In a craft that is so dependent on things outside of our control, winemakers are always looking to control as much as possible. In 2021, we had variable weather during bloom and set which means grape clusters were starting their lives at different times in the vineyard and we had some parts that created better, more fuller clusters than others. When mother nature decides to give conditions that lead to lower yields, this is bad from the sense that things may not ripen on the same schedule and there may be less fruit on the vine. The benefit of this is we get more concentrated fruit in what is left, and in the case of 2021, the wines are fantastic. What started out with hand wringing and questions has left us with wines in the bottle that are bright, concentrated and full of life. I suspect we'll be looking back on 2021 as a stellar vintage for years to come!