Harvest Season (2019)

In 2018, California's wine country accounted for some $1.53 billion in export revenue, much of it from the famous Napa and Sonoma regions that are the focus of this documentary film from the PBS series called Independent Lens. As this movie makes clear, none of that wine wealth would be possible without the Mexican workers who account for 90% of the labor force in the industry. This film follows the stories of several of these "invisible" multi-generational Latinos, guest workers, permanent residents, and wine makers.  We meet Vanessa Robledo, a 4th generation entrepreneur. Beginning with her great-grandfather, wine is all she has ever known. "There is something sacred about the land," she says. There's wine maker Gustavo Brambila, who has been in Napa for over 40 years. "There are no tricks or gimmicks," says Brambila as he talks about his wine, "just truth. This is what I've got." Angel Calderon runs the worker housing. Rene Reyes is a temporary laborer. After watching this film, you'll never open a bottle of wine in quite the same way again. The Mexican director of this film, Bernado Ruiz, has been nominated for two Emmys.

Dan Clendenin: dan@journeywithjesus.net