On Tuesday morning, August 23rd at 7am, the crew gathered at the bottom of the House Block at Caspar Estate to pick the Sauvignon Blanc. Caspar Estate is located in the hills above Rutherford in Napa Valley, just off Whitehall Lane. Because of the hillside location, the day stated off with a light misting of fog in the vines and a cool temperature of 58 degrees.

Two workers pick sauvignon blanc grapes from a row of grape vines at Caspar Estate during the 2022 harvest in Napa Valley

The mist lifted gradually until we could eventually see all the way down the row. The clusters looked ready, and tasted even better! Julien Fayard, our winemaker, determined that the grapes were at the perfect brix, and the picking began.

Rows of vineyard vines at Caspar Estate in Napa Valley, covered in a blanket of grey fog

By 10 am, the sun was out on the hill and our vineyard was drenched in the warmth of the sunlight. It quickly climbed to 82 degrees.
 
 

Napa Harvest 2022 Brings The Promise Of Another Amazing Vintage

Each harvest is unique, and Napa Harvest 2022 was no exception. In June, we had Julien come down to our farm-to-table restaurant, Cultivar SF, for the 2021 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc party. Julian raved about the 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, and especially the unique, velvety mouthfeel he creates through fermentation on the lees.

“With this next vintage, I plan to leave the fruit hanging on the vine even longer,” he said. “This will give the flavor profile even more depth.”

Strangely enough, we ended up picking on the exact same day we picked back in 2021! The main difference, however, was that temperatures were slightly warmer during the 2022 growing season. So, as it turned out, Julien got exactly what he wanted.

With Mother Nature’s help—and Julien’s experienced hand—the 2022 vintage is sure to be a stellar one!

Julien Fayard with Caspar Sauvignon Blanc

The 2022 Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc will be available in Spring of 2023. All Caspar Estate wines are available by allocation only. Click here to learn more about how you can get your hands on this remarkable vintage!

A group of sauvignon blanc clusters hang from a vineyard vine

A worker empties a bin of sauvignon blanc grapes into a larger bin hauled by a tractor

Caspar Estate Sauvignon Blanc Harvest 2022

 

Want to see more photos of Napa Harvest 2022? Check out our harvest pictures on Instagram. Inquire about Caspar Allocation.