Latest Posts
CANVAS Hospitality Trade Show
We are excited to attend the inaugural Napa Valley Hospitality Trade Show hosted by
CANVAS – a membership organization that supports the Hospitality Communities of Wine Country.
CANVAS provides networking opportunities, education, and easily accessible resources that enhance the effectiveness and enthusiasm of it’s professional members.
We look forward to sharing information about our bottling party Bottle Your Your Own Barrel
Solar
Reid Seeds
The Napa Valley Film Festival is coming!
Saturday we had the pleasure of hosting Kerry Hardy, Marketing Associate for the Napa Valley Film Festival. We enjoyed sharing our wines with her while discussing how we might be able to help with the festival.
The 2nd annual Napa Valley Film Festival (NVFF) returns November 7-11, 2012 in Napa Valley’s picturesque communities of Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and Calistoga:
– 100 new Independent films, studio sneak previews and special screenings
– 250+ filmmakers and industry guests
– 125+ Boutique wineries pouring all weekend
– 12 Screening venues throughout Napa Valley – including 3 in Yountville!
– Panel discussions with actors, directors, writers and producers
– Opening Night Gala at Robert Mondavi Winery
– Tribute and awards programs
– Bosch Culinary Stage
– Buick Tweet House social media VIP hospitality lounge
– VIP Receptions, dinners and more!
Learn more about this amazing event here.
Budding Over
Have you ever thought you’d like a “do over”? In viticulture, it’s possible. The process is called “budding over.”
In the spring, when the vine is just waking up, the winemaker has a chance to change the type of grape that is growing.
At Reid Family Vineyards, we’ve gradually been converting some of our merlot vines into vines that are producing other varietals.
This spring, we’re in the process of budding over 4 rows of merlot to cabernet sauvignon. This post shares a few photos illustrating how it’s done.
We chop off the merlot trunk in the winter
strip the bark from the top quarter of the trunk in the spring
cut two notches in the trunk
carefully insert buds from the new varietal into the notches
and tape them in place.
Later in the spring, a shoots emerge from the new buds and the transformation is complete. It takes a couple of years for the vine to return to producing a full yield.
The Wine Clubs
We are excited to announce the start of our new wine clubs. There are a couple of options to choose from — one a selection of our reds and the other includes our white wine. Either option delivers 6 bottles to your home or business twice a year, in March and in October. Please visit our online Wine Shop to learn more and sign up.
Pruning Season
It’s pruning time in the vineyard. Last year’s canes are being removed and the spurs on each vine are being left with two buds. With the spring-like winter we’ve been having this year, bud break is predicted to come early –perhaps as early as March 1. Does that mean we’ll be harvesting merlot in August? Here’s hoping for a mild frost season…!
Grandson Arrives!
2010 Crush
It’s been a long, relatively cool growing season, but we’re into it now! Crush started with merlot, cab franc, and viognier last week. Chardonnay and syrah are still hanging. Generally, a small crop but all the chemistries and the flavors were perfect.
Enjoy the pictures of Crush 2010!













