Happy Fall, JM Club Members!

As the 2024 harvest comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on the season and my career in winemaking. Each year I strive to learn new techniques and improve as a winemaker. With our amazing team supporting me and the outstanding quality of the fruit, I believe the ‘24 vintage will prove to be the best wines we have created in our 27 years.

The 2024 vineyard growing season reminded me that we can think we know what is to come, but the only entity that truly knows is mother nature. In January, we had three days of minus seven degrees, “informing” winemakers and grape growers that this would be a year of low-yield crops. Intense cold streaks will often kill the buds that push the shoots, leaving fewer clusters on the vine. Mother nature chuckled at us thinking we knew what would happen and gave us a crop that was 15% over expectations. With the high-quality of the fruit this year, this was the most pleasant of surprises.

Our first pick of the year was Quintessence Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc on September 6th and our final pick was Petit Verdot from Margaret’s Vineyard on October 15th. Over these 39 days we had 43 picks, including 19 different varieties of grapes. We picked 148 tons, 75% red and 25% white.

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Our production team made this harvest the smoothest that we have ever had. Tommy and Amy stepped further into their leadership roles and we had three other familiar faces join us this year. Quinton Swearington, who has been a staple in the tasting room and for events, brought a smile every morning and learned the forklift faster than anyone I have ever seen. Emerson D'Aoust is a cleaning machine and took on the most important role of the season; harvest DJ. Sean Perryman, who has been in the tasting room for years and worked the 2020 harvest with us, brought his array of skills to the table and kept us going with his infectious enthusiasm.

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Our thanks and appreciation go out to all of the amazing vineyard workers and managers who have supported us over twenty-seven years. We honestly could not do this without them!

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In addition to our dedicated cellar team, vineyard managers, and vineyard workers who poured their hearts into this season's harvest, we want to recognize our loyal wine club members. Many of you joined us for the harvest and crush experience this year, and each visit reminded us of the shared passion that fuels JM Cellars. Your friendship and loyalty mean everything to us!

The 2024 vintage is now in barrel and going to sleep for the next 1-2 years. When it wakes up and goes into bottle, I think you will see one of the great vintages produced in Washington State. Lots to look forward to in the coming years.

Thanks to you for your continued support of JM. Peggy and I look forward to tasting the newly released wines with you at the next release.

Cin Cin,