As Harvest 2019 winds down in Napa Valley, we wanted to take a moment to thank our grapegrower partners and winemaking team for completing a stellar and bountiful harvest season. Executive Winemaker Rob Lloyd reports that, with our Howell Mountain Cabernet grapes hauled in last week Friday, The Good Life Wine Collective harvest is 100% complete.

“It was a really nice harvest,” Rob added, “with the grapes ripening slowly — even the tannins on the Howell Mountain grapes are round and smooth.”

Rob’s report echoes the rave reviews by representatives of Napa Valley Grapegrowers (NVG) and Napa Valley Vintners (NVV), emphasising the extra hang time which allowed the fruit to develop flavors, creating a vintage that will be flavorful and soft on the palate.

“The long, mild summer saw very few extreme heat events, and few extended foggy mornings, which set the stage for excellent quality wines,” said Paul Goldberg, President of Bettinelli Vineyards and President of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers. “The mild finish to the season, which is ideal for grape growers and winemakers alike, has helped to preserve freshness and finesse in the fruit and will surely contribute to what will shape up to be a memorable vintage.”

When asked about whether any of our grapes were affected by the recent fire in Northern Sonoma County, Rob assured us that, “We harvested our Alexander Valley Cab early in the morning before the fires and prior to any smoke. Napa vineyards have been pretty much smoke free with the winds blowing west out to sea.”

To those of you planning on visiting this weekend, please be advised that there are no fires burning in Napa Valley, gateway airports are open, and hospitality accommodations and activities are open for business. Recent red flag wind warnings have expired, power has been restored, and the weekend forecast calls for beautiful, sunny conditions in the mid 70s. We look forward to celebrating the conclusion of the harvest season and raising a glass with you!

We also would like to express our heartfelt sympathies to those affected by the Kincade Fire in Northern Sonoma County. As fans of California wines, we kindly ask that you continue to keep residents of Alexander Valley, Windsor, and Healdsburg in your thoughts. Our deepest gratitude goes out to the many first responders, firefighters, and volunteers for your service — we could not be more grateful for all that you do.

For those of you who have so generously offered to help, please consider volunteering or donating through the verified listings of non-profits below.

With Heartfelt Gratitude,

Jessup Cellars, Handwritten, and the entire Good Life Wine Collective Family