Le Vigne Winery faces difficult Paso Robles harvest

Ben Mayo, winemaker for Paso Robles-based Le Vigne Winery, is managing a challenging harvest season characterized by significantly reduced yields. Due to a lack of freezing temperatures during the winter hibernation period, grape growers across California are facing difficulties. Mayo estimates that winemakers in the Paso Robles region may see only half of the usual tonnage harvested this year.

The absence of cold weather prevented vines from properly storing nutrients and suppressing pests, leading to uneven budbreak and flowering. This has resulted in ‘shatter’, where flowers fail to develop into fruit, and ‘shot berry’, where surviving grapes are uneven in size. Despite these setbacks, Mayo remains confident in the quality of the fruit, noting that Rhone varietals have fared better than Italian varieties like sangiovese.

Le Vigne Winery has recently received several accolades, including being named ‘USA Winery of the Year 2026’ at the London Wine Competition, as well as top honors from the Central Coast Wine Competition and the New York International Wine Competition.