Events and Beautiful Weather...

This past weekend we poured our wines along side some great food at Woodstone Marketplace. We met new friends and shared a glass with several vineyard volunteers and friends who attended.

And we have some other exciting events coming up over the the next week and over the holidays, please take a look at our events page to see if you can join us in the coming weeks.

The weather has been mild and it truly is a beautiful fall here on the central coast of California. If vacationing in the area, please consider attending one of our tasting events and better get to know us.

Finally, if you have the need to send gifts this holiday season - consider a gift of Toucan Wines! We can ship to your friends and clients to your specifications even using your own holiday cards or notes. Contact us at the winery if we can help this holiday season.

Ten Questions with Lynn Diehl - asked of Doug Timewell of Toucan Wines

Lynn Diehl recently did a casual interview with me at the winery and the result published in a regional paper. See Lynn's other work supporting the local food and wine industry at The Tolosa Press and Wine Region News.

2009 Toucan Wines tucked away in barrels...

It's been a weird growing year - first the continuing draught and then just when we thought everything might be lost to heat, the weather and the fruit cooperated and turned out a lovely crop. Further, the weather then turned cold at night slowing down harvest (just a little) and definitely helping by cooling down the winery at night. As our harvest was coming to a natural end, the gift of 5.5 inches of rain put any hope for a second crop harvest to bed.

Overall our estate vineyard yield was down but the quality was there and that's what really counts. We sincerely thank all our friends, volunteers, family and supporters for all the help this year - another year where your help really counted!!

As you can see in this picture, the recent rain has already turned the vineyard green (at least for now).

First Rain of the Season...

On the central coast we are receiving our first real rain of the season, this storm will deliver as much as 6 inches of rain fall.

Fortunately, we spent yesterday morning pulling in the last of the ripe fruit from the our small estate vineyard. Overall quantity from our 3 1/2 in going to be down from previous vintages, but the quality is terrific.

Thank you to those who attended our Estate Toucanet release party at Lund's in Arroyo Grande. If you'd like to taste our latest releases, including our new Dessert Wine, see our Event schedule for an opportunity to taste our wine and say hello. Our next event is this Thursday in Pismo Beach...

Harvest has come all at once...

After our initial harvest of estate Petite Sirah, we held off thinking that harvest would be spread out over weeks and weeks. But, we're finding the fruit is perfectly ripe and the flavors are perfect. The only problem is... it's all ready (well just about). We've picked the majority (with the help of many friends) of the crop and tonight and tomorrow we're going in for more.

Toucanet Releases...

Our Estate Toucanet is the premier release of a wine produced from the desire to make an entirely estate based Porto styled dessert wine. This premier release is represented as a blend of three barrels from our 2007 vintage and one from our 2008 late harvested vintage - all of which have been fortified or Mutage with brandy spirits distilled from our 2006 Estate Zinfandel. As you can see, our premier release of Toucanet is the product of three great vintages from our estate vineyard and a wine made in the style of the finest age-worthy Porto dessert wines.

Select estate Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, harvested from our small vineyard, once crushed, was cold soaked pre-fermentation for several days. A slow fermentation with special yeast ended with the fortification of fine brandy - Mutage d' esprit. Aged in fine oak barrels for up to 22 months, Toucanet is an incredible and lovely sweet dessert styled wine that tastes of dark sweet fruits, deep raspberry liquor, wild cherry-vanilla, and hints of mocha. Presented in 500ml traditional Porto bottles and sporting our new image of five Toucans, this wine is ready to enjoy now and will hold for up to ten years with proper storage.

Order from the winery direct or one of our fine wine shops and restaurants.

Shipping Wine Again and Harvest Begins...

We’re back to shipping wine this week – the weather is cool and that means we’re shipping any outstanding orders and new orders received today and tomorrow morning – feel free to call me at the winery for available wines and visit the website http://www.toucanwines.com/order.htm

Yesterday we harvested the Estate Petite Sirah, our first crush of the season. The Estate Zinfandel is still a couple of weeks away from harvest - and were looking forward to a warming trend starting later this week. Thanks to all our volunteers who helped out this weekend!

Early September in the Vineyard and Winery...

Having survived the heat wave of late August, we're waiting for the Estate Zinfandel and Petite Sirah to come into full ripeness. We might be able to harvest a small quantity this weekend and then wait and see.

Last Friday, Terrie helped me rack the 08' wines and I must say they are very special - a vintage worth waiting for.

The first of the 08' wines to release will be 150 cases of the "Old Vine" Evangelho Vineyard Carignane - which I hope make available during the upcoming winter holidays. We'll be able to offer, from the 08' vintage, a typical sized offering of Estate Zinfandel - blending with 11% Estate Petite Sirah and currently resting in 80% new French and Hungarian oak barrels. I expect this wine to release in early 2011; And for our Petite Sirah lovers, a mere 24 cases of 08' Petite Sirah will be available, very similar in style to our 2006, the 08' Estate Petite Sirah will sure to please. Also from the 08' vintage, we'll bring back the Toucan Cuvee, up to 50 cases of the Toucan Cuvee will find it's way to our customers in 2010.

Toucanet Release Party in Arroyo Grande

On October 10th, from 1-7pm, we'll be celebrating the release of our Estate Toucanet. This wine was produced from the desire to make an entirely estate based Porto styled dessert wine.

Lund's in the Village of Arroyo Grande - Oct. 10th 1-7pm

Select estate Zinfandel and Petite Sirah, harvested from our small vineyard, once crushed, was cold soaked pre-fermentation for several days. A slow fermentation with special yeast ended with the fortification of fine brandy - Mutage d' esprit. Aged in fine oak barrels for up to 22 months, Toucanet is an incredible and lovely sweet dessert styled wine that tastes of dark sweet fruits, deep raspberry liquor, wild cherry-vanilla, and hints of mocha. Presented in 500ml traditional Porto bottles and sporting our new image of five Toucans, this wine is ready to enjoy now and will hold for up to ten years with proper storage.

A few magnums and a few standard sized 750ml bottles will be available to members of the Toucan Wines Club.


Produced:
302 (6 pack) cases of 500ml traditional bottles
24 bottles of 750ml traditional bottles
6 magnums 1500ml

August Newsletter

Here is our August newsletter for those not on our email list. We are announcing the Toucanet Release Party October 10th at Lund's in the Village of Arroyo Grande, specials, and other news. Find us on Facebook and of course please check in on our website to view special deals or new releases.

The weather has been colder than I'd hope for this summer, but a heat wave is coming later this week. I'm thinking late September for the first grapes from our state vineyard. We've been focused on getting ready for harvest, but we still have some work to do in the winery racking our 08' wines. I'm feeling good after knee surgery and getting stronger every day.