Musings From the Mountain

I’m sitting in my home office looking out my window at our 5-acre vineyard here on Diamond Mountain (see photo) and I admit I am having a hard time focusing on this harvest report. There is not a cloud to be found in the endless blue sky and the temperature is a perfect 85 degrees out. Did I also mention it is Friday and the start of the long Labor Day weekend? But I promised Joel, the Communications Manager for the Napa Valley Vintners, that I would get this blog done today. I feel like a school kid sitting in class rushing to finish my assignment as I watch the seconds tick by on the clock until the bell rings and the weekend begins.

You may be wondering where this is all going and why I haven’t mentioned harvest much yet. Here at Diamond Terrace we make Cabernet Sauvignon from our Diamond Mountain and Howell Mountain vineyards. Most of the mountain appellations in the Napa Valley harvest several weeks to even a month behind the vineyards on the valley floor. Our fruit has gone through veraison, the technical term for the fruit changing color from green to dark red, but we are far from harvesting. In the past it has not been unusual for the fruit to hang well into October and based on the health of our vine canopy and the mild summer weather we are having (see paragraph 1) it looks like we are headed in that direction again this year.

So with not much to report at this time I think it is safe to say my assignment is completed and I’m off to enjoy the start of a fun Labor Day weekend. The weather here is perfect (again see paragraph 1) so if you don’t live far it’s not to late to jump in the car and come for a visit. Most of the grapes are still on the vine and enjoying the perfect weather as well.

Maureen Taylor, Owner
Diamond Terrace