As our 2025 harvest comes to a close, and the last of the newly fermenting wines are pressed and racked down to barrel we turn our attention to becoming prepared for the coming winter months. This includes cleaning and winterizing all of the equipment that we use for harvest, applying our post-harvest irrigations and fertilizations, getting all of our tractor implements and bin trailers stored and ready for next year, and most of all the constant cleanup of leaves, pine needles, and debris that comes with this time of year. We’ve always believed that it’s imperative to put all equipment away clean, greased, ready to go for the next season. This is also the time of year to drain and close all of the vineyards irrigation systems so they do not freeze over the winter. Another important task is to check the entire fenceline of the vineyard. Every year fence repairs are needed from tree limbs falling, and deer breaking through parts of the fence to get in or out of the vineyard. There’s never a down time at the vineyard, but there is a good feeling when all the winter preparations are completed and we can start to feel ready for the snow and the rain.