Fellow Travelers,

The 2023 wines are finally here, and they were worth the wait.

Abundant winter rains replenished the soils, giving way to healthy, thriving canopies. An unusually cool spring and summer followed, allowing grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. By the time fall arrived, the rains held off just long enough for us to harvest fruit with fully developed flavor. Pick dates began nearly a month later than in 2022 and stretched into November for many vintners. It was a true nail-biter, but one that delivered in every way.

2023 was a winemaker’s vintage—a rare opportunity to harvest fruit at the perfect moment without concerns about heat spikes, frost, or early rains. The resulting wines are concentrated, yet remarkably elegant.

By early October, I knew something extraordinary was happening. I sounded the alarm to every winemaker I knew. We were in the midst of something truly special. The fruit showed stunning flavor at lower sugar levels, which translated into wines with lower alcohol, beautiful balance, and a finesse I had never experienced before.

After more than two decades of making wine, I can confidently say that 2023 is my favorite vintage to date. It may very well be a once-in-a-lifetime unicorn year.

I’m thrilled to finally share these wines with you. May you feel the same energy and excitement in every sip that I felt two harvests ago when this vintage first began to take shape.

With a glass raised high,
Curt Schalchlin