The 2024 Harvest: A Tale of Quality over Quantity

As the sleepy season settles over our winery in Livermore Valley, we’re reflecting on the whirlwind that was the 2024 harvest—a year that tested our resilience and rewarded us with exceptional fruit.

What follows is a behind-the-scenes look at what happened in our vineyards and across Northern California, particularly in District 6 (Livermore Valley and surrounding areas). It’s a story of quality triumphing over quantity, shaped by weather, market forces, and a bit of strategic patience.

The Numbers Tell the Story

Let’s start with the hard data. According to the 2024 California Grape Crush Report, released in preliminary form by the USDA NASS on February 10, 2025, California’s wine grape crush (the amount of grapes that were fermented into wine) totaled 2,843,646 tons—a 22.8% drop from 2023’s 3,684,832 tons. It’s the smallest wine grape harvest in two decades, a figure that hasn’t been this low since 2004. Here in District 6, the decline was even steeper. Our region’s wine grape production plummeted from 26,438 tons in 2023 to 15,769 tons in 2024—a staggering 40% reduction. Compare that to Sonoma’s estimated 30-40% drop for late-ripening reds or Napa’s alignment with the state average, and it’s clear Livermore Valley felt a unique pinch.

Our own experience mirrored this trend: yields were down, significantly so. But as we dug into the why, it wasn’t just Mother Nature playing hardball—though she certainly had a hand in it. The real twist? A lot of grapes went unpicked, not because they weren’t good, but because there weren’t enough buyers to make them worth harvesting.

Weather Set the Stage

The 2024 growing season in Northern California was a rollercoaster. A rainy winter gave our vines a healthy start, replenishing soil moisture after years of drought stress. Spring was mild, setting up a promising fruit set. But then came summer, and with it, heat that didn’t let up. July was warmer than average, with triple digit heat hitting our area. However, this did not adversely affect fruit quality because it came before veraison, the critical ripening period.

By September, we had harvested a stellar crop of Grenache and Chardonnay. However, the later ripening Bordeaux varieties were hit by a heatwave in October that shut down ripening and led to dehydration. A significant percentage of fruit was lost just prior to harvest. Nevertheless, the late ripening Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc was of the highest quality, although just less of it.

But weather wasn’t the whole story. Dig deeper, and you’ll find a market in flux. Word around Livermore Valley—and backed by industry chatter—is that a chunk of that 40% drop in tonnage came from fruit left on the vine, unpicked not for lack of quality but for lack of demand. Why? The 2023 harvest left California with a hangover of unsold bulk wine.

Reports from Wine Spectator on November pegged Turrentine Brokerage with 30 million gallons of bulk wine for sale—way above normal—driving prices down. That’s a tough pill for growers to swallow.

The 2023 crush, at 3.67 million tons, was already a hefty haul, and with demand softening—think shifting consumer tastes and economic pressures—wineries weren’t clamoring for more grapes in 2024. Many growers left fruit unharvested in 2023, a trend that rolled into 2024. Here in District 6, where we’ve nearly doubled Cabernet Sauvignon acreage from 786 acres in 2017 to 1,369 in 2022 (per Silicon Valley News, September 16, 2024), the mismatch stung. Premium grapes need premium buyers, and when those buyers balk, tough calls get made. Some growers opted to let lower-priority blocks hang, focusing harvest efforts on the very best fruit.

Statewide, the average price per ton dipped 4.5% to $992.51, with reds at $1,311.15 and whites at $698.61. Napa held strong at $6,863.46 per ton, but Livemore’s pricing isn’t broken out—safe to say, though, soft demand didn’t help. The oversupply crisis, coupled with 37,000 acres of vineyard removals statewide in recent years, paints a picture of an industry recalibrating. For us, it meant a smaller crush but a sharper focus on quality.

Quality Shines Through

Here’s the silver lining: what we did pick was outstanding. Livermore Valley’s reds—Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc—came in with intense color, balanced acidity, and rich flavors. Our Chardonnay shows promise too, poised to shine in the bottle.

Yes, our yields were down but the grapes we brought in had depth and character. The heat shrank berries, sure, but it also packed them with flavor. Strategic thinning helped too, a choice some of us made to double down on quality when quantity wasn’t in the cards. It’s a vintage that’ll stand out, even if there’s less of it to go around.

So, where does this leave us? First, expect some exceptional wines from 2024. The lower yields mean fewer bottles, but they’ll pack a punch—perfect for your winter cellaring or cozy pairings with hearty roasts. Second, we’re adapting. This sleepy season, we’re planning and prepping, deciding which cultivars and vineyards to focus on. The heat, the market—they’re challenges, but they’ve honed our craft.

Looking Ahead

The 2024 harvest taught us patience. Sonoma, Napa, and Livermore Valley all faced the same heat, but District 6’s market woes hit us harder. It’s not just about growing grapes—it’s about timing, demand, and knowing when to hold back. As we sip on the first samples of this vintage, we’re optimistic. Quality’s what lasts, and 2024’s got it in spades. Here’s to fewer tons, better wines, and the stories we’ll share with you along the way.