Notes from our Winemaker, Vanessa Hoffman:

“Usually harvest starts at Knapp at the end of August with our Siegerrebe, and then we are off to the races. This harvest has started with more of a whimper than a bang. September brought more rain than we liked, as well as cooler temps. Joe, our fearless vineyard manager, has done a great job managing disease pressure from the rain, so we have not been forced to pick anything before it is ready. For me, though, it means I have sat in a mostly empty cellar staring at grapes that refuse to ripen quickly. We brought in our Siegerrebe on September 9th, a record late pick, followed by most of our hybrid blocks, which tend to ripen early. Hopefully, by the time you read this, we will have picked Saperavi, Chardonnay, and Blaufrankisch. But at this rate, our Riesling could drag into November! Not ideal for a winemaker that would like a long Thanksgiving weekend, but an extended growing season will give the grapes plenty of time to develop all sorts of interesting flavors. I think the highlight of 2026 could possibly be our Riesling this year, based off my berry samples, but only time will tell. In the meantime, keep an eye out for 2026 Cayuga White, which might be our first bottling of the year, and is tasting spectacular at the moment.”