[pb_vidembed title=”Snow’s Lake Cabernet Sauvignon” caption=”We’re about a week out on harvesting this beautiful vineyard.” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xL9Q0NiKQC0″ type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Last year we harvested out Cab on the 28th of October, this year we’re looking at a similar date and thankfully the weather is starting to really cooperate (fingers crossed)…. I’d like for this vineyard to hang for one more week to resolve some tannins but truthfully it could be ready by Friday, stay tuned.

[pb_vidembed title=”Petite Sirah and Grenache” caption=”Friday in the vineyards, harvested on Sunday.. We’re processing today (Monday).” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXS9ax-_nFA” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Well, we got the fruit off the vine, it spent the night in Lodi chilling at about 34 degrees and is on its way out to Santa Rosa where we’ll process it and let it chill for a few more days.  Overall the flavors were great, the fruit not quite as pretty as I had hoped but thankfully we don’t have to win any beauty contests with the fruit, we can get that award once we turn it into wine.

[pb_vidembed title=”5 Questions with Rene Byck of Paradise Ridge” caption=”Just having fun….” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOcgaw0m2MM” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Well, just after pressing the Quartz Block Zin we decided to randomly do our first episode of 5 Questions.. Hopefully this will be the first of many.. Wow, my beard is getting a bit burly.. and I still have Cabernet Sauvignon on the vine and a week out.. Yikes!!

[pb_vidembed title=”Pressing the Quartz” caption=”Sex appeal… you bet.. me in shorts and work boots.” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0iOTa8eKcU” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Just a quick video, not a whole lot of action but a fair bit of sex appeal.

[pb_vidembed title=”Rain Rain Go Away” caption=”Out at the Vista Luna.. after the first rain.” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vTwGrqjdpk” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Well, after last week I thought the rains were done for about 10 days but we got a sneak attack yesterday and Mother Nature decided to slow things down again.. I’ll be back in the Vineyard tomorrow but it’s looking bright and sunny for the foreseeable future so we should still be good… Hoping to pick this weekend perhaps.

[pb_vidembed title=”Delestage of the Quartz Block Zinfandel” caption=”IT’S GAMEDAY!! GO DUCKS!!!” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAA07NzcWBU” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Well, we start today on a bit of a somber note, Steve Jobs passed away yesterday.. I’ve never been a big Mac guy, mainly cause they never had a right click on the mouse.. With that said the man was an incredible visionary, Edison, Graham Bell, Jobs, he belongs on the Mount Rushmore of innovators/creators… Little update on the wines, it was 5.1 Brix today, we’ll be draining off two barrels worth and I’ll get a video later today talking about that.

[pb_vidembed title=”Special Effects on full display” caption=”More Native Fermentation Fun” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD8C-JVgZxo” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Back at it up at the winery… As of this morning, Wednesday the 5th we were down to 11 Brix (from 18 the night before) .. I’m going to try to create some graphics so you can see what our fermentation kind of look like with regards to a line graph but for now just know that it’s progressing just as we had hoped.. It smells great, trust me, and I’m really happy about the way things are going.  We were supposed to pick both grenache and petite sirah today but the rains put the kibosh on that, but I’ll be back out in Lodi on Friday to check out the vineyards.

[pb_vidembed title=”Native Fermentation” caption=”It’s raining, thank god I have Zin in tank….” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vF01F5FM7y0″ type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Well, our Zin and SB are in tank but I’ve still got Petite Sirah, Grenache and Cabernet Sauvignon hanging.. We had a scheduled pick for this Wednesday, that’s the day the rain is really supposed to come down but if we pick before it then we did the best thing, if we let it hang then we’ll be picking maybe a week out after that… This is where things get a little tricky.. I’m waiting for a call from Markus over at the Vista Luna and the Hunter’s Oak vineyards so we’ll know more later today but here’s a video on the progression of our native fermenting “Quartz Block” Zinfandel.

[pb_vidembed title=”Pressing the SB to tank” caption=”Forgive me, I’m a little hungover” url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD1IteoxqTA” type=”yt” w=”480″ h=”385″]

Pressing the SB a day after destemming it and letting the flavors soak up over night… A reminder that we are having our Winemaker Dinner at the Panama Hotel and Restaurant on October the 9th in San Rafael.. BE THERE!!!!!