Harvest Documentary Showcases Celebrated Winemakers Under Pressure

NAPA VALLEY, CA — A new documentary now airing on Discovery platforms takes viewers inside one of Napa Valley's most important annual traditions, following three wineries through the challenges of the 2025 harvest.

Stem & Barrel chronicles a single vintage from grape to bottle, highlighting the decisions, long hours, and uncertainty that define harvest in one of the world's best-known wine regions.

The film features Todd Graff of Frank Family Vineyards, Jon Priest of Etude, and Nate Weis of Beaulieu Vineyard as they guide their teams through a season where weather, timing, and countless vineyard and cellar decisions can shape an entire year's production.

Filmed during the 2025 harvest, the documentary follows each winery from early mornings in the vineyard to late nights in the cellar, while also exploring the hospitality, mentorship, and teamwork that support Napa Valley's wine industry.

For Weis, the film captures his first harvest overseeing production of Beaulieu Vineyard's flagship Georges de Latour Private Reserve while managing a major renovation at the historic Rutherford winery.

At Etude, Priest focuses on Pinot Noir production at Grace Benoist Ranch while mentoring interns from around the world, illustrating how knowledge is passed from one generation of winemakers to the next.

Graff's story centers on balancing wine production with the guest experience at Frank Family Vineyards, where harvest coincides with the expectations of visitors who travel to Napa Valley from around the world.

Rather than focusing solely on finished wines, Stem & Barrel emphasizes the uncertainty behind each vintage.

Harvest, which typically begins in late summer and extends into fall, is widely considered the industry's most demanding period, when wineries race to process grapes at peak ripeness while making decisions that can influence the character of each vintage for decades to come.

Every harvest presents different growing conditions, fruit quality, and winemaking choices, leaving no opportunity for a second attempt once grapes have been picked.

The documentary is about "the moment," Priest said during an interview on KCRA3. The pressure, the tension, the planning — "All the thing that go into the ultimate decision of when to pick the grapes."

The documentary is now available on Discovery Channel, Cooking Channel, and Discovery+.