2023 Harvest is showing signs of low yields and high quality in Washington State. Many wineries have already finished picking white grapes and red grape harvests are in full swing. Yields are 10-20% below yearly averages. One highly decorated Washington winemaker is already certain that these are the best wines he’s ever made in his 20+ year career. Slow brix advancement and ideal hang time weather in the long term forecast make a great harvest very likely to persist.

Willamette Valley wineries are showing some Pinot Noir already in cellar doors with sparkling harvest mostly finished. Several different long tenured winemakers in Willamette Valley are giddy about wine quality. In an area usually battling October rain forecasts, it looks like the majority of this harvest will be brought in under ideal conditions in Willamette Valley.

Oregon Pinot Noir statewide appears to show a mix of yields from quite large in some areas to under average in others. We’ll gather more data as harvest nears its close to give better crop estimates in both states as to overall production