The Harvest Moon: the moon at and about the period of fullness that is nearest to the autumnal equinox. In the legend of the Harvest moon, it is said that all full moons have their own special characteristics based primarily on the whereabouts of the ecliptic in the sky at the time of year that these moons are visible.
Harvest Moon Estate and Winery was founded on growing, producing and bottling world-class Russian River Valley wine in a balanced, elegant style. Our premise is that Russian River Valley Zinfandel can be just as layered and complex as any Pinot Noir or Bordeaux variety in the world and receive the same respect. The Pitts family has grown quality grapes in the Russian River Valley since 1976. In 2000, son Randy reverse migrated from San Francisco back to Sonoma County to assume the farming responsibilities at the family's modest nine-acre ranch. In conjunction with lessons on farming by his Dad and a few viticulture/enology courses at the local junior college, Randy made a barrel of homemade Zinfandel off the ranch's back block which turned out exceptionally tasty. Quickly concluding that properly farmed and judiciously fermented, Zinfandel has great capabilities of being California's own wine nobility. The growers-turned winemakers birthed their inaugural vintage in 2002 and look forward to making their Zinprint on the winescene for decades to come.
In addition to growing up Zinfandel, Harvest Moon also hand crafts small amounts of Russian River Valley Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir and Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.
We proudly invite you out to the Estate tasting room and winery to experience the next echelon of full-service Sonoma County wine country!
The significance of the logo: Our simple circular brushstroke logo is an ancient Chinese symbol that’s been contemporarily adopted by the Japanese as the circle of life. Our logo, like our vineyards, represents a semi-closed system; permeable from outside influence. The Circle of Life starts out slow and builds to high productivity only to level out and enjoy a slow, gradual decline. Just before the circle is joined, there’s a brief pause- a quietness of sorts- and then begins the cycle anew. This is life… These are our seasons… This is wine.
Larry Van Aalst - Sommelier/WCOW Show Host
Host (The Sonoma Report), CRN Digital Talk Radio, Santa Rosa, CA
In addition to growing up Zinfandel, Harvest Moon also hand crafts small amounts of Russian River Valley Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir and Dry Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.
We proudly invite you out to the Estate tasting room and winery to experience the next echelon of full-service Sonoma County wine country!
The significance of the logo: Our simple circular brushstroke logo is an ancient Chinese symbol that’s been contemporarily adopted by the Japanese as the circle of life. Our logo, like our vineyards, represents a semi-closed system; permeable from outside influence. The Circle of Life starts out slow and builds to high productivity only to level out and enjoy a slow, gradual decline. Just before the circle is joined, there’s a brief pause- a quietness of sorts- and then begins the cycle anew. This is life… These are our seasons… This is wine.
Host (The Sonoma Report), CRN Digital Talk Radio, Santa Rosa, CA
The Equus Restaurant wine list was judged "Best of Show" in the 1995 and 1998 Sonoma County Harvest Fair. The gallery of Sonoma County wines, nearly 300 bottles hand-picked by their winemakers, sets the tone--wine country splendor in a classic setting. Larry Van Aalst, Equus Sommelier, has been selecting wines for Equus for over a decade. Larry has been judging at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair/San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for over a decade likewise, an opportunity for Larry to keep abreast of fine wines from California.
Larry will discuss 2012 Sonoma harvest and crush and update listeners on some upcoming events.
