Overview
The 2023 growing season was long, mild and gentle. A cold, late spring opened to a cool, mostly sunny summer with no heat events. Rain was ample, and yields were normal to slightly below average. Ripening was long and slow, and harvest was the latest since the 1990s.
These conditions produced elegant, perfumed wines with great detail and transparency. The 2023s are dream wines for those that love balanced, graceful Pinot Noirs with classic varietal character and elevated site specificity.
Detailed History
Janaury 2023 was one of the wettest in recent memory, with California receiving multiple atmospheric rivers back-to-back. The state experienced widespread flooding, which we were spared, thanks to our mountainous terrain. The reservoir was full in January, making us farmers very happy.
The winter was very cold, with snow and hail at times. The consistent low temperatures kept the vines dormant through the winter months, allowing them a good long rest. March was unusually cold and rainy, with no signs of budbreak.
Finally in mid-April it began to warm up, and budbreak began in most fields around April 17, four to six weeks later than average.
May and June saw mixed weather, but overall these months were unusually cool. Chlorosis continued into May, which is unusually late, but eventually it resolved. Despite this, the vines were strong and balanced by the end of May, with strong shoot development.
June 2023 was one of the coldest in California history. As of June 8, bloom averaged around 10% in most of our fields, and shatter was a real concern due to the heavy fog and cold days. The weather remained highly changeable, with a lot of fog, cold, and moisture. Bloom progressed variably throughout the ranch, due to our many microclimates.
Finally in July it warmed up for real, the perfect time in the growing season for heat. The weather was ideal, with vine growth taking off and the vines basking in the sunshine and heat. Inland California experienced scorching temps, but the Pacific Ocean played its cooling role, and the coast enjoyed beautiful, temperate weather.
August was beautiful but somewhat cooler, with only two days that month cracking 90 degrees, and veraison started the week of August 14. We caught the tail end of an unusual summer hurricane off the coast of Southern California, which brought heavy drizzle, fog and cold weather for two days. Otherwise the month was wonderfully mild and uneventful, a farmer’s dream August.
September kicked off with a week of cold weather and strong winds. The weather remained cool all month, with temps mostly in the 60s and 70s, and only three days in the 80s. On average, it was about 40% cooler in September 2023 compared to the last seven years (as measured in growing degree days), a dramatic difference. This made for perfect ripening weather, with incredibly even maturation.
On September 19 the winery started harvest, and with the mild weather, it proceeded at a very calm, measured pace. This allowed us to pick each block at ideal maturity, with no rushing.
An unusual September rain arrived on September 25, gifting us with half an inch of rain. It was exactly what the last fields needed to complete their ripening. After the rain, a breeze came and dried everything out. Harvest wrapped up on October 9.
The 2023 Wines
The 2023 vintage produced elegant, perfumed wines with great detail and transparency. The 2023s are dream wines for those that love balanced, graceful Pinot Noirs with classic varietal character and elevated site specificity.
The Hirsch Chardonnay in 2023 is generous yet classy, subtle yet flavorful. The cool conditions preserved great aromatic detail in the wine, and this is a remarkably complex wine for its youth. We highly recommend this wine for those that love the wines of Chassagne.
In 2023, we produced the following wines at Hirsch Vineyards: