When is napa grape harvest

Watch Napa Valley come to life with the thrill and rush of the harvest. Fall is a beautiful time in Napa Valley, but it's also the busiest time of the year when workers of the wineries and the vineyards hurry to pick grapes at their peak ripeness. The peak season lasts from August until October, but some grape varieties can even be harvested as late as December. During this period, the whole valley is filled with unbelievable harvest fragrances, and the ideal warm autumn weather is here for you to enjoy.

Grapes used for sparkling wines are the first to be cautiously picked. The first harvest happens in early August and marks the start of the "crush" season. Then, a major part of the white grapes is harvested to be crushed. Harvest progresses through late October and early November—for red wines, just because it takes a bit longer for them to reach full maturity.

Harvesting of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes in Napa Valley usually starts later and takes more time than other varieties. The production of late-harvest wines requires grapes to stay on the vines longer to allow them to get riper. Harvesting of these grapes can continue well into December. Here, in Napa Valley, you may also find numerous harvest dinners, parties, grape stomping, and other activities since harvest season is the peak season to visit Napa Valley.

The tender buds will begin to break from the dormant vine over a few months, after which they will flower. Each flower has the potential to turn into a single grape, making this an incredibly delicate part of the process. Growers are constantly trying to protect their flowers to ensure they are getting the yield and quality of grape they want, like thinning the crop of the less than ideal grapes. The Brix — or sugar levels — are tested to see how mature the grapes are. Glenn Proctor, a partner in wine and grape brokerage Ciatti Co.

Well-watered vines tend to produce bigger grape berries and more of them per cluster. Drought conditions are creating fairly serious water issues in certain parts of the North Coast, particularly Mendocino County winegrowing regions Potter, Redwood and Ukiah valleys, according to Christian Klier, North Coast wine grape broker for Novato-based Turrentine Brokerage. He returned to the winery in June after a year absence, following the retirement of Mike Crumly early this year.

A key reason for that is the heavy clay soils of that western edge of Carneros on the Sonoma side holds what moisture came early in the season, he said. Events Napa Valley Harvest. Each year from August through October, the Napa Valley comes alive with the excitement and rush of harvest.

The Stages of Harvest. Want to learn more about this year's harvest? The Harvest Process. Wine Inspiration. Experience Napa Valley Wine. View All Things to Do. Helena Yountville. Need more travel planning tips or recommendations for your Napa Valley trip?

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