grape stomp photo op, local vendors, food, live music, and activities for kids. Adult tickets are $20 and include a drink ticket, with discounts on food for pre-purchased tickets.

Cougar Vineyard and Winery: Harvesting Under the Stars

Rick Buffington, Winemaker at Cougar Vineyard and Winery, reports a heavy crop on all varieties this year. “Pinot Grigio will be first, and I’m thinking probably around the end of August.”

What Makes Temecula Valley Unique:
“It’s hot. We harvest around 2 am because of the heat and all by hand,” says Buffington, highlighting the unique challenges and practices in the region.

Consumer Participation:
Visitors can help with punch-downs depending on timing, and can taste just-picked grapes in the tasting room.

Bel Vino Winery: Managing the Elements

Jessy Hyle, general manager at Bel Vino Winery, shares insights on this year’s harvest: “The consistent warm summer days have made for the need for a bit more attention in the vineyard to ensure even development for the berries, but also monitoring heat damage and dehydration,” he says. “The weather this spring, with all the rain we had, has made for a later harvest, one to two weeks behind where we normally are. It’s been a more hands-on approach this year due to the increased weather changes.”

Picking Dates and Grape Varieties:
Erick Erno from Cali Wine & Vine notes that picking will likely start at the end of August with white wine grapes like Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, or Viognier, followed by Chardonnay, and then red wine grapes.

What Makes Temecula Valley Unique:
“There are all the different varieties from regions all around the world. A lot of Spanish varieties do well here. Because of being more of a desert-type climate, we get a lot more concentrated notes of the fruit,” says Erno. “The best wine is yet to come. I am always excited for the future wines to come.”

Leoness Cellars: Continuous Harvest Magic

Tim Kramer, winemaker at Leoness Cellars, is looking forward to a great harvest. “So far, everything looks really good,” he says. “We’re a little behind where we’d be in a typical year due to spring and early summer weather, but that’s not a bad thing. Crop size and set looks very good as well. I’m looking forward to a really nice harvest.”

Picking Dates and Grape Varieties:
Kramer expects to start their harvest toward the end of August, beginning with Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscat Canelli.

What Makes Temecula Valley Unique:
“We grow so many different grape varieties in the Temecula Valley, so when harvest starts, usually around the middle of August for us, it doesn’t stop,” says Kramer. “There are no lulls waiting for the next variety to ripen because a new one is always ready to go after the last one.”

Harvest Celebration Events:

• Leoness Cellars hosts a harvest celebration where guests can watch the harvest of Estate Cabernet Sauvignon grapes up close while enjoying great food and wine. Details on time and date will be available soon on the Leoness website.

Robert Renzoni Vineyards: A Season of Promise

Olivia Bue, Winemaker at Robert Renzoni Vineyards, is excited about this year’s harvest. “This harvest is looking great. Yields are average, which is the perfect balance for quality and flavor concentration,” she says. “We had some solid winter and spring rain which luckily ended before summer (unlike last year). Hopefully, we continue to have a rain-free summer through early fall to avoid any possible mildew issues on the fruit. 2024 is looking like a superior vintage for Temecula Valley wine country.”

Picking Dates and Grape Varieties:
“We will likely harvest our estate Pinot Grigio the week of August 19th, which is always our first vineyard picked to kick off the harvest season,” says Bue.

Harvest Celebration Events:

• Bue says their wine club harvest event is the most anticipated event of the year at the winery. “Our members join the winemaking team for the evening where we demonstrate firsthand the crushing process right in front of their eyes,” she says. “Robert [Renzoni] and I answer questions, explain our unique winemaking techniques, and display the crushing and destemming process on our crush pad. It’s an evening to remember for our Vino Famiglia.”