Wheels Up: The 2026 Harvest Begins at 4,200 Feet

Back in January, we talked about winter pruning as the moment we chart the course for our next vintage. Pruning lays the flight plan, but harvest is where all that groundwork meets the runway. Following an unusually warm winter and spring in Willcox, our vines saw an early bud break that accelerated the entire growing season—putting wheels up on our 2026 harvest last week, about two weeks ahead of schedule.

The Short Version

Harvest came in about two weeks early after an unusually warm winter and spring
Syrah and Viognier were picked together at 3:00 AM to beat the monsoon
Dark Sky is a 75/25 co-ferment — deeper than the original 60/40 release
Petite Sirah and Grenache come off next, on 20 August
Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre close out the season

Timing the Pick at 4,000 Feet

At our estate above 4,000 feet, timing the pick requires sharp precision. Our high-elevation desert delivers intense sun tempered by cool mountain nights, preserving vibrant natural acidity while narrowing the window to harvest at peak maturity. When late-summer monsoon clouds rolled in, our flight crew went on high alert.

Cabernet Sauvignon still on the vine at 4,200 feet. It is the last block to come off.

Under the Dark Sky: A 3:00 AM Harvest

Our descent into the vineyard didn’t wait for sunrise. At 3:00 AM, working strictly under the beam of headlamps with heavy cloud cover overhead and rain threatening on the horizon, our team mobilized to pick our Syrah and Viognier. There was no time for photos in the dark—every hand was focused on racing the storm.

Harvest bin of dark Syrah clusters scattered with green vine leaves after the 3 AM pick — Syrah on the left, Viognier on the right. Both came off the same morning, which is what the co-ferment requires.

A bin of Viognier grapes picked at extended hang time, showing the toasted gold and dusty rose color of the berries — Syrah on the left, Viognier on the right. Both came off the same morning, which is what the co-ferment requires.

There was no time for photos in the dark — every hand was focused on racing the storm.

Why Syrah and Viognier Come In Together

Bringing these two blocks in at the exact same hour is essential to how we craft Sky High Syrah — Dark Sky. Rather than blending finished lots later, we rely on traditional Northern Rhône co-fermentation. Because Syrah naturally reaches peak ripeness about a week after Viognier, we allow the Viognier to hang longer until the berries develop a deep, toasted color.

While traditional Rhône co-ferments often use just a splash of white grapes, our Dark Sky blend utilizes a bold 75% Syrah to 25% Viognier ratio. Co-fermenting at this proportion stabilizes an inky, rich extraction—creating a noticeably deeper, darker profile than our original 60/40 Sky High Syrah release—while lifting the wine’s aromatic structure and softening the Syrah’s firm tannins.

The Flight Path Ahead

Two harvest bins of dark Syrah grapes waiting at the Soaring Wines crush pad — Bins waiting at the crush pad. From here it is destemming, cold soak, then barrel.

The harvest tempo stays full throttle from here:

Petite Sirah & Grenache: another night pick, on 20 August.
Cabernet Sauvignon & Mourvèdre: the closing run. We co-ferment these two together as well, so our small-lot Mourvèdre goes into the tank with the Cabernet rather than being blended in as a finished wine later.

From the bins, the fruit heads straight to the winery for destemming, cold soaks, and fermentation before settling into French oak barrels. It will be some time before this high-altitude vintage lands in your glass—but the journey is officially underway.

Update, 6 September 2026: the 2026 harvest is in. Cabernet Sauvignon and Mourvèdre both needed an extra week to ripen, and the last bin came off at sunrise on 5 September. Read how the harvest finished — and why we pick in the dark.

Let’s fly, wine lovers.