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It’s Squeezin’ Season!

Harvesting Temecula Valley Pinot Grigio

Yep, it’s that time again!

Harvest hit a bit early this year as we continue to experience drought conditions throughout the State.  The little bit of rain we saw earlier in the year gave our vines a good start and a warm, toasty spring helped push things along to the earliest harvest we’ve ever seen in Temecula.

Our winemakers are excited to report that the quality and consistency they’re seeing in the harvested grapes so far has been fabulous.  Most all of our white varietals are picked and in and while a few of the red varietals have come in, most of them are still hanging around enjoying a long, slow ripening.

It’s a beautiful time to visit us in wine country.  Not only is it fun to see all the ripening fruit hanging on the vines, but there’s lots of action in both the vineyards and the winery cellars.  And it’s kinda fun watching them work so hard!  They can’t wait for harvest time to get here – and they can’t wait for it to be over!

But while it is a mad, mad ride, it’s what our vineyard guys, our winemakers and all of our cellar crews truly live for.  And prepare for.  And lose sleep over.  It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

September Winery Events

Nothing screams “Harvest Time!” more than a good old-fashioned grape stomp! September is always a busy time in Temecula Valley Wine Country; besides celebrating California Wine Month with the SIP Passport and annual CRUSH event, our wineries have a few celebrations of their own up their sleeves. You won’t want to miss all the excitement; plan your visit today! Here are just a few of the events happening.

Baily Vineyard & Winery

Sangiovese Saturdays at Carol’s
Saturdays in September /11:30a-3:00p
Live music, 1/2 price bottles of Sangiovese, food pairing featuring their new “Sangiovese Burger”.  Sangiovese Sangria by the glass of carafe. Buy a “Sangiovese Saturday” t-shirt, wear it when you come back and get a free glass of Sangiovese.

Dog Day Sundays
Every Sunday /11:30a-2:30p
Bring your well-mannered pooch to lunch!  Live acoustic entertainment.

Estate Club Private Wine Tasting
Thursday-Sunday / 11:00a-2:30p /
$20 per person; $10 per person for wine club
A preview of Baily’s outstanding 2011 Bordeaux Varietals at their exclusive production facility and Estate Tasting Room.  Experience a private winery tour, get a glimpse of the 2014 harvest activities and special case pricing available (mix and match!)  Call for reservations: 951-972-9768.

Briar Rose Winery

Sip Into Sunset
Friday, September 5 / 5:30p-9:00p
Live music by Buzz Campbell and fabulous food and wine.  Call 951-308-1098 to make reservations.  Seating is limited.

Callaway Vineyard & Winery

Prime Rib Fridays
Every Friday at Meritage from 5pm-8:00pm
Three-course Prime Rib dinner for $35 per person!  Special wine discount of 20% off Callaway wines by the bottle. Live music beginning at 6pm Reservations are not required.

Sangria Sundays at Meritage at Callaway
Every Sunday from 4pm-8pm  Watermelon Sangria and live music from. No cover charge and no reservations required.

Danza del Sol Winery

Live Music on the Patio
Saturdays in September / 1:00p-5:00p / September 6 – Samantha Schultz / September 13 – Samantha Schultz / September 20 – JD Priest / September 27 – Steroflux

Sip & Swirl – On Canvas Paint Class
Sunday, September 21 / 1:00p-4:30p / $60 per class, non member / $54 per class, Wine Club Member (all tickets are subject to 8% sales tax)

Get Sauced
Sunday, September 28 / 3:00p-5:30p / Cooking demo, class, & small plates.  Wine pairings and recipes to take home / $55 per person / $$49.50 per person, wine club (all tickets are subject to 8% sales tax).  Call Kelly at 951-302-6363 ext. 26 for reservations.

Doffo Winery

Wine Wednesdays
10:00a-5:00p
Every Wednesday through 2014 Doffo Winery will be offering a “winemakers selection” red wine from the tasting room for $25 per bottle (or a case at this per bottle price)

Art Class
Wednesday, September 10 / Sunday, September 28 /  11:00a-2:00p
$55 per person / $45 per person, wine club members
No art experience necessary to participate and you will leave with a lovely wine country themed painting, created by you and ready to frame!  Price includes all painting supplies, step by step instruction, a glass of Doffo wine and hors d’oeuvres (authentic empanadas available for purchase)

Falkner Winery

Sunday Concerts & BBQ
Every Sunday in September from 12:00p-3:00p.
Sangria, BBQ & dancing. No reservations necessary

Wine Appreciation Class
Saturday, September 20 / 10:00a-12:30p/ $20-$70
This class is designed for all ages and levels of wine knowledge.  Individuals can expect to learn about wine tasting, wine production, wine & food pairing and wine quality determination.

Leoness Cellars

Live Music
Every Friday in the Restaurant / 5:00p-8:00p
Every Saturday in the Barrel Room / 1:30p-4:30p
Every Sunday on the Patio / 1:00p-4:00p

Annual Grape Stomp
Saturday, September 20 / 6:30p-10:30p
Plated meal in the vines, wine, live music, dancing and stomping!  Join friends and family for our most anticipated event of the year!  For reservations, either call 951-216-7305 or e-mail to reservations@leonesscellars.com.  To assure your space, please RSVP no later than September 13, 2014.

Longshadow Ranch Winery

Bonfire Saturday Night
Every Saturday evening through October / 6:00p-10:00p
Family friendly / Mechanical bull rides, face painting and petting zoo for the kiddos.  Dinner available with RSVP ($8)

Strangelove – A Tribute to Depeche Mode
Friday, September 12 / Doors open at 6:00p
Tickets available at www.heyday.com

Bishon Fur Kids Fundraiser
Friday, September 19 / 6:00p-10:00p

Lorimar Winery

Live Music
Fridays & Saturdays 6p-9p / Sundays 2p-5p

Labor Day Movie in the Vines
Monday, September 1 / Featuring: Return of the Jedi
$1 Admission – Includes small bag of popcorn!  Wine Bar and Concession stand will open at 6 pm. Film begins at Sunset on the Barrel Room Lawn! Bring your own beach chair or blanket!

Grape Stomp & Harvest Festival
Saturday, September 20 / 4:00p-8:00p
Tickets include dinner, 2 glasses of wine, 1 commemorative etched wine glass to take home, participation in Grape Stomp and all Harvest Festival events. / $65 + tax, per person / $55 + tax, wine club members / $35 + tax, under 21.  Space is limited!  Get your tickets today!  Purchase tickets online at www.lorimarwinery.com or by calling 951-694-6699 xt. 4

Movie in the Vines
Monday, September 29 / Featuring: Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory / $1 Admission – Includes small bag of popcorn!  Wine Bar and Concession stand will open at 6 pm. Film begins at Sunset on the Barrel Room Lawn! Bring your own beach chair or blanket!

Monte De Oro Winery

3rd Annual Grape Stomp and BBQ
Saturday, September 27 / 6:30p / Adults $34.95 / Kids $14.95 (4-13) Grape Stomp contest & prizes, outdoor BBQ, live entertainment, games, balloon glow and much, much more.

Mount Palomar Winery

Live Music
Enjoy complimentary music on the patio!  1:00p-4:00p

Grapestomp!
Sunday, September 14 / 11:00a-5:00p / $45 per person / $40 per person, wine club members
For reservations, please call 951-676-5047 ext. 7261

Take Steps Walk – Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America
Sunday, September 14 / 3:00p-6:00p
For more information, please contact Jackie Mizon at 619-497-1300 xt. 1604 or jmizon@ccfa.org

Oak Mountain Winery

Live Music in the Pavilion
Every Saturday and Sunday in July / 1:00p-5:00p

Oak Mountain Winery University
$15 per student; $12 for wine club members.  Classes run for one hour.  To sign up, call or text 951-880-8840

Bubbles 101 –  Learn fun facts you always wanted to know about sparkling wines and champagne.

Blending Reds – Create, bottle and label your very own blend

Wine Tasting for Dummies 101 – Our beginners class for Wine Tasters

Rhone Wine Class 201 –  Our second, more advanced class after taking Wine Tasting 101 is our Rhone Wine Tasting Class 201.

Bordeaux Wine Class 201 – You will learn how these grapes are grown and how they are harvested and processed.

Ponte Family Estate Winery

4th Annual Movie Night for Charity – Despicable Me 2
Friday, September 12 / 6:30p
The event is free, but all proceeds from the night’s food and beverage sales and the silent auction will go to Rancho Damacitas, a Temecula charity dedicated to helping underserved children and victims of child abuse.  For more information, please visit www.pontewinery.com

Grape Stomp
Sunday, September 29 / 4:00p-9:00p / Gourmet food, wine music and a Stomping Good Time!

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa

Wine & Dine Chef’s Table at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant
Whether it’s a special celebration or an intimate affair, our Chef’s Table dinner for 2 to 8 guests will define the art of fine cuisine with a memorable evening of food and wine for only $135 per person. Call 951-491-8077 to reserve your table today.

Divas in D’Vines
Every Sunday during football season from 12p – 3p in the Vineyard Rose Restaurant. Enjoy half priced mimosas, sangria and Spumante Diamante. Reservations Recommended. Call 951-587-9463 x 2

Vintage Vantage Menu
Monday-Thursday 11:30a -3:00p
Specially priced $9.99 lunches for those aged 55 and over. Call 951-587-9463 x 2 for more information or reservations.

Marvelous Mondays
5:30p-9:00p
Enjoy half-priced bottles of select featured wines with the purchase of 2 entrees.  Call 951.587.9463 today or visit here.

Behind the Scenes Winery Tour
Daily / 11:00a and 1:00p / Get up close and personal with the real workings of a winery during a harvest crush.  This $40 walking wine tour culminates with a private, plated wine & cheese pairing. Wine Club Members, enjoy the tour for just $35 per person.   Reservations strongly suggested:  Call 951.587.9463 x7219.

Wiens Family Cellars

Robin Zander Band (from Cheap Trick)
Friday, September 12/ Doors open at 6:00p
For tickets, please visit www.goldencrownproductions.com

Wilson Creek Winery

“Winemaker for a Day – Harvest Edition”
September 19-20 (nightly)
Spend a night in our exclusive retreat, Wilson Creek Manor and enjoy picking grapes in the vineyard, making wine in the cellar, delicious food, wine and more! / $670 per person / Due to the nature of this unique experience, space is very limited.  Please call and reserve today: 951-699-9463

Dream Big: Foot Path Winery

It truly is a family affair with the Foote family here at Foot Path Winery!

Deane Foote, owner/winemaker

Check in every month where we feature a new interview with our Temecula Valley winemakers and winery owners. You’ll learn where they came from before settling in Temecula, CA – and what keeps them passionate about the sometimes not-so-glamorous art (and science) of making good wine in California.

Dream Big: With owner Deane Foote, Foot Path Winery

1. What were you thinking when you decided to open a winery? Well, we’d been making wine for several years – just for ourselves – and we really enjoyed it. We kept planting different varietals on our property and before we knew it, we had too much wine for just our family. After we entered a few competitions and actually won several medals, the wife (Christine) said we should open a winery. I just listen…
2. Why Temecula? We actually have owned our property here since 2002. It’s home! We live and work in our backyard. What started out as a little 11/2 acre vineyard has grown to 7 acres. It’s still not enough fruit for us, though, so we buy locally from our neighbors.
3. Your vineyard is certified organic – and you’re the only Temecula winery that holds that distinction. How does that work?  To certify as an organic grower, we’re required to meet stringent standards mandated at both state and federal levels. We also grow lots of citrus here on our farm – and all of it is organic. It requires a much more hands on approach to farming; no insecticides or herbicides allowed. We do a lot of hoeing and raking around here.
4. What keeps you up at night? Being such a small, totally family run operation, we depend and rely upon an all volunteer crew. It gets pretty tough around harvest time; the hours can be brutal. We also hand bottle all of our own wines and that takes a lot of labor. You find out really quick who your friends are. Our wine club members provide a lot of manpower. And they like to work for wine! The slot machines have always been most interesting online casino game https://casinomasta.com/casino-games/ . Several years ago slot machines have stepped upon a absolutely different level – casino players can entertain with slots with a storyline, perfect music and best graphics.
5. So… was Christine (the wife) right? Are you glad you listened? Christine is always right! We love the lifestyle and it really is a lot of fun. Meeting so many people and sharing our wines with them is very gratifying. We’re pretty darn lucky.

California Wine Month

Knowing that California is celebrated for its scenic beauty and lifestyle – and in celebration of the upcoming California Wine Month in September – the Wine Institute recently shared “10 Reasons To Love California Wine”.

California Wine Month 2014

Actually, we can think of hundreds of reasons to love our wines, but see what Wine Institute has to say here!

You can celebrate California Wine Month, Temecula style all month long with SIP passports, which allow ticketholders to choose any four wineries to taste, any day, for just $40!  Or, join us for CRUSH, our annual wine and culinary showcase on September 13, 2014, at Wiens Family Cellars.  Either – or both – are great ways to celebrate Septembers’ California Wine Month and offer two additional reasons to love California wines.

Temecula Valley Wines on the Road

On Tuesday, August 19, 2014, you’ll find Temecula Valley wines at the 25th Annual Taste of Mainstreet in downtown Encinitas. Representing the Temecula Valley at various storefront “Sip Stops”, Baily, Callaway, Danza del Sol, Europa Village, Falkner, Hart, Leoness, Monte De Oro, Vindemia and Wiens wineries will be pouring their award winning wines. Advance tickets are just $35, including food, wine and beer (for those 21+). Same day tickets (if available), will be $45. Click here for ticket information.

And on Saturday, August 23, 2014, from 4-7pm, you’ll find us at the Uncorked Wine Walk at Westfield UTC. Here you’ll savor wines from 12 Temecula Valley wineries including Bel Vino, Callaway, Falkner, Hart, Leoness, Lorimar, Maurice Car’rie, Oak Mountain, Palumbo, South Coast, Vindemia and Wilson Creek while tasting bites from UTC’s newest restaurants. Tickets are still available; purchase them here. One of the best ways to go viral on tiktok is to buy tiktok followers , it is fast and secure and will help you boost your tiktok

We hope to see you there!

Two Ticket Tuesdays

It’s Two Ticket Tuesday – and you could be a winner! Every Tuesday for the entire month of August, we’ll be giving away two (2) free passports to SIP Temecula! in celebration of California Wine Month, which is held every day during the month of September.

To enter to win, LIKE us on Facebook.  It’s that simple!  Weekly winners will be announced each Tuesday during the month of August and will be notified via email.

SIP Temecula! is our way of celebrating California Wine Month, Temecula Style! Guests choose which four of the 30+ wineries of the Temecula Valley they’d like to visit for a complimentary wine tasting.  The offer is only valid during the month of September – and is only offered once a year as our way to honor the California wine industry.  ($40 value per ticket)

Dream Big: Falkner Winery

Having watched the growth of Temecula Valley wine country for almost 20 years BEFORE buying their property allowed owners Ray and Loretta Falkner to really know what they were getting into…

August Winery Events

There’s no shortage of fun things to do in Temecula Valley Wine Country this summer.  The grapes love summer and so do we! From grape stomping events, wine making workshops, movies among the vines and evening concerts, we’ve got something for everyone.  Here are just a few events from which to choose.

Baily Vineyard & Winery

Sangiovese Saturdays at Carol’s
Saturdays in August
11:30a-3:00p
Live music and wine specials.

Dog Day Sundays
Every Sunday
11:30a-2:30p
Bring your well-mannered pooch to lunch!  Live acoustic entertainment.

Estate Club Private Wine Tasting
Thursday-Sunday
11:00a-2:30p
Tours and vertical tasting of library Boudreaux reds.
Call for reservations: 951-972-9768.

Briar Rose Winery

Sip Into Sunset
Friday, August 1
5:30p-9:00
Live music, food & wine.
Call 951-308-1098 to make reservations.  Seating is limited.

Callaway Vineyard & Winery

SIP, STOMP & PLAY
Saturday, August 2
6:00p-9:00p
$60 per person / $54 per person, Wine Club Members
$30 for children 4-11
Face painting, live music, dancing, grape stomping contests!

Prime Rib Fridays
Every Friday at Meritage at Callaway
5:00p-8:00p
Three-course Prime Rib dinner, wine specials & live music
$35 per person!

Sangria Sundays at Meritage at Callaway
Every Sunday at Meritage at Callaway
4:00p-8:00p
Live music and Watermelon Sangria

Falkner Winery

Sunday Concerts & BBQ
Every Sunday in August
12:00p-3:00p
Sangria, BBQ & dancing

Wine Appreciation Class
Saturday, August 16
10:00a-12:30p
$45 per person

Leoness Cellars

Live Music
Fridays 5:00p-8:00p in the Restaurant at Leoness
Sundays 1:00p-4:00p on the patio

Painting in the Vines
Wednesday, August 20
4:00p
$50 per person
Create a painting while enjoying award winning wines, artisan cheese and views.

Harvest Vineyard Tour and Tasting
Tour of winemaking facility and wine tasting
90 minutes
$40 per person
Reservations required

Lorimar Winery

Live Music
Fridays & Saturdays 6:00p-9:00p
Sundays 2:00p-5:00p
August 1  – Shultz & Hamilton
August 2 – Michael LeClerc
August 3 – Annette Da Bomb
August 8 – Guilty Conscience
August 9 – Lance Dieckson
August 10 – Fuzzy Rankin
August 15 – Radical Pie
August 16 – Kepi Payne Project
August 17 – Lance Dieckson
August 22 – Kanan Road Band
August 23- Lifetime Rocker
August 24 – Buzz Campbell
August 29 – Oceans of Sand
August 30 – Master Splinter and the Shredders
August 31 – Michael LeClerc

Epicurean Cooking Demonstration
Wednesday, August 6
4:00p-6:00p
$25 (+tax) per person / Wine Club Members – $20 (+tax) per person
Interactive cooking demo preparing Pesto Sauce & Baked Salmon and Lorimar Wine pairing.

Movie in the Vines ~ Featuring: Ratatouille
Monday, August 25
Wine Bar and Concession stand will open at 6 pm.
$1 Admission – Includes small bag of popcorn!
Film begins at Sunset on the Barrel Room Lawn!
Bring your own beach chair or blanket!

2nd Annual Game Night
Tuesday, August 26
Begins at Sunset

Monte De Oro Winery

Fuel – Live in Concert
Saturday, August 23
Doors open at 6:00p
$55 General Admission / $105 VIP Dinner Seating / Wine Club discounts are available

Mount Palomar Winery

Live Music
1:00p-4:00p
August 2 – Bodie
August 3 – Shameless
August 9 – Rum Soaked Raisins
August 10 – Harmony Road
August 16 – Bodie
August 23 – Journey Man Band
August 24 – 3 Blind Mice
August 30 – Entouraj
August 31 – Bodie

Bottles “n” Brushes (Painting Class with Wine!)
Wednesday, August 6
1:00p-4:00p
2 tickets for $80
Contact Dorothy Hawthorne at 951-302-3088 for more information.

Bottles “n” Brushes (Painting Class with Wine!)
Wednesday, August 20
1:00p-4:00p
2 tickets for $80
Contact Dorothy Hawthorne at 951-302-3088 for more information.

ESCAPE a Tribute to: JOURNEY Concert
Friday, August 22
7:00p-10:00p
For more information, please call 760-716-6295 or heyday@heyday.com

Oak Mountain Winery

Live Music in the Pavilion
Every Saturday and Sunday in August
1:00p-5:00p

Live Music & Food Trucks
Saturday, August 23
6:00p-9:00p
Live music by American Made and food truck fun!

Oak Mountain Winery University
2014 Spring Semester Classes
$15 per student; $12 for wine club members.  Classes run for one hour.

Bubbles 101 – Taste three of our handcrafted sparkling wines paired with artisanal cheeses.

Blending Reds – Create, bottle and label your very own blend

Wine Tasting for Dummies 101 – Our beginners class for Wine Tasters.

Rhone Wine Class 201 – Our second, more advanced class after taking Wine Tasting 101 is our Rhone Wine Tasting Class 201.

Bordeaux Wine Class 201 – You will learn how these grapes are grown and how they are harvested and processed.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa

Wine & Dine Chef’s Table at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant
Custom five-course menu paired with wine
$135 per person.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s Divas in D’Vines
Every Sunday during football season
12:00p- 3:00p
Vineyard Rose Restaurant
Enjoy half priced mimosas, sangria and Spumante Diamante.

South Coast Winery Resort & Spa’s Vintage Vantage Menu
Monday-Thursday
11:30a -3:00p
Specially priced $9.99 lunches at the Vineyard Rose Restaurant for those aged 55 and over.

Marvelous Mondays
Every Monday at Vineyard Rose Restaurant
5:30p to 9:00p
Half-priced bottles of select featured wines with the purchase of 2 entrees.

Behind the Scenes Winery Tour
Daily
11:00a and 1:00p
$40 per person; wine club members $35
Walking wine tour culminates
Private, plated wine & cheese pairing
Reservations strongly suggested.

 Thornton Winery

Summer Concert Series
Bobby Caldwell & Keiko Matsui
Saturday, August 2
7:00p
General Admission $70 per person; Gourmet Supper $145 per person

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave.
Saturday, August 23
7:00p
General Admission $75; Gourmet Supper SOLD OUT

Al Jarreau & Vincent Ingala
Sunday, August 24
5:00p
General Admission $70; Gourmet Supper SOLD OUT

Thornton Winery’s Chef’s Counter
Friday, August 29
7:00p
$125 per person, plus tax and tip
An interactive Chef’s Table in a private kitchen.
Five-course meal prepared right in front of you.
Seating is limited to 10 people, so reservations are a must!

Wiens Family Cellars

The English Beat Summer Concert
Friday, August 15
Doors open at 5:30p

Wilson Creek Winery

Live entertainment
12:00p-4:00p
August 2 – JD Priest
August 3 – Mark Norris
August 9 – Smoothie Jones
August 10 – Buzz Campbell
August 16 – Billy Watson
August 17 – Michael Le Clerc
August 24 – Astra Kelly
August 30 – JD Priest

Wine Academy – Summer Wine Pairing Experience
Saturday, August 9
11:00a-1:00p
$35 per person; $20 per person, wine club
Enjoy learning more about wine in an informal atmosphere.

Garratt Wilkin & The Parrotheads Concert
Friday, August 15
7:00p-10:00p
$35 General Admission; Wine Club $25 (limit 2)
The #1 Jimmy Buffet tribute band is back by popular demand.

“Winemaker for a Day – Harvest Edition”
Monday-Thursday, August 18-21 (nightly)
$670 per person
One night stay at the Wilson Creek Manor, pick grapes in the vineyard, making wine in the cellar, delicious food, wine and more!
Space is very limited and reservations required.

Bastille Day

Vive le 14 juillet!
Long live the 14th of July!

Bastille Day, the French national holiday, commemorates the storming of the Bastille, which took place on July 14, 1789.  As in the US, where the signing of the Declaration of Independence signaled the start of the American Revolution, in France the invasion of the Bastille began the Great Revolution.  Although the Bastille held only seven prisoners at the time of its capture, the raid was a symbol of liberty and the start of the fight against oppression for all French citizens.  Today, the day is commemorated with much merry making, revelry and of course, wine drinking!

As we Americans tend to do, it seems only appropriate to join in the celebration, which gives us cause to celebrate everything French, oui?  And since almost all of the most famous grape varieties originated in France or became famous through French expression, we think toasting to our fellow red, white and blue’rs should be done in the French spirit, non?

The diversity of French wine is due in large part to the country’s wide range of climates – just like ours in California.  It’s cooler in the north, warm and dry in the Rhone Valley to the south; there’s coastal effects and all sorts of continental and Mediterranean influences throughout the land.  And like us in the Temecula Valley, whether you’re a lover of Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot or Sauvignon Blanc – or you’re more a devotee of Bourdeaux or Rhone style blended wines, there’s a little something for everyone.

So, we say Santé!  And add a warm merci beaucomp to the French!

Click here for some great French varietals, Temecula Style!

Ponte Family Estate Winery
2013 Pas Doux
Newly released, Pas Doux, means “not sweet” in French.  A full bodied, bone dry rosé wine with a honeysuckle aroma and and wonderful flavors of pear, guava, grapefruit and lemon zest.  A staple of the French table!

Doffo Winery
2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
Dark rich garnet in color; opulent flavors of dark red cherries and cassis on the palate.  Soft and subtle with a long, lingering finish with a hint of smoke and cocoa.

Falkner Winery
2010 Meritage ~ Bourdeaux style
A  full-bodied blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby red in color, rich in flavors such as black cherry, blueberry and pepper with well integrated tannins.

Palumbo Family Winery
2011 Meritage “Tre Fratelli”
A traditional blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc; toasted vanilla and caramel nose with black cherry and plum fruit finish.  Oh yeah, and if you happen to stop by Palumbo Family Winery today, it just happens to be Nick’s birthday, too!

Vine Talk: Verasion

Leoness Cellars Pinot Grigio; July 3, 2014

Vine Talk:  Verasion

“I’ve never seen anything like it!”, says Mike Rennie, owner of Leoness Cellars and a long-time grower and vineyard manager here in the valley.  “Harvest is going to be the earliest I’ve ever seen!  We’re already seeing verasion in all of our white grape varietals – and in some of our red varietals. The sugar level in our Pinot Grigio this morning was 18%.  It’ll probably reach the 22% we look for and be ready for harvesting by mid to late July.  It’s just incredible!”

In vineyard speak, verasion is a term used to describe the changing of color in a grape cluster.  All grapes are green up this point, but as the ripening process evolves, the clusters will begin the process of turning into those recognizable hues of golds, pinks, reds and purples. The grapes at this stage are sour and immature, but during the next few weeks as the fruit matures, astringent malic acids turn into soft tartaric acids and the sugar levels begin to rise rapidly.

There’s lot of action in the vineyard during this time.  The leaf canopies are constantly being pruned to allow just the right amount of sunlight and air to circulate though the vines.  Clusters that are not ripening evenly will be dropped to allow those that are to uniformly mature.  Unlike table grapes, small berry clusters are what we’re looking for as they have a better skin to fruit ratio that ensures enhanced concentrations of flavor and structure.  And that’s a very important aspect for making quality wines!  We’ll be praying for warm and dry weather – at least through the harvest season – to allow for the long, slow ripening process that our winemakers love.

What actually triggers verasion remains a mystery, but we can be sure that Mother Nature holds all the cards!