The Work of Eighty Hands: A Look Back at 2025

Stewardship Begins

Late 2024 – Winter2025

Some years you measure in tons harvested or bottles filled. Other years, you measure in trust built and knowledge shared. For us, 2025 was the latter. It was a season defined not just by the fruit we grew, but by the hands that tended it—a story of bringing two crews together to work as one.

When we took on the Elephant Mountain property in late 2024, we knew the real work was just beginning. It wasn’t about changing everything overnight. It was about sharing a philosophy, a way of seeing the vineyard that honors the plant, the land, and the boots who walk the rows every day. This is the story of that season—a year of learning, of grit, and of setting the stage for a legacy we can all be proud of.

"It’s not just wine we’re making here. It’s a conversation between the land and the people who care for it—a connection you can taste in every bottle." — Andrew

Laying the Groundwork: One Crew, One Vision

December 2024 – February 2025 (Dormancy & Pruning)

The first days of December 2024 were cold, but the work was clear. We had welcomed 15 new core members to our team, bringing our crew to 40 strong.

Vineyard management at this scale demanded an estimated 36,000 labor hours — a staggering figure that made teamwork and alignment not just helpful, but essential.

Our most significant task wasn’t just pruning 150 acres at Elephant Mountain; it was teaching a philosophy. We don’t just cut back vines. We make decisions — millions of them — that will echo for decades.

Our pruning method, a blend of the Poussard and Simonit & Sirch techniques, is about respecting the vine’s natural structure and ensuring its health for the long haul. To pass this knowledge on, we didn’t just hand out manuals. We brought our Elephant Mountain leaders down to Red Mountain, to vineyards we’ve managed this way for over a decade. We wanted them to see the results with their own eyes, to feel the difference in the wood, to understand the why behind the work.

Then we paired everyone up. An experienced hand from Red Mountain worked alongside a new one at Elephant. They talked, they debated, they learned from each other. In a vineyard, you’re constantly faced with “gray area” decisions where a formula won’t help you. It takes judgment, intuition, and a shared understanding.

By the end of winter, our crew had made roughly 3.6 million individual pruning decisions. Each person was responsible for a quarter-million choices that would shape the vineyard's future.

“The plant doesn’t care about us. It isn’t worried about whether we want to make wine or whether it gets to procreate. Truth is, the plant would rather birds come down, eat the red berry, and poop it out somewhere across the surface of the earth so a new plant can grow. In a system this variable, the only thing we control is consistency. If you want consistent plants, you have to make consistent decisions, year after year.”— Andrew

“I know where the frost hangs on, where the wind hits first, and which rows always come in a little later. That kind of knowledge doesn’t come from a clipboard. It comes from walking the same ground, every day, year after year. Elephant Mountain tells you what it needs — if you’re out there long enough to listen.”— Riley, Vineyard Manager, Elephant Mountain

Through that shared effort, two crews became one.

Less Is More: A Season of Minimal Intervention

March – June 2025 (Budbreak to Bloom)

The 2025 growing season in Washington presented its own unique character. We entered spring with low snowpack and reservoir levels — a quiet warning that water management would matter early. Rather than wait, we began early irrigation, building soil moisture that would support the vines through the season.

Spring arrived on schedule. Temperatures stayed warm but measured — never punishing. Then came a rare 48-year anomaly in the dew point, creating a strange, smoky-looking haze that wasn’t smoke at all. Just another reminder that nature always has something new to teach.

At the heart of our work was shoot density and canopy management — the gritty, in-the-field decisions that determine whether a vine can breathe and catch the gentle touch of June sunlight. We pushed hard for ideal canopy balance during the critical window around June 7–10, as bloom wrapped up. Those early decisions paid off all season long.

The result was a canopy that almost managed itself. Less leaf pulling. Less stress. More balance. In Merlot and several other blocks, you could see it clearly: leaner vines and fruit with depth you could taste.

Holding the Line

July – August 2025 (Veraison & Heat Management)

Despite elevated humidity and increased risk of mildew across the state, our philosophy of minimal intervention held firm. While many vineyards in Washington average six sprays a season, and vineyards in Oregon or California can see up to fourteen, we managed the entire year at Elephant Mountain with just two.

This wasn’t about cutting corners. It was the result of proactive, thoughtful viticulture. Healthy, well-pruned vines with good airflow can defend themselves. Our job is to give them the best possible chance to do so.

This approach resulted in a slightly leaner crop — a deliberate decision to prioritize quality and long-term plant health. By asking for a little less from the vines in 2025, we strengthened them for the future.

Harvest 2025: Patience Rewarded

Late August – October 6, 2025 (Harvest)

Harvest began as expected, with whites and rosé reds coming in late August. September brought warmth that accelerated ripening, and blocks came in steadily from sunup to sundown.

But one block held on — our highest-elevation Cabernet Sauvignon planted in 1998. It refused to be rushed.

We watched it. Measured it. Waited.

On October 6th, when chemistry and phenolics finally aligned, we picked. That moment carried the weight of an entire season — and years of decisions before it. The dust caked on our boots — the very boots that give MocToe its name — became part of the story.

The Quiet Confidence of a Job Well Done

Post-Harvest Reflection

One of the most rewarding parts of this season was the pride our crew took in their work. Leaders, like Riley, with decades of experience, embraced new techniques with curiosity. Emilio, a veteran with over 40 years in the field, said he wished he were younger so he could have more years of experience with this method.

By season’s end, the fruit was exceptional. The quality across Washington was high, but what we tasted from our blocks was special. We believe the 2025 vintage will stand alongside benchmark years like 2012 and 2019.

It’s a quiet confidence — earned, not declared.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Forward

As we step into the 2026 season, we’re not starting from scratch. We’re building on a foundation of shared knowledge and trust. Our team is stronger, more aligned, and better prepared than ever.

The real work of a vineyard is never finished. It’s a cycle of growth, patience, and learning. The 2025 season reminded us that our greatest asset isn’t just the land — it’s the people who care for it.

A Look Back at 2025: it was the work of eighty hands, all moving with a single, shared purpose.

We can’t wait to show you what we’ll do next.