Napa Valley · Vintage Report

The 2026 Harvest: CHANDON's Earliest Pick in 53 Years

A whiplash growing season gave Chandon its earliest first pick on record, while one small winery bottled the vintage before Labor Day.

September 22, 2026 · Words by William Pierce, Estates & Experiences Editor

A mechanical night harvester with light rigs working a Napa vineyard

Journal

The latest

Frank Family wine held before the SIMKHAI sign at New York Fashion Week

Napa Valley · Events

The Runway Comes to Calistoga

October 3, 2026

Chef Ranjan Dey in his chef whites, holding a tray of Indian dishes at Rotation Napa

Napa Valley · Tables

Ranjan Dey Brings Four Decades of Royal Indian Cooking to Oxbow

October 19, 2026

A private terrace at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, with a bottle and two glasses overlooking the estate vineyard

Napa Valley · Estates

Readers Name Four Seasons Napa Valley the Best Wine Hotel in the Country

October 19, 2026

Napa Valley · The Edit

The Napa Valley Edit: Where We'd Send a Friend First

September 15, 2026

A hot air balloon over Napa Valley vineyards at sunrise

Napa Valley · Guides

When to Visit Napa Valley: A Month-by-Month Guide

September 15, 2026

Vineyard rows at sunset on Pritchard Hill

Napa Valley · Itineraries

Three Perfect Days in Napa Valley

September 15, 2026

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People

The Makers

Oak barrels stacked in the barrel hall at Chappellet Winery

The Makers

Hands That Raise the Wine

A mechanical harvester with light rigs working vineyard rows at night

The Makers

The Pick at Midnight

Meet the makers →

Estates

Private Estates

The Restaurant terrace overlooking the Napa Valley at Auberge du Soleil

Napa Valley · Stays

Auberge du Soleil: The Valley's Grande Dame

September 15, 2026

The pool terrace at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, with the Palisades behind

Napa Valley · Stays

Four Seasons Napa Valley: The Resort With Its Own Winery

September 15, 2026

Sunrise over a hillside vineyard block at Somerston Estate in the Vaca Mountains above St. Helena

Napa Valley · Estates

Somerston Narrows 1,682 Acres Down to Two Wines

October 12, 2026

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Tables

The Tables

The dining room at Auro, Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley

Napa Valley · Tables

Auro: Four Stars, One New Chef, Zero Drama

September 15, 2026

The shaded terrace at Bottega Napa Valley in Yountville, set for dinner service beneath the awnings

Napa Valley · Tables

The Cellar Series: Bottega's Season of Winemaker Dinners

October 5, 2026

All tables →

Experiences

Days in the Valley

Hot-air balloons rising over Napa Valley at sunrise

All experiences →

The 2026 Harvest: CHANDON's Earliest Pick in 53 Years