Napatastic: the smells of harvest

There is a sweet pungent smell just about everywhere in my home town this week. We live in the valley of wine and food and have begun the Harvest of 2013. Although my vino related job is spent inside, its always a thrilling time of year to be here. From grape trucks to dozens of international interns around the valley our world becomes a different place for several months each year.

Harvest is a great time of year, for so many reasons.One of my favorites is the sense of hope and awe that comes over the winery teams.  We can't help but be excited for 1 to 2 years down the road when this harvest will truly show us what it's worth. When corks are popped by consumers, not just winemakers. When critics get their say, when a new vintage graces the shelfs and let's our most loyal consumers find a new passion for our brand.


It sound like a lot of one little act. One annual event can give us so much hope and promise and that this same passion and joy are thrown into each and every harvest season. Even through the good, bad and ugly.

This year, like last year, is expected to be incredibly good. The first promising words begin a new cycle of great expectations and a sense of hope over the valley. All because we're dumping fresh grapes into bins.