Kim: September 2009 Archives

When I first sat down to write a post about harvest it was raining. That was over a week ago. Today it's hot, at 90 degrees. Go figure. Such are the vagaries of harvesting those little purple berries that we magically turn into wine. It certainly takes skill and patience, as well as a good dose of humor to handle the ups and downs that come with harvest.

You could say we've seen it all in the nearly 4 decades that we've been in business. From flawless vintages and ideal picking conditions to schizophrenic weather patterns that ended in near disasters on the vines. (1983 and 1989 come to mind.)  It comes with the territory as they say. Frankly, it's the one part of the business that is very difficult to completely control. And no matter what degree of planning and preparation you do, it's always a bit of a crapshoot.

No story illustrates this more than Dad's first harvest back in 1972. It was a scorching hot day and he was preparing to receive his very firstDave Stare First Harvest - Click photo to enlarge! load.  They were Chardonnay grapes from the famed Robert Young vineyard and we were all excited and nervous.  Our only employee, Mike Ruggee was driving the truck that would soon deliver that precious fruit.  Unfortunately, our old truck overheated and broke down on the way to the winery. Mike quickly flagged down a passing farmer who helped him fill the radiator back up with water. He then did something my 9 year old eyes had never seen before. He took an enormous wad of chewing gum out of his mouth and plugged up the hole in the radiator hose. This allowed him to slowly make his way back to the winery before the water leaked out or the fruit got overheated.

Things have gotten much more high tech around here in the 38 harvests since!

One thing that hasn't changed is our “stage” program.   In 1975, my father began an internship program for international winemaking students. Our first “stages” (French for interns) were Andre Chatteneau and2009 Interns - Click photo to enlarge! Bernard Cabe. They spent the 1975 harvest with us, learning “new world” techniques that would soon make California world renowned. Over the years, we've run into many former “stages” who have developed illustrious winemaking careers all around the world. It's a wonderful feeling to know that we played a small role in their professional development. (Andre went on to run his family chateau in St. Emilion and Bernard became a successful negociant in Bordeaux.)  This year we have two young men, Mathew Kirby from Australia and Phillip Vercuiel from South Africa, helping us out. They add a bit of brawn and rowdiness to an otherwise serious winemaking operation. (You know what they say, it takes a lot of good beer to make great wine!)

To date, we're about 55% through the 2009 harvest. TNova Perrill - Click photo to enlarge!he sporadic weather of the last week has had little impact and things are looking good. We have a great winemaking team and a host of small growers that complement our estate grown fruit. This year, we've added a couple of new winemaking techniques thanks to the ingenious thinking of our cellar staff. One is a new contraption designed to gently move whole clusters into the press by bypassing the crusher. Another is an internal pump-over device that keeps the skins and seeds inside the tank when draining and doing pump-overs. (The process of moving fermenting juice from the bottom of the tank to the top to promote a healthy fermentation.) Both of these techniques help us minimize maceration (squishing up) and handle the grapes as gently as possible. Stressed grapes in the vineyard make great wine; stressed grapes in the fermenter do not! 

Kim (Wilma) Working Harvest - Click photo to enlarge!While it's been many years since I worked harvest, I always feel a sense of nostalgia this time of year. The sights, the sounds and the smells are nothing short of amazing. And, in the end, things haven't changed all that much since the early days. Sure we're more efficient and have a host of modern winemaking equipment in the cellar. But overall, traditional winemaking practices prevail- just like in the good old days.

With the exception of the Bazooka bubble gum. 

| | Comments (3)

Every year I head off to Napa for the annual Wine Industry Financial Symposium.  Hoping to pick up some new pearls of wisdom and latest industry trends, I left the symposium feeling quite positive about how we're running our business. It appears we're doing everything we shouldVeraison in the Vineyard - click photo to enlarge! during these tough recessionary times. It also appears that our type of winery, the family-owned, well-established, value-priced, quality-oriented, appellation-driven brand is perfectly poised to pick up some new business as consumers “trade down.”

The symposium is in its 18th year and is a combination of consumer data, financial experts, and industry surveys on the overall health of the wine industry. While a number of indicators point to the fact that wine is still a good business to be in, (better than say, automobiles or new home construction) it's tough and getting tougher each day. Big wineries, as well as small ones, are feeling the crunch.  

Cautious optimism was the mood of the day. 

“Trading down” was a major topic. A lot of discussion occurred about the future of the $100 Cab. Then again, I was in Napa, so I guess that's to be expected. (Admittedly, I felt pretty smug, since our Cabernet averages $22-$24.)  Statistics show that today's consumers are desperately seeking value, but this doesn't just mean price. They're changing where they shop and what they consider necessities. (I don't know about you, but there's no question that wine is a necessity!) Value is in vogue and so is frugality.  It's cool to shop at Costco.  And this is true across all income levels, even the most affluent.  But, Americans still love luxuries.  Unlike a costly vacation or major home improvement, wine is still an affordable luxury than provides instant pleasure—hallelujah!  

At the end of the day everyone agreed: every major recession has one thing in common. They all end.  So, while we're not out of the woods yet, it appears that the economy is getting “less worse.”  And, wineries that are “relevant” to today's consumer will fare the best. 

Now back to that $100 Cab.  I know of scads of reasonably priced, exceptionally delicious and very pleasurable wines to drink.  As a matter of fact, I have one right here in front of my nose.

And quite a few cases in the back if you want more.

| | Comments (5)
I have been to more wine events than you can possibly imagine. I've poured, I've sipped, I've swirled, and I've survived standing on my feet for countless hours all in the name of spreading the gospel about our wines. Truthfully, there are few tastings that really get me all that jazzed anymore. But there's a new tasting event here in the Dry Creek Valley that is worth spreading the word about. Put on by Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley, it's called Zintopia and it's fast approaching on Saturday, September 19. Over 30 wineries have agreed to pour their limited release Zinfandels and Sauvignon Blancs along with other uncommon red and white varieties. An outdoor marketplace with local artisans and edible delights will satisfy the gastronomics out there. An old fashioned grape stomp and harvest celebration is also planned. So, if you're looking for an excuse to get out of dodge, this just might be it. It sounds like Zintopia to me! Besides, anytime there's a blues band playing is sure to be a good time, right? If you decide to come, be sure to stop by my table. I'll be the one with the red hair flyin', the toes tappin', and the hips swayin'….
Click for more information or to buy tickets!
| | Comments (6)

About this Archive

This page is a archive of recent entries written by Kim in September 2009.

Kim: August 2009 is the previous archive.

Kim: October 2009 is the next archive.

Find recent content on the main index or look in the archives to find all content.

welcome!

This is a blog about what it's really like to be in the wine industry...so sit back, take a sip and enjoy!

about me

our wines

our winery

our events

contact me

privacy statement



favorite posts

A Lifetime in Wine

Top 10 Traits of the Successful Family Winery

The Dreaded Family Meeting

Board Meeting Jitters

Is the Future of the Winery in Danger?

The Case of the Overweight Bottle

Wine and Dementia

Wanted: Talented (Normal) Individual for Family Owned Winery

A Sea of Wine

The Heroes of Our Industry


monthly archives


subscribe


Hopes & Dreams

Owning a Coastal Cottage

Sailing for 6 Months

Getting a 100 Point Score

Favorite Haunts

Coast of Maine

Dry Creek General Store

Dry Creek Kitchen

Healdsburg Bar & Grill

Spoonbar

Sonoma Country Antiques

Baci Cafe & Wine Bar

The Farmhouse

Istanbul's Grand Bazaar

Bad Ass Coffee

Bistro Ralph

Bits of Press

Food & Wine Magazine

The Wine News

Wine Enthusiast

Wine Spectator

Press Democrat

Sunset Magazine

Connoisseurs' Guide

Dan Berger's Vintage Experiences

Cruising World Magazine

Oprah Magazine

The Washington Post

Coastal Living Magazine

Wine & Spirits Magazine

People Magazine

SAG Awards Magazine

Forbes Magazine

Favorite Magazines

Coastal Living

Down East

Sunset

Country Living

Quarterly Review of Wines

Wines & Vines

Wine Spectator

Wine Enthusiast

California Grapevine

Connoisseurs' Guide

Practical Winery & Vineyard

WineReviewOnline

Vineyard & Winery Mgmt

Blog Buddy List

Fermentation

Hip Tastes

Pinot Blogger

All The Best

Julia Flynn Siler

Vinography

Winery Web Site Report

The Pour - Eric Asimov

Dr Vino

Steve Heimoff

Start Up Ladies

Good Wine Under $20

Blind Muscat

The Wineroad Blog

Gabe's View

Wine Peeps

Vici Vino

Cellarmistress' Cellar Talk

Uncork Life

WineVine-Imports Blog

The Wine Witch

SOURMASHED


Honorable Mentions

Fermentation
Wilma Hits The World of Blogs
Most Intriguing New Wine Blogs of 2008
Midwest Wine Guy
Winery of the Month
Julia Flynn Siler
Meritage wines - and a fascinating glimpse into family business
Winery Web Site Report
New Winery Blog: Wilma's Wine World
Start Up Ladies
Insider's View of Family Owned Dry Creek Vineyard
The Glue that Keeps the Whole Thing Going
Atlanta Dish
Blog of the Week
Blind Muscat
The Merits of Meritage
Wineries.net
Boston Wine Expo exhibitors, and the reason why winemakers are so darn happy