Harvest time in Loomis

&emsp;Harvesting grapes in a vineyard can be back-breaking work. I learned this first- hand, thanks to my association with the Mount Saint Joseph Winery located off Wells Avenue in Loomis. I now have a fond appreciation for those farmworkers who pick our fruits and vegetables. &emsp;Mount Saint Joseph Winery is one of 20-plus wineries in Placer County, which has become a popular wine-producing region. Many are family-owned and provide a more personal wine-tasting experience. Placer County has a rich history of producing wine grapes going back to 1848. September is harvest season for Placer County's ever-expanding wine region. &emsp;In September, I joined a group of owner/investor volunteers to bring in the harvest. Starting at four in the morning and working until mid-day on two separate occasions yielded eight tons of Petite Syrah, Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc. &emsp;The Mount Saint Joseph Winery, like so many others in Placer County, has a unique history. The idea of starting a winery was hatched in 2015. A few years earlier, Peter Story, a nationally-recognized winemaker in Napa, retired and moved to Loomis. He met Joe Smock, a retired vice president from AT&T, at St. Joseph Morello Catholic Church in Granite Bay. They discussed starting a winery with Father Matthew Spencer from the Oblates of St. Joseph, a religious order founded in 1878 by St. Joseph Marello. The Oblates serve St. Joseph Marello parish and have a seminary and youth center on their property. The seminary has been there for more than 50 years. All three agreed how beautiful a vineyard would look on the grounds of the seminary. That discussion led to a business plan and soon thereafter, Mount Saint Joseph Winery was launched. A number of local investors formed a company and in 2016 leased 2.5 acres from the Oblates. They started making wine by purchasing 20 tons of grapes from Napa and the Sierra foothills. The vineyard in Loomis was planted in 2017 with some 2,500 vines. Derek Irwin, a winemaker with experience in Napa, Sonoma and the Sierra Foothills, joined Peter Story as the winemakers while Joe Smock assumed the role of president. In 2018, Mount Saint Joseph opened a tasting room in Granite Bay. It was named Vin Uva, Latin for wine or grapes. In 2020, Vin Uva was voted "best tasting room" by the Roseville Press Tribune readers. At Vin Uva, you can enjoy award-winning wines, freshly prepared small bites of food and music on the weekends. Wines can be purchased at Vin Uva and through the wine club. You can learn more about Mount Saint Joseph Winery at www.mountsaintjosephwines.com. So, if you like to taste wine, you don't have to drive far; simply patronize one of the many wineries we have right here in our own backyard. The fall weather is upon us. It is a wonderful time to be outdoors and to toast a glass of local wine to the setting sun. Enjoy. Brian Parry is a Roseville resident, a Senior Commission member and is expressing his own opinions. Parry can be reached at 939bparry@gmail.com.