Just when we thought harvest was going to be early, Mother Nature stepped in and turned down the thermostat. Since late July, a cool weather pattern has slowed ripening by a bit. A few grapes have been picked – including Pinot Noir from south Napa County for sparkling wine, Semillon from Calistoga and Sauvignon Blanc from Gordon Valley – but we’re not in the full swing we expected by now. But, there’s still plenty to do to ensure quality, including fine-tuning the vine canopies so grapes get just the right amount of sunlight to cross the finish line to ripeness. Winemakers are grateful for this year’s ideal weather and full-on harvest is expected in about a week for white grapes and early September for reds. Photos courtesy Duckhorn Vineyards and Schramsberg Vineyards.