Wineries in Their Own Words
A taste of harvest season straight from the men and women who make the magic happen
From weeks of toil in the vineyard and cellar to time-honored traditions, triumphs and travails, three wineries from different parts of the world share their feelings on harvest and reflect on the 2024 vintage.
Meet the Wineries
Bedell Cellars (USA)
Located on Long Island, New York’s North Fork, Bedell leads the charge in sustainability and regenerative farming. Uniquely challenging for its sandy, coastal soil and exposure to North Atlantic elements, winemaker, Rich OIsen-Harbich’s team embraces technology and experimentation while taking their cues from nature.
One of the only wineries in the world utilizing entirely indigenous yeasts, Bedell strives to infuse each of their wines with a sense of place (think: cool and salty Atlantic breezes) while maintaining the distinct personality of a huge variety of grapes including Malbec, Merlot, Verdejo and Melon de Bourgogne, among others.
Bedell is sold and served in New York State and the surrounding areas. The winery also ships (where permitted) in North America.
Domaine Skouras SA (Greece)
Wine courses through the veins of the Skouras family.
Winery founder, George Skouras was born in Argos, in Greece’s Peloponnese, an area with a 3,000-year-old legacy of winegrowing. Skouras was ultimately captivated by local wine production while studying in Dijon, France, the heart of the Burgundy appellation.
He completed his oenology degree, supplemented by experiences throughout France, Italy, and Greece. He returned home determined to produce world-class wines with the indigenous grapes of the Nemea region, a stunning mountainous terrain just north of Argos.
He began with the local red, Agiorgitiko, in assemblage with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine, Megas Oenos (grand wine), was released in 1986 and conquered hearts and palates throughout Greece, Europe, and eventually overseas.
The iconic label represents the potential of Agiorgitiko to produce elegant and ageable wines with complex character as well Skouras’ commitment to indigenous flavors and excellence.
Today, George’s son Dimitris carries the torch in the vineyard and cellar. The winery has since expanded to include parcels in nearby Mantineia. Equally mountainous and sun-drenched, Mantineia is home to the Moschofilero grape, a pink-skinned aromatic variety known for opulent aromas of pink rose, white flowers, citrus zest, and stone fruit.
Dimitris employs innovative techniques during fermentation. He’s constantly experimenting with oak barrels, stainless steel tanks, and amphora casks to exalt the qualities of both local and international grape varieties. The ultimate example is their Peplo Rosé. It’s made from equal parts Agiorgitiko, Syrah, and Moschofilero, each of them fermented and aged in a different method and material.
Every bottle of Skouras wine embodies the winery’s connection to their land and embrace of innovation.
USA-based readers can find Megas Oenos and select labels on wine.com as well as stores with a fine Greek selection.
L’Avventura Vineyards
L'Avventura (Italy)
Avventura, in Italian, is a fabulous word. It means:
An unexpected event or circumstance, a risky venture, a romantic tryst.
In the case of this young and determined winery, all apply.
In late summer of 2015, Stefano Matturro and his wife Gabriella happened on a tiny parcel of land (3.5 hectares/ 8 and a half acres) for sale just south of Rome. The township of Piglio is the heart and soul of Cesanese production, the Lazio region’s legacy red variety, named for Caesar, and thought to be in existence since 26 AD.
The Monti Ernici stretch of the Apennine Mountains acts as a protective barrier, trapping Mediterranean breezes and mitigating the blazing sunshine. Grapes thrive on volcanic-tinged clay and limestone soil. Cesanese del Piglio is Lazio’s only DOCG red wine, a top-quality classification.
Cesanese is known for intense notes of violet, black cherry, and corbezzolo, a spiny lichi-like tree fruit. When aged, especially in oak, Cesanese takes on expansive and rustic aromas of smoky leather, dried fruit, and wild herbs.
L’Avventura has since expanded their territory. They produce several versions of Cesanese as well as local white, Passerina and a plot of Pinot Nero. They keep it in the family with their daughter Marta, and a host of friends and extended relatives, and have since added olive oil to their repertoire.
Stefano and Gabriella embrace the challenges and joys of winemaking. They call themselves Produttori di Felicità (happiness-makers). Next time in Rome, consider a visit. L’Avventura will happily accommodate.
Meet the Makers
I spoke with Rich Olsen-Harbich, winemaker at Bedell Cellars, Dimitris Skouras, winemaker at Domaine Skouras, and Stefano Matturro, who founded L’Avventura with his wife Gabriella.
*Greek and Italian have been thoughtfully translated to convey the essence of their words.
What does harvest mean to you?
ROH: The harvest represents the culmination of a year's worth of care, patience, and anticipation. It’s the moment when the North Fork's unique terroir can truly come to life in our wines. Each year, we only get just one chance to capture that natural character—something winemakers have that’s distinct from other crafts like brewing or distilling. That one decision—when to pick—is the most critical of the entire year, and it’s so important as it can’t be undone. It's when we truly set the stage for the wine’s character, as ripeness plays a huge role in shaping its quality, balance, and flavor and determines how terroir-driven characteristics come through in the wine.
Philosophically, harvest is both an art and a leap of faith. Professionally, it’s like a high-stakes performance, one that brings an exhilarating energy to the winery. It’s showtime, and there's nothing like it!
DS: Harvest is one of the most magical times. I say ‘magical’ because it has to do with the rebirth of our work. Every year we await new wines, new ideas and new inspiration to be born. Harvest means completion of hard and painstaking work, cultivation of the vineyard.
Harvest is the time when each of us shows our strengths. The winemaker as a general faces each year with an arsenal to combat drought, rainfall, disease. Good vintages, bad vintages, no year is the same, and therein lies all the joy and challenge of a harvest.... But at the end of the harvest a line must be drawn to successfully secure the future of the winery.
SM: The grape harvest represents so many different things, all equally important. As someone who was born and raised here, it is the crowning achievement of our deep connection with the land. It’s the moment when the earth gives back to us all we have done for it and in same manner.
For example, If we treat the earth well, it gives us good fruit. If we have stressed, mistreated, or otherwise exploited it, the land may dutifully yield a harvest, but with cold and detached mediocre fruit.
For us, making wine is a journey, and harvest represents the halfway point. The land delivers its fruit to us. Simone, the “king of the vineyards” (and my nephew), and Gabriele, the winemaker, embark on the second stretch of the journey, and every journey is an adventure.
Harvest Rituals
ROH: In 2010, I began a harvest ritual at Bedell that goes beyond the technical process and taps into something more spiritual—a deep respect for the environment and the wild yeast that bring our wines to life.
Since 2007, I’ve been fermenting exclusively with wild yeast, a process that brings a unique sense of place into every bottle. While I’ve come to understand the process well, starting white wine fermentations can be a bit tricky. So, to carry this technique out with the greatest chance of success, I use a wine starter culture, much like a sourdough starter in bread baking. Early in the season, we pick a few hundred pounds of grapes before the main harvest begins, allowing this culture to develop for about a week.
To deepen this connection, I host a ceremony and invite everyone in our company to bring something native to our area to add into the starter culture —plants, leaves, rocks, seashells, even water from the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island Sound, and Peconic Bay – the waters that protect our region and have allowed us to develop our wine region.
There’s a sense of reverence in gathering these elements, as though we’re channeling the spirit of the North Fork itself. Each item contributes to the microbial diversity in our culture, grounding the wines in the very environment that nurtures them. For our team, this ritual provides a shared moment of reflection and connection, as each of us has a role in the season’s wines.
Over time, the wines have become not just a reflection of the vintage but a reminder of our bond with the land. It’s a beautiful, almost sacred way to begin each harvest season, and I feel the wines made this way grow more complex, layered, and soulful with each passing year.
The Good, the Bad, and the Unexpected
SM: Harvest is always beautiful. A whirlwind of worry and elation. Fatiguing as it is, just being able to bring our grapes into the winery is immensely satisfying.
That said, we’ve had some ugly episodes. In 2019, a hailstorm destroyed our young parcel of Pinot Noir in just five minutes.
That’s nothing compared to 2023. In June, repeated attacks of Poronospora fungus massacred our vines. Talk about leaving a bitter taste in your mouth. That’s when we realized that nature is a force, at times impossible to reckon with.
DS: 2002 is a year I will never forget. From August 20th to September 20th, it rained every afternoon in Nemea. Agiorgitiko could not be harvested. In fact, the clusters were left rotting on the vines.
Our only proper harvest happened in the vineyard dedicated to Megas Oenos, our original blend. Thanks to stony soil, the plants remained in relatively good condition. By hand picking the healthy grapes, we were able to produce a small quantity of about 3,000 bottles of moderate quality. At least that’s how it seemed at the time.
15 years later, when we opened a few bottles, we encountered an unexpectedly good wine, which has aged excellently!
Reflections on the 2024 Harvest
ROH: The 2024 harvest has been exceptional—not just for the North Fork, but for New York as a whole. While it hasn’t been the warmest year, it’s been one of the driest and sunniest on record, which is a rare and exciting combination for us.
With almost no rain in September and October, the grapes reached incredible levels of concentration, especially in our Bordeaux reds.
The result is a depth of flavor and aromatic intensity that stands out even among past great vintages. I have no doubt 2024 will be remembered as one of the best vintages the North Fork has ever seen.
SM: Understandably, I’m superstitious. Cold, hard facts: optimal quality and the quantity this year. Fermentation went smoothly. From an analytical standpoint, all good. What can I say? Fingers crossed!! I won’t elaborate, but we’re optimistic.
DS: 2024 was very hot and thus very challenging. We wrapped up the harvest with fewer grapes than expected, but amazing quality. We expect the Nemea reds to be a little scarce, but wonderful.
The white wines seem to be of excellent quality. Slowly but surely, some are almost ready for bottling!
2024 Stand-Outs
When pressed, Dimitris Skouras admits he’s especially thrilled about one wine in particular, Moschofilero, the signature white grape from Mantineia. This is the first year they’ll be producing a Moschofilero Mantinia PDO wine from their own vineyards in a new cellar facility. It’s certainly something to celebrate.
Unsurprising, some wineries had trouble killing their darlings.
ROH: Without question, for 2024, our Sauvignon Blanc and Albariño are really standing out among the whites. Both varietals have developed beautifully this year, showing vibrant flavors and intensity that really reflect the unique conditions of the season.
As for the reds, I’m particularly excited about the Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Sauvignon. These varietals have shown incredible promise in terms of depth and concentration, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they develop in the barrel.
One and Only
If forced to choose one, naturally, Rich’s reply straddles personal taste and pragmatism.
He concedes, I’d have to go with Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a classic varietal that will grow in importance for our region as climate change continues to extend our growing seasons here.
L’Avventura only produces three grape varieties: Passerina del Frusinate for the whites and Cesanese d’Affile for the reds, and a tiny parcel of Pinot Noir, as a passion project.
SM: Every bottle has a story, they’re like our children, each destined to become a distinctive wine. It’s like choosing a favorite child! No parent would ever do so (out loud), even if in their heart they know the answer.
We’ve even named our vineyards after the family members who work with wine:
Gabriella, Marta, Lollo, Giulia, Simone…
Picchiatelli
As long as we’re getting personal, Stefano admits his personal attachment to the Picchiatello label (100% Cesanese). It’s named for an Italian term of endearment used to describe someone who is “a bit quirky or crazy.” He explains, “My childhood friends and I are all picchiatelli. This wine is dedicated to our enduring friendship.”
Speaking of a little crazy…
For Picchiatello, Stefano strongly “requested” his enologist age precisely 75% of the wine in large barrels and leave 25% in steel tanks until bottling. His slightly out-of-the-box directive turned out to be a huge success.
For more information on any of these wineries, get in touch directly, or ask me in the comments.
Cheers!