As the 2021 growing season is rapidly approaching, and we turn our attention towards the opportunity of a new vintage at Vineyard 7 & 8, we also take time to reflect on the year that was 2020. A year marked by the pandemic, and of course the horrific Glass Fire that so ravaged our beloved mountain. We were so very lucky to dodge the proverbial bullet of the fire on three occasions, and thankfully saw no physical impact to our property other than a section of our lower fence. The impact of the smoke on the vintage however was not as forgiving.
Prior to the fires, we were able to harvest a beautiful 2020 Chardonnay from our Estate, and even had the chance to pull off a few of our early Cabernet blocks, but the lion’s share of our fruit, roughly 70% of what we grow on the property, was lost to smoke taint. As awful as this was, we choose to look at the positives that came from this experience. The camaraderie of our neighbors coming together to fight for the place we all call home far outweighs any physical damage sustained. No lives were lost, and this mountain can (and will) rebuild what was lost, but the connections and love from within our community and beyond is what gives us the fight to put one foot in front of the other.
Now, we take that step forward and look towards the light at the end of the tunnel. 2021 already has shown many positives, and the energy of life is returning to the Napa Valley. Vineyard 7 & 8 is open for tastings by prior appointment and happy to see the calendar starting to get busier. Guests seem very excited to be returning to the Napa Valley, and have adjusted well to the new “temporary” norm when it comes to experiencing wine tasting “outdoors.”
The team has been very creative during the pandemic developing a few different locations on our property that are compliant with the tiered state regulations, and give us options depending on what Mother Nature has given us in the way of weather for the day. We’ve also made virtual tastings and virtual events a significant focus over the past year, and have been blown away at the success these events have brought. In a year when there was so much impact on the way we do business whether from COVID-19 or the fall Glass Fire, connecting virtually with our members hopefully brought them a bit of entertainment and a unique way to share some wine together, but absolutely helped save our business last year.
Thanks to a good friend at NBC Bay Area Sports, we were pointed in the right direction, and given some great tips on making a killer virtual studio right in our tasting room! This awesome new tool will be a permanent part of our program going forward and a wonderful way to connect with folks when they are unable to be in Napa Valley.
However, there’s nothing like being able to host guests inside our tasting room. Perhaps if we keep making progress here in Napa County, we will be able to welcome guests back inside soon!
Until then, grab your jacket, your face covering, and your amazing spirit because we can’t wait to welcome you back to Vineyard 7 & 8 soon!
Wesley Steffens