Harvest Season 2024 at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards: A Time to Reap What We’ve Sown

As the sun sets on summer and fall brings its cooler breezes, we’re deep into the harvest season at Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, and 2024 is shaping up to be an exceptional year. High temperatures in July and August sped up the ripening process, allowing us to kick off the harvest in late August, and we've been hard at work ever since.

So far, we’ve harvested Muscat-Ottonel, Seyval, Traminette, and part of our Chambourcin, with Chardonnay also making its way into the winemaking process. The fruit quality has been outstanding, and we’re excited to see how these varietals evolve in the cellar.

Fortunately, the weather has been kind to us this season, and as long as we avoid any significant tropical storms or hurricane remnants in the coming weeks, we should be in great shape. However, nature has presented other challenges. Birds and deer have caused damage in certain areas, drawn to our vineyards by the lack of food and water due to this summer’s drought, severely impacting local plant and grass life. Despite this, we remain optimistic as we approach the final phase of harvest.

Looking ahead to October, we’ll begin harvesting the rest of our red varietals and prepare to barrel the juice, setting the stage for future vintages. It’s a busy but exciting time here at Willowcroft, and we can’t wait to share the results of our hard work with you.

Harvest season is always special when months of care and dedication in the vineyard come to fruition. We invite you to visit Willowcroft this fall, enjoy a glass of freshly harvested wine, and take in the beauty of the vineyard during this beautiful time of year.

Cheers to a bountiful harvest and the exceptional wines yet to come!