Brian’s 2025 Harvest Update

September 12, 2025

The 2025 harvest at Talley Vineyards began August 25 with a small pick from West Rincon Block 5, one of the best sections of that vineyard, and the first block harvested for the second year in a row.  This was 8 days before our start in 2024 and almost a month earlier than the historically late start of 2023.  Yields are higher than the very small 2024 harvest but nowhere near the large harvest of 2023, and I think we will finish at just below average for both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. As of September 12, we had harvested nearly 50 tons of Pinot Noir and 20 of Chardonnay, or about 81% more than last year.

The 2025 growing season has been spectacular with cool weather persisting throughout the summer and a couple of very minor heatwaves that were short in duration with mild high temperatures. Rainfall in the Arroyo Grande Valley was just over 15 inches for the year or about 83% of the long term average.  All of the fruit we’ve harvested has been clean and free of botrytis and mildew, two of our greatest challenges in the San Luis Obispo Coast in cool, wet years.  Fermentations have been clean and uneventful and our first press loads of Pinot Noir show tremendous potential with beautiful fragrance and concentration.  Based on everything I’ve seen so far, I have high hopes for the 2025 vintage!    

Watch A Day in the Life of Harvest

Pinot Noir Edition

Watch a brief “day in the life” video of how we make our Pinot Noirs! From hand harvesting at night to hand sorting, daily punch downs, and gentle pressing, this video shows the whole process.