A Vintner’s View: Autumn is Here!

There’s a certain magic in the air when autumn arrives at Somerston Estate. The warm days will soon begin to soften into crisp mornings, the vineyard canopy takes on a golden hue, and the season's pace shifts in a way that every vintner knows well. For us, autumn is more than a season—it’s the culmination of an entire year’s work in the vineyard.

This time of year marks the heart of harvest, when decisions made months ago in the vineyard are brought into focus. Grape clusters that have been carefully nurtured through spring and summer are finally reaching their peak, and timing becomes everything. Each block and variety ripens at its own rhythm, requiring our incredible and dedicated team's patience, precision, and intuition to determine when the fruit is ready to be picked. The balance of sugar, acidity, and tannin must be just right to capture the purest expression of our Estate’s terroir.

For our winemaking team, autumn also means long days and even longer nights. Harvest doesn’t follow a schedule—it follows Mother Nature. Some mornings begin before dawn with hand-picking fruit in the cool of the day, while evenings stretch late as fermentation tanks are monitored. Punchdowns keep the cellar team busy to maintain healthy fermentations and balance. It is an intense, hands-on season, but also one filled with energy, excitement, and anticipation as we begin to see the first glimpses of what the vintage will hold.

Beyond the cellar, autumn at Somerston Estate is also a time of gratitude. It’s when we reflect on our vineyard crew's dedication, the land's resilience, and the opportunity to share wines that embody this remarkable place's character. Each harvest is unique—shaped by the weather, the soil, and the human hands that guide it—and this year’s will soon be a story told through the wines resting in barrel.

As the vines prepare to rest through the winter, we raise a glass to another season of growth, discovery, and craftsmanship. As we enter Autumn, we embrace the phase of harvest, wherever we may find ourselves, at the beginning, at the halfway point, or near its end, and look forward to the evolution of winegrowing and winemaking throughout the season. Our next season of winter may signal the end of one cycle, but for us, it is also the beginning of the wines that will define the future of Somerston Estate.

To our vineyard and cellar crews, we thank you for always showing up and doing the heavy lifting to create our incredible Somerston Estate wines. Cheers to you, our team members, and our loyal Somerston Estate supporters!