Press Releases

Harvest Happenings at Catacula Lake Winery

Chiles Valley | CA

Harvest Party Sunday, September 25th
It is time once again for the Catacula Lake Winery annual Harvest Party. Please join us at our beautiful winery located in the unspoiled Chiles Valley. Help us toast another bountiful harvest in Americas premier winegrowing region.

There will be great food, our award winning wines and lively music to help set the festive mood. Please come and mingle with your Napa Valley neighbors to celebrate the 2005 harvest and the good life in wine country.

This party in thrown in conjunction with Cybermill Clubhouse, a local non-profit dedicated to the technical advancement of in need children. Catacula Lake Winery and the Keith family are long-time supporters of Cybermill Clubhouse.

The Harvest Party is being held on Sunday, September 25th from 1:00 until 5:00. Please RSVP by Friday, September 23rd at 5:00 pm.

2005 Vintage Report
Late spring rains and frost took their toll on the vines this year. The crop as a whole is about two weeks behind a normal year, due to the late rains and below normal temperatures. While this will delay the harvest, it will not affect quality.
On our Hillside Vineyards, heavy rains caused what is called ‘shatter’. This is where the rains knock the buds of the vines before they can set into berries. This is nature’s way of thinning the crop and increasing the fruits quality.
Down in the Creekside Vineyards there was some frost damage, but we were able to avoid any mildew damage from the late rains. Our Cabernet Sauvignon vines are proving themselves very hearty. So far the yields and quality are both high despite the tough growing conditions. The story was different for our Sauvignon Blanc blocks. The vines did not prove as hearty as the Cabernet. While the yields will be quite low, the quality of the fruit up to now is extremely high. The Zinfandel vines have quite a bit of second growth fruit due to some frost damage. This fruit will be left on the vines for several weeks to allow it to fully ripen. We plan to use this super ripe Zinfandel for either a Port or a Late Harvest wine. We will keep you posted on the results. All in all the 2005 vintage, while difficult and at times nerve-racking, promises to be one of low yields paired with high quality.

New Winery Hours
Our hours of operation have recently changed at Catacula Lake Winery. We are now open Monday thru Saturday from 11 until 5 by appointment only. Closed Sunday’s. Please call 707-965-1104 for an appointment.