Between August and October, wherever you look in the Napa/Sonoma valleys, you can see vineyards bursting with lush red and golden grapes and groups of people working their way down the fields, picking them. The countryside is dry and the leaves are already beginning to change color before finally falling when the fall proper sets in.

The harvesting of wine grapes is one of the most crucial steps in the process of winemaking. The time of harvest is determined primarily by the ripeness of the grape as measured by sugar, acid and tannin levels with our winemakers basing their decisions to pick based on the style of wine customers wish to produce.

The weather also shapes the timetable of harvesting with the threat of heat, rain, hail, and frost which can damage the grapes and bring about various vine diseases.

Vintners Own only makes use of human workers to hand-pick grapes. The main advantage is the knowledge and discernment of the worker to pick only healthy bunches and the gentler handling of the grapes.