Anticipation

The long Labor day weekend is just around the corner...where did the summer go? Maybe a better question is: when did the summer start? It seems as though beach goers, picnic fanatics, and sun worshipers just couldn't catch a break this summer. In Southern California, the skies were pretty gloomy for all of June, July and most of August. The fog rolled in early and stuck by the beach while nights in the valley were cool, mild and sometimes even cold! And alas, here we are, moments away from the 'official' end of summer. But wait...September and October have historically been designated as 'Indian Summer' and a time that grape growers in California have counted on for a bountiful harvest! Unfortunately, this season it just doesn't seem that growers have been able to catch a break either. First the cool and damp summer created destructive mold and mildew in the vineyards. Then last week there was the sudden, scorching heat that blasted grapes and left some chardonnay farmers with extensive crop loss. A lot of the success of a vineyard depends on a it's orientation and exposure to the sun and this damage came because growers were fighting against the problem of...no sun! The farmers tried to compensate for the 'non-sun' issue early on by pruning back the canopy of leaves to expose fruit to maximum sunlight in an effort to prevent 'bunch rot' triggered by the cool, foggy weather early in the season. Then came the hot, hot temperatures and burned those "exposed" grapes, creating heat"raisining". (Okay, I'm trying to keep from getting too technical here!) This has been a crazy growing season which I believe will make for some intense flavors and could be one of the best vintages in a long time! A nice normal fall with no significant rain until after harvest (November) would really help the situation! The 2010 wine grape harvest began in Sonoma County last week with the picking of Pinot Noir grapes on the valley floor, I have heard that the crops will be lighter due to the cold weather and there is a sense of urgency up and down the valley floor to time things just right! As the brix's (sugars) rise in the grapes so does the blood pressure of winemakers, until each varietal reaches it's optimum. With our vineyard on Pine Mountain we are very fortunate to be on a south west facing hillside above the fog line ...yes, the weather has been cooler than normal, the sun is always a little more intense on this hillside at an elevation of 1500', and the berries will be just a tad smaller this year, but man oh man the flavors will just be that more intense!!! We are so looking forward to the time when we will be able to share the wine produced from the beautiful hillside of the Wild Creek Ranch Vineyards!!! Until then, and in anticipation of the long weekend, here are some fun wine suggestions:

White Wines:

Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Mouthwatering offerings of lime and tequila flavors!
$15.99


Wattle Creek Sauvignon Blanc 2007
A hint of ripe melon and citrus flavors!
$13.99 (Von's special $6.75 ea. for a six pack!)

Byron Chardonnay 2007
Scents of lemon, pineapple and oak...very creamy!
$22.00




Chateau St. Jean Chardonnay 2008
Full flavored and ripe fruited!
$10.99

Red Wines:

A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir 2008
Well balanced with great up front fruit!
$17.99

Murphy Goode Pinot Noir 2008
Bright black cherry and spice aromas!
$15.99

St. Francis Sonoma Red 2006
A great blend of Cabernet, Syrah and Zinfandel!
$13.99



Estancia Meritage 2006 Paso Robles
Intense flavors of chocolate, black cherry and oak!
$27.99

Enjoy the long weekend!!!

Cheers!