Steady Winter Rains Followed by a Mild, Balanced Summer Results in Consistent Ripening and Exceptional Flavors

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (November 4, 2025) – The 2025 winegrape harvest in Sonoma County will go down as one of the better winegrape crops in recent years as a wet winter with few evenings under “frost watch,” was followed by a mild summer without heatwaves.

According to Karissa Kruse, president and CEO of the Sonoma County Winegrowers, “No matter how many years I have experienced it, there is nothing quite like the grit and grace required for a successful harvest.  There is an urgency balanced by amazing cooperation among vineyard employees, winegrape growers and vintners work in concert to get as much fruit off the vine before the cold, wet rains begin.  Most of all, there is a pronounced sense of pride for the quality of the grapes being picked and the fact that those grapes will make some of the world’s best wines.”

With harvest complete, now is a good time to assess the year.  The milder temperatures continued throughout summer resulting in consistent ripening. Harvest began right on schedule in mid-August with varieties used for sparkling wine.  In addition, occasional cooler evenings in the late summer and early fall further benefitted the fruit by helping the grapes maintain their acidity and structure.  Growers noticed uniform ripening across vineyard blocks and exceptional flavor development.  When October arrived, a series of rainstorms were forecast throughout much of the remainder of the month which quickened the pace of harvest as growers and vintners worked to get as much fruit harvested as possible. Overall, yields were ‘good to great’, with some vineyards reporting slightly larger yields.

For additional perspectives on the harvest, here are assessments from growers farming throughout Sonoma County’s 19 AVAs.

Steve Sangiacomo, Sangiacomo Family Wines, Sonoma Valley AVA: “The 2025 growing season was great overall. There was an early, mild spring and fortunately we had an early bloom which allowed us to start the season early. It really worked out because it was a cool summer and long growing season, which was awesome for quality. There was a lot of hang time, and great phenolic development in the fruit.”

Steve Dutton, Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley AVA: “The 2025 season was an interesting one, and a good one. We had excellent quality fruit and high-quality grapes from this vintage. It was cooler than it has been in other years.”

Guillermo (Memo) Valasquez , Supervisor at Dutton Ranch, Russian River Valley, 2022 Fundación de la Voz de los Viñedos Leadership Academy graduate: “This year was a cool and temperate season, with a few issues with sales, but overall, the year was good.”

Tyler Klick, Redwood Empire Vineyard Management, Dry Creek Valley AVA: “This year we experienced a very moderate climate, and a very cool July – we didn’t quite see the heat spikes that we’ve seen in other vintages.  This makes for great quality wines, especially as we get into the latter party of ripening.”

Bret Munselle, Munselle Vineyards, Alexander Valley AVA: “We started harvest this year around the third week of August, and it was about 10 weeks long. This year was a very interesting year, we had a very cool summer, which led to great flavors developing ahead of sugars. We had cabernets that ripened earlier than expected at lower sugars. I can’t wait to see what the wines look like from this 2025 vintage.”

Joy Sterling, Iron Horse Vineyards, Green Valley of Russian River Valley AVA:  “Although the 2025 harvest was not easy and was the coolest, foggiest growing season on record in the Green Valley, the incredible dedication and care of our vineyard team resulted in a wonderful harvest, and the fruit is already translating beautifully in the cellar.”

Monica Lopez, Aldina Vineyards, Fountaingrove AVA: “This year has been a very cool season for Bordeaux varietals, and I am looking forward to tasting the thin-skinned varietals such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in the 2025 vintage.”

Rickey Trombetta, Trombetta Family Wines, Petaluma Gap AVA: “The 2025 harvest was spectacular in many ways, but it also came with its challenges. This year brought a long, cool growing season, which required extensive canopy management to increase airflow around the grapes.”

Jake Terrell, St. Francis Winery, Sonoma Valley AVA: “2025 vintage started out with average rainfall and stayed cool throughout the spring. It was a pretty large year with a lot of fruit on the vines, and we were diligent about reducing our yields to ensure we could ripen the fruit.  I think 2025 is going to be a very interesting vintage, I think it will be a lower alcohol vintage for the cabernet. I’m going to call it the “Somm Vintage” for its trendy, cool lower-alcohol wines and overall will be a great year.”

Finally, Sonoma County Winegrowers has created a harvest recap series on their social channels to provide perspectives from local winegrape growers and vineyard employees on the 2025 season.  The  videos can be viewed on Instagram @sonomacountywinegrowers and on Facebook @sonomagrapes.

About Sonoma County Winegrowers:
Sonoma County Winegrowers (SCW) is a marketing and educational organization committed to promoting and protecting Sonoma County as one of the world’s premier winegrowing regions. With more than 1,800 grape growers across 19 distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), Sonoma County is recognized globally for its commitment to quality, sustainability, and innovation.

In 2014, Sonoma County Winegrowers led the charge for all local vineyards to become certified sustainable, resulting in 99% of the region’s vineyard acreage being certified by a third-party auditor—making Sonoma County the most sustainable winegrowing region in the world.

SCW continues to lead through its Farm of the Future initiative, establishing Sonoma County as a “living lab” for innovation and regenerative agriculture. This first-of-its-kind platform brings together global collaborators such as Ford Pro, John Deere, Wilbur-Ellis, and Agrology to accelerate climate-smart farming solutions.

Beyond the vineyard, SCW supports the people who power the wine industry through its 501(c)(3) foundation, which invests in vineyard employees and their families. This includes a pioneering Leadership Academy designed to elevate the next generation of agricultural leaders.

SCW’s dynamic marketing efforts extend nationwide through partnerships with brands and organizations including Landry’s, Lettuce Entertain You, the San Francisco Giants, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bears, Coachella Valley Firebirds, and Food & Wine magazine—sharing the story of Sonoma County’s heritage, innovation, and excellence with new audiences across the country.

Contact: John Segale | John.Segale@fahlgren.com | (916) 600-1081