Overview: On September 22, 2026, a harvest crew picked Alicante Bouschet grapes at the Bedrock Vineyard in Glen Ellen, Sonoma Valley. Owner Morgan Twain-Peterson and Viticulture Director Jake Neustadt oversaw the operation amidst low clouds and light drizzle. The vineyard features old vines planted in 1888 utilizing no-till farming for rainwater retention.
The Full Story
It was a dreary late September morning in Sonoma Valley, with peaks of the Mayacamas Mountains barely visible under low clouds as light drizzle fell. Morgan Twain-Peterson and Jake Neustadt watched a crew finish picking Alicante Bouschet, one of the last varieties to come off the ranch each year. The workers were wrapping up Bedrock’s harvest for the season after a shift that began at 4 a.m.
The unusual part was how early the season began and ended. At Bedrock’s home vineyard, the first grapes came off Aug. 12, five days earlier than that block had ever been picked. The block of old-vine Zinfandel was picked Aug. 24, nearly two weeks ahead of its usual date. Across the four vineyards the winery farms, 12 of 27 blocks set records for their earliest pick.
Elias Fernandez noted that he would never forget this vintage for sure, stating 2026 will be imprinted in his brain. Early harvests were reported across much of California due to a warm winter from December through February and the warmest and driest March on record. San Francisco hit 90 degrees on March 20, something it had never done before in March.
Production & Profile
Alicante Bouschet is a red-fleshed grape bred in France in the 1860s. At Bedrock, old vines planted in 1888 are utilized for this harvest. Viticulture Director Jake Neustadt explained the benefits of rainwater retention from no-till farming during harvest at Bedrock Vineyard.
The weather conditions included low clouds and light drizzle on Sept 22, 2026. The vineyard recorded just one 100 degree day all summer, with no hot spell above 95 degrees lasting more than two days. The lack of extended heat spikes allowed sugar accumulation to occur at an even pace.
Brand & Industry History
Alicante Bouschet is a red-fleshed grape bred in France in the 1860s and remains one of the last varieties to come off the ranch each year. Weather records began in 1895, with December through February tying 2014-15 as the warmest winter in California since record-keeping began.
What This Means
The early start helped thin the crop, and the thin crop pushed the harvest earlier still. A reduced crop ripens faster, but the temperate summer gave this year’s crop a quality boost. Sugar levels grow faster in hot weather, but the lack of extended heat spikes allowed sugar accumulation to occur at an even pace.
Consumer Takeaway
This bottle offers a high-quality harvest from old vines planted in 1888 using no-till farming for rainwater retention. The vintage is one of the earliest harvests ever recorded, with Alicante Bouschet grapes picked under low clouds and light drizzle in Glen Ellen.
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