R.H. Phillips Vineyard Reintroduces Iconic Night Harvest Label

03/05/07 The R.H. Phillips Vineyard is pleased to announce the release of its historic Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips line of wines to commemorate the winery's rich tradition of harvesting at night. The Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips brand, made with estate-grown grapes from its 1,800-acre Dunnigan Hills vineyard in Northern California, is dedicated to innovation and high-quality, authentic winemaking. Winemaker Barry Bergman, who has been crafting Night Harvest wines since 1987, produces palate-pleasing wines with bright fruit flavors and continues the winery's history of harvesting grapes after the sun has set.

Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips is made with 80 percent estate-grown grapes, blended with a small amount of coastal fruit to round out the flavors. With its handcrafted approach and $8 suggested retail price, Night Harvest by R.H. Phillips wines are a best buy for value-conscious consumers.

In keeping with the winery's rich history, R.H. Phillips harvests all of its estate-grown fruit between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. Now more of an industry-wide practice in the wine business, R.H. Phillips first harvested under the stars in 1983, a practice pioneered by the founding family, the Giguieres. Night harvesting allows the evening air to cool grapes naturally, preserving the fruit's crispness and fresh, concentrated flavor. All night harvesting was done by hand in 1983 -- a time-consuming and cutting-edge process -- although the practice has become more technologically advanced and is currently done by machine.

Consumers will instantly recognize R.H. Phillips' signature copper capsule. A new label for Night Harvest wines, evoking the original 1984 label, is based on a painting by artist Robert Shetterly, whose work has graced several R.H. Phillips labels. The charming label portrays a nighttime scene of a man on a ladder harvesting grapes, heralding the winery's great tradition.