Harvest Report – 8 September 2025

Here at Smith-Madrone  both the Chardonnay and Riesling have been harvested. The clusters were well-formed; the berries were very uniform and the crop level was fairly standard. The chemistry was also good. We’ve moved now into a nice break with the weather, with a cooldown and slight amount of rain on Monday evening and Tuesday morning. These little showers in September are not unusual, whether they’re at the beginning, middle or end of the month. Historically we get these fun little showers in September that move through and give us a reprieve from the harvest heat. They’re a welcome relief. The weather shouldn’t be a problem for the reds. They are by and large not tight-clustered, so not sensitive to these small showers. We’re looking forward to this break. Warm weather will return and we’ll get back at it when this cooldown ends.

Written by Stuart Smith, Smith-Madrone Winery, published in Napa Valley Register