“What a wild and ultimately great year this was.”
-Founding Winemaker Mike Sinor
Mother Nature can be cruel—but she can also be kind. Case in point: the 2023 growing season, which promises to go down as a great one from Paso Robles. It wasn’t always easy, but the results speak for themselves.
A Wet Start
The winter season was one of the wettest in the past 200 years according to a local meteorologist. It was non-stop rain for three weeks in January. Farming operations were delayed by three to four weeks due to the soggy conditions.
Keeping Our Cool
Spring was similar to winter—still mild and moist, though with less rain. Summer was so cool that we made passes in the vineyard to lower the crop load in anticipation of not having enough degree days to ripen the fruit. Chardonnay was first fruit to be picked at Margarita Vineyard on September 7 for sparkling wine production. Once we started picking, many different varieties ripened around the same time, which is typical in later vintages. Needless to say, it puts a strain on the cellar when it’s all coming in at once.
The Perfect Ending
September was relatively mild, but October delivered with weeks of warm, steady temperatures—exactly what we needed. We find sometimes that the hardest physical vintages can produce some of the best wines, and 2023 is no exception. Early tastings show depth of flavor, great color and vivid acidity. The red wines are displaying excellent phenolic composition. Winemakers around Paso Robles are raving about this vintage, and you can expect great things from the 2023 wines of Ancient Peaks.
Stay tuned this spring for the first 2023 releases from Ancient Peaks, including our Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Estate Rosé and One Stone Rosé.