TreViti Wines

Playing Catch Up

2011-10-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

My New Year's resolution to blog at least once a month quickly disintegrated. I am ashamed, because there is so much to talk about. But I will try, try again. I may be preoccupied by other things, but I am not going to quit that easily.

What's been going on:

1. We finally put a sign up at the vineyard- it looks awesome!

2. This season of wine competitions brought many awards our way. Here's the final tally:

2008 TreViti Wines Chardonnay, Stolo Family Vineyard

Silver Medal: 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition
Platinum Medal: 2011 Monterey Wine Competition (nominated for Best of Show White Wine Category)
Silver Medal: 2011 Orange County Fair Wine Competition
Bronze Medal: 2011 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition

2008 TreViti Wines Pinot Noir, Stolo Family Vineyard

Silver Medal: 2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Silver Medal: 2011 Monterey Wine Competition

Silver Medal: 2011 San Francisco International Wine Competition

Silver Medal: 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition

Silver Medal: 2011 Orange County Fair Wine Competition

Silver Medal: 2011 Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition

2007 TreViti Wines Syrah, Stolo Family Vineyard

Silver Medal: 2011 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Bronze Medal: 2011 Los Angeles International Wine Competition
Bronze Medal: 2011 Orange County Fair Wine Competition

3. My parents, Luke Pope, and I did a radio interview with Lyn Diehl for The Krush 92.5. It was unbelievably fun and nerve-racking at the same time. I think it turned out great! Listen to it here:

http://radio.securenetsystems.net/radio_player_large.cfm?stationCallSign=KKAL-OD

4. It looks like harvest is going be a fantastic one this year. We are scheduled to pick both blocks of Pinot Noir October 14 and the Chardonnay will probably come off the following week. Our Syrah did not make it again this year, due to the cold year, but we look forward to it returning next year. The early winter storm at the beginning of October concerned us a bit, but Luke assured us that warm weather was waiting behind it and he was right. We will be able to get our brix right where we want them due to waiting out the rain and giving the grapes a bit more sunshine.

We are so close to breaking ground on our winery and tasting room. It's looking like Novemberish. I will keep you posted, I promise :)

2011 Monterey Wine Competition

2011-03-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

We entered the 2011 Monterey Wine Competition a month ago in an ongoing effort to get our wines "out there" and see what others really think (other than friends and family members). Once again, we were floored with the results that came back this week:

Platinum- 2008 TreViti Wines Chardonnay Stolo Family Vineyard
Silver- 2008 TreViti Wines Pinot Noir Stolo Family Vineyard

*we did some research on what platinum actually means, and to our surprise, it means that our TreViti Chardonnay was nominated for Best of Show in the white wine category!

This little vineyard continues to surprise us...this time in a good way.

2011 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Results Are In

2011-01-11T12:22:00.000-08:00

Picked up the mail yesterday and noticed the envelope from the SF Chronicle Win e Competition peeking out among the catalogs and junk mail. "Oh, no," I thought. "The results are in". With a surge of nervous anticipation I opened the letter to find that we had placed!

2008 TreViti Wines Stolo Family Vineyard Chardonnay----- Silver!
2008 TreViti Wines Stolo Family Vineyard Pinot Noir------- Silver!

I called my parents to tell them the fantastic news and together we looked up the results on the internet. I was shocked to find out that the Chronicle had again broken their record number of entries this year. The competition is the largest wine competition of American wines in the world and our tiny 9 acre vineyard, 350 case winery, went up against a staggering 5,050 entries. What a great way to start the new year.

Congrats to all those who placed, especially our local Central Coast wineries!

Order Our Award Winning Wines Here

2010 Harvest

2010-10-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

It really is going to be a strange vintage for everyone up and down California. A very cool season caused almost everyone to thin their canopies more than usual (remove leaves so the grapes have more access to sun/heat exposure). Last week, the state was unexpectedly hit with several days of blistering heat. Edna Valley, a usually mild/cool climate, hit as high as 114 degrees. Unfortunately, the grapes that had been exposed were severely damaged or lost. Stories started to trickle in of vineyards losing crops. We did not escape the nightmare entirely. We didn't lose crop, but we did see some water loss and heat damage on our pinot, prompting us to check the numbers and, ultimately, pick the pinot. I definitely think it was the right decision. The pinot looks great and the numbers are good. I am very thankful that mother nature cut us a break this time. Our Chardonnay is holding up like a champ. Barely even showing signs of having gone through the dramatic weather shift. A few more weeks on the Chardonnay and it will be ready to go.

Under Design

2010-08-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

We are knee deep in the planning and designing of the new winery and tasting room. Although we had preliminary drawings that were approved by the Coastal Commission, the details had yet to be ironed out. Things like, solar panels v. skylights, where to put all the hook-ups, and of course, how the tasting room is to be laid-out. Between the architect, Steve Dooley (our winemaker), our consultants, and my parents; I think we’ve come up with some really exciting ideas. I feel like a kid in November knowing that Christmas is right around the corner and hardly able to contain my excitement. But above all, seeing my parents finally realizing their dream is more than a kid could ask for.

Wino Wednesday at Sustenance

2010-05-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Join us for a casual evening of wine, food, and music as TreViti Wines kicks off Sustenance’s summer wine pairing program. We will be pouring our wines along with perfectly paired appetizers from the Sustenance kitchen. Music by Rocky Logue. Hope to see you there!

When:
Wednesday, June 2
6pm-8pm

Where:
Sustenance Studio
2033 Santa Barbara Ave.
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

RSVP:

(805) 234-1691

info@sustenance-studio.com

$25/person

Busy Week

2010-05-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Since I was pregnant with our second son this time last year, I was unable to partake in the multitude of local wine events that announce springtime. I intend to make up for that this year! This past week was a good start. My husband, Matt, and I headed to Roll Out The Barrels last Thursday. It's the San Luis Obispo Vintners Association spring event. All the wineries in the association get together for a grand tasting and food pairing in the Mission Plaza located in Downtown San Luis Obispo. What a well put together event. Matt and I had a great time, although a bit windy. The organizers did a fantastic job of pairing the food and wine. Of course I had a few favorites, Laetitia's Pinots (they had several there), and Talley's Pinot. I really admire both of these wineries and hope that TreViti can rise to the bar that they have set for cool climate Pinot.

Saturday afternoon was another big event in Paso Robles, Hospice du Rhone Grand Tasting. HdR is a 4 day winelover's dream; seminar's, tastings, luncheons, bbq's, even a Rhone n' Bowl. We were only able to make it to the Grand Tasting this year, but it did not disappoint. Hundreds of Rhone wines flowed rather freely and the crowd was, as always, rambunctious and opinionated. It really is a great time. I think my favorites of the day were Hug Viognier, Cabot Syrahs, and Wrath Syrahs.

Sunday, we took a step off the beaten path and volunteered at the annual Polenta Dinner that benefits the Old Santa Rosa Chapel in Cambria. We poured our Chardonnay and helped with the take-out line. Over 700 dinners were served. My parents worked the majority of the event. I came in late (after the kids were down for their naps) to relieve my dad. A fantastic event- so much fun to work with all the volunteers and meet the locals as well as the people who traveled over an hour to sit down to dinner. The polenta was excellent!

Not sure what's next on the agenda, I have been trying to get the Gather wine bar in Arroyo Grande for some time to check it out. Maybe next week, now that I have the spring wine bug.

Fantastic News!

2010-04-20T10:51:00.000-07:00

We are so very excited that our winery and tasting room project was finally approved by the California Coastal Commission. I am posting a thank you letter below on behalf of my parents, Don & Charlene Stolo:

TreViti Wines Friends & Family,

On Thursday, April 15, Stolo Family Winery, home of TreViti Wines, received a 9-1 favorable vote from the California Coastal Commission. Translation: After 5 long years of working with SLO County and the California Coastal Commission, we are finally able to begin planning and constructing our winery and tasting room on our property in Cambria. Needless to say, we are beyond happy.

Our gratitude for this approval goes out to many. First, our extremely competent advisors, Kirk Consulting, were unwavering in their dedication, hard work, and faith in our project. Jamie Kirk and Rachael Kovesdi not only brought their knowledge and experience, but also the advice of other professionals such as David Neish Sr. and David Neish Jr. as well as Steven Kaufmann, esq. to the team.

Second, and equally important, are our many friends and neighbors from North and South who dedicated their day to make the trip to Ventura for the hearing. Over 40 people were in attendance and many came prepared to speak in support with great articulation and impressive passion: Maria Bennetti, Matt Bennetti, Tony Bennetti, Jim Bahringer, Bruce Black, Mary Ann Carson, Bob Clark, Dawn Dunlap, Beth Kendall, Bill Kesselring, John Linn, Joe Prian, Peggy Sonoda and Barbara Walter. We are positive that these speakers and the more than 200 letters & petition signatures that were sent to the California Coastal Commission on our behalf had a huge effect on swaying the vote. Thank You, Thank You!

We know that without the constant support of you all, our success would not have been possible.

Most exciting, and what we've been waiting to say for a long time is, we look forward to welcoming you to our winery and sharing a glass of wine with you in the very near future!!

Heartfelt Thanks,

Don & Charlene Stolo

An Open Letter Urging Your Support

2010-03-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

March 31, 2010

Dear TreViti Supporters,

First, thanks to all those who have supported us with letters to the California Coastal Commission Staff. We greatly appreciate the time you took to put your thoughts in writing.

On April 15, we finally have our opportunity to impress upon the twelve Commissioners the importance a small winery and tasting room on our property will be to our family business and the positive impact it will have on improving Cambria tourism. Physical support at the meeting on April 15th is critical. Individuals that simply attend the hearing or attend and speak in support of the project do sway the Commissioners. A large turnout will be seen as proof that the project has the support of many. There will not be a second chance. Commissioners will vote up or down to allow our project to proceed. We urge anyone who can possibly attend to please come and join us.

Details:

California Coastal Commission Hearing for the Stolo Family Winery & Tasting Room

April 15, 2010

approximately 10:00 am

Location:

Venture County Board of Supervisors

800 S. Victoria Ave.

Ventura, CA

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at mariabennetti@treviti.com

Thanks again for your generous support,

Matt & Maria Bennetti
TreViti Wines
Stolo Family Vineyard

Matt's Birthday Giveaway

2010-02-24T13:30:00.001-08:00

We are offering the below to all Facebook members and TreViti blog followers:

It's Matt's birthday! In honor of the big day we are offering 2 free bottles of TreViti Wines shipped to you when you sign-up for our Wine Club

Our Easy Membership Includes:

* 6 bottles a year (3 shipments of 2 bottles each)
* 15% off all orders, including wine club shipments
* Exclusive access to tour and taste at Stolo Family Vineyards in Cambria

Sign-up Here!

One Elite Vineyard
One Unique Location
One Passionate Family
TreViti Wines

Offer good through February 28, 2010

-for more wine club details click here
-each wine club shipment costs between $35-$55 depending on what is shipped (tax & shipping not included)
-wine club is shipped every April, August, and November (weather permitting)

January Tasting Events: Off to a Great Start

2010-02-01T11:20:00.000-08:00

Two back to back weekends of tasting events last month. First, Red Wine and Gold at my old alma mater, Rosary High School, in Fullerton, CA on January 23. We poured our 2006 Stolo Family Vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah along side some really great wineries from Napa, Sonoma, & Central Coast. The yearly event is a fundraiser for the Trudy Mazzarella Scholarship Fund. This is the second year TreViti's participated in Red Wine & Gold and we always have a fantastic time. The evening was a huge hit, we had lots of interest and lots of fun. (The wires got crossed this year and, for some reason, we were entered in as TreViti Vineyard. Attention to detail.... I can't tell you how many times I heard that from my english teacher- oh, the memories.)

The Cambria Art & Wine Festival was next up, January 30th. We poured our 2007 Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and 2006 Syrah amidst the 20 or so other local wineries in the town hall. It is such a fun, quaint, local event. Lots of locals and many visitors from both L.A. and S.F. came out to taste. I do have to say that more often than not, I had people coming back for 2^nd and 3^rd pours of all three. I received many compliments on the wines and many touted the Pinot as the best wine of the day. Always good to hear!
We also gave a sneak peak of our new label and logo to the event goers. Positive response all around. You all will have to wait a bit longer for the big release!

2010 Downpour

2010-01-26T12:09:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share a few pictures of the ridiculous rainstorm that hit the Central Coast (and most of California) over the past week. We got slammed. The usually totally dry creek running through Stolo Family Vineyard nearly reached capacity for once in it’s life. It was touch and go for awhile, but the ground managed to absorb the rainwater in time. I am ready to dry out.

I am a terrible blogger

2010-01-21T13:38:00.000-08:00

Let me be the first to point out that, yes, I have not written anything in over a year. I am a horrible blogger. I can come up with 100 excuses as to why I haven’t written. The biggest being the birth of our second son, Nico. But please, I couldn't’t find the time to post something? I now resolve as part of my “proactive & positive” 2010 outlook to keep you updated at least once a month on our journey to creating a small wine label and managing a growing family business.

2009 Recap:

Like many wineries, small ones especially, we saw a decrease in sales and wine club sign-ups due to the poor economy. TreViti is very lucky. Thanks to the continued support of family and friends, we are still up and running. I know of a few wineries that have sadly had to sell off their inventory and close their doors. It’s very scary and sad at the same time. Okay, enough bad economy talk. Let us look forward towards a prosperous 2010 for everyone.

TreViti's 2007 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were released last year with much anticipation. 2007 was deemed one of the better vintages in recent California history. Berry size was small and concentrated lending to bolder and more concentrated wines. Stolo Family Vineyard had a lower yield, but the intensity kicked up a notch or two. I am very pleased with the vintage and the direction the vineyard is headed. Where's the 2007 Syrah you ask? I tried it in December and felt it needed a bit more time to mature. We are planning to release it February 2010.

The newly planted vineyard (we call it the south vineyard) is maturing at a steady pace. We should have our first harvest of whites, Sauvignon Blanc & Gewurztraminer, in 2010. The Pinot Noir will have to wait another year. We are very excited to see what the vineyard will give us.

On the down-side, we still have had no movement on securing the right to house a small winery and tasting room on the vineyard property in Cambria. The California Coastal Commission has again managed to stall us for another year. We won’t give up! (positive 2010 thoughts here). We, and I mean my mom & dad, Don and Charlene Stolo, have been working non-stop to meet the demands of the Commission and come to some sort of agreement. Maybe 2010 is our lucky year….

More on what now has become a very long story with the California Coastal Commission in the next post.

2010 To Do/Wish list:

open a small winery and tasting room at Stolo Family Vineyards

harvest our first batch of Sauvignon Blanc and Gewurztraminer- so cool!

unveil our new look…. I know, so secretive

get Wine Spectator to notice us. What does a label have to do to get these guys’ attention?

oh yeah, and keep the blog updated

Thanks for checking in!

San Jose- 2006 Vintage Release Party

2008-10-21T14:59:00.000-07:00

What's Up with the Chardonnay?

TreViti's 3rd annual San Jose release party was held this past Saturday. Matt's parents, Tony & Barbara, once again graciously opened their home to an ever growing guest list.

On tap: TreViti Wines' 2006 line-up.... and a lot of appetizers.

The day unfolded smoothly & the wines performed beautifully. This was the first time all 4 wines: 2006 Stolo Family Vineyard Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, & 2006 Wolff Vineyards Syrah, were tasted by people other than the family. I was a bit nervous because I knew that the reds were still young- definitely drinkable now- but will be smokin' in about 6 months.

I should have never doubted the taste buds of our loyal followers. They loved the vintage. We drank and ate the afternoon away. Matt and I received glowing responses to all 4 of the wines; but the orders don't lie. The clear favorite of the event was the 2006 Stolo Family Vineyard Chardonnay.

It's always interesting to me that the TreViti Chardonnay garners the same two comments, year after year:

1. " I love Chardonnay and yours is really good. Can I have another taste?"

2. " I'm not a Chardonnay drinker, but I really like your Chardonnay. Can I have another taste?"

What? I feel like our Chardonnay has a split personality. It appeals to Chardonnay lovers, but also entices those who don't like Chardonnay. No matter where or when I pour it, I either get one or both of those comments. So, I just smile and nod in agreement... kind of puzzled.

Let me clarify by saying that there is a definite line drawn between people who like and drink Chardonnay and people who don't. I would say it's as defined as the line drawn between people who don't drink white at all and people who do. Usually, wine lovers who don't like Chardonnay, really don't like Chardonnay. They tend to swing toward Sauvignon Blanc or Viognier for a white wine choice. This is what is so puzzling to me. Our Chard is a classic Burgundian style chard; light body, low alcohol, bright and acidic with hints of stone fruit- it's delicious! It should appeal to the avid Chardonnay drinker and not to the non-Chard drinker. Are they just being nice? Not likely- most of the non-Chard drinkers end up ordering bottles of Chardonnay. So do the Chard drinkers.

What is it about this wine that breaks the barrier?

more pictures here

The Pinot Report Chimes In

2008-10-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

Nervously we submitted our two 2005 Pinot Noir's to The Pinot Report a few months ago. The Pinot Report is a wine lovers publication that is written by Gregory Walter. He focuses solely on Western Pinot Noir. Meaning, he mainly tastes and scores high end Pinot Noir grown in California and Oregon. If there ever were an expert on Western Pinot Noir, this guy is it. So off they went.

It's stressful sending wines in for review. It's like putting a little piece of your heart and soul out there for scoring. We take so much care, from vineyard to bottle, to create the highest quality wine. We want people to enjoy it; we want customers to have a little piece of our vineyard. You, your friend's, neighbor's, and people at tasting events may love them, but the expert's have the final say- and it's public. If they don't like it, the readership will know about it. If they do like it.... well, that's what you hope for. Getting a good score is like getting an "A" on that calculus final you endlessly studied for. The validation that you are doing a great job and bringing forth a quality product that the experts would highly recommend to others is well worth the stress.

Below are the scores and notes that we received in Issue #53 of The Pinot Report. We are very proud. Receiving 90pts. as a relatively unknown vineyard and winery is outstanding, especially on only our second vintage. Gregory Walter is right. The Bien Nacido will be amazing if held for another year or so. Read on....

TreViti
Pinot Noir Central Coast 2005
Medium-deep ruby color; spicy, herbs and stewed cherry aromas; ripe, rich, spicy stewed cherry flavors with some herbs and sweet oak notes; good structure and balance; long finish. Rich, balanced style of Pinot with layers of flavors—quite nice to drink by itself.
98 cases made $30 Score: 90

TreViti
Pinot Noir Santa Maria Valley Bien Nacido Vineyard 2005
Deep ruby color; deep, closed, cocoa and spice aromas; ripe, closed, bit tight, deep cherry cocoa flavors; moderate oak and tannin; long finish. Deep style that's a bit closed right now. Make sure to give it plenty of air in the glass and be patient in the cellar.
146 cases made $30 Score: 87

2008 Pinot Harvest a Success

2008-10-05T20:38:00.000-07:00

October 4, 2008

5:30am (alarm sounding) Do I really have to crawl out of bed and pick grapes for the next 8 hours?

5:45am (still laying in bed) Is it raining outside?
5:46am (jumping out of bed) Oh no, it is raining outside!
5:50am (out the door) I wonder if Starbucks is open yet?

This is how harvest 08 started, rain.... not ideal. We do live 45 minutes away from the vineyard, so there was a good chance that it didn't get hit very hard. Upon arriving at the scene, I realized that thinking optimistically actually paid off. The vineyard did get some rain, but not very much. It was time to get my clippers and head up with the crew.

The morning went by really smoothly- we picked for about 5 hours and brought in 3 bins of Pinot (1.3 tons). It was muddy though. The soil in the vineyard is clay-like, so when it gets wet, it's super sticky and slimy. By the end of the day, my jeans were crusted stiff with dry mud and my boots were absolutely caked.

The grapes looked fantastic. I'm going to geek out here for a minute, so feel free to skip this paragraph. The clusters were tight and consistent. The berries were small and ripe. There was minimal bird damage (thanks to the bird netting system we started using in 2006) and some raccoon damage- but nothing compared to the carnage they left us last year. The brix and ph were where we like to pick at. Overall, a really great looking harvest.

It looks like the Chardonnay will be ready in a week or so and the Syrah still has some time left (we usually pick it in early November). So as far as 2008 being a "light" year- which is what has been reported across the state since harvest commenced, we are right on target and looking strong. Here are a few pictures- you can click here to see the album

Harvest Time is Almost Here

2008-10-01T12:43:00.000-07:00

Harvest time reminds me of getting close to your due date. Every day is greeted with anticipation, “Is it ready yet?” Then, bang! The brix, the acitidy, the seeds & skins, everything falls into place and it’s time to pick- NOW. There is lead up to the actual day- testing, measuring, and forecasting- but it always seems that when it arrives, it’s time to move, move, move! This year is no different. The flurry of phone calls, emails, lab results, walks through the vineyard have begun to intensify. We are getting close, my friends, and it is so exciting.

No one can be more excited than my father, Don. He is the one that heads up the Stolo Family Vineyard operation. We do have a vineyard consultant and manager who are absolutely pivotal to the quality of the vineyard- but my dad is the driving force. He is focused on quality and, quite honestly, perfection in the vineyard. His determination to achieve the most optimal harvest has him tirelessly up in the rows scrutinizing, taking notes, pulling off random growths, checking the irrigation lines, etc. His efforts do not stop there. He works hand in hand with the teams that come in to leaf thin, prune, put up the bird nets, harvest, and sort. It is really hard work- I’ve done it too, but my dad is out there all the time.

I mentioned in my first post that my father went into the cabinet business with my grandfather and uncle. I believe that viticulture is his true calling. He is a fantastic business man, but his heart is in horticulture. It always has been. Growing up in Orange County, I remember my father constantly creating gardening concepts for our yard (he did this more than once). He only had so much space to work with, but he did everything from lay the irrigation to choosing and planting the plants. He also started a vegetable garden in our backyard that I used to love. He would take us kids out there and show us how to determine if the corn, snap peas, and tomatoes were ripe. He would teach us about carrots growing underground and when to pick the perfect zucchini. I loved picking the vegetables with him.

Having a vineyard to cultivate is, I would imagine, his dream come true. He learned all of what he knows through extensive reading, note taking, talking to other vineyard owners, and following our consultant, Bill, around. With a few harvests under his belt, he now also has experience to rely on as well. But all the knowledge in the world does not compare to the amount of heart he has invested in the progress of the vineyard. It is his baby.

Here We Go

2008-09-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

Matt and I have been going around and around about what "the blog" should be like. I've finally decided to chuck the master plan and just write- so, Hi!
My name is Maria and I am the middle of 3 kids. Justin is the oldest, and Breanna is the youngest. Bre is married to Steve and I am married to Matt. All three of us have children of our own. Our parents are Don and Charlene Stolo and we are all involved in TreViti Wines. (The dog is a family friend's)

Now that you've got the family tree, let's get to the basics. If you want indepth background info please visit our website. TreViti is my family's boutique winery. It stems from my parent's 2002 purchase of a parcel of land in Cambria, CA. The property had an existing 9 acre vineyard, a really cool but old farm house that we all think might be haunted (now under renovation), and a gigantic rundown dairy barn (now home to our tractor and two barn owls). The previous owner planted the vineyard and proceeded to sell the grapes to local winemakers. My parents decided to rework the vineyard and keep the harvest to create a family wine label. We renamed the vineyard Stolo Family Vineyard and created the label TreViti Wines. Our first vintage was in 2004. Sounds easy, right?

Well, first off- we are a family business (insert groans and tentative looks here). Actually, it's not as bad as it sounds. My brother, sister and I grew up in a family business atmosphere. My grandfather started a small cabinet business back in the day and my dad and uncle worked with him to help it grow. We, being the kids, used to work there during the summers- sweeping the shop, etc. Not glamorous, but we did have access to nail guns and industrial strength glue. As we grew, the business grew. It is still in operation today and going strong (my brother an sister still work with my dad). So, as far as mixing family with business, we have a little experience with it. Not to say that it's easy, but we know what to expect.

Second, we are growing grapes. I don't care how you pretty it up; large magnums, fancy labels, high prices. The wine business starts in the vineyard. We are at the mercy of nature; the frost, mold, excessive heat spikes, early rain, birds, and raccoons. All of which we have already had a taste of. Again, not glamorous, but worth it. Running up the vineyard with your fiance to feverishly hand pick the remaining few acres of Syrah before the giant looming storm overhead commences is exhausting and stressful. Tasting that same Syrah in the bottle a year later and thinking "wow, this is good" is rewarding.

Third, and finally, we are in the wine business. I started out working in a tasting room in Napa to learn the basics, moved on to work in a wine bar & shop in San Francisco to polish my skills, jumped to selling boutique wines to San Francisco restaurants and wine shops to toughen up, and was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to help craft my family's boutique label. I do love the wine industry. It is full of people who are open, honest, helpful, supportive, and fun. It is competitive, but not like you would think. Sometimes we bounce ideas off of others in the business and I always feel that we are getting an honest answer.

So, there it is. We are a family who gets along and enjoys working together. We are extremely proud of our vineyard and our wine. We are working hard to create a quality product that we can share with others. Here we go.....

I promise my future posts will be much shorter, but I am Italian.....