In October we sent out a call to our supplier-partners: please send us your harvest photos! The response that we’ve received has been overwhelming, and we’d like to thank the following people for culling and organizing their beautiful photos. Without them these pages could not have happened. Fabio Longano – Empson USA, Jim Silver – Anderson’s Conn Valley, Angie Bigham – Shannon Ridge, Dave Landis and Amy Fletcher – Fess Parker, Mike Rodgers – Dreyfus Ashby, Brooke Gadke – Nickel & Nickel, Stacy Bonnifield – Eberle, Ed St. John – Pedroncelli, Susanne Allen and Mayda Barajas – Vintage Point and Roots Run Deep/Educated Guess, John Niven – Niven Family Estates, Chelsea Tennyson – Dusted Valley, Jeff Von Bargen and Kim Bolander – L’Ecole, Bertrand Leulliette – Bertrand’s Wines, Drew Procaccini – Steele, Debbie Slutsky – Wines U, Colin Hough – Quady, Serena Corso – Bortolomiol, Maura McCue – Lanson, Sara Rathbun – Dry Creek Vineyards, and Richard Sanford – Alma Rosa. Don’t forget to check our social channels for more pictures!

Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards

Merlot was looking spotty frankly, as is a lot of the Cabernet.  The heat spikes followed by cooler weeks, created somewhat undeveloped, but raisin-ed bunches.  Yields will be low as there’s not a lot of juice.  We’re lucky to be able to wait for better flavor development so long as the weather holds, which will make for a better overall wine, but the yield will most definitely be down considerably.  How much is impossible to say.  All that said, some blocks are spectacular, some less so.

Photo credit to Michael Housewright

Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards

C.C. Ranch Cabernet for Nickel & Nickel

Nickel Nickel Blessing of the Grapes

Chad Johnson, Dusted Valley Co-Owner/Winegrower

Domaine Marc Morey, Bertrand Leulliette

Domaine Marc Morey Barrel Room

Domaine Drouhin Oregon

Veronique say Ooh La La spectacular vintage at DDO and Roserock!

Taken just now, looking at beautiful pinot noir.

Eberle

We’re seeing smaller than average yields and the quality of fruit has never been better!

Eberle

Eberle

A nice tribute to the hard working harvest crews that make it happen every year!

Dry Creek

Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel is harvested in cool temperatures under cloud cover to prevent premature fermentation and preserve freshness.

Dry Creek

Assistant Winemaker Brian Pruett working with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and dry ice to prevent oxidation, premature fermentation and color extraction.

Pedroncelli

Wisdom Cabernet Sauvignon Harvest

Niven Family Estates

Out and about in the Niven Family’s Edna Valley Estate Paragon Vineyard.

Quady

In unison with this year’s harvest, Quady Winery is rapidly expanding to keep up with growing demand for their Electra Moscato and Vya Vermouth.

Quady

Quady Winemaker, Darin Peterson (right), and Assistant Winemaker, Cole Dennis (left), meticulously examine bunches that will make it in to the next bottling of Quady Starboard (port), Vya Sweet Vermouth and others.

Quady Harvest

Steele Wines 

Punch Downs of our Writer’s Block wines and Pinot Noirs

Educated Guess

L’Ecole

Hand-picked fruit at our Estate Seven Hills Vineyard

Educated Guess

The first batch of Cabernet Sauvignon from Maple Vineyard in Calistoga.

Champagne Lanson

Champagne Lanson 

Clos Lanson harvest: each year employees from Lanson champagne along with their families take care of harvesting its historical vineyard located in the centre of Reims.

Zaccagnini

Bortolomiol

Zaccagnini

Zaccagnini

Drone’s eye view of the 2017 harvest at Zaccagnini!

Saracco Moscato

Cabernet Corp

La Playa Hotel y Vendimia

Speri

In 2017 flowering was anticipated because of a pretty hot spring. That’s why in some areas of Valpolicella, there have been problems because of a frost that has in some cases also led to 50% less production. In Valpolicella Classica, where out vineyards are located, fortunately we didn’t have this problem because Lake Garda (nearby lake) kept the temperatures 2/3 degrees above zero and we were saved. The summer then was hot and rather drought, even though fortunately we had 2/3 rains that made the situation not too critical. The harvest was in advance of about 10 days but Speri had risked and waited to start picking their grapes for the first rains in September. In this way the grapes have taken on weight, freshness and acidity. In the end we will have a slightly less abundant vintage than usual (-5 / 10%) but of good quality. Our vineyards of the hill like the Sant’Urbano and the old vineyards made the difference. Surely we will have more ready-made wines but of excellent quality. Overall we expect a good year!

Speri