Making Wine

Colorado Mountain Winefest returned to Riverbend Park in Palisade over the weekend.

Winefest, voted the best wine festival in the U.S. by USA Today in 2017, stretched across Saturday and Sunday. The event was organized by the Colorado Association of Viticulture and Enology (CAVE) and featured 35 wineries and vineyards, 24 vendors and live music. Capacity was capped at about 2,500 guests, and both days sold out by August.

The new format, which was announced last year, was meant to accommodate social distancing and limit potential spread of COVID-19.

Previously, the event was only on Saturdays.

“We don’t know if this format is going to stay or not,” said Cassidee Shull, executive director of CAVE. “Once we’re done, we’re going to survey guests and winemakers to see what worked and what didn’t.”

Last year’s Winefest was canceled because of COVID-19, which dealt another blow to wineries desperate for revenue. CAVE substituted the celebration of wine with a scaled-back week of events and specials, but it couldn’t fill the hole.

Though the format changed, Winefest was much the same.

Friends clinked glasses of wine together for Instagram-worthy photos and walked through the crowd to try wines from across the country.

John Cowperthwaite has been to seven Winefests. The owner and winemaker of Black Arts Cellars in the Ken Caryl neighborhood of Littleton said the event is part of a festival circuit that gets his brand out there and his bottles in new customers’ hands.

He began making wine for fun in 2004, and the hobby evolved into a calling. He’s a wine devotee and falls for just about every blend he makes. His latest favorite was a syrah that just about sold out by 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

While any business is good business, the new format was a mixed bag.

Because there were fewer guests and wineries stretched over a two-day period, Cow- perthwaite said they were still seeing about the same number of guests as they normally would. The new format also gave them more space and shorter lines.

On the other hand, it brought uncertainty.

“It’s hard to gauge how much product we need to bring from the Front Range. This weekend is hit or miss for weather. It could be a 74-degree day or a 95-degree day. If it gets too hot, then we have to be careful about how we’re storing the wine,” he said. “If it gets too hot, then the wine’s taste isn’t nearly as good. And this is all we have. If the wine goes bad, then we’re done for the weekend — that’s it.”

Some guests, however, were digging the format.

Isabelle Liuzza won Saturday tickets through work and had her mom fly out from St. Louis for the weekend.

Liuzza had heard of Winefest before, but this was her first experience. She thought there was ample space and plenty of options.

“I think it’s a great idea because it isn’t as crowded. People can decide which day they want to go on and can have flexible travel plans,” Liuzza said. “Not to mention, it also gives you an extra day of recovery after drinking lots of wine.”

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September 1, 2021

Deep dive into the vineyard’s winged worker

By Sophia McDonald

The falcon above Blakeslee Vineyard in Sherwood circles intently, riding an air current and occasionally flapping her long wings before diving toward earth. She plummets not toward an unsuspecting songbird or rodent but to the leather-clad arm of Alina Blankenship, a master falconer and owner of Sky Guardian Falconry. Blankenship has called the falcon back for a reward during its long day doing its job: flying over vineyards and other agricultural sites to provide a natural, humane form of pest control.

There are certainly organisms that are helpful in the process of making wine — the yeasts that cause fermentation being the most obvious example. But there are plenty of critters that are not so helpful. Throughout the year, voles, gophers and other rodents may disturb soil and make it harder to grow commercial crops; while starlings, robins and other birds love to munch on juicy, ripe grapes.

To help keep these nuisance birds under control, some vineyard owners have either brought birds of prey to their sites during harvest or encouraged birds to live on the property year-round. An additional benefit to having these winged beauties on site is their ability to delight wine club members and provide educational opportunities for community members.

Blankenship has been using her falcons professionally for five years now; her business partner, Justin Robertson, has engaged in this practice since 2010 through a company called Max Yield. A person who aspires to a career in falconry-based avian abatement can’t just go out and buy a bird of prey. They have to complete a two-year apprenticeship with another master falconer, carrying on a tradition that began in the Middle East. Once a person has completed their apprenticeship, they can apply for a license — in Blankenship and Robertson’s case, from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife — to own a raptor.

Lila, a gyrfalcon waits for a signal from Justin Robertson of Sky Guardian Falconry. ##Photo by Kathryn Elsesser

“Falconry was known as the sport of kings and dates back almost 4,000 years and is the oldest field sport known to mankind,” says Blankenship. But in addition to hunting and recreation, the birds can be used to scare other winged creatures out of places they aren’t wanted: warehouses, shopping malls, downtown areas and places where people grow food.

Because the threat of being eaten by a bird of prey is very real to smaller birds, they scatter quickly as soon as one of Blankenship or Robertson’s falcons enter the sky. The challenge? The smaller birds aren’t scared off for long.

“The birds are smart enough to figure out that when my falcon is sitting on a pole, he’s less of a threat than when he’s flying, and he’s less of a threat than when he’s hunting,” Blankenship explains. She likens it to a robber thinking about holding up a store at the mall. If that person sees a security guard one time, they know they’ve found a good target. If they see the guard sitting by the same door all the time, they’ll find another door.

“If you see that security guard chase down a robber and shoot him, they’re going to find another mall,” she says. That’s the threat her birds pose when sailing through bright blue skies.

To keep birds from eating vineyard crops, Blankenship has to spend an entire harvest season — which can be four to six weeks when she’s working with grapes — flying the birds to give the appearance that they’re looking for food. She works dawn to dusk, seven days a week to make sure predators don’t settle in. “It’s a pretty arduous job for a falconer to maintain those hours,” she says. “But it is what it is. You cannot protect a jewelry store on Monday, but not on Tuesday and expect to have anything on Wednesday.”

Susan Crum, owner of Tanager Vineyard and a master falconer since 2019, is able to keep falcons on the property year-round. She learned about the tradition through spending time in the Middle East during her career in the U.S. Air Force. The hunting part of falconry didn’t appeal to her, she says, but the birds did.

In 2011, Crum worked her first harvest at Tanager, located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and under a long-term vineyard lease with Ken Wright Cellars. It was a late year, and birds ravaged the crop. “My career was in the Air Force and the security forces, and it bothered me that something was stealing from right underneath my nose,” she says. “I was talking to Ken, and he mentioned they were using bird of prey in California over vineyards.” She completed a two-year apprenticeship with Kort Clayton of Portland’s Integrated Avian Solutions in 2014, after which she was able to get a license to own falcons.

“We’ve been protecting the crop that way ever since,” Crum says, who now has four birds. “It’s been very successful.” When starlings or other pests see the shadow of a falcon overhead, “it’s easier for them to leave and dine somewhere else. It’s like seeing a flying scarecrow that can actually kill you.”

Falconers use different birds with different personalities and abilities depending on what needs to be done. “Robins cause the most problems,” Crum says. Her Peruvian aplomado falcons are great at flying through the vineyard rows to chase them away. 

At Sky Guardian, Blankenship and Robertson own 30 raptors because “we need the right golf club for the swing,” she says. “Each species and each individual has its own specialties and capabilities. A different bird is employed when there is a flock of 30,000 starlings than when there are a handful of robins hiding in the rows.”

Besides her falcons, Blankenship enjoys taking her Harris’s Hawk into the field. “It doesn’t behave like a hawk should, according to the local birds. He’s nimbler and he has the ability to scare and confuse them. The surprise element is why I use the Harris’s Hawk.” Blankenship has also taught some of the birds to fly with drones so they can work together to defend crops.

Agave, an aplomado falcon, at Sky Guardian Falconry. ##Photo by Kathryn Elsesser

From vineyards and other agricultural companies that can’t or don’t want to hire an avian abatement company, Blankenship consults with them on ways to attract raptors to the site permanently. Outside Eugene, King Estate has done just that. Managers have put out nesting boxes to provide areas where owls and other birds feel welcome. The winery has also partnered with the Cascades Raptor Center, a local wildlife rehabilitation center, to release raptors on the property.

Ray Nuclo, director of viticulture for King Estate, appreciates raptors’ help in deterring birds for the three or four weeks around harvest. “We also want to utilize their predation of various moles and gophers and voles,” he adds. “Voles have been a really big problem throughout the Willamette Valley the last three or four years in a number of crops, including grapes. That’s more of a year-round battle.” 

As a scientist, Nuclo is remiss to say for certain that having resident raptors helps with pest control. However, “it certainly can’t hurt, and they need a place to be released and the idea is it must be helping,” he says. As a Biodynamic farm, King Estate is not supposed to bring outside inputs onto the farm, so any help with pest control is much appreciated.

Owners Scott and Annie Shull at Raptor Ridge Winery also work to support birds of prey on their Chehalem Mountains estate. “(We are) a sustainably-focused winery, and as such, we encourage our birds-of-prey neighbors to live here and provide natural balance to the environment,” says Wallace McKeel, national sales manager.

The site is naturally a prime nesting and hunting location for red-tailed hawks, peregrine falcons, ospreys, bald eagles and other raptors. It’s also home to birds such as barn swallows, which eat mosquitos and other bugs. To attract them, the winery has put up nesting boxes around the property, much to the delight of the local birdwatching groups that enjoy spending afternoons on the winery’s appropriately named “Flight Deck.”

The birdwatching at Raptor Ridge occasionally goes beyond natural sightings, too. The winery has partnered with groups such as Wings over Wine and the Portland Audubon Society for special events. “In 2016, we were the site of a red-tailed hawk release, and in 2019, a rehabilitated barn owl was returned to the skies at Raptor Ridge,” said McKeel. In May, the winery held an educational “meet and greet” with several birds. Guests enjoyed a picnic lunch and had a chance to interact with the birds one on one.

This ability to learn more about the world’s natural processes — whether they harm or help create the wine people like to drink — remains an important part of Blankenship’s mission as a falconer. “It’s so impactful for guests at the winery,” she says. “It changes everything with how they think about nature and these birds.”

It can also affect the way they think about wine. “I like people to remember, when they open a bottle of Tanager Pinot Noir, that the Pinot security was done by two falcons,” says Crum. “I consider that to be special.”

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By Kate Frey

At the bright-white, Spanish-style Castillo de Feliciana (Castle of Happiness) Winery tasting room in Milton-Freewater, surrounded by profuse beds of fragrant herbs and brilliantly hued flowers, beer is brewing.

It joins an array of friendly, approachable, Spanish-style wines and a very popular sangria on draft and is the latest creative effort of winemaker/brewer Chris Castillo, who even as a child noticed breweries.

He describes the billowing steam and rich smells emanating from breweries in his homeland Pacific Northwest and seeing the strenuous efforts of the hardworking brewers in an industrial landscape that seemed cool and mysterious.

Growing up, Castillo said, he described himself at heart a naturalist who loved the natural world and biology. As a young adult, not knowing quite what he wanted to do, he took a “safe” route in college and majored in biology.

His father was a dentist, and there was a family expectation that he would become one also. The benefits were many. When it came to applying to dental schools, the realization that being a dentist was not something he wanted to do hit him “like a ton of bricks,” and it was hard to tell his parents.

After graduation, Castillo took some time off to try and discover a path forward, and while in a bookstore, saw a book on home brewing and bought it. After a read through, he was hooked. Here was a way to connect his interest in biology with art and science.

With a newfound interest in beer brewing, he looked for jobs in breweries and got his first start as a temporary worker at Pike Brewing Company in Seattle bottling beer.

Next came a cellar worker position at Maritime Pacific Brewery in a Ballard, Washington, neighborhood. There he lived his early impression of breweries, and in the chilly cellars he washed kegs, moved heavy equipment and scrubbed floors among the wholesome odors of cooking grain.

As there wasn’t the possibility of moving from what Castillo describes as “the theater of going from hand to mind,” he next found an open brewer position at Mac & Jack’s Brewery in Redmond, Washington. There, as they brewed 20 barrel batches (one barrel is equal to two full-size beer kegs), over two years he learned how to make beer on a production level.

Still, he found himself looking for what else was out there that involved fermentation.

At the same time, his parents, Deborah and Sam, both wine enthusiasts and his father a hobby winemaker, started a winery in the Walla Walla Valley. His father had been making wine in the household garage and had progressed to wines that were increasingly good.

Castillo approached his parents about taking a couple years off to participate in the Walla Walla Community College Enology & Viticulture program. After the first harvest in the program, his parents’ winemaker left for another opportunity, and they asked if he would like to become the winemaker for the winery.

Castillo told them, “I’m here to do it, so let’s go for it.” An ensuing stressful few years learning how to make and sell wine commenced. He’s since garnered “double gold” in the Seattle Wine Awards for his 2014 Tempranillo “Reserve” and 2015 Estate Malbec, as well as “platinum” in the Sip Northwest Best of the Northwest publication for his 2016 Graciano.

After his first few years into winemaking, Castillo notes he “missed brewing quite a bit and had to keep the brewer in me hidden,” though he kept brewing for his own use at home. He says, “Many home brewers have thoughts and aspirations to make and sell their beer.” His wife, Emily, suggested he get a tap going at the winery.

Now he is busy with the grape harvest for about three months, and adding beer production in the slower months will allow him to keep his passion for creation flowing. He describes how many brewers and winemakers tend to specialize in one beverage or another, and he feels lucky to be able to engage in both.

Winemaking has influenced his beer brewing and given him a thorough understanding of how important water quality, chemistry and pH are to the brewing process as well as cleanliness of the winery and equipment in making a quality product.

He really likes the balance of art and science involved in winemaking and brewing and that each beer and wine uses basic ingredients, yet each brewery and winery’s products and flavors are so different. He believes there is always room for another because of each business’ differing philosophy, ingredients and product flavors.

Castillo envisions the new beer offerings as something wine tasters will enjoy beginning or finishing tasting with or that will appeal to beer enthusiasts. The first release will include a pale ale brewed with imported European malts and fruity Yakima Valley hops and a refreshing golden ale, brewed with lightly kilned malts and Cascade hops.

In the pipeline is also a beer produced with all local ingredients, using local, organic-certified malt and Walla Walla hops. He plans to have fun with it and see where it goes.

The first brews were launched this summer at the tasting room, at 85728 Telephone Pole Road, Milton-Freewater, where there is comfortable indoor seating and lots of outdoor seating on the patios.

Lawns with a small pond cool the air against a background of the grand Blue Mountains standing poised in the distance.

The castle of happiness beckons visitors.

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Vasili “Bill” Angouras 90 years old passed away peacefully August 20, 2021. He has lived in Burlingame for more than 40 years. Vasili was born April 2, 1931 in Karteroli, Messini, Greece. He is preceded to death by his brother Dino and nephew Yiorgo Y. Aggouras.

He is survived by the loves of his life his wife of 61 years Theresa and daughter Katina (Steve) Crowe. He is also survived by his siblings Dimitri, Yianni, and Eleni as well as many nieces and nephews both in Greece and U.S.

He dedicated his life to his family and was proud of his Greek heritage. He enjoyed making wine, working in his garden and baking his own bread in his home made over (fourno). He also built furniture as a hobby. He was a jack-of-all-trades and also constructed homes.

Visitation from 4:00 p.m. with Trisagion services on Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. at the Chapel of the Highlands, at the corner of El Camino Real at 194 Millwood Dr., Millbrae.

Funeral services on Thursday, September 2, 2021 11:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church 900 Alameda, Belmont.

Donations preferred to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church SF in lieu of flowers.

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    Nine sparkling wines from the Traverse Wine Coast have garnered high ratings in the latest edition of Wine Enthusiast, one of the nation’s top wine magazines.

    Listed in the publication’s extensive Buying Guide, the highlighted sparkling wines were produced by Aurora Cellars, Good Harbor Vineyards, Soul Squeeze Cellars, Mawby Vineyards and Winery and Verterra Winery. All of the wineries are located on the Leelanau Peninsula, near Traverse City. The grapes used for Soul Squeeze’s high scorer — 2017 The Pearl Sparkling Rosé — were grown on Old Mission Peninsula.

    That bubbly, along with the Aurora NV Brut Rosé (Leelanau Peninsula), earned a 91 rating. A 100 is the highest rating. Scores between 90 and 93 are considered excellent. The other sparklers won ratings of 88 and above; scores between 87 and 89 are “often good value; well recommended.” Wines receiving ratings below 80 are not reviewed by the publication.

    “Juicy and bright, this is really easy and enjoyable, ending on a pithy lemon note,” Wine Enthusiast wrote in its review of Soul Squeeze’s sparkler. Aurora’s review was equally glowing: “Utterly charming and delicious, its vibrancy and energy are contagious.” 

    The ratings mark only the second time a group of Michigan wines with such scores have been published in a prestigious national magazine. In the summer of 2019, Wine Enthusiast rated nearly 100 wines from Michigan, primarily from producers around Traverse City. The reviews, mostly published online, accompanied a print article, “Michigan’s Wine Scene is Full of Potential.”  Sixty-five wines received ratings between 87-91 points. 

    Industry officials have noted these ratings are noteworthy because they place Michigan wines on par with those produced in other acclaimed wine-growing regions, including Washington, Oregon and Spain. 

    “Those of us in the state’s wine industry have long known about the quality of Michigan bubblies, but hopefully the attention of a well-respected publication like Wine Enthusiast will also pique the interest of consumers — both local and non-local — who had no idea what they’re missing,” said Cortney Casey, who, along with her husband, Shannon, owns Michigan By The Bottle, a retail shop and tasting room that sells only Michigan wines.

    While Casey, who is a sommelier, said she is always cautious about putting too much stock in ratings, she is excited about anything that helps solidify Michigan’s public perception as “the world-class wine region it truly is.”

“With the cooler climate in our region, Michigan wineries are able to grow grapes with higher acidity, which is critical for making the best sparkling wine,” said Casey, whose retail shops are located in Royal Oak, Shelby Township and Auburn Hills. “Mawby certainly paved the way for ultra-high quality sparklers in the state, and so many other Michigan wineries are coming on board with their own amazing bubblies. For a sparkling wine fanatic like myself, Michigan is a damn good place to live right now.”

    Four of the bubblies were produced by Aurora Cellars and Good Harbor Vineyards, both of which are part of Simpson Family Estates. Located on the Leelanau Peninsula, Simpson Family Estates is run by the third-generation of the Simpson family. They also own and operate Harbor Hill Fruit Farms, which offers custom crushing, vineyard services and mobile bottling. 

    “I would like to believe these ratings are going to make people pay more attention to this region,” said Taylor Simpson, who is sales, marketing and distribution manager for both Good Harbor Vineyards and Aurora Cellars. “This helps us get the word out about what we’re doing here in Michigan.”

    Simpson said she has encountered others in the industry, especially on the West Coast, who are often skeptical of Michigan as a wine region.

    “When you tell them you’re from Michigan, they scoff a little bit. They don’t take you seriously,” she said. “What we are doing here is serious. We know we are making high quality wine and can compete on the national and international level.”

Luke Pickelman, owner of Soul Squeeze Cellars, was thrilled to receive a 91 score for his sparkling rosé. It marked the first time the winery, which opened a tasting room in Lake Leelanau just two years ago, had submitted a wine for review. 

“I think it gives a lot of legitimacy and visibility to our region,” said Pickelman, who began making wine in 2016 and has vineyards on both the Leelanau and Old Mission peninsulas. “Many wineries in this region are doing well in competitions. Michigan wine is for real. The rest of the nation and the world are going to start to realize that.”

Six of the nine noteworthy wines were produced under the hands of a single winemaker — Drew Perry — and his cellar crew. He and his team oversee the wines for Aurora Cellars, Good Harbor Vineyards, Soul Squeeze Cellars and Verterra Winery.

Perry, who graduated from Michigan State University’s Viticulture and Enology Program, said the recommended sparkling wines reflect an ever-evolving wine program.

“We are still shaping our style and every wine we make gets us closer to finding what we want to express and how we want to accomplish it,” said Perry, who cut his wine-making skills in Napa Valley and has been working at wineries in the Traverse City area since 2007.  “Sparkling wine can be as much about the process as it is the fruit. Our goal is to make sure we don’t make it about one or the other. I personally am trying to drive us toward wines that don’t shun varietal expression, but instead showcase vintage, variety, and production techniques.

“If I had to guess, I’d say that is what is being appreciated,” he added.

The magazine’s recognition of the Traverse Wine Coast, he said, comes not because wineries are “reinventing the wheel” but because they are refining skills in a region that has already accomplished a great deal. 

    “The area has stayed true to itself. It seems as if what we create is naturally becoming more appreciated on a larger scale,” Perry said. “As this industry grows we will be able to get our wines onto more dinner tables across more regions, nationally and internationally and that’s another opportunity to showcase what’s possible in our little corner of the world.”

Sparkling Winners

Aurora NV Brut Rosé, 91

Soul Squeeze 2017 The Pearl Sparkling Rosé (Old Mission Peninsula), 91

Bel Lago 2019 Brut Auxerrois (Leelanau Peninsula), 90

Good Harbor NV Benjamin’s Vineyard Blanc de Noirs (Leelanau Peninsula), 90

Mawby NV Talis Brut (Leelanau Peninsula), 90

Mawby NV Gold Brut (Leelanau Peninsula), 89

Verterra 2019 Sparkling Rosé (Leelanau Peninsula), 89

Good Harbor NV David’s Vineyard Blanc de Blanc (Leelanau Peninsula), 88

Good Harbor NV Norah’s Vineyard Brut (Leelanau Peninsula), 88

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Before pouring that bottle of 1972 wine into the hopper, to be incorporated as a tiny fraction of the 2021 wine, Stare, his daughter, Bell, and several others tasted the ancient white wine, to see how it had held up.

“You can actually tell what varietal it is,” said Wallace, who admitted that the oxidation level was just a bit high — not really a surprise for a 50-year-old white wine that was never intended to be aged this long.

However, the varietal flavors in the mid-palate and aftertaste were surprisingly interesting.

Wallace said the 2021 Fumé Blanc, when it finally is released, will be in a dramatic commemorative package that features a label that incorporates both the modern-day label as well as a depiction of the original 1972 label.

Dry Creek’s 1972 Fumé Blanc actually was the second wine the winery released. The first was a 1972 Chenin Blanc, another white wine that reflected Stare’s passion for whites of the Loire Valley.

“After I released that Chenin Blanc,” said Stare, “I went to Sacramento to see if Darrell Corti (then California’s premier wine merchant) was interested in it,” Stare recalled. “He asked me how much it was and I said it sold (at retail) for $3.25.

“And Darrell said, ‘No Chenin Blanc is worth that.’”

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Winery applications used to take six to eight months and cost about $75,000. Now they take a minimum of five years and cost at least $250,000, she said.

“We’re not real keen about starting all over again,” Oldford said.

A majority of the Board of Supervisors decided there’s no need to do so.

“Just think of all the debates we’ve had as a body about remote wineries, development in the watershed, what’s appropriate up there,” Supervisor Ryan Gregory said. “I think there’s an ideal, a picture we — at least I — have in my head and it’s of a project like this, something this size on the valley floor in a place it’s meant to be.”

Scarlett winery is to be located at 1052 Ponti Road. Applicant Sherratt Reicher and Alsace Company LTD can build a winery that can produce up to 30,000 gallons annually and have a total of about 4,900 annual tasting and event guests.

The Planning Commission approved the winery by a 4-1 vote on Jan. 15, 2020. Neighbors George and Nancy Montgomery filed the appeal. The county rejected another appeal filed by Save Ponti Road, citing failure to pay the associated costs in time.

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Carolyn Perkins and her husband, Tim, are members of the same church as Mary Lynn Gagnon and her husband, Gary. And at one point, Carolyn, who is a monarch butterfly propagator (if that’s a proper word to use) found out that Mary Lynn had written something about the butterfly species of which she is also fond of.

With this, Carolyn recently invited Mary Lynn and I – another lover of this butterfly – to her house to see her release some of those raised in her home the day they were ready to go. There is a short window of time after their growth in which they are to be given their freedom.

The morning this took place was wonderful and the releases were awesome. Carolyn would take one butterfly out of a protected and screened bag and hand them to us, one at a time. It was a warming experience for both Mary Lynn and I.

There were 11 released in Carolyn’s backyard after flying off the palms of our hands. One comfortable fellow remained perched on Mary Lynn’s hand for approximately 10 minutes, while the others flew off in short time.

Tom DiPinto

A column last week asked if anyone knew of the name of the fellow who sold groceries in the West End a few decades ago, and I received some informative responses to it. Barbara Sergio was among them to write and tell me this was her uncle, Tom DiPinto.

He sold groceries out of his reconverted bus, mainly in the West End. She added that some of his boxed grapes were purchased by those – I assume the Italians – for making wine. She also mentioned that this West End food icon married Lizette Orzo and they had a son named Victor.

Tom Voisvert on the Ouellette store

“I grew up on Arlington Street in the mid-50’s and early-60’s, and we had Ouellette’s Market at the corner of Concord and Fairfield Street. They cramped a whole lot of little stuff in a little store, a bit of everything. My mom would make a phone order to Mrs. Ouellette, then I would walk down to pick up two or three bags with my wagon.

“An early Pea Pod. A different time.”

Rewind 2001 (20 years ago)

The special license plate JLODO which is seen on a blue-colored Volvo around town, is an easy one to figure out. It belongs to John Lodovico.

When asked about its origin, John explained that he obtained the marker after he had his first car at age 17. His aunt, the late Margaret Lodovico, who was working at DMV at the time, provided him with the paperwork to obtain the plate.

Birthdays

Fran Myszkowski celebrates today with Dave Blandino doing so on Friday.

Dekoe

In a recent column I questioned the last name spelling of Peter Dekow, because I had seen it spelled two different ways. And with this, Peter sent me this interesting and informative email

“My parents didn’t like the spelling and pronunciation of Dekow. They were told legally it would cost them a lot of money. So they decided to change it to Dekoe (but not legally). [For the Deparment of] Motor Vehicle and the military – I had to revert back to Dekow. It was a pain.

“When I met Claudette and we decided to get married, I met with attorney George Calder and we had to go to court in Hartford, CT. I had to testify in front of a judge why I wanted it done. It was accepted and my name legally became Dekoe.

“I didn’t want my wife or children to go through the gymnastics with the name in legal/non legal transactions through life. Claudette and I have a son and a daughter [and] five grandchildren – I’m so thankful I made the move to get the name Dekoe legalized.”

Contact Bob Montgomery at bmontgomery@bristolpress.com or by calling 860-583-5132.

Posted in The Bristol Press, Bristol on Tuesday, 24 August 2021 16:36. Updated: Tuesday, 24 August 2021 16:42.
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18

2013 Castelnau de Suduiraut, Sauternes, Bordeaux, France

A thoroughly delicious sweetie from Bordeaux

One of the first truly fine wines that I ever tasted, back in 1987, was 1983 Château Suduiraut, and one of the most memorable was the 1899 vintage I tasted a few years later. This estate has always been one of my favourite sweet-wine properties. The other day I had the great pleasure of Zooming with Suduiraut’s technical director, Pierre Montégut. We chatted about the dry white project here and we tasted the soon to be released 2020 Blanc Sec de Suduiraut. A plush vintage, this is a seriously attractive, dry wine that should certainly help to introduce yet more people to this epic estate. 

But it is the sweet wines that rock my boat and, alongside the stellar 2010 Château Suduiraut (£55, vinatis.co.uk), which is drinking perfectly now, we also looked at the “second label” Castelnau. I was delighted to hear that the fully mature 2013 vintage is alive and kicking in our market and so it is my featured wine this week. 

The 2013 was a difficult vintage, but it was also a very good one You have both botrytis (noble rot) and also passerillage (dried grapes) notes in this heady sweetie and, alongside the juicy, honeyed, orange-blossom theme, there is neat acidity balancing the 148g/litre sugar. This is a thoroughly delicious wine and I am certain that this cheeky half bottle will make you fall for this property, too.

£14.99, half bottle, reduced to £12.99 each in a “mix six”, majestic.co.uk; £15.50, exelwines.co.uk; £16.87, strictlywine.co.uk; £16.80, shelvedwine.com; £16.95, fintrywines.co.uk; £17.77, winepoole.co.uk; £17.99, handford.net.

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The fall season marks the start of the grape harvesting season in Sonoma wine country, and it’s one of the most exciting times to visit.

Bike rides with views of fiery fall foliage, grape stomping competitions, an accordion festival, and learning about winemaking are all reasons to visit California’s Sonoma County this September. The county is home to some of the oldest wineries in California and they produce world-famous wines. Autumn is a special time because it’s when vineyards harvest grapes and crush them to begin making wine.

8 West Wines: Harvest Hikes With The Winemaker

Guests of West Wines walk through its upper vineyard with the owner and winemaker Katarina Bonde. They’ll get to harvest Cabernet Sauvignon and learn how to test samples for pH and Brix (sugar levels). After finishing the hike, visitors enjoy a guided tasting.

• Dates: September 5th, 11th, and 18th
• Time: 9:45 am – 11:30 am
• Price: $35 per person
• Reservations: Via the West Wines website

7 Harvest Lunches At Jordan Winery

Despite the twists and turns of the season, from heavy rains to wildfires, the 2019 vintage will be remembered as a great year for Sonoma chardonnay. https://t.co/DkttcA8pmD

— Jordan Winery (@jordanwinery) August 18, 2021

Twenty years ago, Jordan Winery planted a tiny tomato patch. What started as a small project grew into a garden with more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables. Nearby, the winery also keeps chickens, goats, cows, and bees. The establishment produces olive oil as well as estate wines. All of this means that when guests sit down to partake in a harvest lunch, they are eating dishes made with the freshest, most exquisite ingredients.

• Dates: Thursdays to Mondays, September 2nd through September 30th
• Time: 12 pm – 2 pm
• Price: $110
• Reservations: Via the Jordan Vineyard and Winery website

related: Best In Michigan For Wine Lovers: Youngblood Vineyard And Winery

6 Harvest Season Crushpad Tours at Dutton Estate

Fall is a busy time for vineyards. Workers labor from dawn to dusk cutting grape clusters. Next comes the crushing. This is when winemakers mash the fruit–long ago this was done by stomping on them, but now wineries like Dutton Estate have special machinery. Wine enthusiasts can tour the crush pad at Dutton to see harvest activity in real life. Anyone who reserves a tasting experience on Wednesday at 12 am or 12:30 am, or Saturday at 11 am or 11:30 am can arrive early to see how workers crush grapes to prepare them for the fermenting process. Dutton’s wine tasting experiences include Cheese & Charcuterie Pairings ($45), Chocolate & Red Wine Pairing ($35), Garden Wine Tasting ($25), or Grape to Glass ($70).

• Dates: Wednesdays and Saturdays from September 11th to
• Time: Saturdays from 10:30 am to 11 am and Wednesdays from 11:30 am to 12 pm
• Price: Complimentary with tasting experiences
• Reservations: Via the Dutton Estate website

5 Sonoma County Art Trails

OPEN STUDIO FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18: Join us in celebrating the wrap-up of Sonoma County Art Trails with a special exhibit from participating artists! Festivities run from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. with live jazz, complimentary wine and snacks, and conversation with local artists and makers. pic.twitter.com/owFdUdr6oj

— Fulton Crossing (@FultonCrossing) October 13, 2019

Over the course of two weekends, 121 Sonoma County artists open their studios to the public. The selection process is rigorous and a jury of 5 chooses the contributing artists. Visitors on the Art Trail will find the studios by following blue signs. The organizers recommend starting by viewing the preview exhibition at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Each of the participating artists contributed a piece to the show and guests can get additional information and maps before meeting the artists.

• Dates: September 18th – 19th and 25th – 26th
• Time: 10 am – 5 pm
• Price: Free

4 Emeritus Harvest Trail

Visitors take a self-guided tour, following the same journey as grapes on this trail. First, they witness the harvest teams as they cut clusters from the vine. Then, guests visit the crush pad. The vineyard sets up stations along the way so that visitors can enjoy light bites and Emeritus wines. At different points, trail followers get to meet the vineyard, winemaking, and tasting room teams.

• Date: October 25th
• Times: 11:30 am or 1:30 pm
• Price: $50
• Reservations: Via Eventbrite

related: Finger Lake Vineyards, Part I: The Best Wine Trails Around Keuka & Cayuga Lakes

3 Sonoma County Harvest Fair

The Sonoma County Harvest Fair attracts people from around the world for its Grand Tasting, World Championship Grape Stomp, and winemaking and brewing contests. This year, the organizers have postponed the Grand Tasting until 2022. The annual event allows ticket holders to taste wines from more than 100 Sonoma County wineries over two days. The Grand Tasting is a bucket-list event for wine lovers, so plan to visit in autumn of 2022.

• Dates: Grand Tasting postponed until 2022

2 Asti Tour De Vine

Edgar Chaparro via Unsplash

Cyclists ride on uncrowded roads through the gorgeous Alexander Valley. They’ll have privileged views of fall vineyard foliage and the Russian River. There’s a ride for everyone–beginners can choose the 25 km ride while more advanced cyclists may pick 50 km or 100 km paths. Some even opt for the 100-mile Rockpile Rumble. There are stations with water and healthy snacks along the way. The rides take participants to the Historic Mt. Carmel Church where they enjoy lunch and wine.

• Date: October 9th
• Time: 8 am – 11 am
• Price: $85 per adult, $40 per student, $35 per additional lunch ticket for family and friends

Registration: Via Active

1 Cotati Accordion Festival

THE COTATI ACCORDION FESTIVAL IS HAPPENING, LIVE, ON SEPTEMBER 25 & 26 🎶
The hours will be 9:30am to 8:00pm both days. There will be music, dancing, food, beer, wine and fun.
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
EARLY BIRD pricinghttps://t.co/bcuDoPMvhJ

— CotatiFest (@cotatifest) June 17, 2021

There aren’t many places where people can attend accordion festivals, but Sonoma is one of them. This year is the 30th annual Cotati Accordion Festival. More than 40 bands and accordion players will perform on seven stages.

• Dates: September 25th – 26th
• Time: 9:30 am until the evening
• Price: $21 for one day and $29 for two days (buy ahead of time online for a discount)
• Reservation: Via the Cotati Accordion Festival website

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