Harvest has always been a time of excitement and energy for me. For sure there is that this year and there are other reasons to look at the goodness of people and celebrate the achievements of those around us. Gratitude comes sometimes from the most unexpected of places, even in a time of deep stress and grief.

The 2023 harvest season has commenced, albeit with a leisurely start. It wasn't until this past Wednesday that we saw the first grapes being plucked from the vines. In a departure from recent years, we had to wait approximately two weeks longer to begin our harvest from the historic Royal Tee Zinfandel block at Jessie’s Grove Vineyard, which has been rooted in soil since the 1880s.