Tank Harvest 2024: A Wild Ride
Well, folks, another harvest is in the books! It was a wild one, with some unexpected twists and turns. But in the end, we brought in another beautiful crop of grapes, and we can't wait to share the wines with you. This year we scored 14 different varieties, and 65 tons of fruit across 7 different counties!
We kicked things off in early August with some of our favorite white grapes: Albariño and Gewürztraminer from McCormack Ranch in Rio Vista. These grapes always produce delicious, aromatic wines that are perfect for summer sipping.
Next up was Mourvèdre from Sierra de Montserrat Vineyard in Loomis. This is a workhorse grape that we use in many of our blends. It adds structure, complexity, and a beautiful dark fruit character!
We also brought in a good amount of Grenache and Counoise from Clos du Lac and LaRaia Vineyards in Loomis. These grapes will go into our 2024 Rosé and other lighter-bodied red blends like Bye-Bye Baby.
And of course, no Tank Garage harvest would be complete without Barbera! We picked up some of this beautiful fruit from Kammerer Vineyard in Lodi. This is generally the backbone of our famous Cal-Ital blends.
September was a busy month, with lots of different grapes coming in from all over the state. We started with Gamay Noir from Fenaughty Vineyard in El Dorado County. Gamay is characteristic of producing light, fruity wines that are perfect for chilling and enjoying on a warm day, like our ever-so-popular 2022 Juicy red wine.
Next up, Vermentino from Paso Robles. This is another great white grape that we're excited to be working with. It produces crisp, refreshing wines with beautiful minerality.
One of the highlights of the month was our Gamay harvest from Barsotti Vineyard. We picked the grapes at night to preserve their freshness and acidity. We then experimented with three different fermentation techniques: carbonic maceration, a natural process, and a more traditional style. We can't wait to see how these wines turn out!
We also brought in more Barbera from Sierra de Montserrat Vineyard. This is a great vineyard that consistently produces high-quality fruit.Just when we thought we were in the clear, a heat wave hit in late September. We had to scramble to get some of our grapes picked before they got too ripe. But we managed to get everything in, and we're happy with the quality of the fruit.
In the final days of harvest, we brought in some Zinfandel from Paso Robles, Counoise from El Dorado, Malbec from Calistoga, Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso, and Negrette from Siletto Family Vineyard.
Now that harvest is over, it's time to start making wine! We'll be busy in the cellar for the next few months, fermenting, aging, and blending our wines. We can't wait to share them with you in the coming year.
