Rôtie Fall 2026
State of the Union

I hope the Fall 2026 season finds you well.

Across the industry, we are seeing significant shifts: California continues to pull out more vines as farmers work with tighter margins, and vineyards in Washington and Oregon are facing similar struggles. Oregon wineries appear to be on slightly better footing, likely due to lighter production levels over the past few years, which has prevented the build-up of bulk inventories. Meanwhile, Washington vineyards are tightening production, and wineries are becoming extremely discerning about the fruit selected.

At Rotie, we ramped up operations following the pandemic, which left us with some inventory to manage during the recent industry-wide downturn in alcohol consumption. Fortunately, we proactively scaled back production in 2024 and are now seeing a steady, healthy sales pace for our current inventory.

We have also earmarked additional acreage for Rosé production, as both our Rosé and Phatsaks have been incredible success stories. Your enthusiasm for them has us thinking about what comes next, and we have started playing with a chilled red that brings that same fresh, easy-drinking spirit to the table. We are not quite ready to give away the details yet, but we are excited! 

Reflecting on the 2024 vintage, we faced a challenging cold snap in January that threatened the crop. Fortunately, the sun shone on the Rocks District, and the heat emanating from the stones helped build a warm layer that created a unique thermal inversion I had never witnessed before. While temperatures above the inversion dropped to -14 degrees, the air trapped underneath remained in the high single digits, protecting the vines and resulting in zero damage. The remainder of 2024 was beautifully temperate for the vines that survived the January 13th arctic blast. For vintners and enologists, the stress of such events never truly leaves, and I will not forget that day anytime soon. Resilience is the word that best sums up 2024.

These industry-wide challenges, spanning production hurdles, fluctuating grape demand, and the broader economic pressure on wineries, are top of mind for many of the colleagues I speak with. This raises a difficult question: will the industry ever return to its previous landscape, or are we navigating a permanent shift in demand and production models? Is this a cyclical downturn or a fundamental change in the market? Much like the clusters hitting our sorting table, the answer will reveal itself in time. For us, thanks to our Rotiesians, we find solace in your support. While our wines are a premium product, our mission remains focused on providing exceptional value through quality. We are committed to crafting the best wine by growing the best vines at the best possible value. Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events or in our tasting rooms.