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.

Started pruning, finally!

We've started pruning having completed bottling the 07' wines. The pruning is going well, but rain will be slowing progress this coming week.

Thanks to all those who've stop in to taste our 2006 Estate Zinfandel. Check out our new tasting sign used at Lund's on Saturdays - painted by Margareta.

Winemaking Preparation

Planning is a funny thing, some folks do it at the last minute while others plan the details long in advance - I think I'm somewhere in between.

Winemaking definitely requires some advanced thought. Barrels are often ordered in the spring to capture early order discounts, while specialty yeasts are ordered before they sell out. And other supplies need to be in stock before the grapes are ready. If grapes are purchased that relationship requires plenty of advanced communication.

Fortunately, I have a wonderful barrel connection with Demptos and love their barrels and the first of our barrels have just arrived. Also, today yeasts arrived and next week I'll gather the remaining supplies from a local lab. I'm building great anticipation for this year's harvest and have every hope for a stellar year from our estate vineyard.

Allow me a brief sales note - we've sold out of 2006 Carignane and we're just about sold out of 2006 Petite Sirah, we still have a little of our award-winning 2005 Estate Zinfandel and more of the 2006 Toucan Cuvee. Please look for our wines at these fine restaurants and wine shops, and know that you are always welcome to call me here at the winery for availability info and to

order directly from us.

Our only bottled and unreleased wine, the 2006 Estate Zinfandel (very limited with 123 cases produced) will release later this year. Our 2007 wines will remain in barrel through harvest and estate bottled this winter.