It was a very exciting Wine Wednesday for us this week – the first batch of grapes came in from the vineyards! (Those are Sauvignon Blanc grapes…)

Each harvest begins with a tradition: The Blessing of the Grapes.

When the first batch of grapes comes in, everyone – and we mean everyone: cellar workers, office workers, lab workers, winemaking, everyone – gathers around the truck with the grapes for the blessing.

One of the winemakers makes a speech of thanks and blesses the upcoming harvest and vintage. They pop a bottle of wine and raise a toast as the grapes are dumped into the hopper.