Harvest is Here...

...Or at least for a little bit. 

{In the cellar. I was doing 

SO2 additions there today}

Believe it or not, I am back in Napa and have returned to work! Picture this, I was in San Diego just this past Friday when I was enjoying a relaxed brunch in La Jolla with my family after a nice walk along the cove when I get a call from work:

"Hey Brooke, just calling to let you know that we have a few grape orders coming in next week, so we're going to need you to return to the winery on Monday at 6AM...looking forward to seeing you then..."

Haha, so after receiving the late notice about harvest, I practically began inhaling the rest of my poached eggs and veggies + hash browns at brunch (The Veggie Hash from Cody's--super yummy, by the way)  and rushed home to look up the next flight I could catch to fly back up to Napa. That's the life of a harvest worker! 

Yes, harvest is here...or at least for the next couple days. Today was my first day back at the winery. Domaine Chandon's first shipments of grapes were delivered to the winery this morning. I like to think of today as almost a mock-trial of the actual Harvest. It was a sort of hands-on training. And even though we dealt with about 100 tons of grapes today, that's nearly nothing compared to the average daily amount once things come into full swing. Apparently there's a lot more action during the peak season. I'm keeping very busy during work, already surprising myself with the immense amount of things I've learned.

 

{Chardonnay from just one of the many

tons of crates we received today}

 

{Grapes are transferred to this de-stemmer/crusher 

where the stems are removed}

 {Tanks ready to be filled with today's juice}

Word is that I most likely have no work Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. (I suppose it depends on the grapes!) If I have the time off, I'll most likely be spending time exploring Napa. If you have any recommendations (food, shopping, or otherwise), I’d be much appreciative of any tips!

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Update: 2011 Harvest Is Near

Okay, so I STILL haven't heard anything about Harvest. However...

Information from other sources tell me that Napa Harvest is right around the corner.  Harvest is the single most anticipated time of the year in wine country.  It is what every winemaker, vineyard manager, and winery owner awaits throughout the year. Mumm Napa has always been one of the first wineries to harvest. And as of today, there has been no word of grapes being picked this year in Napa yet. The summer of 2011 has been unusually cool,  but the grapes will be ready for harvest shortly.  Harvest for sparkling wine actually began yesterday along the Central Coast of California. Soon to follow are the Napa/Sonoma regions of the North Coast.  

Predicting Harvest.  The Pinot Noir, Pinot Munier and Chardonnay varietals used for sparkling wine are harvested first to ensure lower sugar levels. Factors that affect the decision to harvest depend primarily on the grape’s tannin, acid and sugar content. Often vineyard managers and winemakers rely on a  refractometer, a hand held instrument used to measure sugar levels (degree Brix) of the grapes. When the grapes have acquired the desired sugar levels, (determined by either the vineyard manager or winemaker), the  announcement is made public to harvest workers and cellar workers (that's me!) and the busiest time of the year commences. It is at that time that the celebration of Harvest begins!

Cheers,
B

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