Andrew Lincoln Photography
 

   Producing 4% of California’s wine production, the 30 miles long by 5 miles wide Napa Valley was the first American wine region to garner international fame and status. This was kicked off by the 1976 “Judgement of Paris”, where a Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay beat out the greatest Chateaux and Domaines of France in a blind tasting. Interest and investment swelled in this once sleepy agricultural town. Prune orchards and cattle ranches soon gave way to what would become some of the most expensive vineyard land in the world. For many, Napa has become synonymous with grandeur and luxury, as most bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon start at $100+. The image of luxury detracts from the simple fact that wine is an agricultural product. It is grown and harvested from the earth, often with painstaking care. Simply put, there is no luxury in waking up at 2AM to work 8 hours harvesting 4+ tons of fruit, it’s hard work. Like many California wine regions, Napa has immensely benefited by the willingness of people from Mexico and Central America to work in the fields. They provide the backbone of the wine industry, where their efforts keep it viable and they are able to help sustain their families back home. Many will work as H-2As, a mobile work system where the employer provides housing and assistance while these individuals work several months in the vineyard. I was fortunate to have a selection of these harvest photos exhibited at the Bone Creek Agrarian Art Museum in David City, Nebraska. One of the photos is on permanent display.