Before skipping to the fun "social" events surrounding Harvest 2012, I’d be remiss if I didn’t touch on the activity happening here in the vineyard first.
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| MFV Winemaking Team |
This year will be our
fourth harvest of Sauvignon Blanc for our proprietary white wine, Albion. As with
most varietals this year, our rows
of Sauvignon Blanc had a great set and are maturing beautifully. The heat from
the past few weeks accelerated ripening slightly,
and we’ll continue to monitor the grapes more closely as we approach harvest. Whereas
2010 and 2011 were more concerned with ripening and fruit profile due to the
cooler temperatures, this year we
will focus on acid development to maintain an elegant balance for Albion. A few
neighbors have begun harvesting Sauvignon Blanc,
but we’re likely 10 days away from bringing in the first lots for crush. On the
flipside, our Cabernet Sauvignon continues
to soak up the sun and enjoy this beautiful weather. We walked the vineyard on
Wednesday and were pleased with the progress. There are a few minor adjustments
we’ll make in select blocks to maximize uniformity,
but at the moment we’re content and optimistic! (A rarity).
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| 2012 NVV Harvest Party |
On to the harvest celebrations.
This week was especially exciting as the Napa Valley Vintners hosted their
annual harvest party at Bale Grist Mill in Saint Helena.
Personally, I’d never been to the
mill, only passing it en route to
visit the McCrea’s at Stony Hill,
and was looking forward to something new. Roughly 300 of our fellow vintners
gathered to celebrate the growing season,
and imbibe in the fruits of our collective labor. Long banquet tables were
arranged under the backdrop of the mill,
and Silverado Brewing Company prepared a fantastic meal. I always enjoy these
events because of the people, and
this year was no exception.
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| America's Cup Trophy |
The perfect complement to our harvest
party was a brief trip to San
Francisco to celebrate the 161st Anniversary
of America’s Cup. The Napa Valley is the official wine region of the 34th
America’s Cup, and fellow vintners put on quite a party at Club
45 to welcome the AC World Series to the San Francisco Bay.
Team members mingled with vintners and exchanged sailing adventures for
winemaking tips. Although this doesn't necessarily qualify as an official harvest party per se, the setting was superb and the wines of the Napa Valley helped set the stage for a great week of racing, complete with a slice of anniversary cake!
Cheers,
James
Next Week: Harvest STOMP! and Preparations for White Wines
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