The world of Napa Valley winemaking comes with its
own dialect.

Over the years I've been asked countless times why we call our harvest season "crush." There's really no great mystery to this. It refers to a key moment when the grapes take their first step toward becoming wine.

The process of harvest is an ancient undertaking. Winemakers who lived 1,000 years ago would not only feel comfortable in today's vineyards, they would actually recognize our current farming methods. As the growing season ends, the vintner begins the ritual of sampling grapes throughout the vineyard over several weeks until he or she decides that it's time to start picking. This sets off a chain of exciting events. Crews of workers sweep through the vines with amazing speed and skill, snipping clusters and filling bins. These bins go to the winery where under-developed fruit, leaves and any other unwanted material is removed by hand.

The remaining fruit is then poured into a machine called a "destemmer/crusher." This separates the grapes from the stems and then crushes the berries, releasing a flood of exquisite, fresh juice.
It's interesting that crushing the fruit has become identified as the defining moment of harvest, because in reality it's one of the very few human interventions in the entire winemaking process. Napa County is composed of eight percent vineyard land, and that soil in combination with our miraculous climate works wonders. The old axiom here is true - the wines are made in the vineyard.

Of course, crush has another meaning too. During harvest, those of us involved in wine production are extremely busy in a "crush" of activity. Winemakers, picking crews, crush pad workers and others put in long, exhausting hours. You can't ask two tons of grapes to wait a couple of days. When they're ready, they're ready five minutes ago. After spending 16 to 18 hours at the winery, many of us feel just as crushed and destemmed as our grapes.

However, any feelings of fatigue are short-lived. Memories of the sun rising over a vineyard, the fog receding, the sounds of trucks and tractors, the rattle of bins, the pickers talking, laughing or singing, the deep purple color and sweet taste of the juice, the stained hands and clothes, the aroma of newly fermenting wine, the late night dinners discussing what was picked that day and what is to come tomorrow all weave the fabric of yet another "crush" and bring closure to another vintage year. And what remains is the anticipation of years of enjoyment of the wine and the memories it brings forth.