We were out at the farm yesterday and as soon as I got out to open the deer gate was an overwhelming sweet smell of forest-fire smoke. Yesterday there was a fire raging in central Oregon, near Sisters to the south of us, 133 miles (214 km) away; a fire in Walla Walla to the east-northeast of us (160 miles/257 km) had grown in size, from 4,000 acres to 20,000 (1600 – 8093 hectares) from Friday; and the wild fires almost due west in Siberia were sweeping across the Russian Federation landscape (mileage could not be calculated on Google Maps) and supposedly their smoke reaching the States on the jet stream. I don’t know what’s happening in California, or if the Montana fires have been maintained, but as much smoke-scented air there was, from wherever it may have come, the day was thankfully under the conditions the most pristine I’ve seen it. Cloudy, but blue sky like from a 3D viewer. And wind. Lots of wind. 
Tags: fires, google maps, Siberia, Sisters Oregon, Walla Walla
A list of 10 things a person should have at their disposal when venturing out into the Wilds of Wine.
8. An outfit for every occasion. If you’re a climber or hiker, you know how you truly need an assortment of protective clothing for what mother nature throws at you. The typical set up is the base-layer for wicking moisture, the mid, insulating layer to keep you warm, and the protective outer layer to keep the elements at bay: an outfit for every occasion. And as someone who loves the outdoors, the more options the better – I just can’t help myself.
One of my favorite mantras that drives Scott nutso is whenever he mentions an “event” and I say, “Oh! Sounds like a new outfit!” I must have formulated that idea after reading this “cultivated” book that shared the happenings of a year in a California vineyard. That book was really uebercultivated and often a grimacing, rough read because of all the self-inflated moments, but still an interesting glimpse into how “the other side” lives, if we could all be so lucky, born into it instead of making it happen ourselves. Anyway – I digress. All the clothes descriptions for all the parties and events the author described, of COURSE you need new outfits for every public viewing.
I’m more practical. I’d be happy with a new outfit for weeding, or simply a Pucci head scarf for an event. And I did try to beef up my 10-year old fraying “creative class” wardrobe from my old sports company job and schicki-micki freelance meetings for our NYC media trip, and maybe I should have done the same for our venture capital pitches which never amounted to anything (which in hindsight is a godsend we didn’t get investors, for you can’t go your own way and do what you want if you’re on other people’s dimes). Scott says I mention that new outfit thing “At more or less any occasion.” But no, I don’t always get a new outfit, we are on a fairly tight budget, you know. It’s just that I can’t help myself.
9. Ability to laugh at yourself, and that’s so you can laugh at others. In my book you can’t have one without the other. And I most certainly love to laugh at others, in a Mark Twain/Jonathan Swift/Alexander Pope kind of way. I’m an anthropologist at heart, and I love to observe people, behaviour, and copycat copy on websites. And you KNOW I can laugh at myself, that goes without saying. For a reminder, see #5 in this post.
10. A leader with an unwavering vision. In hiking, it’s to see your team safely to the top. To make decisions in the best interest of the group, but always with safety at the core, and sobeit if you have to abandon the climb because of weather or injury or fatigue or what-have-you. They know what they are there to do. In this loud, me-too business world you better have someone with a vision. An honest, individual vision, who believes to the core in what they’re embarking upon, and who does not waver from the path. Think Richard Branson. Or Yves Chouinard. Those guys know where they’re going. Not only do they have extremely clear visions, they are visionaries, even better. Theirs is the kind of belief and determination and VISION you need. That’s Scott. He is the guy who knows, heart and soul, that there is no other way other than this. His way. His vision is what has guided this endeavor from the get-go. It is deep inside him. It is the driving force behind everything we do in the vineyard and for our wine. He’s an individual, as every leader needs to be. And he has an unwavering vision.
So, there you have it. My Top 10 Essentials. I know, I know, I didn’t even go into all the martinis or manhattans you might need along the way. That goes without saying.
Tags: A Year in a California Vineyard, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Mark Twain, Richard Branson, Yves Chouinard
A list of 10 things a person should have at their disposal when venturing out into the Wilds of Wine.
5. Sense of humor. Back to the Hogsback. It’s 6 AM, hiking from 10 PM, and we’re almost to the summit of Mt. Hood. We’ve just found out our comrade is afraid of heights. And if that doesn’t turn one’s stomach, the altitude, Mt. Hood’s up-top sulphuric fumarole stink, lack of sleep, fatigue setting in, and all those carbs we’ve been downing will. You have to, umm, “go.” So there you are, out on the Hogsback, exposed, literally and figuratively, and you gotta dig your little hole, and pretend you can’t see your team up the way, and THEN, well, get out that little blue bag because a key maxim for hiking is “Pack it in, pack it out.” And all you can do at that point is to find the humor in it all, or else feel rather miserable.
Having a vineyard is no different.
A list of 10 things a person should have at their disposal when venturing out into the Wilds of Wine.
One of the great things about where we live in the Pacific Northwest is all the hiking that surrounds us. The Cascade Mountains are essentially at our doorstep, Mt. Hood the closest to us in Portland, as well as the vineyard (30 miles or so, as the crow flies), Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams near by to the north, and then all the peaks in central Oregon: Mt. Jefferson, Three Sisters, Broken Top…. Not to mention all the opportunities in the Columbia Gorge – Dog Mountain, Table Mountain, Ruckle Ridge, Mt. Defiance, to name a few. Before the vineyard and wine, when times seemed much simpler, and we had the time and car and energy to head out into nature, I was a rather avid hiker, even enrolling in and completing the Mazama’s Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP) in Scott’s and my salad dating days. The Mazamas are the second oldest climbing group in the West, founded on the pinnacle of Mt. Hood in 1894, and their BCEP a primer for physical conditioning and basic climbing—rock and snow/ice—techniques to get you to the top of some peaks—along with a seasoned Mazama climb leader, of course—at the end of the course.
One of the key things that gets hammered into you in the Mazamas Basic Climbing Education Program is what’s called the 10 Essentials. They are what every climber should carry with them, no matter what the duration of your hike, day or overnight, car-camping or wilderness rambling, to help you in a pinch, and keep you prepared for outdoor’s unexpected twists and turns. They are:
- Map of where you are hiking
- Compass (I carried one, but still really don’t know how to use one, no fault of the Mazamas, I would even skip lukio in Finland whenever we had our Orienteering gym class. I don’t know why I have such an aversion to the compass. Odd.)
- Whistle
- Waterproof matches and a fire-starter
- Knife
- Extra food/water
- Extra clothing
- Sun protection (extra glasses, lip and skin balm/cream, and hat)
- Flashlight with working and extra batteries
- First-aid kit
Based on this, I’ve assembled my own list of 10 Essentials that everyone should have at their disposal when starting a vineyard, for going whole hog into the wine business, for even, like in hiking, as much as you think you know where you’re going, there are a ton of unknown variables that can cause you to alter course, or terminate the mission altogether. Here they are, in no real order:
Tags: 10 Essentials, Basic Climbing Education Program, Broken Top, Cascade Mountains, Columbia Gorge, Dog Mountain, Hogsback, lukio, Mazamas, Mt. Adams, Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Defiance, Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, Mt. St. Helens, Portland, Ruckle Ridge, Table Mountain, Three Sisters, Timberline Lodge
Today’s an exciting day. Finally, the word is OUT! After all these years of essentially solitude in our endeavor, where it was just the two of us looking at one another after the end of a crazy long day, maybe one where Scott had just worked all day at the day job and then had to head out for the drive eastward to the farm for some late summer evening farming, and we’d shake our heads at the latest snafu, or hesitantly smile when things went off without a hitch. Or maybe we weren’t talking, because there has been plenty of that, too. Overall, though, it’s been pretty much the two of us. Until today.
Thank you, Snooth and Carly, for this most lovely day.
Check it out: The Real Dirt, How to Launch a Vineyard in Your Spare Time (and Survive), by Carly Wray.
Here’s Scott, sharing his observations and philosophy on how to get more complex flavours from a grape. Again, sorry for the shake effect.
Tags: grape ripeness
Just dropped Sam off at his new little play-group daycare thingymajig down the street, and back home doing some work. Thought I’d share what I’ve been working on these past few days:
– Editing Scott’s video debut – that stylist I need for myself could also be used on Scott, at least his choice of t-shirt (a gag-gift from a friend, not a statement he’s trying to make). I did my best to edit what I could out, hence the jiggle effect. Sorry if you get sea-sick while watching. Scan the horizon.
– Website nitty-gritty. We’re trying to get an expanded website up, other than our DIY splash page you currently see at The Grande Dalles address. I’m 2.5 months behind doing it – trying to coordinate with the designer I traded work for, and the programmer, and how it can be done on the budget we have, and how the design drives budget and my head hurts. Then all the “where should one go after clicking here?” “How to return?” “Is the message clear?” “How much will this add to programming costs?” And then all the gentle stylistic proddings, to a well-seasoned, know-her-crap designer. See, that’s the (one of the) trouble(s) with people with vision (meaning me and scott) — we know what we want because the vision is so deep within us. But since we don’t have the know-how to create it (like this website – as much as I’d LOVE to learn programming and more about design), we have to rely on people doing their best to translate their idea of what THEY think WE want. Painful sometimes.
– Restaurant/chef picks. When we were in New York last month, The James Beard House was so excited about our wines and story, they want us to present them at a dinner sometime in the future, something we are deeply honored by, even just the idea! So now it’s trying to find a chef who might want to present a meal with our wines. We have a shortlist, so in the last few days I’ve done some research to uncover the chef’s stories — I LOVE that stuff — sleuthing, and stories — to see how we might be a good fit. Of course, who knows if any of them would be interested, but The James Beard House?! AND The Grande Dalles wine?! C’mon!
– Setting up our e-comm page to link with website. Lots of DIY (that’s Do It Yourself, for you Euro readers) in this endeavor.
– Going through an emotional roller coaster — I know, that’s old news for you seasoned readers — but here’s the skinny: LAST week we were turned down a SECOND time for a loan to move into a bigger home. This the second house we had found. I was so angry and sad, all our sacrifice for this endeavor and living in this tiny house and blah blah blah. THIS week Scott found us a local bank who said, “Yes.”! We will get that larger house. Fingers crossed.
Ok – enough of the blah blah — I’ll post this and get Scott’s video up, too —
Over and out –
Before Summer gets away from me and it’s too late, I want to share a few recipes from Saveur’s First Annual Summer BBQ, eats we imagined when sampling them out on Chelsea Pier last month in New York that would pair wondrously with our wines. So no, we have not actually had this food with our wine, not yet. Why not, you ask? Well, it’s not like we could bust out our bottles at the fête (although I had considered the idea, some guerilla marketing, but then someone suggested it might be, well, tacky), and really, we gotta sell our wine, not just sit around drinking it – although we HOPE those days will soon be here.
Back to this recipe – the whole Saveur event showcased some of the best chefs from across the country, this one from four-star Italian restaurant chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia in Chicago. We’d want to drink our bone dry Leroy’s Finest Riesling with it.
Tags: bone dry riesling, Chelsea pier, First Annual Summer BBQ, four-star Italian restaurant, guerilla marketing, Leroy's Finest, Saveur, Spiaggia, Tony Mantuano
That’s what a very dear friend of mine said to me, that I must see all this as a “walk of faith” after an outburst of expletives I had for the ridiculous mortgage lenders who, just today—after telling us WEEKS ago “no problem, no problem” about getting a loan for a larger home, even after we explained our farm losses on the tax returns that caused the denial of the first loan—told us today that we were denied. After all their stringing along and “Yes you can” bullscheisse and all the work we (Scott) did and time and money of the inspection and sewer scope and back and forth with the seller, not to mention the dreams, the DREAMS! of FINALLY a larger place, and the sanity, the SANITY involved (mine, really), only to be, once again, denied a loan for a larger home. “Walk of faith my ass,” or something like that, I told her.
I was in tears, thinking of what Kay had said on the God Father II: Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Calera, Calera Wine Company, Corleone family, God Father II, Josh Jensen, wine adventure
The first thing that popped into my head after reading the other day about the apparent Washington state trend taking place to establish estate vineyards was a remark by the father in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when he learns his children have skipped school, “Good. It’ll give the other children a chance to catch up.” (side note, who knew Chitty was written by Ian Fleming? I didn’t. So Truly Scrumptious now makes sense…).
Scott and I have been speaking “estate” since our giantly robust business plan was born; with all the research I did and Scott’s full grip on what makes great wine well established, we knew from day one that it’s estate all the way, baby. In fact, here’s a glimpse of what I had written, all the way back in early 2006:
One Vineyard, One Producer, One Wine: the Key to Fine Wines
It is widely accepted that wines are made in the vineyard, and history has shown that the finest and most memorable wine comes from vineyards that are estate-owned and grown. This philosophy is a luxury few wineries can afford: the time and cost to establish and oversee a vineyard means fewer and fewer estate wineries are being created. Yet on the flipside, it is a luxury some wineries cannot afford NOT to have, in order to remain competitive and distinct. Recently there has been a small movement growing, of established, premium wineries returning to estate wines. Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, and Cadence Winery are now developing or plan on developing their own estate vineyards (Bonne, 2006). “We’re going towards being entirely estate grown, and that pushes me philosophically towards showing off our vineyards,” says Chris Figgins (Wine Enthusiast, 2006), head winemaker of the prestigious Leonetti Cellars. In effect, Figgins is pointing to the fact that estate is THE only way to ensure quality and uniqueness in the marketplace, and the only way a winery can guarantee it. The Grande Dalles, founded 100% on the estate philosophy, will from the start come to the market with this distinction and consumer appeal, for the very first wines we make, and the ONLY wines we make, will be estate.
Maybe instead of catching UP, better to say catching ON. Which is absolutely surPRIsing, that, the big players in particular, did not recognize the importance of estate from day one.
For us, Scott and I no longer talk about estate. Because what we have realized, in the past four years since we wrote our plan and planted our vineyard is that there’s so much more.
Tags: Cadence Winery, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Chris Figgins, estate vineyard, Ian Fleming, Leonetti Cellars, Quilceda Creek
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