The Calm Before the Crush: A Pre-Harvest Chat
The Calm Before the Crush: A Pre-Harvest Chat
If you have ever experienced a sunset at Twin Oaks, you'll know that there are few moments that can top the way the sun paints the sky above our valley on a summer evening. Its only formidable competitor is one that few Twin Oaks patrons get to experience, and that is an early morning walk in the vineyard. My opinion may be tainted by the seemingly endless sweltering heat that embodies a summer afternoon in Virginia, but waking up with the sun and taking to the rows has become my favorite part of the day. At this time of year, my morning routine entails pouring myself a cup of freshly brewed coffee, slipping on my rainboots, and taking the dogs down to the vineyard.
The vineyard is quiet as I listen to my boots wade through the grass and the birds chirp in the surrounding trees. They are patiently waiting, too, for their perfect snack to ripen. I make a subtle note in my head to tell our crew to raise the bird nets soon. Besides the occasional bark and rustle of grass that tells me my dogs haven't yet found a gap in the fence to escape from, the vineyard is quiet. But that quiet is deceiving. Watching the vines at this stage of summer is like watching a painter at work. The progress from day to day is slow, almost imperceptible, but blink and a masterpiece is ready for harvest.
The vineyard is quiet as I listen to my boots wade through the grass and the birds chirp in the surrounding trees. They are patiently waiting, too, for their perfect snack to ripen. I make a subtle note in my head to tell our crew to raise the bird nets soon. Besides the occasional bark and rustle of grass that tells me my dogs haven't yet found a gap in the fence to escape from, the vineyard is quiet. But that quiet is deceiving. Watching the vines at this stage of summer is like watching a painter at work. The progress from day to day is slow, almost imperceptible, but blink and a masterpiece is ready for harvest.
At this time of year, our grapes are in the stage of veraison. This is when sugars accumulate in the grapes, causing them to swell and change color, an amber yellow for our Chardonnay or a deep purple for our Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc. As the sugars load in, the acidity slowly drops and the flavors shift from tart and herbal to ripe fruit. The seeds begin to change color from green to brown too, something we can actually test by grabbing a little vineyard snack and spitting the seeds back out to check!
This is also when we begin testing our grapes for the factors that will determine harvest timing. Our winemaker, Doug Fabbioli, has been out in the vineyard this past week collecting samples and testing the juice for pH, sugar levels, and acidity. We'll keep monitoring those numbers, along with some physical tests in the vineyard itself, to help narrow down a harvest window. Of course, the numbers aren't the only factor. We're also weighing the weather forecast, disease pressure, our production plans, and the personality of each cultivar itself.
That harvest window actually shifts depending on the grape. Our Chardonnay ripens fastest and is always our earliest pick. Last year we harvested it early because we wanted those grapes for our 2025 Sparkling Chardonnay and needed to hold onto higher acid levels. What we'll be doing with them this year, you'll just have to stay tuned.
Next to ripen is our Merlot, where we're watching for softening tannins, plum and black cherry character, even color development, and seed maturity. With the long stretches of high heat we've had this summer, we're keeping a close eye on an earlier harvest here, since Merlot can overripen fast in these conditions.
This is also when we begin testing our grapes for the factors that will determine harvest timing. Our winemaker, Doug Fabbioli, has been out in the vineyard this past week collecting samples and testing the juice for pH, sugar levels, and acidity. We'll keep monitoring those numbers, along with some physical tests in the vineyard itself, to help narrow down a harvest window. Of course, the numbers aren't the only factor. We're also weighing the weather forecast, disease pressure, our production plans, and the personality of each cultivar itself.
That harvest window actually shifts depending on the grape. Our Chardonnay ripens fastest and is always our earliest pick. Last year we harvested it early because we wanted those grapes for our 2025 Sparkling Chardonnay and needed to hold onto higher acid levels. What we'll be doing with them this year, you'll just have to stay tuned.
Next to ripen is our Merlot, where we're watching for softening tannins, plum and black cherry character, even color development, and seed maturity. With the long stretches of high heat we've had this summer, we're keeping a close eye on an earlier harvest here, since Merlot can overripen fast in these conditions.
Our Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, meanwhile, tend to move together, and not just in flavor. The two are interplanted, meaning they share the same rows, so separating them at harvest just isn't practical and they're almost always blended anyway. For the Franc, we're watching those sharp bell pepper notes (a compound called methoxypyrazines) fade out and give way to raspberry, red currant, and violet, alongside softening tannins. The Sauvignon typically wants the longest hang time of all our reds, so we're tracking both varieties together, watching for ripened tannins, dark fruit development, and thicker skins, trying to land on a window that works for both.
Then there's the great Virginia challenge: balancing ripeness against humidity and unpredictable late summer weather. An extra week on the vine might mean better flavor development. It might also mean an unexpected downpour and a much higher risk of root rot or downy mildew.
In our vineyard specifically, our biggest worry is heavy rain that comes too fast and too hard for our drainage to handle. We watch our top rows and middle rows most closely. The top rows get less sun due to our slope and the surrounding tree line, so water sits longer before it evaporates. The middle rows sit in a slight dip, so water collects and lingers there too. Not surprisingly, those are the spots where we see the most downy mildew and root rot.
It also means we lean on what we learned during our first harvest last year. Spotted Lanternfly populations tend to peak right when our grapes do, and waiting even a week or two longer could mean losing a real chunk of the crop to them. Since it was our first year and we didn't have a read on local populations yet, we harvested early, while the grapes were ripe but before the acids dropped, which worked out perfectly for the sparkling wines we had planned. This year we're seeing far fewer Lanternflies in the vineyard, which may give us room to let the fruit hang longer and develop bolder, fuller character. But as always, that depends on what the next few weeks bring.
Then there's the great Virginia challenge: balancing ripeness against humidity and unpredictable late summer weather. An extra week on the vine might mean better flavor development. It might also mean an unexpected downpour and a much higher risk of root rot or downy mildew.
In our vineyard specifically, our biggest worry is heavy rain that comes too fast and too hard for our drainage to handle. We watch our top rows and middle rows most closely. The top rows get less sun due to our slope and the surrounding tree line, so water sits longer before it evaporates. The middle rows sit in a slight dip, so water collects and lingers there too. Not surprisingly, those are the spots where we see the most downy mildew and root rot.
It also means we lean on what we learned during our first harvest last year. Spotted Lanternfly populations tend to peak right when our grapes do, and waiting even a week or two longer could mean losing a real chunk of the crop to them. Since it was our first year and we didn't have a read on local populations yet, we harvested early, while the grapes were ripe but before the acids dropped, which worked out perfectly for the sparkling wines we had planned. This year we're seeing far fewer Lanternflies in the vineyard, which may give us room to let the fruit hang longer and develop bolder, fuller character. But as always, that depends on what the next few weeks bring.
We like to think harvest season is a little different at Twin Oaks. Being small means being intentional. We don't have acres and acres to manage, but what we do have gets attended to and loved, row by row. My mom and I, usually joined by Abigail, our sommelier, and other family members, walk the vines together with intention and gratitude. We spot what we can, take mental notes, and treat every stroll as a chance to learn something. What are we seeing, and why? What looks good, what looks off, what needs to get in front of Doug? The answers aren't always clear, and they're made right there, hands in the dirt. But they're always made together, as a family.
We can't wait for what's ahead this harvest, and we're so glad to have you along for it. Follow us on our socials as we bring you through every step with harvest vlogs, digital scrapbooks, and more. And keep an eye out for the unveiling of our 2026 vintages, coming in the months ahead. You won't want to miss it.
Cheers, Anna
We can't wait for what's ahead this harvest, and we're so glad to have you along for it. Follow us on our socials as we bring you through every step with harvest vlogs, digital scrapbooks, and more. And keep an eye out for the unveiling of our 2026 vintages, coming in the months ahead. You won't want to miss it.
Cheers, Anna
Award-winning whites, reds, and rosés from our mountain vineyard.
Award-winning whites, reds, and rosés from our mountain vineyard.
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Explore our winery, upcoming events, and overnight stays.
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Afternoons filled with music, mountains, and something delicious.
