Tuesday morning the harvest season began at Mumm Napa winery, one of California's top producers of sparkling wine. The picking began before dawn at the Rodgers Vineyard, located just north of the town of Napa in Yountville. The first grapes entered Mumm Napa's Rutherford winery at about 10:00 a.m. There was the traditional toasting of the grapes and a 100-bottle cork-pop salute.

According to the press release:

Approximately 18 tons of Pinot Noir were picked by Mumm Napa early Tuesday, and the grapes were transported to Mumm Napa in the winery's signature yellow lug boxes, which ensure the gentlest possible handling of the grapes. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes used in the production of sparkling wine are traditionally harvested at lower ripeness levels than those used to create still wine.

"Overcast mornings, cool nights, and bright sunny days made for ideal weather conditions prior to this year's harvest," noted winemaker Ludovic Dervin. "I anticipate a very promising quality harvest for 2007 in the Napa Valley."

If you weren't able to take part in the festivities, you can watch videos of the harvest, grapes being brought to the crushpad, and interviews with the winemaking team at www.mummnapa.com.