It’s that time of year again…the time when every winemaker and cellar worker has fastened their seat belt for 2-3 months of long days (and sometimes long nights) of grape harvesting and fermentations. After much cleaning, sanitizing, and ordering of special equipment and supplies, they’re ready for the crazy-busy yet exciting and exhilarating season of harvest, and they hit the ground running when that first pick arrived.

At this moment, in early September, the focus is on sampling whites and rosé — like our KDH, MAJA, and Pink Wine For Dudes — as they ripen earlier. Most of the reds will come later…with Pinot Noir — like our NP Origins — usually leading the charge. It’s crazy to think that these wines that you’ll be enjoying as early as spring 2019 are already in motion.

Our winemakers are reporting now that the grapes are almost to their optimal point of ripeness, and then the fermentations will begin – the precise moments when the sugar is being converted to….dun dun dun….ALCOHOL! (insert happy dance here)

Though Walla Walla has been seeing some rather hot days as of late, the night temperatures are a good 20-30 degrees cooler than the days and it’s this variance in temperature (known as the “diurnal shift”) that allows the grapes to keep chugging along with their ripening, without building toooooo much sugar or dropping too much acid.

In less words…the 2018 harvest is looking great and we could not be more excited! You should be too!

Tis’ the season of grapes and booze…

XO
Katie
NP’s Resident Sommelier