For Alexia and Todd Johnson, this year
’s grape harvest has a special meaning: it is the first of what
they hope will be many years of successful harvest at their home
winery, Monte Verde.
For Alexia and Todd Johnson, this year’s grape harvest has a special meaning: it is the first of what they hope will be many years of successful harvest at their home winery, Monte Verde.
“We really got into this as a hobby, something to keep my husband off the golf course,” Alexia said. “Planting 230 Merlot grape vines on our hill was also a way to landscape the area. When our interest grew, and we began thinking about this more seriously, Todd started taking UC-Davis extension courses on winemaking and growing grapes.”
Monte Verde, which means green hill, is located off of Watsonville Road in southwest Morgan Hill. The property abuts an open space area, Alexia said.
The Johnsons commemorated their first harvest with a party last weekend for approximately 150 co-workers, friends and family members from around the country.
“We haven’t begun picking the grapes yet, but we wanted to go ahead and celebrate because we knew once the harvest began, we’d all be too busy to think about a party,” said Alexia. “There are lots of grapes on the vines, and we’re measuring the sugar levels every day to determine when it’s time.”
This year, she said, the winery has grown, adding 350 new vines, including Cabernet, Merlot and a Spanish grape called Tempranillo.
“We plan on making this (the harvest celebration) a tradition,” Alexia said.
This year’s harvest of wine grapes throughout the Santa Clara Valley is expected to start in the next week to 10 days.
