Estate Sauvignon Blanc: An Early Morning Pick
Before sunrise on Wednesday, August 5, harvest officially began at Estate 8.
At 4:30 AM, our team gathered in our Rutherford estate vineyard to bring in the first fruit of the season. Three tons of sauvignon blanc were harvested, destined for our Estate Fumé Blanc and sauvignon blanc wines.
With warm August temperatures in Napa Valley, timing was especially important. It was a cool 56°F when picking began, allowing us to bring the fruit into the winery before the heat of the day.
Harvesting in the early morning helps preserve the freshness and acidity of sauvignon blanc while keeping the grapes cool on their short journey from vineyard to crush pad. As temperatures rise, freshly picked fruit can begin fermenting more quickly, making those quiet predawn hours an important part of the winemaking process.
Harvest Continues with Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
On Friday, August 28, harvest continued with an early pick of pinot noir from the Russian River Valley. The fruit is Clone 777, a popular Dijon clone originating in Burgundy, France, known for its relatively loose clusters, which can help reduce susceptibility to mold and mildew. This year's pinot noir came in particularly early and moved quickly once it reached the cellar. After harvest, the wine began a roughly two week fermentation in stainless steel before moving to barrel. Pinot noir typically has a relatively steep fermentation curve, with Brix, a measurement of sugar in the grape juice, dropping quickly as yeast converts sugar into alcohol. At its peak, our pinot noir dropped as much as 5° Brix per day, compared with the 1 to 2° Brix per day we may see with slower fermenting varieties such as cabernet sauvignon.
The Team Behind the Vintage
Leading the transition from vineyard to cellar is our winemaking team: Lead Winemaker Isadora Frias, Enologist Mark, and Cellar Master Juan.
Born and raised in Brazil, Isadora's path through wine has taken her around the world, with winemaking experience in Australia, New Zealand, Sonoma, and Napa Valley. Today, she leads winemaking at Estate 8, working alongside Mark and Juan to guide each vintage from harvest through the cellar.
Harvest is where months of work in the vineyard begin their transformation into wine. From determining the right moment to pick to receiving and processing the fruit at the winery, each decision helps shape what will eventually make its way into the bottle.
The Season Ahead
This first pick is only the beginning of a long harvest season. In the weeks ahead, our winemaking team will bring in fruit from vineyards across Napa and Sonoma, from our estate cabernet sauvignon in Rutherford and pinot noir from the Russian River Valley to vineyards throughout Napa Valley AVAs including Atlas Peak, Mount Veeder, and Oakville.
Each vineyard will be harvested on its own timeline, as the fruit reaches the right balance and character for the wines ahead. It is a season that will take our team across the region, with this early morning sauvignon blanc pick marking where the 2026 vintage begins.
