Vino In My Dino

Prohibition Revisited

December 4, 2014 12:37

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The tale has been lost to history as to why my grandparents bought 90 acres, mid-Prohibition, in 1927. I think it is because my grandfather wanted a piece of land he could call his own after working on other farms and dairies once he had arrived in the U.S. as a teenager. The property included 25 acres of vineyard, a home and a defunct winery. It was sold by the Canata family who could no longer shoulder the debt of owning the land-and there may have been more to the story there as well, also lost to history. Even though Prohibition began in 1919, if you still grew grapes you could sell them to home winemakers if they were a ‘head of household’. Each household could make 200 gallons of wine per year. Now let’s think about this for a moment: this totals about 4 gallons per week. 20 bottles a week, or just shy of 3 bottles per day. Big families? Tradition? Thirsty? Many of these home winemakers had wine in their DNA-or at least were accustomed to enjoying wine with their meals every day. They at least kept some vineyards growing through this period and helped support my family. It also helped wineries reboot once Repeal rolled around. Statistically, the story is a sad one for Dry Creek Valley. Before 1919 there were 17 wineries making 1.5 million gallons of wine. Business was booming and then the hammer came down. Many of the vineyards were taken out and planted to prunes and other orchard crops. While there was still a market for wine grapes the bottom fell out by 1925 or so. Gratefully December 5, 1933 ended this nationwide dry spell and we were poised at the right time to enter the winemaking business. Only 2 other wineries survived the next decade and it wasn’t until the 1970s when our valley saw a resurgence of wineries and vineyards. From my Dino to yours, let’s celebrate 81 years of Repeal!

Tags: Pedroncelli, Prohibition, Repeal, 21st Amendment
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Vine 101

December 2, 2014 12:43

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I was pouring wine at one of our winter tasting room events and a guest, looking out the window at our Zinfandel vineyards, commented that they looked ‘dead’. Admittedly, wintertime grapevines don’t look especially alive once the canes have been pruned off. They are dormant from November through March-ish—depending on the type of winter we are experiencing. Once they begin their spring growth, what we call bud break, the whole cycle begins again. If you look closely at a dormant vine you can see details that tell its’ story. The canes are pruned back to two buds-next year’s crop. Look at what I call the ‘arms’ of a head pruned Zinfandel vine. Believe it or not they are positioned intentionally this way to support the crop as well as to form the vine arms in a pattern that best ripens our Zinfandel. The pruner, when cutting back the canes in winter, knows instinctively whether the arm is set for the right direction and will change it, if necessary, to groom for the best position. All this pruning has made me thirsty for some Zin!

Tags: Pedroncelli, Vine, Zinfandel, vineyard
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Wine, Family, Food

November 25, 2014 12:48

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I received a photo via Kay and Diane, two neighbors with deep family roots in Dry Creek Valley, who were volunteering with the Healdsburg Museum. They were asked to compile a selection of stories printed in the museum’s newsletter and this particular edition will cover a 10 year period highlighting many of the local families and business. What I love about this photo from the Pedroncelli article is my family around the dinner table laughing and toasting, just what I talk about when describing our wines and pairing them with food—it is also a photograph I didn’t have in my collection so the bonus of having it now is a priceless addition. I grew up eating meals with my family in this room, just like my dad and his family did. We gather there Monday through Friday (when in town) and eat lunch in this place—I sometimes can almost feel the presence of those decades of family events around me. Especially when we joke with my dad about something we didn’t like to eat or the time we watched the hill slide during breakfast-right outside the window! I am thankful for the food we had, the company of my sisters, parents, and now the gathering each weekday for lunch where we share stories of what’s going on in our lives. Cheers to you all, from my Dino to yours, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Tags: Pedroncelli, family, family business, food and wine, Legacy
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Judge Julie

November 20, 2014 12:54

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A few months ago I received an invitation to be a wine judge for the Grand Harvest Awards Competition sponsored by Vineyard & Winery Management. The wondered aloud ‘do I need credentials to be a judge’? Debra Del Fiorentino, the Competition Director, assured me that my experience (almost 30 years) in the industry was enough. I looked forward to the opportunity, tasting as many wines as I could to be ‘in training’ for the big day. November 18th rolled around and I showed up at the event, my palate ready to go. My co-judges were the inimitable Larry Van Aalst (a 25 year sommelier and host of The Sonoma Report), Leslie Renaud, from Roth Estate Winery, and Christopher Christensen, from Bodkin Wines. We tasted through our first set of wines from Anderson Valley in Mendocino. Paso Robles was next with 62 (!) wines followed by what they termed the ‘Native American Red and White Hybrids’. Can you say Catawba, Seyval, Vidal Blanc, Concord and Noble? We had them all and more judging 203 wines altogether—and what a great education it was. I tasted more wines in one day than I have tried in the last year. While they weren’t all gold medal contenders it was a fascinating study of the competition and I broke new ground trying 11 new varietals and added them to my need-to-taste bucket list. In the end, my palate was sharpened by immersing myself in the wines and I now know there are so many new experiences out there just waiting for me to delve in and learn. Cheers! Or should I say ‘bottoms up’!

Tags: Pedroncelli, wine tasting, Vintage Wine
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Port of Call

November 18, 2014 13:01

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I had a synchronicity moment this week. I set up my blog topics ahead of time and had scheduled this bit about semi generic wine terms and our Port for today. Last week a reporter from our local paper, The Press Democrat, called to talk about this issue-and the article was published Sunday. Timing is everything as they say. On with the story: Not too long ago I attended a meeting with several wineries about the use of what we call ‘semi-generic’ terms for wine. We made our arguments in favor of keeping some of the terminology because ultimately it would mean a huge re-education process and renaming of some very familiar wine terms. We currently use Four Grapes Vintage Port for our dessert wine. From the 1930s through the 1960s we used semi generic terms like Claret, Burgundy and Chablis-which have all been replaced by their varietally-correct names of Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And the word Port is up for discussion, again, with the European Union. They have allowed us, so far, to use it because we made this wine before the first ruling in 2006. Now we just might be stopped from all uses of semi-generic terms completely. I want you to imagine trying to re-invent the term Port so that when you are in the market for one from U.S. wineries you would know what kind of wine it is. Fortified Wine (too scary and not allowed as a labeling term). Dessert Wine (too broad). Proprietary term like Ort-Pay (unclear on the concept). Other varietals are easily identified as to what type of wine they are because the wine industry has done a huge amount of education-you know a Cabernet Sauvignon from a Chardonnay. Changing the name of our Port would make it difficult to market not only for us but for many of the other wineries who make it. Imagine, if you will, the following scene in our tasting room: this used to be called Port but now we are barred from using the term; we call it by the varietally correct name of Tinta Madeira, Tinta Cao, Souzao and Touriga Nacional. Here’s hoping we can work something out before it gets too drastic.

For more information, here is the full article by Bill Swindell.

Tags: Pedroncelli, winespeak, wine, community
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Dear Dino

November 13, 2014 13:07

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Wine and food. Both are a passion for me. I am sure you have heard of ‘food friendly’ wines or the perfect pairing between a wine and a certain recipe. While on the road visiting my markets I talk about the relationship between the two quite a bit. It comes up in conversation especially when presenting wines at a restaurant account. Retailers are also interested because it helps them with customer service. When someone arrives at 5pm looking for dinner wine, they can offer choices that will go well with the meal. I learned a few years ago that one of the best ways to pair wine with food is this: a foundation of fat, fat and a little more fat. I am going overboard here but make sure there is some fat in the dish to build a bridge between the flavors whether it is butter in a sauce, a rich stew or a nicely marbled steak. I think this is why cheese is such a good choice when it comes to a great pairing with wine. These richer foods blend nicely with a wine framed by acidity and medium tannins. When a wine is in balance (the definition of a food friendly wine) there won’t be a battle between the two in your mouth. From my kitchen to yours, eat and drink well.

Here are some of my suggested pairings with our Merlot- explore our recipe index for more ideas

Tags: Pedroncelli, food and wine, Recipe, Merlot
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VIMD On The Road

November 11, 2014 13:10

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I ventured to Orlando last month for the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival. I met many wine fans from around the nation following the seminars where we presented three of our wines to a thirsty crowd. While there was a small glitch at the beginning of the first seminar (I was given the wrong time and was ‘on’ 2 hours earlier than expected) it forced me to get with the program quickly. And I was thankful my husband Ed was a co-speaker-it showed how 25 years of marriage, 12 of them working together at the winery, can help us deliver the Pedroncelli message on the fly. We walked the groups through the seasons at the winery and highlighted how three generations of the family have worked together to make our wines accessible, great values and approachable. Pedroncelli is Italian for ‘over-deliver’ after all. I shared my VIMD story and asked the group to think of the first time they became passionate about wine-their first sip of homemade wine, Chardonnay or Champagne. Wine is a great conversation starter whether you are around the dining room table or on the patio. Start one today about when and where you tasted your first sip in the comments below!

Tags: Pedroncelli, Market Work, Italian, wine tasting
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The Fab Five

November 6, 2014 13:18

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For many years the defining varietal in Dry Creek Valley was Zinfandel-for at least 100 years. This was back when there were no appellations, just grapegrowers carving out a spot for their vineyards. The area known as Dry Creek Valley was always very hospitable to agriculture, the reports go back to the mid 1800s when the land grants were being established and people came to make a living and sustain their families on very fertile land. We went from the top planted varietals in 1883 (just over 800 acres): Zinfandel, Mission, Malvoise (what?), Golden Chasselas (what what?) and White Riesling to these top five planted here today: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Zinfandel, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. There are many other varieties, almost beyond count, including Rhone and Italian varietals planted along with these well-established grapes. They have all found their niche, being grown on the best hills or valley floor according to the type of grape, the soil below and the climate above. My home valley is still thriving with over 9000 acres of grapes, a handful of orchards, olive trees and home gardens. I’ll toast the bounty with my Dino-join me.

Here's Merlot on our Bench Vineyard, ripe and ready to pick during the 2012 harvest-and in the bottle now!

Tags: Pedroncelli, Dry Creek Valley, varietals, Harvest, vineyard
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Boomer, Manzanita and Yolo oh my!

November 4, 2014 13:24

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Soil is the bedrock of all vineyards. Pun intended. While we talk quite a bit about weather, climate, and place, it really is the ground under our feet playing a very important role in growing a vineyard. Too much clay will mire the vine in rock hard soil, not enough and all the water will slip away. The combinations found within our 16 mile by 2 mile appellation are many layered and diverse. Now comes the high school geology part: Metamorphic, Igneous and Sedimentary soils all play their part in growing grapes. Metamorphic soils like Boomer Loam and Suther Loam reside in the benches off the valley floor and you would see streaks of red here and there. Great for Cabernet Sauvignon. Igneous soils are gravelly or rocky (DCV Rocks!) and include Manzanita Gravelly Silt Loam and Clough Gravelly Loam, found in the hills and Zinfandel does well here. Sedimentary soils are the rich soft soils of the valley floor and are rich in minerals and well drained. Yolo Loam and Cortina Very Gravelly Loam are found here and grows tasty Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. For more information you can check with the Winegrowers of Dry Creek Valley who put together this information. Rock on, Dry Creek Valley. I’ll toast to geology, making great wines since time began!

Our Mother Clone Zinfandel vineyard last winter showing it's Igneous side.

Tags: Pedroncelli, vineyard, Mother Clone, Dry Creek Valley
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Playing with History

October 31, 2014 14:17

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Artifacts are easy to come by at Pedroncelli since we have been here for 87 years. When I was growing up in our home, which later on became the sales and marketing office, we found a number of things to play with or at least be curious about that my grandfather had accrued over the years. I remember visiting the old barn in back, a little creepy but loaded with discarded tractor parts, winery equipment and history. We have a few items on display in the Tasting Room, an old hand corker as well as a mold for wine bottles. Some of our historical items are destined for display at the Smithsonian (see October 23rd’s post). While we weren’t one of those families to take out the camera and record every moment in our winery history, we do have a few photos around. One of my favorites is a candid shot of my grandfather hosting some guests and they took the photo in front of the old tank building. He built our first tasting room, originally a corner of the bottling room in our cellar, to showcase his wines. He carved out some precious space and put up shelves to carry the products he was so proud of and loved to pour for his friends. Even our friends.red is a tip of the hat to those days when he would take a bottle into the cellar and bring back “Giovanni’s Red” in a gallon jug. We also enjoy pointing out we operated the first Tasting Room in Dry Creek Valley! Enjoy this look into our past and raise a glass to my grandfather’s memory and heritage in our corner of the valley.

Tags: Pedroncelli, Legacy, family business, family, Dry Creek Valley
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