'04 Estate Vineyard Syrah Bottling

Wine is bottled poetry

Château Julien Estate
High 59 Low 50
T-Showers

Lockwood Valley Vineyard
High 66 Low 47
T-Showers

Bottling for our 2004 Estate Vineyard Syrah started this past weds. If you have never had the chance to witness the process of bottling, it is amazing to watch. Some say its like dancing, or ballet...but it just looked impressive. Like Robert Louis Stevenson says, "Wine is bottled poetry."

Run for Fun?!?

Whenever I think of running for exercise or pretty much for anything other than running for your life...I think of that one part in Back to the Future Part III where Doc Brown is in the Saloon near the end of the movie. He explains the future to three drunk guys. He says people run for recreation, and the drunk man responds with "Run for fun? What kind of fun is that?" Haha

Although, I would like to mention a couple of fellow co-workers here at the winery who do just that! Melinda and Michelle ran the Monterey Bay Half Marathon together. Melinda finishing in 2:18 and Michelle finishing 2:09. If I ran it, I might be reaching the finish line right about the time I am writing this blog. No joke. :) I hope I don't get in trouble but Michelle is half as young as Melinda...and pretty close times. That's inspirational! We all should be so lucky to be as in shape and fit as Melinda.

Sunrise @ Château Julien

Golden rays

Château Julien Estate
High 64 Low 49
Showers

Lockwood Valley Vineyard
High 66 Low 44
Showers

Through most of the day today, the sun managed to break through the tough barrage of clouds that seemed to have blanketed this area. It's good to see some color to things outside again. The green now on the vines as the buds have broken through and are now growing pretty quickly. The weather calls for more rain, but at this moment in time I am just soaking up the sun! (no pun intended)

We will be bottling soon on a new vintage and will try to get some good pictures of the process to post. Until then, many great tastings to you.

Spring is here, and so is the rain

Château Julien Estate:
High 62 Low 47
Rain / Thunder

Lockwood Valley Vineyard:
High 61 Low 43
Rain / Thunder

Something new I'd like to start is giving the current weather conditions with every one of my posts. Everyone likes to know what is happening to the grapes. You will see conditions for both the estate and the vineyard. Château Julien estate is located 5 miles east of Carmel, CA and the Pacific Ocean. The lockwood vineyard is about an hour and a half southeast from the estate, near King City, CA.

Last month we saw the wettest month around here for quite some time. I believe it rained some 23 days out of the entire month. This month has started out with the same trend. Will the sun ever come out and dry us out a bit? One could only hope. So as I sit here and look out to see the rain just coming down and no blue sky in sight, it's another rainy day in Carmel. Although this time we don't get to play heads-up 7-up or play board games...

Vegas Bound

In Las Vegas, NV is the annual convention by WSWA (Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America). Not many know of WSWA, well not many people of the general public but chances are there is a member of the WSWA serving your area. WSWA represents over 90 percent of the wines and spirits sold at wholesale across the United States. This isn't an open convention but it's a big happening in the wine and spirits industry! Learn something new everyday...