Forward-Backward

It has been an eventful year. Our Farm Festival in April was our kick off event and brought together other SE Arizona winemakers and local farmers, authors and artisans. We opened for reals September 22 and have had a steady stream of visitors since then. The past few weeks have been cold and miserable weather in Sonoita/Elgin but the hearty souls that ventured out were serious about wine and frequently repeat customers. Joan and I, and Kathryn enjoy the tasting room and the opportunity to educate people about Arizona Wines. In early December we had our first Christmas and Holiday concert, featuring Oro de Suenos, which was a smashing success for our friends and neighbors and a moving tribute to my mother who died this year.

The year to come will bring pruning, spring planting of our remaining three acres, a repeat of the sparkling experiment, bottling, harvest, and so on as the rhythms of this life wind another cycle. I am especially excited about the wine from the 2007 harvest that is now quietly resting and coming together in the barrels in our winery (see December Tasting Notes).

All of us at Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery wish for a healthy and prosperous year for you all and peace in our world in 2008.

Winter Wonderland

Yes, this is Southern Arizona! After two consecutive cold, rainy, windy week-ends the sun came out to unveil the Santa Ritas topped with snow. Our grape vines have finally gone into their dormant winter sleep. That means it is time for me to get back to work. Starting with the new year I will return to my farming activities which start with the pruning of all 3500 vines!

In the mean time, I will be working week-ends in the tasting room. Come visit and try our Chardonnay, Riesling, Sangiovese, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Arizona wines are a great gift giving idea.

Dec. 2 Concert

We had a wonderful start to the holiday season with a concert performed by the Suenos de Oro Quartet and goat cheese logs and tortes provided by a local producer, fiore di capra. It was such a success we are thinking of doing it again next year.

Help! Again

When our good friend, Jay, decided to visit from Washington, D.C. little did he know he'd be working so hard this past Saturday. Thanks to all the new people we met, it was a very busy day. Jay ended up working very hard. So, once again we were saved by one of the wonderful people who are in our lives. The bounty of friendship never ceases to amaze me.

Food and Wine

This Friday, November 9, from 5-7pm, I'll be pouring three of our wines to pairings of Thai Food at Vila Thai Cuisine, Main Gate Square, 972 E. University Blvd. , Tucson, AZ 85719 , Phone: 520-903-9777. Kent Callaghan of Callaghan Vineyards will be joining me pouring his wine as well. The cost is $10. I think you'll be surprised at how compatible wine and Thai food can be when in the hands of masters.

Help!

This past week-end my two usual tasting room partners, Tim and Kathryn, were not available. Friday I managed until the end of the day when the tasting room was busy and a case of wine needed to go out the door. In walked our friends, Ann and Ron, fellow grape growers, who were more than willing to help out. Saturday Nathan, who has been a volunteer since the second season of planting, again came through and worked the tasting room. Actually, he is so good I went and sat down for a while! Once again, I am thankful for all the wonderful folks I know.

50 Years

Sometimes our winery and my wines will delight, surprise, and even startle the people who come to taste them. Sometimes someone who comes into the tasting room does that to me. “Hi, you probably don’t remember me, I used to baby sit you 50 years ago”. Thus was the introduction by Charlotte (Albrecht) Gamble and her husband Mike. When I was a wee lad living in Seattle, she was a teen and looked after my sibs and me. Catching up on 50+ years of time made me reflect on the journey of life, especially the one Joan and I have taken. The youthful romance of “having our own winery” is replaced with the reality of the challenges of farming and being a mom and pop business. But basically Life is good and there will be much to be thankful for as we sit down to our Thanksgiving dinner in a few weeks.