Wine grape harvest begins

Harvest of the North Coast’s $1 billion grape crop officially began in Napa Valley early this morning, uncorking a long and frenetic season in Wine Country.

Workers poured into perfectly pruned vineyards before dawn and emerged a few hours later with tons of grapes that winemakers at Mumm Napa winery in Rutherford will soon coax into premium sparkling wines.

Mumm Napa traditionally begins the North Coast’s harvest because many of its grapes come from some of the warmer areas of the valley.

Pinot noir and chardonnay grapes used in the production of sparkling wine are harvested earlier than grapes for still wines because winemakers want lower sugar levels in the fruit, which translates into lower alcohol levels after fermentation.

Last year’s harvest got a later start, thanks to a wetter than normal spring and heat spell that slowed the growth of some vines. But this year’s harvest is about a week earlier than the typical mid-August start, the result of near-perfect conditions during the growing season.