Harvest Season 2024: A Promising Start

As the days grow shorter and the crisp fall air settles in, harvest season at Sweet Cheeks Winery is well underway. Each year brings a unique story to our vineyards and cellar, and 2024 is shaping up to be an exceptional vintage. Our team is energized by the first fruit of the season and the promising potential in every cluster of grapes we bring in. Harvest marks a time of celebration, hard work, and anticipation as we capture the essence of this year’s growing season, and we’re thrilled to share highlights from the journey so far.

First Fruit of the Season

On September 19th, we welcomed the first fruit of our 2024 harvest: Sauvignon Blanc grapes from Quail Run Vineyard in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley. These grapes, known for their vibrant acidity and crisp, tropical notes, arrived in pristine condition, setting the tone for a fruitful season ahead. Sourced from the sun-soaked Rogue Valley AVA, these Sauvignon Blanc grapes are a reflection of the region’s warm days and cool nights—ideal conditions for producing bright, expressive white wines. With this early start, our team dove into the exciting process of transforming these grapes into a wine that will reflect the unique character of the 2024 vintage.

Two New Varietals

Our winemaking team is always up for a new adventure. This harvest, we welcomed two new varietals: Gamay Noir and Gewürztraminer. Our Vintage Club will see the Gamay Noir as a future release, while our Sweet Club will have access to the Gewürztraminer. The Gewürztraminer is an aromatic white varietal from our good friends, Foris Vineyards, in Southern Oregon. The Gamay is from a beautiful Willamette Valley site outside Silverton and will be medium-bodied, like our Pinot Noir.

Back By Popular Demand

We released our first white wine blend, Golden Hour, after the 2023 harvest, and it flew! It became our fastest-selling wine, so we will release a second Golden Hour next summer. Another well-loved varietal is our Malbec. We look forward to sharing both our 2024 Golden Hour and 2024 Malbec with you in the future.

Sweet Cheeks Vineyard Fully Harvested

By October 11th, our entire Sweet Cheeks estate vineyard had been fully harvested, marking a significant milestone in this year’s season. From our meticulously farmed Pinot Noir to our bright and flavorful Pinot Gris, each block was picked at optimal ripeness to capture the essence of the 2024 growing season. The weather this fall offered us ideal conditions, allowing us to bring in all the fruit with perfect timing. As the last of the grapes were carefully brought in from the vineyard, the excitement in the winery grew. Now, the hard work shifts to the cellar, where our team is busy fermenting, pressing, and nurturing each lot into wines that will soon tell the story of this year’s harvest.

Looking Ahead

With the vineyard fully harvested and the first stages of winemaking in full swing, the anticipation for the 2024 vintage continues to build. Each year, the hard work of harvest is followed by the creative artistry that happens in the cellar, where our team carefully nurtures each wine to bring out its fullest expression. As the fermentations progress and the wines begin to take shape, we are excited to see how this vintage unfolds. The 2024 harvest season has already shown us incredible promise, and we look forward to sharing these wines with you in the months to come. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue the journey from grape to glass.