(Wines&Vines) - Treveri Cellars kicked off harvest 2015 for Washington state on Aug. 7, crushing 18 tons of Chardonnay for sparkling wine—the earliest harvest ever in the state.

The grapes were brought in from Hilltop vineyard in the Rattlesnake Hills AVA, a subappellation of the 25-year-old Yakima Valley AVA. Chardonnay is the second-most planted grape in the state after Riesling, with 43,800 tons harvested in 2014.

“The sugar level was right where we wanted it, so we decided to haul them,” Katie Grieb, senior vice president of marketing for Treveri, told Wines & Vines.

While some vines are showing stress from the season’s intense heat, the sugar levels for Treveri’s Chardonnay checked in 18.6° Brix when winemaker Christian Grieb ordered the pick.

“We will be picking heavily starting Monday of next week on three more Chardonnay blocks,” Grieb said. “I would think that by (the) second week of September—at the latest—we will have all of our sparkling cuvée picked. That would be a record for us as well. Fruit is definitely ripening quickly.”