July 2024 Vintage Report

The 2024 growing season in the Dundee Hills has included a long, wet spring and recent triple-digit temperatures. With less than two months projected until the 2024 harvest season, we asked Spencer Spetnagel, the winemaker for Durant Vineyards, to share a vineyard update with us as the grapes head into the home stretch.

This year saw an earlier bud break than previous years, but it was quickly followed by cool, wet weather that slowed down vine growth in our vineyards. Bloom happened almost the same time as last year, setting up our vineyard for a mid-September harvest.  

While the recent heatwave wasn’t ideal for the grapes and soil moisture content, the grapes are extremely hardy this early in the season and can withstand significant heat. Sky high temperatures are always harder later in the growing season, because once the grapes – especially Pinot Noir – go through veraison and change color, their skins become thinner and are much more susceptible to the heat. So far, everything looks good as we enter the final months before harvest. 

– Spencer Spetnagel, Winemaker at Durant Vineyards