2025 Harvest Recap: A Season of Patience and Precision

As the final grapes of the 2025 vintage made their way from vineyard to cellar, our Director of Winemaking and Viticulture, Gilles Nicault, reflected on a growing season that rewarded patience with exceptional fruit quality. While cautiously optimistic back in June, Gilles now confirms that the year delivered beautifully, though not without keeping us on our toes. "We had the perfect winter and early spring," Gilles notes, "which gave us an excellent start for canopy establishment and set the stage for what was to come." In the end, it was a perfect growing season to create vibrant, well-balanced wines.

The season unfolded with a welcome mix of conditions that any winemaker dreams about. Normal weather patterns through summer, alternating between sunny days and overcast skies, kept the vines balanced and healthy. Then came September, when Mother Nature reminded us that great wines require both warmth and restraint. An early September heat spike was followed by some overcast conditions at month's end, creating an extended hang time that proved to be a gift in disguise. This longer maturation period allowed our grapes to achieve superior phenological maturity while maintaining lower sugar levels, translating to wines with remarkable intensity and concentration.

The results in the cellar are already showing tremendous promise. Our Merlot is shaping up with a slightly different profile this year, featuring lower alcohol without compromise on the intensity and concentration that Long Shadows is known for. The Cabernet Sauvignon absolutely thrived under these conditions, developing the structure and complexity we look for in our flagship wines. The interplay between warm and cool periods throughout the season has given us the ability to craft wines with enhanced complexity and layered fruit character.

We began harvest with whites and some Syrah in late August, with our first picks coming in on August 26-27. Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc followed shortly after. True to the season's patient rhythm, our Merlot didn't make its way into the winery until October, having taken full advantage of those extended hang time benefits.

As we move into the careful work of barrel aging and blending, we're excited about the distinctive character this vintage will bring to Long Shadows wines. The 2025 harvest reminded us once again that sometimes the most memorable vintages are those that challenge us to trust the process and let nature guide the way.