Harvest 2017 began fast for us, as we harvested nearly triple the tons in the first ten days as normal, spurred by a heat wave that sent temperatures soaring over 105° seven days in a row. The fact that we give our field crew year-round employment (we have since 1996) meant that we were able to get the fruit off the vines in top condition, and the cool weather that we've seen in the last week has allowed us to get caught up.

2. Tablas Creek Vineyard, Paso Robles, Calif.

We are honored to be near the top of the Daily Meal's annual ranking of American wineries for the third year in a row, among so many icons, friends and neighbors. This list is compiled by a survey of wine writers, sommeliers, chefs and restaurateurs.

A little of why they chose us: "not just for its excellent wines but for having been a leader in the use of Rhône varietals in the Paso Robles region and in the fight for approval of 11 sub-districts in the area, and for advancing sustainable and biodynamic vineyard practices not just in its own region but throughout California."