As regular readers know, I spent mid-October in Napa Valley doing a five-day harvest immersion with the Stags Leap District Winegrowers. Over the next few days, I’ll be detailing my activities. (The first installment was published on October 17; the second on October 19.)

Day three began just before 7:00 am at Cliff Lede Vineyards, where I was met by Remi Cohen, the director of winemaking and viticulture. We started with some (much-needed) coffee and egg sandwiches.

Until recently, Remi had been a consultant to Cliff Lede. But when Kale Anderson, Cliff Lede’s former winemaker, headed to Pahlmeyer, she was courted to join the team in a full-time capacity. And it’s quite a job. In addition to overseeing the production of about 17,000 cases of wine, Remi oversees Cliff Lede’s 60 acres of vineyards. (Interestingly, each vineyard block is named after a famous rock song.)

After finishing breakfast, we headed to the winery — where grapes were piled high waiting to be sorted. After quickly checking on everyone’s progress — and sampling some of the just-picked grapes — we headed to the tanks to taste through the fermenting wines.

Grapes at Cliff Lede.

Grape sorting at Cliff Lede.

We then headed into the lab, where Remi walked me through the science of irrigation management by showing me the computer software from Fruition Sciences. It was tremendously geeky — and absolutely fascinating. (In fact, Wired just published an in-depth feature on the company.)

Sauvignon Blanc in the lab at Cliff Lede.

Learning about irrigation management at Cliff Lede.

We finished the morning with some grape sampling over by Poetry Inn — where I enjoyed some stunning views!

Stunning views at Cliff Lede.

At 9:50, I hopped in my car and drove to Baldacci Vineyards.

The Baldacci property traces its roots to 1997, when Thomas and Brenda Baldacci purchased the 17-acre property as an investment. The investment soon became a passion project, though, as Thomas kept dreaming up ways to delay selling the property. About ten years ago, it became clear to the entire family that the winery wouldn’t be sold — and that the new plan was to build a lasting legacy for the family.

When I arrived at Baldacci, I was met by Thomas’s son, Michael, who recently graduated from college and decided to join the family business. After quick introductions, Ricardo Herrera (who heads up the winemaking team together with his brother Rolando) put us to work with some pump overs. So for the next two hours, Michael and I took turns holding an extremely heavy hose over each tank.

Helping Michael Baldacci with pump overs.

While the work wasn’t terribly stimulating, it was fun to hang out with Michael, learn about the family’s vision, and hear about the Napa Valley Vintners’ Harvest Beard Contest. At about 12:30, Michael’s father came to join us, and the three of us sat down for lunch.

An hour later, I hopped in my car and drove to Taylor Family Vineyards, one of the most beautiful spots in the Napa Valley. When I arrived, I was greeted by Pat Taylor and her daughter Sandy (who works as the winery president), who together shared the history of their family’s winery.

The 23-acre property was purchased in 1980 — and at the time, it wasn’t planted with any grapes. So the family embarked on an ambitious project to convert ten acres of the ranch to vineyard. Over the next two decades, the family would simply sell the fruit. But in 2002, they decided to make their own wine — so a new, 1,000-case label was born. Today, all the wine is sold directly to consumers.

The wine is made offsite, so rather than put me to work, Sandy walked me through the vineyard to show off the vines.

The Taylor Family Vineyard.

While my third day certainly wasn’t as difficult as days one and two, it provided a much-needed mid-week break… and helped me recover from the brutal workout at Silverado!

Please note that this post, authored by wine writer Susan Anderson, is sponsored by Vintage Cellars.

With the holiday season quickly approaching, many of us are figuring out ways to “wine and dine” our clients. Below are some tips that’ll help you make your wine selections.

A Classic Dinner Party
If you have a close personal relationship with your client, hosting a small dinner party in your home is sure to make an impression. In such a cozy setting, selecting memorable pairings is key.

Serving steak? Consider a rich, full-bodied red. With poultry, consider a delicate red, like Pinot Noir or Grenache. Serving something spicy, like Thai or Indian cuisine? Go with an intense, high-acid wine like Riesling or Gewurztraminer. And don’t forget to start with Champagne!

The Gift of Great Wine
If you’re unable to meet your client in person, wine makes a great gift. But be sure to send something that tells a story or a recognizable wine that isn’t easily found at the supermarket.

For example, if you and your client traveled together for business, consider sending a wine from a region nearby. Did you once have a meeting in Washington, DC? Consider a Virginia wine. Did you visit New York together? Consider something from the Finger Lakes or Long Island. If you once visited Rome, send an Italian wine! Such wines will tell a story and leave a lasting impression.

Alternatively, wines from luxury regions like Napa Valley and Champagne are always memorable.  Just be sure to order the wines from a reliable retailer who will make sure they’re shipped at the correct temperature throughout transit.

A Wine Club Membership
Looking to step up your gift? Consider a wine club membership.

Most wine clubs regularly ship a certain number of bottles every month or quarter – enabling their customers to learn about different wine regions and explore different varieties. Some memberships even include tasting notes and recipe pairings.

Best of all, if you belong to the same wine club you’ve gifted, you’ve created instant fodder for conversation. You can get in touch with your client to chat about this month’s bottles and compare tasting notes, helping to build your business relationship.

A Wine Tasting
Perhaps you need to entertain several clients at once. Or maybe your colleagues aren’t as comfortable with wine as you’d like — after all, a basic familiarity with wine is critical in the business world. If either of these scenarios speaks to you, consider hiring a wine educator to host an event and walk attendees through a carefully planned program.

The educator could compare New World wines to Old World offerings, explain the basics of navigating a restaurant wine list, or even discuss food-and-wine pairings. Most cities have excellent wine professionals.

Susan Anderson is a blogger and wine lover who writes for Vintage Cellars, a San Diego based wine storage company that specializes in building custom wine cellars.

Antonio Galloni

Fred Swan writes a fascinating piece on the 8th Annual Wine Advocate Seminar and Tasting at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena, which featured Antonio Galloni.

In San Francisco Magazine, Jordan Mackay writes that “craft beer is overtaking wine as San Francisco’s beverage of choice.” H/T Tyler Colman, who wonders if “craft beer [is] a big threat to wine.”

Steve Heimoff wonders if “a Pinot Noir that’s blended from different vineyards be as good as or better than one from a single vineyard.” The answer, of course, is “yes.” But as Heimoff explains, “it would have to have the lowly ‘California’ appellation on the label, and you know what that means: nobody would want it.”

For Lenn Thompson of New York Cork Report,  sorting just under three tons of Cabernet Franc grapes was “a comforting and exhilarating escape from [his] normal cubicle-dweller work life.”

“For value and a friendly, down-to-earth reception,” Richard Jennings “highly recommends a visit to Lodi wine country.”

W. Blake Gray spills the beans on “what writers really say about wines we don’t like.”

“As with most winemaking decisions, there is no ironclad right or wrong way to ferment. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what’s in the bottle, how those wild yeasts performed—and did you enjoy the show?” In Wine Enthusiast, Paul Gregutt wonders if “indigenous yeast fermentations improve wine quality.”

In Food & Wine, some advice on “How to Solve Tricky Wine-Pairing Dilemmas.”

A favorite South African Chardonnay.

According to Jeff Siegel, “the Winestream Media still doesn’t understand regional wine.”

Jamie Goode explains why he thinks natural wine has become an “unnecessarily divisive subject.”

“The oak-perception pendulum when it comes to wine might have swung just a bit too far lately.” Joe Roberts defends oak.

At a recent tasting in New York, Peter Wasserman of Le Serbet expressed hesitations about the focus on disgorgement dates. Tyler Colman has the scoop. Some great comments.

On the blog for LA Weekly, Patrick Comiskey writes about Serge Hochar and Chateau Musar.

Alice Feiring announces many more details about her forthcoming newsletter.

Mike Veseth, the wine economist, writes about a lunch with two of my favorite South African vintners, Cobus and Meyer Joubert, where he tasted what’s arguably the “oldest living wine.”

South African wine writer Neil Pendock isn’t happy with Lettie Teague.

Twelve new names have been added to the Court of Master Sommeliers’ list of Advanced Somms.

“Suckling still has pull.” Alfonso Cevola writes about James Sucklings continued importance in Italy.

“To hear some U.S. wine consumers talk about it, South American wine comes from one place: Chilergentina. Yet there couldn’t be two more divergent and yet adjacent wine countries than Chile and Argentina.” So writes Dan Berger in his latest column.

In the San Jose Mercury News, Laurie Daniel explores Chilean Carmenere.

The wine auction market is shrinking, Reuters reports.

A reminder: Terroirist is giving away two free tickets to the grand tasting at Rhone Rangers New York!

It’s no secret that I love America’s Rhone-style wines.

I’ve long enjoyed the offerings from L’Aventure, Qupe, and Bonny Doon. The wines from Two Shepherds — a new project from blogger-turned-winemaker William Allen — are worth seeking out.

So I’m stoked that Terroirist is able to offer TWO FREE TICKETS to the Rhone Rangers Big Apple debut at City Winery NY!

At 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 7, more than 30 different wineries will descend on City Winery to pour more than 130 wines! The list of participants is impressive: Bonny Doon, Broken Earth, Cornerstone Cellars, Cypher, Donelan Wines, Fess Parker, Folin Cellars, Halter Ranch, Jada, Kenneth Volk, L’Aventure, Martha Clara, Michael-David, Petrichor, Pomar Junction, Proulx, Qupe, Refugio Ranch, Ridge, Stark, Tablas Creek, Tarara, Treana & Hope Family, Two Shepherds, Villa Creek, Vina Robles, Vines on the Marycrest, Wrath, Zaca Mesa, and Zenaida Cellars.

Tickets are just $65. Some light appetizers will also be served. The Rhone Rangers are also organizing a winemaker dinner on Thursday night for just $75.

FREE TICKETS!
To have a chance to win a FREE PAIR OF TICKETS (a $130 value!) to the Grand Tasting, just leave a comment naming your FAVORITE American Rhone-style wine. For an extra entry, tweet to me (@terroiristblog) and the Rhone Rangers (@RhoneRangers) with your favorite American Rhone-style wine, using the hashtag #RRNY.

The contest ends on Thursday, November 1, at midnight ET. Good luck!

Uploaded to flickr by Hey Paul.

“The tasting was a useful reminder not only that Merlot can be good, but also that a wine drinker should try not to hold unreasonable prejudices.” In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague revisits Merlot.

“When recommending wines, remember that what you think is perfect may not in fact be perfect for the person or the occasion. We sommeliers have to learn to manage our vanity.” In the Financial Times, Jancis Robinson writes about the rising popularity of food-and-wine pairing.

“Who the hell needs to know how to love wine? If you’re buying the damn book, you already love wine.” The HoseMaster reviews Eric Asimov’s just released book, How to Love Wine, blind.

Remy Charest, meanwhile, writes a real review of Asimov’s book on Palate Press.

Alder Yarrow transcribes a fantastic interview with Littorai owner and winemaker Ted Lemon conducted by wine writer Jordan Mackay. (As regular readers know, we interviewed Ted Lemon back in May.)

“So this was the wine flag I chose to wave: Borra Vineyards Intuition. Stars and Stripes and Lodi’s finest. USA!” W. Blake Gray brings some American wine to French Polynesia.

Decanter.com reports: “Italian authorities have approved the use of synthetic corks and screwcaps on higher quality DOC and DOCG wines for the first time.”

In France, wine-drinking “has been in constant decline since the 1960s.” In the Financial Times, Simon Kuper explains why.

Late last week, the Ancient Lakes of Columbia Valley was officially designated an American Viticultural Area.

A full century before Byan Adams got his first real six string, Croatian immigrants were planting 10 acres of Zinfandel in Amador County. That history lives on in liquid form as the 1869 Zinfandel from Scott Harvey Wines.

“Old Vines” — or Vieilles Vignes in French — is published on wine labels quite often, but there exists no legal definition in either country as to how old the vines have to be to use the term. The older the vineyard gets, the smaller the yield, the deeper the roots, and (hypothetically), the better the wine. So while there’s no legal cutoff for the term, I’d say the 143-year-old vines in Vineyard 1869 qualify.

Even more impressive than the fact that the vines are still healthy and producing beautiful Zinfandel clusters after so long is what the vines had to survive to make it this far. They not only survived the outbreak of phylloxera, a destructive root-feeding louse, which reached the west coast in the late 1800’s, but have continued to thrive even with its prevalence in the region since. The vines probably owe thanks to the unusually sandy soils of the site, which phylloxera  struggles to survive in.

After phylloxera, the biggest man-made obstacle arrived in 1920 as alcohol prohibition was enacted throughout the United States. During the 13 years that alcohol was effectively illegal, a handful of vineyards in California managed to survive either by producing wine for religious regions or shipping the grapes to the east coast for home winemaking, which was not banned under the amendment. According to the back of the 1869 label “moonlit nights of unregulated distillation” helped the vineyard survive. I supposed there was a third reason some vineyards survived. Read the rest of this entry »

“He has made a lasting impression on the American wine importing market and his newsletter musings describing his inventory — along with the people, places, and pleasures behind a bottle — has developed quite the cult following.” In Berkleyside, Sarah Henry writes about Kermit Lynch. Lynch’s business is celebrating its 40^th anniversary.

“Several examples of en rama, a lightly filtered style of sherry, have arrived on these shores within the past year. They offer a window into the true taste of sherry from the cask, which most consumers have never experienced.” In the San Francisco Chronicle.

Jon Bonné writes about “the late-season charms of Sauvignon Blanc.”

“To view New Zealand’s wine production merely through the lens of Sauvignon Blanc is to miss out on exceptional sparkling wine, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah.” Will Lyons visits New Zealand.

David and Monica Stevens of 750 Wines send Richard Nalley of Forbes to five of Napa’s hottest new wineries. (As regular readers know, we interviewed David and Monica last December.)

Cyril Penn wonders if wine bloggers matter.

Rick Bakas details “5 Ways Sommeliers Can Utilize Social Media.”

According to Rachel Tepper of the Huffington Post, Absolut Tune — a vodka/white wine fusion drink – is “not as gross as it sounds.”

As regular readers know, I spent last week in Napa Valley doing a five-day harvest immersion with the Stags Leap District Winegrowers. Over the next few days, I’ll be detailing my activities. (The first installment was published on Wednesday.)

Day two began just before 7:00 am at Silverado Vineyards. When I arrived, veteran winemaker Jon Emmerich asked if I was ready to work.

I had a feeling Jon was going to work me pretty hard — he had called the night before to see if I was interested in joining a night pick. (I declined, thinking that Jon was asking me to pull an all-nighter.)

So when Jon  introduced me to Elena Franceschi, his assistant winemaker, and told me it was time to do tank samples, I was a bit disappointed. By that point, I was ready to start sweating — where were the punch downs? Couldn’t I help out by grabbing a rake or a shovel, or just lifting something heavy?

Once the tasting began, however, I realized how fortunate I was. Jon and Elena have been making wine together at Silverado for nearly 20 years — so watching them work together was a bit like watching Bruce Springsteen and Clarence Clemons share a stage. The teamwork was truly impressive. And as a spectator, it was tremendously educational to watch them talk and taste.

When the samples finished, Jon told me to grab my rubber boots — as it was time to shovel out a tank. Twenty-three tons of Silverado’s Mt. George Merlot had recently finished fermenting, so it was time to drain the tank, shovel out the pomace, and press out the juice.

Once the tank finished draining, we opened it up and started shoveling. And once there was enough room for me to hop inside, Jon’s team sprayed my boots with alcohol to sanitize them and sent me inside.

Shoveling out the tank. The smile quickly vanished.

Jon suggested I give it a try for just a few minutes. If I was feeling particularly ambitious, he said I might have the energy to shovel out half the tank. I saw this as a challenge, and pledged to myself that I’d finish the entire thing.

It was absolutely grueling. By the time I exited the tank, I was absolutely drenched in sweat, short on breath, and a bit light-headed. It took just over 20 minutes, but it felt like I was in there for hours!

After catching my breath, Jon and I hopped in his pickup to visit the Mt. George Vineyard in Coombsville, where Cabernet Sauvignon was still on the vine. We pulled some grapes to bring back to the lab, but it was clear that all the fruit was in excellent shape and just a few days away from coming off. Upon our return, Jon sent me to the lab with the grapes, where we crushed out some juice and tested for brix and acid.

Cabernet Sauvignon at Silverado's Mt. George Vineyard.

Working in the lab at Silverado.

We finished up around 12:30 and headed to lunch at Redd Wood with Russ Weis, the general manager at Silverado. It was a wonderful break — and I got to taste some of Silverado’s Mt. George Merlot. It was one of the most electrifying wines of the trip — while I was certainly influenced by the fact that I’d just shoveled out a tank of the same wine, it was heartening to see that some folks are, indeed, making delicious Merlot in Napa Valley.

After lunch, I headed to Regusci Winery, where I met Jim Regusci, the owner, and Bertus Van Zyl, a South African winemaker who is helping with harvest at Regusci and T-Vine Cellars.

Bertus and Jim got me started with some basic cleaning (about 90 percent of winemaking, from what I can tell) and then taught me how to operate a forklift. There were dozens of bins (some full, some empty) to move and they needed an extra forklift operator.

Regusci Winery's Destemmer.

After getting the hang of things, it was a blast!

At about 5:30, we headed to the property’s former slaughterhouse (which is now a kitchen/dining room), where the winery’s chef, Angel Perez, had a delicious dinner waiting for us. Several members of Jim’s business team joined us for the meal, and we chatted about everything — winemaking trends, the three-tier system, etc.

It was another fantastic day!

“Baldassano, 32, is one of a handful of people who make serious wine — from whole grapes to the finished product — in their Manhattan apartments.” In the New York Times, Maya Lau wonders if the “next ‘cult wine’ could come from Manhattan.”

Eric Asimov picks out “20 great fall wines… all at that magical price of $20, where the greatest values reside.”

In Food & Wine, Ray Isle goes outside California, Oregon, and Washington to highlight “five wineries from around the country that are worth a trip.”

Meanwhile, from the Smithsonian Magazine, a fascinating piece on “unexpected places to find locally made wine.” The list includes Kenya and Japan!

“Maybe it’s time Virginia wines got some respect…even from the Californians?” Richard Leahy writes about a recent blind tasting where Virginia wines bested several of their French counterparts.

“It is then that the winning bidder realizes his box looks like a coffin.” Dan Berger imagines what it’s like to win an imperial at auction.

In Napa Valley, harvest is still in full swing.

Tim Fish gets an “An Unprecedented Peek Inside Kendall-Jackson.”

In the Santa Barbara Independent, Tyler Hayden and Matt Kettmann write about the mysterious death of Christopher Marks, the owner and operator of Sweeney Canyon Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills.