Vino In My Dino

Pa(w)blo Picasso or Salvador Dawgli?

December 1, 2016 14:53

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Dirk became an artist when Ellyn Jaques Boone visited the winery last month with paint and canvas in hand. He was happy to supply the paintbrush-in this case it was his paw and the rest is history.

Ellyn is the founder and this group is a resource for shelters and rescue organizations in the Western U.S. In their own words. “The Paws for Love Foundation provides a vital safety net for shelter and rescue animals in need of assistance in finding a permanent home - whether it be an injured homeless pet who requires a lifesaving surgery, reimbursement of adoption fees for seniors, or other rescue-related expenses. Many of these pets would perish without the funding we provide. They come to us frightened, traumatized, and homeless through no fault of their own. We believe each one deserves a second chance. We give them hope.”

This happens to be one of the many organizations we support throughout each year. Dirk’s art will be shown at the upcoming Paws For Love Gala on February 11. Take a look at their website if you’d like more information on this group. A toast to art and dogs with a splash of Char-bone-ay!

Dirk the artiste.

Two of his pieces will be featured at the Paws for Love Gala in February!

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Wine WITH Food

November 23, 2016 15:04

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Wine pairings have happened over the ages without much thought other than wine goes well with food whether it was a snack, lunch or dinner. It rounded things out, made life more enjoyable. Water will do the trick for sure but there is the synergy between wine and food or wine with food that prompts me to write about it today.

I grew up in a family of six with at least one grandparent joining us for dinner each night. Wine was and is always a part of this meal for me. To be honest I don’t remember my parents making a big deal about it. There was food and there was wine. End of story. For my grandparents and my parents WINE was our way of life so why wouldn’t it be part of the meal? I consider myself one of the lucky ones-growing up among the vines, looking out at the same vineyard view from my office (formerly my bedroom), and having this life become my lifestyle.

I still remember the first time it clicked, the pairing of our Sauvignon Blanc and carrots with dill and butter sauce. The interplay of those ingredients along with the herbaceousness of the wine sang on my tongue, elevated a weeknight meal, and became a remarkable memory for me. From these humble beginnings, from childhood to that memorable night, I began to collect wine friendly recipes. Between my newsletters and website there is a great mix of old and new cuisine, many of them collected from magazines, cookbooks and lately digital media. My favorite go-to for many of them come from Janet Fletcher of Planet Cheese and Michele Anna Jordan, columnist and chef for the Press Democrat as well as family recipes and my own creations.

I share them with all of you in hopes you’ll find that moment when wine and food sing, a pairing that might include Chardonnay with Wild Mushroom Soup or our Mother Clone Zinfandel with Parmesan Polenta and Sausage Ragu like it did with friends this last Saturday. A toast to those meals and the holidays-making spirits bright with some Vino in my Dino.

Dad, Mom, Ed and me in the Heritage Room, pre-holidays. Cheers!

Photo credit: Dianna Murphy Photography

Tags: Pedroncelli, Chardonnay, Mother Clone, Zinfandel, Recipe
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Vineyard View: Pruning

November 18, 2016 15:13

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Make hay while the sun shines is the theme while we are between rain storms here in Dry Creek Valley. It has been mostly dry since we had 7 inches fall at the end of October so the vineyard crew is kept busy as the vines enter dormancy and they can prune or pre-prune different blocks in the vineyard.

Pruning

November is typically the start for pruning the vineyard since vines begin their march to dormancy soon after harvest. It began in one of the small northern blocks of the Mother Clone vineyard. Since it was dormant they pruned all the way to the first two buds-next year’s crop. You will note there is a white substance where the cane was cut back. A paste is applied that seals water out of it in the event of rain and helps the vine fight off diseases like Eutypa, also known as ‘dead arm’ disease.

Pre-pruning

Some of the blocks are pre-pruned. As you can see about a foot of this year’s cane is left. Like the paste applied on the fully pruned vine, this also protects the vine from disease. The vineyard crew will go back in March and prune back to the two buds for the future crop set.

A splash of Mother Clone Zinfandel in my Dino as we toast the fall and sleeping vines.

Tags: Pedroncelli, Zinfandel, Mother Clone
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November 16 National Zinfandel Day

November 10, 2016 15:20

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What is Zinfandel Day?

Zinfandel Day is a worldwide celebration of the Zinfandel grape variety, intended to give Zinfandel lovers around the globe a platform to express their passion for grape and the wines made from it.

How do I take part in Zinfandel Day?

Stop by Pedroncelli's tasting room for a sip of Zinfandel from the library, our current release 2014 Mother Clone Zinfandel and a sneak preview of one of our favorites (a surprise). Learn about the nearly 90 years of Zinfandel on our estate vineyards.

Are you social media savvy?

If so, use the #ZinfandelDay and #ZinDay hash tags when posting your comments or photos about Zinfandel. You can also search the hash tag on these sites to keep up with your fellow Zin drinkers from around the globe.

Not social media inclined?

Not to worry, the important thing is that you gather with friends or family and enjoy some great wine...after all what is wine if not shared?

Learn more about this delicious grape here.

In support of our local food pantry, we are collecting dry goods and canned food for the Redwood Empire Food Bank this month so please bring something to add to our barrel in lieu of the tasting fee.

Contact Julie at julie@pedroncelli.com for more information or if you'd like to reserve your own appointment in the barrel room or a tour of our Home Ranch Zinfandel vineyards, seen below in fall color glory.

Tags: Pedroncelli, National Wine Day, Zinfandel
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That Certain Something

November 9, 2016 16:12

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Yesterday I was asked to represent my home valley to a group of sommeliers here for Sonoma Summit, sponsored by our trade organization Sonoma County Vintners. I compiled my talk using points supplied by the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley. The subject was ‘what makes Dry Creek Valley singular when it comes to Zinfandel’ and I made it my own. Here are my thoughts.

It all began in the mid-1800s when those who settled here began planting vineyard and making wine. They shared budwood and the fruit of their labor with each other. Why Zin? It became a popular grape because it was easy to drink early on-simple as that. Not much aging necessary. And so the market for it grew.

By the 1880s it was a thriving business but winegrowing came in two waves-pre-and post-Prohibition. It was a long hiccup in our history here with wineries making 1.9 million gallons of wine in 1919, the year the 18th amendment was voted in. We are particularly thankful to all the head of households who bought grapes and made wine during that dry time, saving Zinfandel blocks from being torn out to make way for other crops. These are now known as old vine Zinfandel. In my family’s case we bought mid-Prohibition with Zinfandel vineyard having been planted here since the early 1900s. We sold to home winemakers as well.

Let’s take a step back and look at my home valley's statistics: 16 miles long, 2 miles wide, 7500 acres of grapes planted to 39 varietals. 2400 of them are Zinfandel-making Dry Creek Valley home to half of the Zinfandel planted in Sonoma County. Did you know that the largest concentration of old vine Zin is here as well? Now you do.

So what gives Zinfandel grown in Dry Creek Valley ‘that certain something’ or je ne se quoi? What makes this a premium region to grow Zinfandel? We have the perfect climate of hot days ripening the fruit and cool nights (natural air conditioning) letting the grapes develop complexity with a generous amount of hang time which factors in the development of flavor, acidity and sugar. Often times a challenge to grow, we have found out over the years it is the climate, soil and geography that gets the best out of Zin.

DCV has its distinct vineyard neighborhoods-the eastern bench home, the mineral rich valley floor western highlands with its red soils home and the northern heights where the cool Pacific breeze develops great wines. Combine the diversity of these neighborhoods, intensity of flavors gained through vineyard site, wisdom and winemaking, and you will find a grape that we feel can be the most expressive of their home and their own personalities. You’ll find the characteristics shine in the wine-reflecting the vineyard’s personality like no other grape. Case in point: Pedroncelli makes spice bombs not fruit bombs.

All of this combined with 150 years of growing Zin with 2400 acres is your ticket to the true personality of this great grape. I think it is time for a splash of Mother Clone Zinfandel in my Dino!

Our Mother Clone old vine block circa early 1900s-just a handful of these left and they keep producing delicious fruit.

Tags: Pedroncelli, Zinfandel, Mother Clone
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Harvest of Memories

November 3, 2016 16:17

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This is the fourth part of the series begun in August as we looked toward picking our first grapes, now this year is in the memory banks. My final portion of harvest memories includes my dad Jim, mom Phyllis and husband Ed.

In the early days of the family business, Jim was a key part of harvest since it was ‘all hands on deck’ from the youngest to the oldest members of the family. From picking grapes to helping in the cellar he remembers all of it as a family effort. Recalling a treacherous moment when he was in 6th grade, he still remembers getting caught on a conveyor belt, falling backward and hitting his head while he was working at the hydraulic press. He ran up to the house in tears and told his mother what happened. She checked him out and sent him back to the cellar-no worse for wear.

Later on, when he and his young family (including yours truly) moved into the family home following his parent’s retirement he was back to living on site as he had when growing up here. Many evenings he would go down to the cellar just a few feet away and punch down the cap in the open fermenter tanks lining the cellar-he noted we were ahead of our time because now these are all the rage among today’s winemakers. He always worked with brother John helping out-in fact if he traveled at all during harvest he curtailed his marketing trips to one or two days so he could be here.

Phyllis moved to the winery in 1964 when her in-laws retired. The following harvest she began weighing the trucks. She would go back and forth between the house and the weigh station (only a few feet apart) sometimes taking youngest daughter, Joanna, in the infant seat and keeping her at the weigh station. She remembers the growers would bring the grapes in large wooden boxes which were unloaded by hand. Long time growers from the area were Glaser, Giovannoni, Pedroni, Buchignani, Teldeschi, Zini, and Capucci. The last one she remembers would bring mushrooms and chestnuts while other growers brought apples and table grapes. They’d chat about the weather and the acorns-if you had a bumper crop of acorns you were in for a long winter. They would gather up the acorns from the winery yard and take them home to feed the wild pigs on their ranches (to fatten them up). She thinks it was more laid back then and less personal or more mechanized now.

My parents Phyllis and Jim.

Ed began his harvest memories with his stint in the cellar at Souverain Winery-it had rained and the Riesling was picked and brought to the crushpad. He remembers how slick the grapes were-almost slimy because of the breakdown of the berries once they had become wet-they were beyond ‘ripe’ to put it delicately. He later found himself in the cellar at Alexander Valley Vineyards. This time it was Cabernet Sauvignon and his job was to add sulphur to the must as it made its way into the fermentor. And added a bit too much—like four times too much! The winemaker Hank Wetzel, questioning what had happened, indicated he was concerned that the tank might not even ferment—all was well and the wine turned out to be an award winner! The excitement of the first load of grapes and the promise that brings every year is still his favorite memory. And being here, watching three generations of family members stand around as the first gondola is emptied into the hopper, just reminds him of how we’ve all made mistakes, learned from them and just delved deeper into this amazing family business.

My husband Ed and yours truly, it takes a family!

A toast to memories, with a splash of vino in my dino.

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Wrapping Up The Vintage

October 26, 2016 16:23

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As October ends with quite a few inches of rain falling, the young wines in the cellar are finishing up the process going from grapes to new wine. Let's wrap up vintage 2016 with a few notes from me and our winemaker Montse Reece.

The month of October flew by in our cellar. We received our final truckload of grapes on September 30. The grand total was 848 tons of grapes crushed during our 89th harvest. To put it in perspective there is this report from the Wine Institute: "overall state winegrape crop was estimated to be near the historical average of 3.9 million tons by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in August 2016." We’re a drop in a very large bucket!

The harvest went off without a hitch and Montse says, “A great vintage with back-to-normal size crop and back-to-normal acids!”

“The young red wines are now finishing their secondary fermentation (Julie says: also known as malo-lactic fermentation in order to soften the rough edges) and will be racked off the lees (dead yeast cells and other particulate) and sent to barrel (Julie says: where more softening of the edges takes place by slowly aging and oxygenating the young wine). All wines are sampled for fresh analysis in the lab as they finish racking. Our 2016 Wisdom Cabernet Sauvignon has already been put into new French oak barrels to begin its’ nearly two year aging process. The Sauvignon Blanc and Dry Rose of Zinfandel are being cold-stabilized because they will be the first wines of the vintage to be bottled early next year.”

So it's a wrap on harvest but it's not a wrap in the cellar as they keep busy transferring thousands of gallons of wine from tank to barrel over the coming months. A toast with a splash of Wisdom Cabernet in my Dino!

It's all about the tanks this time of year. From our red wine fermentation building to shoveling the lees from the tank to cold stabilization of our Sauvignon Blanc. You thought harvest was busy? Try post-harvest wrap up!

Tags: Pedroncelli, Cabernet Sauvignon
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HYPEd at Pedroncelli

October 21, 2016 16:29

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We hosted a wonderful group of young professionals from northern Sonoma County recently. Officially titled Healdsburg Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs, HYPE is an off-shoot of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce. I was ‘hyped’ up because I enjoyed hearing about their individual stories, I hope you get ‘HYPEd’ too.

As I spoke to several of the attendees I was inspired to weave all of their careers into one blog post in support of what they are doing to make this a great place to live. The evening was lively, they learned about our story and we listened to theirs. I believe you would enjoy being introduced to them. Follow up if they provide something you are looking for whether it is a backyard organic garden, hotel room, balloon ride or that perfect wine country career.

Joanna’s Nannies provides babysitting and event childcare when you are attending an over-21 event or just want a bit of alone time.

Dr. Jessica Klein, a Healdsburg native, opened Wine Country Vet Hospital in Windsor and will take good care of your pets and you can enjoy a glass of wine while you are there.

Jeremy Nusser and Amanda Dunker have a great idea for your backyard with Avalow. Their motto is Eat Well. Garden Often and they install and maintain raised bed gardens—all you do is sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor!

Rachel Droesch pulls double duty as a tour guide for Healdsburg Wine Country Walking Tours as well as a wedding event coordinator for XOXO Events.

Julie Hagele is the development director for Rio Lindo Academy a co-ed Adventist Academy on a beautiful hilltop campus.

Shannon Eckerman will give you the ride of your life with Up-Away balloon rides over our lovely area.

Alexis Greenberg Photography Studio will take your portrait or capture your wedding day and lovely landscapes.

Kenneth Sipes Cinema will do the honors of filming your special day.

Erik Neztsosie and Sarah Krug have some of the best rooms around if you are in Healdsburg. A stay at the Dry Creek Inn is perfectly located for your wine country visits.

Lauren Wyer of Piazza Hospitality will point you in the direction of their properties in downtown Healdsburg, luxury hotels and great restaurants including Spoon Bar-one of the trendiest spots to enjoy our little town.

Alissa Morse represents CPI International and while you may not need their services when you visit they offer the highest quality, most reliable solutions to chemists, microbiologists, and scientific professionals in our industry.

Maybe you’ll fall in love with Sonoma County and would like to work here-Lindsey Brown of Job Tango will provide you with a great support system for you. If you are an employer use them to help find the right person for the job.

Brad Pender at Healdsburg Lumber Company can point you in the direction for all of your DIY projects or professionals to help you complete that redesign.

Looking for a home? Maybe you’d like to check in with Karen Massey at the City of Healdsburg where she is the Community Housing and Development Director.

Finally Jon Koons represented the great Russian River Valley winery Inman Family Wines, and even took home a magnum of our Cabernet Sauvignon. Enjoy Jon!

A toast with Zinfandel in my Dino to all of these great professionals whom we are lucky to have in our midst. And special thanks to HYPErs Aleena Decker, Rachel Droesch and especially Alexis Greenberg for the photos!

HYPE first gathered for some Pedroncelli wine and snacks.

Part of their networking time was spent picking one of six questions like a favorite aspect of their job, if they were a wine what would they be and why or a goal they'd like to achieve by the end of the year.

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Home Ranch Ramble

October 13, 2016 16:36

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Over two days I took a walk around the vineyard as the vineyard crew prepares for fall and winter. Dirk tagged along as he always does during my noon time meanderings.

We finished with grapes on September 30 and our last tank of new wine was pressed off yesterday. The 2016 vintage is tucked away undergoing the next step of secondary fermentation. But what happens to the vineyard post-harvest? I walked around the Home Ranch over the last two days to check things out. Bright and sunny on Wednesday and clouds gathering on Thursday for the storm headed our way we made our way up and down the hillsides.

Over the last week our vineyard crew was kept busy buttoning things up as we have an imminent rain storm predicted for this weekend. They worked on hay spreading along the vineyard avenues including one block where the vines were pulled to make way for a new planting. This cover crop of hay will germinate in the rain and help secure the soil and control erosion on the ranch. Soil amendments and other work will take place over the next few weeks. Just another day on the farm. A toast to fall in all its' splendor with a splash of Zinfandel in my Dino!

Bright and sunny on October 12, Dirk checks the newly spread hay.

October 13 and the block is ready for rain, clouds moving in quickly.

I gathered leaves from some virused Zinfandel vines for an event this weekend. Our own fall colors are quite beautiful and they make a nice centerpiece.

While I was gathering leaves, Dirk took his own walk and after 15 minutes we found each other again-both quite relieved! The wild grape vine in the background is beautiful too!

Wild grapes on the vine. The birds will eat these!

Tags: Pedroncelli
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In The Cellar

October 6, 2016 16:43

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We finished harvest on September 30 with high quality grapes on our hands. However, the cellar is still abuzz with activity at least for another month as the 2016 wines finish the fermentation process.

On this fine fall day I took a walk through the cellar. If only there were scratch & sniff blog posts-the smell is heavenly with all the aromatics from fermenting wine! My first stop was in the white wine barrel room where the 2016 F. Johnson Vineyard Chardonnay has finished its’ first fermentation and now will go through the second fermentation. This process, called malo-lactic fermentation, changes the sharper malic acid to the milder lactic acid. Use these two foods to ‘get the picture’: tart green apple acidity changes to the softer butter-like acidity.

Red wine tanks continue to be drained once fermentation is finished, on a staggered schedule as they finish 10 days or so after being picked. The solids are pressed off (now called pomace--see below) and the wine is sent to a storage tank to undergo malo-lactic fermentation. All of our red wines except the Port goes through this secondary fermentation.

A quick check at the lab where winemaker Montse Reece is testing samples of wines just finished with fermentation shows one lot of Chardonnay where she is checking for dryness (fermented to no residual sugar), the red wine sample in the middle one is our Port that is headed into barrels, bypassing the secondary fermentation because of the high alcohol in this fortified wine. The third sample is our Dry Rose of Zinfandel in the lab for a color intensity check up.

As the month continues the cellar crew will press off a few more tanks and all of the red wines will take a month or so to go through the second fermentation turning them a bit softer and ready for their time in barrel. More soon as we take our time in October finishing the vintage. A toast with some Chardonnay in my Dino to time in the cellar!

Tags: Pedroncelli
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