An Early 2026 Harvest in the Sta. Rita Hills + New Beginnings at Groundstar
Updated: 4 days ago
From our earliest harvest on record to a new Chardonnay block and exciting projects on the horizon, fall 2026 is bringing a new chapter to Groundstar Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills.
As summer gave way to fall, there was little time to slow down at Groundstar Vineyard. In fact, while we were still enjoying the last of our summer gatherings, the 2026 harvest was already upon us!
It was a season that kept us on our toes, with an unusually early harvest in the Sta. Rita Hills, lighter yields, and plenty of activity across the estate. And while the last grapes have been picked, we're already looking ahead to what's next.
Sta. Rita Hills 2026 Harvest: The Earliest on Record
Every vintage has its own personality, and 2026 certainly made its presence known.
The Sta. Rita Hills 2026 harvest arrived exceptionally early, reflecting a broader trend across California wine country and parts of Europe. Warm late-summer temperatures accelerated ripening across California wine country, making 2026 one of the earliest harvests on record in the Sta. Rita Hills and many other California winegrowing regions—not to mention parts of Europe, where growers in France's Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux regions experienced similarly historic harvest dates. At Groundstar, the accelerated timeline required our vineyard team and winery partners to move quickly as the fruit reached maturity.
The growing season brought smaller clusters and berries, resulting in naturally lower yields across all varieties. While there was less fruit to go around, we're encouraged by the quality of what came off the vines.
For our harvest and winery partners, the timing required careful coordination and quick decisions, particularly as picking windows compressed across the region. It was a reminder that even with the best planning, Mother Nature ultimately sets the schedule.
With all our fruit safely harvested, we're now looking forward to seeing how the 2026 vintage takes shape in the hands of our talented winery and production partners!
Coming Soon: Chardonnay at Groundstar
While harvest marked the end of one growing season, we're also making way for an exciting new beginning.
We're planting a brand-new Chardonnay block at Groundstar Vineyard!
Our vineyard currently produces Pinot Noir, Syrah, Grenache, and Riesling. The addition of Chardonnay represents an exciting opportunity to further explore the potential of our site
Chardonnay is increasingly stepping into the spotlight as one of the defining varieties of the Sta. Rita Hills. Our cool maritime climate, diverse marine-influenced soils, and long growing season provide exceptional conditions for Chardonnay to develop complexity while retaining vibrant natural acidity. Long celebrated for Pinot Noir, the Sta. Rita Hills is now earning growing international recognition for Chardonnays distinguished by their elegance, precision, structure, and distinctive sense of place. Recent critical acclaim, including outstanding scores from leading wine critics, underscores the region's emergence as one of California's most exciting sources of world-class Chardonnay.
Adding Chardonnay represents an exciting opportunity to broaden our vineyard's offerings. We look forward to watching this new block take shape and, in the years ahead, discovering how Chardonnay expresses the distinctive soils, climate, and character of Groundstar.
On a more personal note, we're naming the new planting Kimberly's Block, in honor of Chiara's mother, Kimberly Rose, whose love of Chardonnay makes this addition especially meaningful to the Groundstar family.
We look forward to sharing its progress as Kimberly's Block takes root and matures.
Looking Ahead: More to Come from Groundstar
Harvest may be behind us, but there's no shortage of activity at Groundstar.
This fall, we're turning our attention to regenerative soil work and one of our most ambitious native habitat restoration projects to date. From strategic soil cultivation and cover cropping to planting more than a thousand California natives, new hedgerows, and dedicated monarch butterfly habitat, we're continuing to invest in the long-term health and biodiversity of our estate.
We'll be taking a closer look at these initiatives in upcoming Groundstar Journal posts, sharing how regenerative farming and ecological restoration are helping shape the future of our vineyard.
And there's more to look forward to! We're also getting ready to introduce two exciting additions to Groundstar: our very own sparkling wine and gin. Both projects have been in the works for some time, and we can't wait to share more as we get closer to their releases.
