2024 Harvest Report – Monte Bello

Blog Post

January 2025

The winter rainy season began in early November and then ramped up through the end of the year. By mid-February, Monte Bello received 35 inches of rainfall. A late rain in May of over an inch and a half pushed the total to over 45 inches. With so much welcome moisture in the soil, the vines grew vigorously, creating a full canopy and an above-average crop. However, cool spring weather delayed fruit set and when summer temperatures remained in the moderate range, a late start to harvest seemed likely.

Fortunately, a strong inversion layer, which kept nighttime and mornings relatively warm, was present for most of July and August. This kept the ripening process moving forward, and on September 6, we began harvest at the Perrone Gate Block. Picking then continued steadily; four weeks later we finished, making 2024 one of the most compact harvests at Monte Bello in the last thirty years.

During initial pump-overs, it became clear that 2024 is a vintage, across all Bordeaux varieties, with deep color, ripe tannins and the firm, ample acidity typical of Monte Bello. Fifty-four lots were fermented and sent to barrel to complete malolactic. All but a few have now finished and are ready to be assessed at the first Assemblage tasting in the first week of February. All indications are that 2024 has the potential to be an outstanding vintage capable of aging over many decades.

—John Olney, Head Winemaker & COO