Coming on the heels of the wet El Niño conditions of the previous year, 2018 saw the return of a more normal weather pattern for the San Luis Obispo Coast region. Mild winter weather brought early budbreak, especially in the thin shale and alluvial soils of Rosemary’s and Monte Sereno Vineyards. A late frost affected these vines and contributed to some of the most inconsistent yields in our thirty-six year history, with Rosemary’s Vineyard and Monte Sereno below average and our other vineyards well above. After a mild summer, harvest began August 22. The frost affected areas ripened early while all other vineyard sites ripened much more slowly, due to higher yields and persistently cool weather during harvest. Total rainfall for the season was 12 inches or 60% of average, resulting in reduced botrytis and mildew pressure in the vineyard and exceptionally clean fruit in the winery. Harvest was completed in the East Rincon Vineyard on November 12. At 83 days, it was the longest harvest in Talley Vineyards history.