First Day of Fall
The first day of fall has a way of slowing us down and speeding us up all at once. The air turns crisp, the mornings stretch with fog, and the vineyard is alive with its most important work of the year. Here at Knudsen Vineyards, fall isn’t just a season—it’s the culmination of everything we’ve been tending since the first buds broke in spring.
The Energy of Harvest
There’s nothing quite like the pace of harvest. Before the sun rises, crews are in the vineyard, moving steadily down the rows with clippers in hand. The cool morning air is filled with the rustle of leaves, the thump of grapes landing in bins, and the quiet laughter of people who know this rhythm by heart. It’s a blend of intensity and joy—long days fueled by the knowledge that each cluster represents a year’s worth of care.
Once picked, the fruit makes its way down the hill and into the hands of our trusted partners at Vinovate. There, the grapes we’ve nurtured all season long begin their transformation into wine. For us, it’s a moment of both pride and anticipation—handing off fruit that reflects our land and our history, knowing it’s on its way to becoming the next vintage of Knudsen wine.
When the Leaves Begin Their Show
And just as the final bins leave the vineyard, the hillsides shift again. Almost overnight, the lush green canopy gives way to brilliant autumn color. The vines, having done their work, turn shades of amber, crimson, and gold. The Dundee Hills seem to glow from within, each slope lit with fiery mosaics of leaves. Walking the vineyard now feels different—quieter, more reflective. The energy of harvest gives way to stillness, as the vines settle into their well-earned rest.
Rooted in History
This cycle is familiar to our family—it’s one we’ve lived for more than 50 years. When Cal and Julia Lee Knudsen first planted these hillsides in 1971, they couldn’t have imagined how the Willamette Valley would grow around them. But every harvest since has tied us back to that pioneering spirit. Each fall, as grapes are gathered and the vineyard turns to gold, we are reminded of the legacy we are carrying forward, and the future vintages yet to come.
Experience Fall at The Outlook
The best way to take in this season is to see it yourself. From The Outlook at Knudsen Vineyards, you can look out across the very slopes where fruit was just picked, now ablaze with autumn color. With a glass in hand and the Dundee Hills stretching out below, the view tells the story of fall in Oregon wine country better than words ever could. It’s harvest, history, and beauty all woven together.
From our family to yours, happy First Day of Fall! May this season bring the same sense of abundance, reflection, and connection that it brings to our vineyard each year.
