December at MW Cellars!❄️

December 5, 2025

Hey Everyone,

December has officially arrived!

Harvest may be over on paper, but the winery is still very much alive!

The weather has turned cold, the vines are bare, and the cellar smells like fermenting reds and strong coffee.

This season gave us a lot to think about.

🌿 In the Vineyard: Pushing the Season to the Edge

We picked fruit right up until November 18 this year, (later than most seasons) and everything came in at what Marty calls "peak ripeness."

Sugars were high, flavours were fully developed, and the weather kept us on our toes right until the end.

November is still the part of the season that keeps Marty a little nervous every year. You can be ten days into rain thinking the window is gone… and then wake up to a single clear morning that changes everything. That unpredictability is just part of farming here.

Sauvignon Blanc was the most emotional challenge of the year. The numbers said pick early for acid but the flavours weren’t quite there. Waiting always brings risk. This year it took three separate picks to get both the freshness and the size we wanted. It was nerve-wracking in the moment and deeply satisfying once the juice was in tank.

Typically, once frost hits, we move quickly and use machines to harvest as fast as possible. But this year, we went back to picking by hand. Even in the cold.

Same vineyards. Same timing. Same grapes.

The difference was immediately clear: cleaner fruit and better quality.

Red grapes at this time of year are delicate. When machines harvest them, the skins can burst or bruise easily, especially after frost. That damage can affect the quality of the wine before it even reaches the winery. Hand-picking is slower and requires more people, but it’s much gentler on the fruit.

We still have to balance time, weather, and team size but this reminded us that sometimes, slowing down and being more careful with the grapes makes all the difference.

🍷 In the Cellar: Shifts That Change Everything

We have made some important cellar decisions this year.

For the first time, our red wines were fermented in stainless steel, with slightly larger batch sizes to increase temperature at peak fermentation. That extra heat is helping lift aromatics and bring brighter red-fruit character forward. It’s a subtle shift, but one that really changes the direction of the wines.

All of our Bordeaux varieties are now officially on a two-year barrel cycle. No more sporadic aging decisions. From here on out, this is the program. It means more structure, more consistency and a lot more barrels aging behind the scenes.

Five years from now, this is the year future-us will point to.

If one MW wine tells the story of where we are right now, it’s Cabernet Franc. It’s been on the 20-month barrel program and became the early signal for the direction our red wines are headed.

🙌 Thank you to the Team

The biggest non-wine influence this season has been the team itself. A larger, experienced crew changes everything. When everyone’s been around the sun a few times, the whole operation runs calmer and steadier, even when things get intense.

This November, we gathered for a proper team night and came to together with some industry friends: shared bottles, swapped stories, and took a rare pause to enjoy one another’s company.

A special shout-out to Mod Wine Co., our marketing partners and an important part of the MW story this year.

🎄 The Annual MW Holiday Party – You’re Invited

December 19 | 12–5 PM at The Shed

We’d love to see you before the year wraps up. We’ll have a charcuterie spread from Itty Bitty Farm Co. and Norcini!

And a glass of MW wine on us!

Marty’s Monthly 6-Pack Draw - A Thank You!

Every time we launch a newsletter, we do a draw for a 6-pack handpicked by Marty.

It’s not a contest. It’s just our way of saying thanks for reading, for showing up, for telling your friends, and for being part of this thing we’re building.

🎉 This month’s winner: Christine Smyth.

You’ll get an email from us soon. Enjoy the bottles, Christine!

Know someone who’d be into this too?

If you’ve got someone in your life who’d dig what we’re doing, send them our way. Whether they’re curious about local wine, love a good cellar story, or just want to stay in the loop, they’re welcome!

They Can Sign Up Here

Before you go, thank you for reading, for following along, and for being part of the MW Cellars community.

As a small thank-you this month, we’re offering 10% off all orders over $150 throughout December to help for any last-minute holiday bottles you may need.

This year has been full, busy, and deeply rewarding, and we’re so grateful to share it with you. Wishing you a quiet, cozy, glass-in-hand kind of holiday season.

Cheers,

The MW Cellars Team

P.S. Don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and Facebook for day-to-day updates, harvest photos, and more-we’ve got some fun stuff coming your way!

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