October is upon us which means everything is Harvest related here on the North Fork of Long Island! As you drive about Long Island Wine Country, you will pass many a tractor loaded up with freshly picked grapes heading from the vineyards to the winery. The Fall is a magical time on the East End and October is when it all comes to a peak as we transition from our sparkling and white wine grapes being harvested primarily in September and begin looking ahead to the red wine harvest in October. Winemaker Russell Hearn and Director of Viticulture John Fondacaro took some time to give us an update on what is happening in the Vineyard and in the Winery at the moment and in the weeks ahead!
On the very last day of September we finished picking our Chardonnay, bringing one of the last of our white wine varieties into the winery. Almost all white varieties are harvested at this point, with only our Riesling still ripening on the vine.
With the first days of October upon us we find ourselves in a gap period, where the winery and cellar teams get a little respite after a number of very long work days. In early October most of the White and Rosé fruit is in the tank and fermenting away. The fever of harvest will die down for a week or so before ramping back up again as reds begin to reach full ripeness. For the next week or so, we will be diligently watching the ferments, monitoring their progress, and preparing for the arrival of our red fruit.
Want to read more about how Harvest 2024 is going? Checkout our September Update!
