2020 Harvest at Ojai Mountain | Inaugural Vintage Notes & Winemaking

The Growing Season

The year began dry and warm, with minimal winter rainfall leaving limited soil moisture as spring arrived. Our young vines responded with naturally restrained vigor, producing small, well-spaced clusters that required little intervention. Summer brought consistent warmth punctuated by brief heat events, yet our elevation and the evening influence of Pacific air currents preserved acidity and moderated ripening. Fruit reached maturity at modest sugar levels with intact acids and early signs of phenolic balance—a promising expression for first-year vines.

Harvest & Yield

Harvest Window: August 18 - Early September

Total Yield: 6.5 tons across 4.34 acres

Average: 1.5 tons per acre

Harvest began with whites on August 18th and concluded with reds in early September. Total production reached just over 6.5 tons across 4.34 planted acres, averaging roughly 1.5 tons per acre—meaningfully low for any vineyard, and entirely consistent with our site-focused approach rather than a yield-driven one. Individual blocks ranged from approximately 1.2 to just over 3 tons per acre, with Grenache Blanc and Picpoul proving the most generous, while Syrah remained notably restrained. Merlot and Petit Verdot were not harvested, underscoring our commitment to observation over force. Fruit was brought in only where it met our quality thresholds.

Winemaking Approach

Given the vineyard's youth, we harvested and fermented each block and variety separately. This meticulous approach allowed us to evaluate every parcel individually, revealing how different exposures and soils expressed themselves in this first commercial vintage. Early fermentations surpassed expectations: chemistry was clean and well-aligned, pH and acidity balanced, and the wines showed structure without excess weight.

The Wines

Despite the experimental nature of the vintage, clarity emerged early. Tannins were fine-grained, fruit expression precise, and the overall profile reflected the site itself rather than the limitations often associated with young vines. The 2020 vintage established a strong foundation for Ojai Mountain and confirmed what we had hoped: that this vineyard was capable of producing wines worthy of release from its very first harvest.

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Ojai Mountain Estate's first vintage?

2020 marked our inaugural vintage, harvested from vines planted in 2018.

What was the yield for the 2020 harvest?

We produced just over 6.5 tons across 4.34 acres, averaging 1.5 tons per acre—intentionally low to prioritize quality over volume in our first year.

When did you harvest in 2020?

Harvest began with white varieties on August 18th and concluded with reds in early September.

Which varieties performed best in 2020?

Grenache Blanc and Picpoul showed the most generous yields, while Syrah remained notably restrained. We chose not to harvest Merlot or Petit Verdot, bringing in only fruit that met our quality standards.

Are 2020 wines still available?

Both of our inaugural 2020 vintage wines are still available in limited quantities.

2020 Estate White

75% Grenache Blanc, 25% Picpoul | 74 cases produced

Vinous 92 points: "one heck of a debut for the very first crop off this site. Notes of slate, honey, white flowers, split pine, and white smoke unfurl in a precise, cleanly delineated wine with structure and grip to burn."

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2020 Estate Red

30% Grenache, 25% Syrah, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Mourvèdre, 8% Cabernet Franc | 264 cases

Wine Enthusiast 93 points (Top 100 Cellar Selection): "It's the inaugural vintage of one of the more interesting estates to come to California in years... a unique expression."

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