The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance (SVVGA), a non-profit trade association representing more than 100 wineries and 140 grape growers in Sonoma Valley, will be celebrating the first day of the 194th winegrape Harvest in Sonoma Valley with a Valley-wide bell ringing at 12 noon on Wednesday, August 15, 2018. The mission-style bell ringing symbolizes the beginning of Sonoma Valley’s most anticipated time of year and signals to the community that Harvest has begun.
Members of the Sonoma Valley community are invited to participate by ringing their own bells and honking horns along with the vintners, growers, Sonoma City Hall, firehouses, police, and churches.
SVVGA encourages community members and the public to follow along on these Social Media channels: Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and share their own photos and video using the hashtag #SonomaValleyHarvest.
The Ringing in of the Sonoma Valley Harvest was introduced at the Harvest Kickoff Party on July 18th at Serres Ranch. Steven Sangiacomo of Sangiacomo Family Vineyards, a third-generation grape grower and farmer in Sonoma Valley stood in for his father Angelo Sangiacomo who was voted the Honorary Bell Ringer of the first commemorative Sonoma Valley Harvest Bell. Sangiacomo Family Vineyards will be picking the first grapes of the year early Wednesday morning in a vineyard located in the AVA of Los Carneros.
SVVGA Board President and vintner Kenneth Juhasz of Auteur Wines said, “Sonoma Valley is home to many multi-generational winegrowers and winemakers and the Sangiacomo family are the perfect representatives to help us ring in and celebrate the beginning of Harvest. Extending this celebration and sharing it with the community on the actual first day of harvest includes our families and neighbors in the heritage of winegrowing and winemaking world-class wines in Sonoma Valley. We look forward to hearing the bells at 12 noon on Wednesday!”
About SVVGA
The Sonoma Valley Vintners & Growers Alliance (SVVGA) is a non-profit organization serving over 500 members who share a mission to promote awareness of Sonoma Valley’s grapes, wine and history as the birthplace of the California wine industry. Sonoma Valley comprises six of the seventeen American Viticulture Areas (AVAs) of Sonoma County: Bennett Valley, Los Carneros, Moon Mountain District, Sonoma Coast, Sonoma Mountain and Sonoma Valley. To learn more about the SVVGA visit www.SonomaValleyWine.com or call 707-935-0803.
