2026 Harvest Outlook

As the signs of spring continue to show across the vineyards, I look back on the weather we had in Santa Barbara County this winter and just think to myself, “What the heck was that?”

Working alongside our farmers these past two years, I have observed that the moment harvest ends in fall, predicting the next year’s crop is always at the top of everyone’s mind. Though I have often heard it said that you could harvest the same vineyard for 10 years, and still know nothing about what the next year will look like, and after this winter I can see why. Many of my colleagues were blown away by the rapid shifts in weather we had, from the seemingly unending rainy downpours to the sudden weeks-long heatwaves.

Winter is supposed to be a time for the grape vines to hibernate, to sleep and recuperate their energy in the cold so that they may begin their growth cycle again next year. Although I think this winter, Mother Nature forgot about that. With the winter heat waves, the grape vine alarm clocks all went off quite early, and from observing the current condition of bud-break at MarAmi, not many vines hit snooze. This is not all bad though, as the rain and heat resulted in quite vigorous growth of our cover crops, which help nourish the soil with vital nutrients that the vines will need later this season.

Having an early bud-break by no means spells doom for the harvest, but it can give a little indication into what 2026’s vintages may look like. Smaller grape clusters may lead to a spicier, acidic wine with strong flavors and a little bit of a fun bite. Though as this past season has shown me, anything could be in store for MarAmi’s vineyards, who knows what Mother Nature has for us next?