Annual MAVA Cosecha Tasting: August 17, Napa

Now that we’ve entered the new normal following the COVID-19 pandemic, public wine-tasting events have resumed, giving wine lovers a lot of opportunities to taste a wide variety of wines from all over. Every wine event occupies something of a niche, offering a particular view into the world of wine. For many it’s a particular grape variety, or a specific region of the world and its winemaking heritage.

For others, however, the event is less about the wines and more about the people making them. These tastings are even more important for wine lovers to pay attention to because they can offer a unique and under-appreciated window into the world of wine.

This is exactly how I might describe the annual Mexican American Vintners Association Cosecha tasting. Most of the Mexican and Mexican-American people working in the California wine industry do so facelessly and namelessly—off the radar of even the most engaged wine drinker, who tends to focus on the famous winemaker or the fancy winery owners, most of whom invariably are white.

Mexican-American-owned wineries with Mexican-American winemakers are still quite the rarity, despite a history that goes back to the very beginnings of the California wine industry and pre-dates all white winemaking efforts in the state. These days there are nearly 80 wineries in California owned and run by people of LatinX descent, and quite a few of them are members of the Mexican American Vintner’s Association.

The association’s annual grand tasting, named Cosecha (or “harvest”) will take place on Saturday, August 17th at the lovely diRosa Center for Contemporary Art, an outdoor sculpture and installation space in the Carneros region of Napa.

The event will feature at least 16 wineries pouring their wines, along with small bites and snacks from multiple food vendors. There will be live music and much celebration of a unique facet of the California wine world that deserves more attention.

2024 MAVA Cosecha Tasting
Saturday, August 17th
6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art
5200 Sonoma Highway
Napa, CA 94559 (map)

Tickets for the tasting cost $209 (if someone’s a designated driver they can get in for $81). That price is a little higher than your standard public wine tasting, but you’re also supporting an excellent organization with your purchase. Buy your ticket in advance online.

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