September in Wine Country is exciting with vineyards abuzz. It’s Harvest time! We often welcome patrons and friends to the winery in September who want to experience this season when our cellar is full of action. This year is different…for all of us. We have not had the pleasure of visitors as we are taking precautions because of COVID-19. Instead, we found a fun way to bring Harvest to you…virtually! Here you can watch a talk that we gave on September 1st. Winemaker Parke Hafner and Vineyard Manager David Huebel share their thoughts on the 2020 Vintage along with details about how we determine when to pick the grapes, why we harvest by machine and more. 

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While the world is turned on its head because of COVID-19, we are grateful to be out in the vineyard, doing what we do best – farming. The pandemic is always a residual concern in my mind. However, agriculture is deemed an essential business, so our work has not stopped. I cannot even begin to imagine where the vines would be right now if we hadn’t been able to work. The vines don’t stop growing. Right now, we are busy shoot thinning and managing the canopy. We are tucking shoots into the trellis and splitting the canopy so that the grapes form in the middle of the vine.

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What does “Estate Bottled” mean and why is it so important? Winemaker Parke Hafner answers these questions on our blog. All our wines are estate bottled, so we have complete control from growing the grapes to making the wine and the final step of bottling. At Hafner Vineyard, “Estate Bottled” is key to our winemaking philosophy. Great wines begin in the vineyard, and we work hard to grow the best grapes possible. Having the vineyard right next to the winery allows for close collaboration between vineyard manager and winemaker. 

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One of my roles at Hafner Vineyard is photographer and that means taking photos of the team. Whether it's for our website, team bios, email campaigns or social media, there are always many pictures to take. We enjoy highlighting the people who make Hafner Vineyard possible and find that our patrons appreciate seeing the faces behind their wine. Over the years, I have created a nice relationship with the vineyard team. At first, many were camera shy but not anymore! Even though we have a bit of a language barrier, they are all willing participants with wonderful smiles. When they see me coming, they joke with each other that "Hollywood" is calling. That gets the laughter going. 

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In farming, there is always work to be done and changes to be made. A vineyard typically has a life cycle of about 25 years, so Winemaker Parke Hafner and Vineyard Manager David Huebel are constantly looking at long term plans for the vineyard. After Harvest 2018, we removed 10 acres of vines and began the process of replanting Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec and Petit Verdot. A yearlong project, Parke, David and the vineyard team can now catch their breath with the new vines in the ground and growing happily. We interviewed Parke and David to get their perspectives on the replant and share the process with you.

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