Four days of 100-degree weather during the second week of July (the mercury reached 106 in the town of Sonoma on Tuesday the 8th) marked the fourth heat spike of the 2008 vintage. The first spike came in mid-May, accelerating the bloom period, and two others occurred on June 9th and 21st.

Fires continued to burn around the state of California, and the polluted air combined with the heat wave made working outside seem like standing in front of a blow dryer.

Just north of Sonoma on the Fourth of July, a hillside grass fire started with a spark from a mower and threatened residences as well as Hanzell Winery. Thanks to the swift response of firefighters, fixed-wing aircraft dropping slurry and a helicopter dropping water, the fire was put out after … More…

If you ever wonder what winemakers do early in the calendar year besides hosting dinners, well, one major responsibility is blending. For me it’s a two-month season that begins in late January and continues through March. There’s a personal timeline I must adhere to – I’m in a rush to get all the blends done before allergy season kicks in.

I will taste all of the components at least twice, and I’ll taste them blind; that is, I will know that I’m tasting various lots of our 2007 Pinot Noir, for example, but I won’t know which lot is which. It’s just a way of eliminating any prejudices and expectations, conscious or not, I may have about a given lot of wine. During this period, I’ll do the … More…