Sherri James, an energetic artist, mother of two, and proprietor of Blue Moon Bottles, can breathe a bit easier now.  Two years ago, she embarked on an experiment to find a use for the green bottles her small town, Athens, Ohio, refuses to recycle.  “It’s mostly wine bottles,“ she remarks, “and when I began to think about how many people were throwing these bottles away, and factored in the restaurants, it made me a little queasy.  We’re talking hundreds of bottles a week.” 

To assuage her guilt at adding to the landfills, she began to cut and polish the most interesting bottles.  Some possibilities seemed obvious.  At first, she created vases, candle lanterns, and tumblers for friends and family.  “I started small – just to see what might work.  I found that it’s very labor intensive to go from an empty bottle to a finished product.  There’s just no easy way to do it.”  As her skills with glass grew, she found other uses.  By “marrying” two cut bottles, she created cylindrical “glass blocks,” installing 54 of these in an interior window.  “It was a lot of work, “ she recalls, “but it’s really beautiful, and some of those bottles have  great stories behind them.”

One of those stories occurred the night before the window’s installation.  “I realized, as I was lining up the finished blocks, that I was four bottles shy to complete my pattern.”  Four bottles of a particular Pinot Grigio, to be precise.  In the spirit of neighborliness she’s come to expect in this sleepy, Appalachian college town, friends came to the rescue, helping Sherri and her husband in drinking a share of the wine.  Crisis averted, the installation went off without a hitch.  “I’m sure they helped solely out of the goodness of their hearts,” she quipped.

Next, she saw the possibilities of trapping the cut bottle bottoms between pieces of glass.  That gave rise to the furniture.  “Framing glass with steel made sense immediately,” she said of her first coffee table design.  “The complementary nature of the fragile, organic, green glass with the raw, industrial looking steel just felt right.”  She found steel made from recycled vehicles to use as a framework for a series of remarkable tables, assuring that the end product contained nearly all recycled material.  Now she produces custom sized tables, with single or multiple levels.  “I’m particularly proud of the kitchen side board,” she says of the narrow, double-shelved piece with an industrial steel mesh implement rack.  “That one is staying here.”

According to Sherri, the depressions in the bottom of wine bottles, referred to as “punts,” are a holdover from the days of blown glass.  “Up until bottles became factory made, the standard size of a bottle was determined by the single breath of a glass-blower.  The punt was the spot where the blower separated the finished bottle from the blowpipe,” she remarks.  “Back then, the punt did help to add stability and strength to a handmade bottle.”  With modern, machine-made bottles, the punts serve purely aesthetic purposes.

It was the punts that drew her to the possibilities.  “Turning a bottle over in your hands,” she continues, “you begin to notice the weight, color, shape, and design differences.”  Although there is no perfect correlation between a wine’s retail price and the quality of the bottle in which it resides, she notes, “Some inexpensive wines are put into nice bottles with interesting punts, while a few pricier wines seem to skimp on the bottle.”  Nevertheless, a more expensive bottle of wine will generally promise a more useful Blue Moon Bottle.  “We’re especially grateful to our friends who are doctors and lawyers,” she laughs.  “Their cellars generally produce a higher quality bottle.” 

As her need for raw materials grew, she began collecting empties from local restaurants.  “I got mixed reactions at first.  While the restaurant managers were generally happy to have the glass recycled, they didn’t want the hassle of collecting and storing them.  Once they saw the work, they came around pretty quickly, though.”  Since not all of the bottles become Blue Moon Bottles, she contacted a neighboring municipality, which is happy to take the bottles she can’t use.  She hauls these to their recycling facility, thus all the bottles she collects are, in one way or another, diverted from landfills.  “As I produce more work, I’m starting to make a difference here.”

She pours another round of red for her guests.  “Drink up,” she says, “I need the bottles.”  What can I say?  Always happy to help advance the artist’s cause.
- Jeff Wilson

To learn more abour Sherri Wilson and Blue Moon Bottles visit her web site located at:

http://www.bluemoonbottles.com

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

From Wine Bottles to Works of Art: Blue Moon Bottles

We decided to stop at one of the first wineries we see and it happened to be Zenaida Cellars.
After sampling some of the wines in the tasting room, we immediately joined their wine club and try to visit at least once a year.

Eric Ogorsolka is the man behind Zenaida Cellars. The winery was started back in 1988 when Eric’s parents purchased the land where the winery and vineyard sit today. Eric was still attending Cal Poly earning his BS in Ecology and Systematic Biology at the time but helped his dad by designing and planting the vineyard.
After getting the vineyard planted and producing, Eric began to expand his wine knowledge. Biologist as his day job, Eric went back to school, attending UC Davis’s enology extension courses. Eventually, landing his first wine job with Ken Volk at Wild Horse Winery in Templeton and then moving into a position with Kendal-Jackson Winery. Eventually in 1998, Eric made the first official vintage of Zenaida Cellars and has been working on developing the wines ever since. Ground broke on the winery building in 1999.

Zenaida Cellars is located in the Templeton Gap area, west of Paso Robles, at the base of the Santa Lucia Mountains. Temperatures here can reach highs of over 100 degrees during the day, while dropping into the fifties at night. This can result in the production of some very big red wines, especially the zinfandels that prevail throughout this appellation.

Sustainable practices are followed at Zenaida Cellars and include the following:

In The Vineyard: Perennial grasses- Perennial grasses planted in vine row middles help to:

1. Prevents erosion
2. Provides habitat for beneficial insects. Biologically based farming methods help to manage pests in the vineyard, so harsh synthetic chemicals are not needed.
3. Controls dust to improve air quality, also inhibits pest such as mites to disperse.
4. Adds an organic source of nitrogen as “green manure” or as nitrogen fixers such as clovers.

Water Quality/Conservation

1. Drip irrigation allows water to be placed only where vines need it at a controlled rate, preventing soil erosion and promoting water conservation.
2. Strategic run-off inhibitors. Preventing runoff in the vineyard is done with the use of perennial grasses and strategically placed straw bales.
3. Chemicals used for weed control that are known to travel through soils and infiltrate water supplies are not used.
4. Use of water tensiometers or pressure bombs help to avoid over watering causing run-off, and helps in water conservation when deciding when to irrigate the vineyard.

Biologically Based Farming Practices:
1. Habitat encouraged for beneficial insects such as green lace wings, parasitic wasps, and other pest predatory organisms. Vine middles are mowed high part of the year to allow habitat for beneficials.
2. Owl boxes. Numerous nesting sites for Barn Owls are located throughout the vineyard to encourage barn owl to take residence. Barn Owls eat and feed to their babies an unbelievable amount of rodents including gophers and mice every night.
3. Hawk perches. Tall perches are located in the vineyard. Predatory birds will utilize high lookout perches to hunt for prey. Hawks presence will also deter birds that damage crops

At The Winery: Recycled Materials: All promotional materials such as; newsletters, stationary, and business cards are printed on recycled paper. Even paper towels and TP are made of recycled paper.
1. Our wine shippers are made from recycled material, and are completely recyclable.
2. All winery waste water is recycled. We collect and distribute all waste water back into the vineyard.

Sustainable practices:
1. The wine cellar is naturally cooled using “night-air” fans.
2. The Loft and Cellar-Master Suite utilize organic cotton sheets and towels.
3. Only sustainable products are used, such as Aveda biodegradable shampoos and amenities.
4. Organic or sustainable raw materials are sought out for any construction or re-modeling.
5. The Big Blue Bin; we recycle all glass, paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, wood products that pass through our doors. Items we can’t recycle we donate to habitat for humanity or other organizations such as Am-Vets or Salvation Army.
6. All cleaning products used at the winery are “green” or sustainable products.
7. Tank-less, on demand hot water heater, saves energy and resources.

Mulch: Recycled Grapes: Even the stems, seeds, and skins are re-used. We recycle our grapes into mulch, adding local non-synthetic fertilizer (chicken manure). We tend our blend to make super high grade organic mulch/fertilizer and then spread it back in the vineyard. Benefits include:
1. Improved soil health, (healthy soil means a soil which contains mychorrizal bacteria, earthworms, and other beneficials) which leads to …
2. Improved vine health, (Vines not isolated in sterile soils dependant on synthetic fertilizers) ,and ultimately …
3. Improved wine quality .

Future Plans: We are always trying to raise our level of sustainability and plan to add wind powered generators and eventually solar power to offset our dependence on fossil fuel generated power.
1. The Gap Fueled Wind Powered Winery
2. Sun Powered Solar Fel
3. Off the grid guest accommodations (wind and solar powered cabanas).

Our Favorite Wines

We enjoyed all of the wines offered at Zenaida Cellars, but our favorites are the following red wines:

Zephyr Estate Cuvee
The inspiration behind this blend is the wines of Cote Rotie. Syrah and Viognier from this region are commonly grown together in the same fields and are picked and fermented together.

Fire Sign Estate
Fire Sign brings together the best aspects of the Estate Vineyard and a “no holds barred” winemaking philosophy.

Zenaida Cellars Tasting Room is open daily from 11am – 5pm.

Zenaida Cellars
1550 Highway 46 WEST, Paso Robles, CA 93466
(805) 227-0382 or (866) 936-5638
Email: info@zenaidacellars.com

Website: http://www.zenaidacellars.com

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Zenaida Cellars: A Pleasant Surprise

Quivira Vineyards is also a solar winery, utilizing a 55 kilowatt solar electric system, which should supply 100% percent of the winery’s electrical needs.

When the sun is providing them with more than enough of their power needs, the remaining power is exported to the utility and they are credited for that extra accumulation of energy. When their usage is higher than normal, or if the sun is not available, they can use up their credits by importing energy back from the utility.

The solar array consists of 297 Sharp solar panels, each of them boasting a 185 watt power rating. The panels feed six inverters that convert the DC voltage to AC voltage. A ‘net’ meter installed by the electric utility keeps track of how much their system has contributed (sold to the power grid) and they receive a statement each month reflecting the balance.

To demonstrate Biodynamic farming practices to visitors, Quivira has created a one-acre Biodynamic mini-farm at the front of the property where guests can witness a working organic market and garden, complete with chickens.

Quivira was recently named winner of Sonoma County’s Business Environmental Alliance’s 2008 Best Practices Award for their commitment to organic farming, solar power, and the Wine Creek restoration project.

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Quivira Vineyards: Biodynamic and Solar

Raymond Burr Vineyards

The system is designed and built by SolarCraft and provides 100% percent of electrical needs for this winery located on West Dry Creek Road. outside of Healdsburg, California.

Robert Benevides, the owner, has mentioned that the system also powers the tasting room and two homes on the property, and falls in line with the winery’s current environmental practices.

Burr first began planting grapes on the property in 1986 and he co-owned the business with his partner and colleague Robert Benevides, Executive Producer of Ironside.

Located in the rolling bench land at the foot of Bradford Mountain on West Dry Creek Road, Raymond Burr Vineyards produces award winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay from estate vineyards.

SolarCraft is one of the most experienced solar energy contractors and retailers in California. For more than 24 years the certified “Green Business” has been providing Solar Thermal and Solar Electric services including consulting, design, installation, monitoring and maintenance.

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Solar Powered Raymond Burr Vineyards

Fortunately, many studies since have provided ample evidence of the truth of Hippocrates early observations. Since the 1970s many studies have concluded that moderate intake of red wine does indeed have salutary health effects, though the exact reasons are still debated.

Red wine consumption helps prevent coronary disease and possibly some forms of cancer due to a class of compounds known as catechins (flavanoids). Like resveratrol, which aids grapes in fighting fungal infections, they act as anti-oxidants and anti-coagulants. Free radicals, i.e. ionized oxygen atoms in the blood, are known to cause cellular damage. Anti-oxidants remove free radicals.

Other studies suggest that red wine can raise HDL cholesterol (the ‘good’ kind) and discourage LDL (the ‘bad’ kind) from forming. Along with cholesterol regulation, most of the pathogens that threaten humans are inhibited or killed by the acids and ethanol in wine. Not surprising, then, that until the mid-18th century wine was safer than water for daily consumption in Western countries.

A recent study in the American Journal of Physiology indicates that resveratrol also inhibits the formation of a protein that reduces the heart’s pumping efficiency during stress.

According to a American Journal of Gastroenterology study in 2003, moderate wine consumption decreases the risk of peptic ulcers, possibly by ridding the body of the bacteria which causes them.

Even diabetes occurrence may be reduced by moderate (one or two drinks per day) alcohol imbibing, says a 14-year Harvard School of Public Health study of 100,000 women. The study concluded they had a 58% lower likelihood of developing that disease. The exceptions are pre-menopausal women with a family history of breast cancer. Those are recommended to consume no alcohol.

Of course, as with anything one consumes, there are risks. Many wines contain sulfites to which a small percentage of the population is sensitive. And wine, though absent fat and cholesterol, does contain sugars and small quantities of sodium — and, of course, alcohol. It doesn’t take much to become too much.

Anyone with digestive tract disorders, liver disease or kidney problems — along with a slew of other ailments — would not be doing themselves any favors by drinking wine.

Then there are the well known effects of excessive intake, such as hangovers and, in the long run, liver damage. And, pairing wine with drugs, even normally beneficial ones such as aspirin or acetaminophen, is a recipe for disaster, clearly.

Unclear now about the pros and cons of wine consumption with regard to health? Good. Don’t rely on one article or source of information — read lots of studies and take it all with a grain of salt. Then you can feel good about taking it with a glass of wine.

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Wine and Health: Good Science or Good Marketing?

Wine clubs are founded for as many reasons as there are founders. Many are started in order to take advantage of group or special pricing available only to members. Others simply want to enjoy the variety that comes with receiving a new and often unexpected, vintage or vineyard every month. And, of course, a great many begin because the members seek the social interaction and the joy from sharing their favorites with others.

With a wine club comes an invaluable source of information about varieties, vintages and wineries from around the world. Clubs in every country exist that are devoted to the wines of that country, and other clubs seek out the new by exploring wines imported from elsewhere. French clubs investigate wines from Australia (though they don’t confess it!), and Italians and Spaniards review wines from California — many made by relatives with family ties going back generations.

Some wine clubs are as new as ten minutes ago, others started over 100 years ago. Often the experts that found or join these clubs are equal in knowledge and experience, regardless of the age of the clubs. From these experts comes advice about wine glass preparation, tasting methods or home winemaking tips along with recommendations for the best whites, reds or dessert wines.

There are clubs devoted to the product of a particular winery, often having been started by the owners themselves. These specialists can give early information about their own harvests, so enthusiasts can look forward in the coming years to sampling the finest these entrepreneurs offer. Such clubs will often make certain wines available only to club members and at reduced prices.

One club is even dedicated to those who have sampled over 100 different wines — and the forum discussing the wines is very lively! Each member has tasted over 100 wines, so the total selection ranges in the several hundred, with some overlap.

But at the end of the day, all the clubs provide their members with the expertise and experience of some of the world’s most knowledgeable and enthusiastic makers and drinkers of wine. And a mind-boggling amount of material it is.

The ease of sharing information worldwide and almost instantaneously, made possible by e-mail and the Internet, has produced a cornucopia of opinions about every aspect of wine. Debates rage about best vintage, pairing, vineyards, pros and cons of soil and climate types and on and on. Passions around political disagreements pale beside this United Nations of wine.

Fortunately, no wars have recently broken out, (some historians assert the influence of the grape is responsible in part for more than one!), but there are occasional skirmishes. Still, next time you’re invited to attend that special event honoring the ‘premier’ of a new wine, leave the Kevlar vest at home. Just be prepared with some oenological (the study of wine) ammunition — and don’t forget, the purpose is to enjoy!

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Wine Clubs For Every Taste

Nothing spoils good wine faster than too much air — it causes wine to age rapidly, oxidizing and losing freshness. Before long you have vinegar. Fortunately it’s not necessary to build a vacuum chamber, glass is impermeable to air for centuries and a good cork will keep air exchange to a minimum for years.

Still, there’s some air in the bottle to begin with — this is good, since it’s essential to a proper aging process — and corks can go bad. Keeping wine bottles stored horizontally helps keep corks moist, preventing cracking or shrinking that admits air.

Storing wine at around 70 percent humidity is important to keep corks properly moistened — too low humidity dries them out, but higher humidity encourages growth of mold and mildew which injures racks, casks and spoils cork tops.

Even more importantly, proper temperature keeps corks from shrinking when too cold and wine from aging too quickly when too warm. In a cellar of 25 percent whites, 75 percent reds, 45-55F (7C-13C) is preferred. Some areas are blessed with natural conditions in this range, but most will need some kind of refrigeration unit. For smaller collections, wine cabinets can be purchased.

Almost as important as the actual temperature is the rate of change. A ten degree change over a season is harmless, but frequent and rapid changes can severely damage wine, even when stored within the desired range.

Not surprisingly, the higher the storage temperature the faster a wine will age. Conversely, colder storage temperatures slow the aging process. Adjust for the type of wine stored.

Along with controlling temperature and humidity, light exposure should be kept to a minimum. Though modern bottles have good UV filters, some can still penetrate — leading to a condition called ‘light struck’, which shows up as an unpleasant aroma. Incandescent bulbs produce less ultra violet light than fluorescents, so the former are preferable.

Vibration interferes with aging, stirs up sediments and in extreme cases can cause racks to deteriorate faster. Try to avoid moving bottles until ready to be served.

Bottle size plays a small part, since a larger bottle has a smaller ratio of air to wine. Purchase or use larger bottles when possible. Once a bottle has been opened transfer the leftover wine to a smaller bottle if the remainder isn’t consumed within a few days.

Wine Aging Table:

The following contains some types of wine and the approximate period they should be aged for optimal flavor. In general, more expensive wines are designed to be aged longer. Cheap wines should be driven off the market by not being purchased at all.

Type   Cost  Age (from vintage date)

Cabernet Sauvignon $12-$25  5-6 years
   >$25  7-15 years

Merlot   $12-$25  3-4 years
   >$25  5-12 years

Syrah/Shiraz  $12-$25  3-5 years

Chardonnay  $12-$25  Consume within 5 years

Calif. Riesling  $12-$25  Consume within 3-4 years

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Storing Before Pouring

For those more interested in finding a delectable drink to savor than being clever, the following might be useful.

Obviously the selection of a specific type, year and brand of wine is a matter of individual taste. But differences aside, there are some broad guidelines on which there is agreement, within the confines of price.

Happily, with the growth of vineyards around the world and wine-related Internet sites, availability is no longer a problem. A person in California or Caracas can order a New Zealand Syrah not carried by a local merchant as easily as anyone in Auckland.

Ignoring questions of pairing with food, are you looking for a full red or a light white? Some find Madeira too heavy, others see a German Riesling as too dry. Most readily available wines are meant to be consumed shortly after purchase, but those with the desire to taste the finest, patience really is a virtue. Cabernet Sauvignon would better suit those willing to age than a Pinot Noir.

A cool climate Chardonnay, such as those from Canada, will interest those who enjoy a young wine with prominent acidity. But it can also be favored by those who want to experience it’s nutty, honeyed character that comes with aging.

Descriptions by class can be helpful. Class 1 wines, often labeled ‘Light Wine’ or ‘Red Table Wine’ will have an alcohol content between 7% and 14% by volume. Class 7, by contrast, will have an alcohol content of not less than 15% by volume. This type has usually been compounded with Brandy and flavored with herbs. Those with greater concentrations are considered ‘fortified’.

Look on the label for a declaration of the amount of sulfites. Sulphur is often added during the winemaking process to guard against growth of unwanted organisms, but some may introduce more than an individuals taste prefers. Sulphur dioxide is also sometimes sprayed on the grape itself to reduce pests and can leach into the skin. Some wine drinkers are unknowingly sensitive to sulfites and can experience an allergic reaction. Concentrations of below 10 parts per million are fine for most.

When testing a wine, cool to the proper temperature — around 52F (11C) for whites, 65F (18C) for reds — and use a thin rimmed glass that is free of dust. You can clean it by rinsing carefully and drying with a lint free cloth.

Pour to no more than about 1/3 of a glass, held by the stem to keep fingerprints away from the rim and to prevent heating the bowl.

Look for a clear color by viewing against a white background. A Pinot Noir will have the lightness of a ruby, Cabernet Sauvignon more violet. Those from grapes grown in a hot summer and dry fall will result in a darker color; those from a cool summer and rainy fall will be lighter.

Swirl gently, sniff and taste.

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Selecting A Fine Wine

Red wines and whites, not to mention sparkling wines, have different optimal storage methods, serving temperatures and opening and pouring procedures — even different ideal drinking glasses.

Reds, it’s often said, should be served room temperature — but that refers to a room a bit cooler than the average Mediterranean villa in summer. Start at 65F (18C) and adjust to taste.

Reds should generally not be stored in a refrigerator. Apart from being too cold, if the bottle is corked food flavors can seep into the bottle. Wherever stored, be sure to keep the bottle on it’s side, in an area with 80 percent humidity if possible.

Whites, as well as some fruitier reds, should usually be served substantially cooler. Cooler, not cold. A range of 52-55F (11-13C) is a good beginning. Colder and you will start to mask the flavors. The average refrigerator is around 40F (4C), so remember not to serve immediately after opening, if stored there.

If you need to achieve the proper temperature in a hurry, or don’t have handy a wine cooling cabinet, a large serving bucket with both water and ice will do. The addition of water helps to keep the ice close to the bottle and also to conduct heat away more effectively. Fifteen to thirty minutes is usually enough.

While the wine is cooling to optimal serving temperature, you can prepare the glasses. The ideal glass for a red wine will have a thin rim, a largish bowl, and a stem with a wide base for holding and stability. Whites are better experienced from a slightly narrower bowled glass. Avoid heavy cut glasses, so that clarity and color can be viewed well.

Of course, glasses should be clean, but also remember to keep fingerprints away from the rim by holding down on the stem. As much as possible, dust should be kept from the interior or any other portion where the lips and tongue will come into contact with it. Both dust and oils alter the perceived taste.

While not the most important aspect of wine serving, using the proper shape and size (one able to hold at least several ounces), helps to convey the wine to the optimal areas of the tongue and palette for the different types.

Now everything is ready.

Using a corkscrew that fits your hand well, try to insert it into the cork at a slight angle to get more pulling leverage. Once the spiral is fully inserted, give the handles or the corkscrew a little jerk — dynamic friction is less than static. Be careful not to splinter the cork into the bottle.

Decant any heavier reds (port or older wines) that show evidence of sediment, by allowing them to settle then pouring carefully or using a cheesecloth if needed. Allow them, and red generally to breathe (i.e. remain open to air) for 15 minutes or so.

Pour no more than one third to half a glass to leave plenty of room for swirling. Sniff gently.

And, the most important step: taste!

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Wine Serving Simplified

Vintners, makers of wine, have to consider site, season, soil and a host of other factors in order to deliver fine wine to the consumer’s table.

Dark soils absorb heat more efficiently and rocky soils allow better drainage and provide stones that also help retain heat. Relative concentrations of nitrogen and other elements play an essential part. Topography (the contours of land) partly determine the usable amounts of sunlight and shade, while climate encompasses temperature range, total sunlight available, annual rainfall, wind and so forth.

Which grapes are selected to be grown depend on the terroir. A ‘terroir’ is a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region that share similar soil type, weather conditions and other attributes. Planting time varies from late March to early April, with harvest ranging from late September to early October, depending on location, species and individual judgment.

Once harvested, usually by hand, the grapes are off to the crusher to be turned into must - skin, meat, and juice created in large vats containing a perforated, rotating drum. The holes allow juice and skins to pass through, but filter out stems.

Red-grape must is then sent to fermentation tanks, while white goes first to a wine press. The press is a large, usually stainless-steel cylindrical tank with an inflatable rubber bladder inside. The bladder is used to squeeze the skins against the tank walls to separate them from the juice. The result is sent to another fermentation tank.

Airtight fermentation tanks, holding anywhere from 1,500-3,000 gallons are cooled to around 40F (4C) and the vintner adds sugar and yeast to initiate the process. The yeast interacts with the glucose in the must through diffusion and a process called glycolysis occurs which produces other sugars and alcohol. This takes roughly 2-4 weeks, during which the vintner samples and measures the mixture.

Once fermentation is complete, red wines are sent to a press to filter the skins from what is now wine, then filtered again to remove the yeast. Some reds undergo a second, malolactic, fermentation process. White wines, by contrast, are allowed to settle, after which the yeast is filtered out.

With the yeast removed, the wines are stored in stainless steel tanks or oak barrels for anywhere between three months and three years.

After sufficient aging, where ’sufficient’ is determined by individual judgment based on repeated taste and other tests, the wine is pumped from the tanks to a bottling machine. Most vineyards now have a highly automated bottling process, though even there labeling, foil addition, and stacking is often still done by hand.

Despite the many modern improvements to the winemaking process, most growers and winemakers still take a personal and passionate interest in selecting and tending vines, creating delicious varieties, and judging whether product meets their high standards. It’s easy to taste the results.

Post from: Wine Country Tastng Notes

Winemaking: Soup to Nuts, Grapes to Bottle