Somehow we’ve all grown up with images in our heads of the ancients stomping grapes to produce wine. Well, now you too can have the pleasure. According to USA Today, it’s not just us wild and crazy Californians who indulge in this; it appears that folks across the U.S. crave the feel of grapes between their toes. From Northern California’s wine country to SoCal’s Santa Barbara, north to Oregon and Washington and east to New York, Virginia and North Carolina, harvest festivals are in full swing including some that feature grape stomping contests. And by the way, we’re celebrating our own harvest season. No,...
Last week was a exciting time for Snob Free Press: Constellation Brands, which owns Robert Mondavi Winery purchased books for many of its locations! While you have likely heard of the iconic Mondavi brand you may not know that Robert Mondavi is considered the visionary behind a shift in Napa Valley to world-class wine making in the last half of the twentieth century. His wife Margrit, also an inspiring leader, was recently honored for her contribuiton to the arts in the area. How Mondavi Got his Start Emigrating from Italy, Robert’s family settled in Minnesota, where Robert was born. The family later...
Pagani Vineyards in Sonoma, CA We got to see some fabulous oldsters this weekend in Sonoma . That is vineyards with some gnarly old vines (see photo). Fitting since it was Andy’s birthday! To give you some perspective on the impact of vine age on wine, it takes about 3-to-4 years from the time a vine is planted until it bears mature fruit for use in wine. Until then, any grapes produced are discarded. When a vine is about five years old, it can produce what is considered a full crop. From then to about thirty years, the vine is...
As with most of our food and drink, we buy it at the market with little to no thought about how it got there. It’s been interesting for us to understand wine as an agricultural product; grapes grown in vineyards that are planted, tended with care, harvested and then taken through a process that culminates as the wine you enjoy in your glass. If you visit the wine country this time of year, it’s glorious. While vines have been pruned in January, so are generally still without leaves, in between the rows of vines are beautiful colors of green grass...
