A Classic Oregon Vintage Takes Shape in the Dundee Hills
The Dundee Hills 2025 vintage has reached an exciting milestone on the journey to harvest. Wineries across the AVA report the lag phase has just concluded and veraison has begun.
Lag phase marks the quiet yet critical period when berry growth pauses but seeds mature and harden inside, setting the stage for veraison, when grapes begin their shift from green to deep, rich hues, and the countdown to harvest truly begins.
Managing the Heat and Nurturing Ripening
Dundee Hills winemakers are reporting a very promising growing season and harvest. Following an earlier bloom due to the region’s dry spring, growers are now selectively thinning crops and managing canopies to balance sunlight and protection, especially after last week’s 100-degree heat wave.
While the grapes continue maturing in the vineyards, winemaking teams are busy at work in the cellars, bottling previous vintages and preparing their facilities to process tons of fruit in the next two months.
“We have made it through the season with very healthy vines and fruit and are very excited about the small and relatively loose clusters at our Élevée Vineyard Estate, which allow for better light penetration and better flavor and phenolic development, notes Tom Fitzpatrick, co-owner and winemaker at Élevée Vineyard Estate.
“Last week’s heat wave hit at a good time with unripe fruit that is less susceptible to desiccation and damage. As we approach the start of ripening, the forecast looks great with some onshore flows over the next few weeks, bringing some periodic cooler temperatures, which is great for retaining acidity and the slow development of flavors.”
Ideal Weather and Exceptional Fruit Quality
Michael Mega, owner and winemaker at Nysa Vineyard, is thrilled with the development he’s seen in the vineyard since the spring’s early bloom. He reports 2025 is a vintage unlike anything he’s seen in nearly 30 years of farming, thanks largely to the helpful hand of Mother Nature.
“Nysa Vineyard has experienced one of the most iconic vintages regarding weather during the growing season in 2025; perfect flowering conditions, variation in berry size will produce concentration in some of the pinot sections, daily temperature swings of 30 degrees will result in balanced ripening, and no disease pressure.”
An Exciting Path to Harvest
Once veraison finishes, grapes enter “hang time,” when sugar levels (Brix) rise and flavors deepen. Every grape varietal is harvested at a different time based on Brix levels. For example, sparkling wine producers harvest earlier for lower sugar and higher acidity, while Pinot Noir clusters remain on the vine longer for complexity. Harvest times are also dependent on elevation, rainfall, crop load, and other factors.
“Our yield estimates for ‘25 are nearly identical to last year with a fairly heavy crop, and we’re finishing up green harvest to increase flavor intensity,” adds Cliff Anderson, co-owner and winemaker at Anderson Family Vineyard. “This is shaping up as a classic year. We see clean fruit with fewer disease sprays than any year in recent memory. The rains are timed just right to wake up the vines and move them through veraison. We’re anticipating a mid to late September harvest if ripening continues apace.”
With healthy vines, favorable weather, and ideal fruit set, the 2025 Dundee Hills vintage is shaping up to be one worth experiencing firsthand, both in the glass and in the beauty of the vineyards themselves this harvest season.
