Harvest

The harvesting of California wine grapes comes under scrutiny in John Beck's informative documentary. Beck spent an especially rainy three-month season in Sonoma County observing the picking process at five family-run wineries and one home operation, where the managers are American (although not always American-born) and the workers are Mexican. Rudy Rodriguez, a hardy 73-year-old who has been picking for 33 years, hails from Michoacán, the same southern state as his male colleagues at the Robert Hunter Winery. Bacchus Vineyard Management, on the other hand, hires all-female teams to work; Glenn Alexander explains that attention to detail is just as important as strength, speed, and stamina. As Matt Reilly of Lone Oak Vineyards notes, however, almost no chances exist for advancement, especially since many workers can't read, write, or speak English. An exception is Reynaldo Robledo, who moved up the ranks decades ago and now oversees his own vineyard. Other vineyards, like Foppiano, save money through the use of picking machinery, although insects and other detritus tag along with the clusters. Unfortunately, everyone takes a hit here when too much rain leads to rot that reduces yields. Ironically, American and Canadian wine lovers pay thousands of dollars for the opportunity to pick grapes, while migrant workers take great risks to enter this country simply to provide for themselves and their families. DVD extras include deleted scenes and a photo gallery. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)