Thanks to a week of warm (but not hot) days and cool, crisp nights, the harvest pace is picking up. We’d hate to jinx it, but the weather has been PERFECT for developing grape ripeness balanced with acidity, thanks to big swings between daytime and nighttime temperatures. Up and down Napa Valley, first bins of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir grapes are arriving at crush pads being blessed and celebrated with splashes of sparkling wine. In the vineyard, clusters of Cabernet Sauvignon are making the steady transition from green to pink and soon to purple. Winemakers are walking the vineyards, sampling grapes and ensuring each vine is getting the perfect amount of sun and shade. In just a couple of weeks, we’ll really be in the thick harvest 2016. Photos courtesy Cakebread Cellars and Frog’s Leap.