Wreath Making Workshop

Last Saturday we had our first wreath making workshop of the season. People went out into the vineyard to cut their own vines.

They then twisted the vines into the shape they wanted and added their own creative decorations.



At the end of the day everyone happily went home with their unique creation to put up for all to see. Everyone said they had a great time and would return next year. We still have a few spaces available for the Dec. 5 workshop if you are interested.

Yahoo!

Tim and I just returned from the Festival at the Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix. It was an exciting experience to be part of the largest gathering of AZ grape growers and wine makers ever. The most exciting thing was watching Tim receive the award for the best white wine in Arizona for his 2008 Malvasia. His wines also got three other awards. It was a thrill. More on the event later.

The Bottling Machine

What a crew. Nicole, Matt, Caleb and Frank joined Joan and me to form this outstanding 6 person bottling line. It took 40-50 cases for everyone to find their natural place, work out the kinks and finally listen to Matt who is a whiz at system's engineering. At one point after lunch, rested, fueled and wined up we hit a rate of one case a minute. That's right. Bottles unpacked, filled with wine, corked, capsuled, heat shrunk, labeled, wiped clean, boxed and stacked. Eight cases in eight minutes. We couldn't sustain that pace due to the limits of the actual equipment, but we did manage to polish off 35 cases during one 60 minute period. Bring it on! Oh yes the wine - 2008 Sunrise, a blend of Nebbiolo and Syrah in about equal proportions. My first blend. It brings together the strengths of each of these individual wines to fill in complementary gaps. Like a successful marriage. Nice wine. Estimated release? February at the Art Show.

First Sparkling Wine Tasters of 2009

Stephanie and Shawn Brody were our first visitors Sunday and therefore, the first to try our Sparkling wines for this year. They were among the many new friends of our winery we saw this week-end. It was nice to see returning faces as well. Tim and I are looking forward to seeing many more of you as the holiday season gets closer.

The Winner Is......

Actually, there were two winners from our Facebook posting as well as Bob from the blog posting. Since this is the last 2009 quiz all three winners will receive their free tasting coupon. Congratulations to you all!

Those of you who guessed fermenting juice were close. However, the bubbles are from the juice dripping out of the press, not from fermentation. I love to watch the juice as it drips and listen to the splashes. The color is so beautiful and I get to daydream about the wonderful wine it will be after sitting a year in an oak barrel. Yum!

The Last Quiz of 2009!

Here's your last chance to win a free tasting coupon in 2009. Who knows, maybe next year we'll change the rules so start guessing what this is a photo of. The correct guesses will all go into a hat and a winner drawn. Maybe we'll even select two winners as an end of year treat!

Save This Date!

The Arizona Wine Growers Association. has an exciting, fun filled day planned for all on November 22. Winemakers from all over the state will gather to pour their wines and you will get to be a judge! There will be music, lunch, seminars. In the evening there will be a dinner where the awards for the best wines will be presented. I hope to see you all there. Check it out at www.azwinefestivalatthefarm.com.

Locavore

. . . . that's someone who only eats food that is locally grown - technically within a 100 mile radius. Thursday night Dove Mountain Grill hosted a wine dinner that paired our wine (Malvasia and Sweet Sunrise Syrah), Kent Callaghan's Rose and Caitlin's and Ann Roncone's Dessert Afterglow with a spectacular 5 course dinner. Executive chef Brett Vibber crafted the entire meal from local produce and sources. Master Sommelier Laura Williamson guided all the guests through the dinner and wine pairings and managed to provoke Kent and me to say a few words about our wine. It was a fabulous evening. I highly recommend a trip out to Dove Mountain Grill to experience their creative mastery of local produce and farm products.

Closing Time

Here are some shots I took while we were closing up the winery this evening. Breath-taking!