Seven Hills Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley by Richard Duval

However, a substantial percentage of grapes went unpicked

Washington’s 2025 growing season and harvest are easy to sum up. It was a warm, but not hot, year, with above average temperatures in September. Beyond that, what was most notable about 2025 was how unremarkable growing conditions were.

“As a grower, it was an easy year,” said Sadie Drury, general manager of North Slope Management in Walla Walla Valley. “It felt like we just didn’t have any challenges that the last few vintages had brought.”

A mild winter and a mellow summer

Winter was wet and mild. Unlike 2024, which was marked by record low temperatures in January, temperatures never approached levels that would cause concern for vine health.

Bud break began in the Columbia Valley during the first week of April. For many locations, this was slightly ahead of historical averages. This trend continued throughout the season, with bloom starting about six weeks after bud break.

Summer temperatures were warm throughout the Columbia Valley. However, the area did not experience the stretches of triple digit days that can be common.

“It was an outstanding vintage just in the way that we did not have heat spikes,” said Ali Mayfield, winemaker at Mercer Estates, which farms sites in the Horse Heaven Hills. “It just felt like I had all the time in the world to make decisions.”

Growing Degree Days (GDD), a measure of heat accumulation, were just slightly above long-term averages through June, July, and August.

“It was a very mellow summer,” said grower Dick Boushey, who owns and manages vineyards in Yakima Valley and Red Mountain. “It was consistently warm.”

Veraison started in mid-July, slightly ahead of historical averages. Harvest started the third week of August.

A warm September

Quintessence Vineyard, Red Mountain by Richard Duval

Almost exactly as harvest began, temperatures warmed up. Again, though, it was warm, not hot.

“September was unusually warm,” said Marty Clubb, co-owner and managing winemaker at L’Ecole No. 41 in Lowden. “We had over 500 Growing Degree Days in September. That may be the warmest September we have on record.”

As is common in the Columbia Valley

See Washington harvest summaries from 2005-2025. Note: This information is restricted to subscribers.