Kissing 2008 Good-Bye

In our December newsletter, I hit a nerve – I have never gotten so many comments on a newsletter before, and there was one particular line that seemed to resonate with people, and in case you missed it, here it is:

Scott and I have been on the precipice of financial ruin for the last 3 three year. Welcome to our world.

We were flooded with folks dropping into the Tasting Lounge to commiserate. Those moments were the highlight of this holiday season.

But I am not sure if it is easier or more difficult to maintain a positive attitude now that everyone else is in our boat. The emotional roller coaster of owning our own business has gone from highs and lows oscillating month to month to a daily ride. One hour we are on top of the world; the next, things seems bleak. We strive to maintain perspective, focus on the big picture, be thankful for what we have, live in The Now, all of that. Lately, it has become our mantra. Great on a macro level.

But let’s get real. On a micro level, the daily stress is suffocating. It is frustrating for us, as we are right in the range we predicted in our projections, falling between best case and worst case. Our sales are up almost 30% over last year. What is killing us right now? Debt servicing and cash flow.

So, yes, I confess, we do have high consumer debt – but allow me to defend myself. And frankly, it seems we do need to defend ourselves these days since the BIG BANKS are trying to deflect their questionable practices by blaming the little guy – we were apparently too greedy, too impatient, too materialistic. What about those of us who have been squeezed so tightly that we had to use credit cards to buy basic necessities? Groceries, gas, health care, etc.
Scott and I are absolutely, astoundingly in credit card debt. And no, we did not buy a boat or a flat screen TV, we used those credit cards for the business and for basic life stuff (and yes, I do mean groceries, health care, etc). Mr. Visa and Ms. MasterCard helped finance harvest one year and we are still paying it off. And we have been paying it, methodically, every month.

So why, then, did I just receive notice from THE BIG BANK that they would be increasing my interest rate? And they are a bank getting BILLIONS OF DOLLARS in bailout money from the government (read: the taxpayers). I guess they figure all us cardholders should pay, as word on the street is that they raised rates across the board – because they can.

All they’ve done now is increase my monthly minimum to them without allowing me to bring down my balance. And frankly, if it comes down to the choice between paying my credit card bill and buying food for my little boys, guess which one I am going to pick? What are they going to do, ding my credit rating? Knock yourselves out. I am a small business owner; my credit has been shot since we started this venture. My priorities are NOT about keeping big bank executives in their McMansions for the good of the American economy, but about keeping my family housed and healthy and keeping my business viable. Scott and I joke that we have almost a million dollars in “liquid assets” (the wine) that are anything but liquid. I wish there were a bank that would consider it as collateral, but while banks will foreclose on a house, they don’t want to be in the wine business (hmmm – maybe that should clue us in… haha).

What disgusts me even further is “they” can hide behind the twisted rationale that it is not personal, it’s “just business.” Why is it acceptable to excuse their practices as justifiable because it improves their “bottom line?”

And for that matter, why oh why are the 49ers wasting away the talents of Michael Robinson??? Next season, try the guy at quarterback!!!

Five great things that happened this year (we try to do this every night with the boys – it is very fun and a great way to get them to remember the good stuff).

1. No more diapers at Chez Ratcliff! And yes, that includes Scott. haha
2. My brother finally got his liver transplant. He is still in the hospital. His donor was a fellow who is in his church. That someone would risk their life is such a deliberate, contemplated way renews my faith in the human race.
3. I got my faith back. And by that, I mean faith in Volcano Vineyards. At times this year, I was seriously doubting what we had gotten ourselves into and struggling with not knowing where the path was leading. I am still not sure, but I am now okay with not being sure. Everything in my life has turned out fine so far, especially when things didn’t go exactly as I wanted them to. I expect this, ultimately, to be the same.
4. Scott and I saw The Police. I love, love, love Stewart Copeland. The best part is that we had two more nutso Stuart Copeland fans right in front of us and watching them be as excited as kids on Christmas morning made it that much more fun for me. And for anyone getting a bit judgee-wudgee on me, let me clarify that the concert was a complete surprise to me which Scott arranged on his own, paying for it by selling some of his most prized possessions, we brought our own food and after the show, we slept in our car. For the record, I love Miles Copeland, too. The man is a genius and I try to model our marketing and PR by his example. Yes, that will take some explaining and I will do so in another blog.
5. Our 2005 Syrah won Best of Show at the National Women’s Wine Competition. The day we found out we had won was a very good day.

Looking ahead, we have great plans for 2009, exciting products to launch, great ideas, lots of hope and anticipation. I try to see the fun in navigating this challenging situation, how I can outsmart the circumstances. A great exercise in creativity, if nothing else.

When I was mulling over 2008 a few weeks ago, a friend asked why I couldn’t ‘start fresh’ right then and there, that very day (which was early December), why wait until New Year’s Day? Well, I see life as a process: change rarely happens in one day, so in effect, we are starting our new phase today and yesterday and next week. But my brain likes categories, it likes a start and a finish, it likes wholeness. If I can asses 2008 as a unit, put in a box, seal it up and stick it on the shelf, you bet I’ll do it. It’s a ritual, a sense of closure, a cleansing. Then I can glance back at it when I need to, but the dwelling in it is over. Venting is part of that as well. Thanks for reading my vent.

Quick 2008 Harvest Update

We harvested Fortmiller Vineyard last Thursday, the 30th, our latest harvest yet. The grapes, as expected, looked stellar.

For the Lakeside Vineyard Syrah grapes, Scott is trying something new this year – we harvested 7 tons, and fermented two of those tons whole cluster, meaning the stems were still attached. Because of the freeze, the stems were brown and dry, and should add a soft tannin overtone we haven’t had in our syrahs in the past.

Mother Nature and Mr. Freeze Do a Number on the Grapes

Wineries are an extension of farming, and therefore are subject to the whims of Mother Nature. For the Willamette Valley and southern Oregon, harvest 2007 will be remembered for the rainstorms that rolled through, slowing end of season ripening and diluting the grapes. In 2008 we faced the cold – parts of the Rogue and Applegate Valleys were hit with hard freezes (temps in the 20s) this past weekend, mid-harvest for many. It was only supposed to hit the mid 30s. That Mother Nature, she’s a sneaky gal.

What do freezing temperatures do to wine grapes? It is not as bleak as it sounds. The biggest impact is that it kills the vines’ canopy (the leaves) – so no pretty fall colors, just dead, black leaves. This halts photosynthesis immediately, meaning the vines no longer convert the sun, water and ground nutrients to sugar – the grapes are essentially frozen in their development. No more ripening. This is especially difficult when dealing with later ripening grape varietals like Tempranillo and Cabernet Franc, which in 2008 had probably 2 or 3 more weeks to go before being ready for harvest. Planting those varietals in areas susceptible to early frosts is risky – but when the weather cooperates, the results are worth it – complex wines that benefitted from cooler temperatures with minimal heat spikes. Risk tastes good.

Southern Oregon is loaded with micro-climates: different vineyard sites were hit with frost in varying degrees. Lakeside Vineyard in Talent looks like a set for a Halloween movie, with creepy black vines sagging and crackling. Luckily for us, the Syrah had hit sugar and acid number within our range prior to the freeze. In fact, the numbers are almost identical to 2005, and that vintage turned out okay (Best of Show at the National Women’s Wine Competition, “Outstanding” from Wine Press Northwest, and an astounding 97 points from AlaWine, etc, etc, etc). We let the grapes hang on the vines for five days following the freeze to allow a bit of dehydration to occur – this concentrates the fruit flavors.

Fortmiller Vineyard is also in Talent, but it is about 500 feet higher than Lakeside, which usually protects it from frost. The vineyard is bowl shaped, with a lake in the middle. We all know that heat rises – and conversely, cold falls. The chilly air settled over the lake, and only the handful of vines ringing the lake were damaged. Warmer air moved back in and ripening should continue for the next ten days to two weeks. The vineyard’s bowl shape also helps retain heat, so even after the sun has passed by, the residual warmth remains.

And in a mere two years – or more – we’ll have the results from harvest 2008. I can hardly wait!

Latest Reviews

We have reviews of our wines in the newest issues of both Oregon Wine Press and Wine Press Northwest.

Lava Red Blend NV: “Excellent. It opens with aromas of strawberry pie, vanilla and cedar, followed by flavors of black cherries and juicy berries. It’s a big wine that should pair well with a hearty meal.” Wine Press Northwest, Fall 2008

For its October issue, Oregon Wine Press did a review of Oregon red blends. They evaluated submissions “using a single-blind method and a 20-point ranking system for appearance, aroma, taste, balance and finish.” They noted that “the overall quality level of the wines in this month’s category was excellent. So much so that it was necessary to double-blind a dozen wines… to arrive at the final six.”

Two of our wines made the list.

2005 Volcano Vineyards Rogue Valley Bordeaux Blend: “Since this wine is 93% Merlot, it could rightfully carry that designation on the label. But a judicious touch of Cabernet Franc makes up the remaining 7 percent, qualifying it as a blend. Whatever its varietal composition, the end result bears a marked resemblance to the classic Bordeaux appellation of St. Emilion. Ripe black currant, dry earthiness and tasty oak with hints of butterscotch engage the palate throughout.”

NV Volcano Vineyards Rogue Valley Lava Red: “Given such a large selection of excellent red blends in this tasting, it’s surprising that one winery would have two wines that rose to the top. But, after the scores were in, the discussions concluded, the winners determined and the bottles unmasked, that’s how it turned out. The little winery from bend has crafted a big, bold winner from the unlikely marriage of Merlot (75%), Syrah (23%) and Viognier (2%). Structured tannins complement black cherry, currant, cola and oak. Could that tiny touch of Rhone white be responsible for a finish that lingers long?”

Crush is Coming!

Harvest is upon us. Well, not us specifically, as our grapes have three or four more weeks to go. But many Rogue Valley growers have brought grapes in already.

Scott is helping out at Agate Ridge this season, as new winemaker Kiley Evans is a bit understaffed. Kiley was at Abacela up until just a few months ago, and anyone who has read just about anything I have written knows I am a charter member of the Kiley Evans Fan Club. Remember, just last fall the Wine Spectator declared Abacela's Tempranillo as the 2007 Oregon Wine of the Year. Kiley rules!

The brought in Sauvignon Blanc last week, and have been doing Pinot Gris this week (whites usually go first). Scott is really psyched to be working with these different varietals. Stay tuned for more harvest and crush info!

WOW, what a week for wine!

I’ve been really slacking on the blogs lately, which is horrible since it is something I enjoy doing. This summer was nuts, and I have just found out I was delusional thinking that school starting again would somehow settle things down. Wrong-o. September is always great in the Tasting Room as our ideal Bend visitor comes to town – foodies and oenophiles who deliberately travel in the fall. And for some reason, event planners up and down the west coast throw all sorts of wine festivals during September and October, always a challenge for the little winery since it is, ya know, harvest time.

Two weekends ago we were at the World of Wine Festival, held each August at Del Rio Vineyards in southern Oregon. This is one of our favorite wine events, and it features the best southern Oregon wineries and always attracts a great crowd of folks who truly love wine. I swear, half the folks who tried our wines had done research on us before the event. It was fabulous, and is worth the trip. Mark your calendars for next year.

This past weekend was the Promenade du Vin and then Ghost Tree Dinner on the Range out at Pronghorn. The Friday Promenade du Vin was the “replacement” for Wine by the River, and benefited Hospice. If you missed it, that is a shame. The weather was perfect, the setting spectacular, and the crowd was enthusiastic but small enough that we could have great conversations with the guests. Love events like that. The Saturday night dinner was a blast as well, with 6 wineries (including Troon, Jordan and WillaKenzie who were pouring right next to us – I heard several people say “Now, WillaKenzie , where are you? I’ve never heard of you” which made me feel waaaaay better. I LOVE WillaKenzie, they make some of the best Pinot Noir in the state and if folks haven’t even heard of THEM, then no wonder they’ve never heard of us. haha). Not a wine focused event, but lots of fun and for a great cause.

We always get the extremes with events like that dinner – on the one hand, there are people who love wine and food and take advantage of the amazing array of offerings (food from Volo, Scanlan’s, Deep and Merenda to name but a few), and on the other hand there are a few folks who are looking to drink and eat as much as they can stuff down their gullets (and who an blame them, really, the tickets are not cheap). Loved the guy who snapped his fingers at me to pour him a beer (the beer station was on the other side of us). After looking at him like he was crazy (and he was obviously not thinking clearly since snapping at someone is not something polite, clear headed people do) I told him, “No, I won’t get you a beer” - very fun. Can’t do that when you are a waiter!

Save the date: Wine dinner at Jackalope Grill on Monday, October 6. Stay tuned for details.

And one last note… Sorry, Beavers. Yikes. Is Penn State that good???

The Broken Window

Yes, our front window was broken a few weeks ago. It happened early on a Monday morning, right as the bars were closing. Apparently, some fella was desirous of some additional libations and was coherent enough to deduce we had such offerings in out tasting room. He was not, however, sober enough to notice that the front window is double paned with wired safety glass. So, all that happened was he made a very pretty spider-webby design in the top window pane.

He was promptly arrested, thanks to some quick calls to 911 from passersby, which we appreciate. We do not know this guy – but we look forward to having him reimburse us for repairs: a random act of drunken stupidity which will cost close to $1000 to fix.

Why we close the Tasting Lounge at 5 pm

We frequently get these questions/comments in the tasting room: Why do you close so early? Why don’t you stay open later so we can have a glass of wine before heading out to dinner? I came by but you were closed...

There are several reasons behind our hours that I will address.

1. The most basic reason is that traditional tasting room hours, from Paso Robles to Walla Walla, are noon to 5. Tasting rooms are not bars – we are here so folks can sample our wines – especially important for the wines we won’t sell to the distributors. It is an opportunity to try before you buy, plus speak directly with someone who can answer your questions about the wine, the winery, the vineyards, etc.
2. The tasting room is only one portion of our business – we are a winery and are responsible for the making of the wine, overseeing the vineyards, the marketing , advertising, public relations, online sales, shipping, distribution, special events, compliance and reporting to individual states… and we have no employees, it is me and Scott, with a little help from our friends. It was necessary to set some limits.
3. Scott and I were both in the restaurant industry for years. We do not want to be a restaurant or a bar. We feel that many others in Bend are already fulfilling this need.
   Staffing is also an issue. Our glass prices are very reasonable from the consumer perspective, but the margins we make are quite low, nothing like restaurant glass prices and a world away from the margins that coffee places enjoy – therefore a critical volume would need to be sold each evening to allow us to break even.
4. Scott and I have two small children. The family dinner is an important part of our lives, not to mention our bedtime routines with reading books, lullabies, hugs and kisses.
5. By closing at 5, the tasting room is available for private parties. We have just a $25 per hour room fee and a $150 per hour minimum of wine sales. Bring in your own food, or have it catered. We can accommodate up to 35 people inside – even more if it is warm enough to use our outside space, or up to 20 for a sit down dinner inside, plus seats for an extra 12 outside, again, weather permitting (for dinners, service is extra). Call or email for more info: 541-617-1102 info@VolcanoVineyards.com

Keep in mind that Wednesdays and Fridays we usually are open a bit later – Scott or I are generally there until at least 7 on those nights. Call ahead and arrange a private tasting if you like…if we’re around, we’ll happily accommodate you with enough notice and within reason.

Squashing a rumor...

No, we are not moving our tasting room. I know there was some confusion with Melanie moving her retail wine store off of Brooks Street, but we are staying put.

What we are doing right now is looking for some commercial space for our winery production facility. We’ve looked at spots in SoMi , the Mill Quarter, along 2nd Street, on the west side behind Safeway… all over town, in fact. This facility will be for our Magna Wines, Magmita Sangria, and ultimately for Volcano Vodka as well. The rents downtown (and zoning, for that matter) are structured for retail and dining, not production facilities.

Yesterday was just another day, after all.

At the 11th hour yesterday my brother’s transplant was called off. Some blood results from the donor came back in the “no go” range, so… now they start from scratch.

And in other news, we made an attempt to eat at the newly opened Ciao Mamba yesterday. Unfortunately, our three year old was acting like a three year old and we had to leave. This is why Scott and I rarely are seen in public!

Tuesday is a big day

Thanks to those of you who have asked about my brother. For those of you who don’t already know, my older brother, Tom, has been fighting Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC) for years. PSC causes the bile ducts of the liver to become clogged. There is no known cause and the only possible cure is a liver transplant. You may have heard of it, as it was what killed Walter Payton, and it was the disease Olympian Chris Klug had, prior to his successful liver transplant in 2000.
And tomorrow, June 17, my brother will undergo a liver transplant at Georgetown Hospital in Washington DC.

Tom has been chronicling his ordeal through his Caring Bridge site. It is fascinating reading. After tomorrow, his wife, Kathy, will update the site on his condition until he is well again to write.http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/thomasbutler

And to find out more on PSC, check out http://www.pscpartners.org/

Tasting Room Advice from The Wall Street Journal

I have had a few people mention to me piece written by John Brecher and Dottie Gaiter that ran in the WSJ a few weeks ago. It was titled “Tips for Tasting Rooms,” a very thoughtful list of suggestions. I am happy to say that most of them, we heed already: we’re kid-friendly, our wine club pressure is so low we usually forget to mention we have one, we have a simple tasting fee that we refund with purchases. Many of their bits of advice are the exact opposite of the “you shoulds” we daily hear from people in our tasting room.

The most frequent “you should” we get, next to “You should serve food” (and considering how tenny weeny our space is and the fact that there are too many restaurants in Bend already, food ain’t gonna happen), is that as part of the tastings, we should give folks a glass with our logo. John and Dottie say “No glass!” and we totally agree. After we moved our collection of winery commemorative glasses for he fifth time, Scott took them all to Goodwill. Two from this place, one from this other place, different sizes, different quality – just a big pain the rump. We opted to use Riedel crystal glasses in our tasting room. And while yes, they can be etched with our logo, the added expense doesn’t make sense.

The one bit of advice we are guilty of not following was “Ease up on the numbers” – meaning don’t spout off the Wine Spectator/Enthusiast etc scores. While we have yet to submit our wines to any of the “number” publications (and that’s a whole nuther blog in itself), our basic info on the wine includes our awards and our Wine Press Northwest or Northwest Palate reviews. This is information we feel is vital to building our brand – as a relative newcomer to the wine industry, people are skeptical, and having that “third party validation” of our wines absolutely adds to our “legitimacy.” Yes, your palates are not fooling you – our wine is indeed yummy!

What's up with Vintage 2007

Scott went down to the winery two weeks ago – it was racking and blending time for the 2007s. He’s going to keep six barrels of the Fortmiller Syrah as a single vineyard designate, then blend five barrels of Fortmiller with seven from Lakeside. For the Fortmiller Merlot, he has decided to blend in one barrel of Tempranillo (from Red Lily Vineyards) which will mean the Tempranillo comprises about 7% – similar to the 2005 Merlot which was blended with 7% Cab Franc.

This weekend, Memorial Day weekend, we’ll be pouring our 2006 Syrah, Lakeside and Serenade Vineyards and 2006 Merlot, Fortmiller Vineyard and offering futures on case sales. Both these wines have already won GOLD MEDALS at major competitions, the Syrah at the SF Chronicle, the Merlot at Riverside. Pop on by! We’ll be in both the old Painted Pony space and in the Tasting Lounge.

Riverside Gold

The results of the Riverside International Competition were just announced, and we received two golds, one for our 2005 Syrah, and one for our 2006 Merlot. As far as we can tell, wineries from Oregon came away with a total of four gold medals this year (Willamette Valley Vineyards won the other two golds). The Riverside Competition is generally considered to be the most prestigious wine competition in the US. During Memorial Day weekend at our Tasting Lounge in Bend, you can sample the 2006 Merlot, as well as the 2006 Syrah, which won gold earlier this year at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

Women Dig Us

Our Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah, Lakeside Vineyard, Rogue Valley was named Best of Show at the second annual National Women’s Wine Competition, winning the prestigious American Airlines Judges’ Choice Award. The Syrah also won a Double Gold Medal, and was picked as the Sweepstakes Red winner as Best Red Varietal.

The National Women’s Wine Competition is only in its second year, but its slate of judges is unbelievable, a ‘who’s who’ of the top women in the wine industry. For our 2005 Syrah to be chosen as the best wine from over 1600 entries from both the US and abroad is an overwhelming honor. There are hundreds of wine competitions held each year, and the first thing I look at before we decide to enter is the judging panel. When I can look down the list and recognize almost every name on it, I know that is a competition we need to be a part of.

Judges included Laurie Daniel, wine columnist for the San Jose Mercury News whose writing I loved so much Scott and I subscribed to the Merc when we lived in San Francisco just to read her stuff. Natalie MacLean, who publishes the online wine newsletter “Nat Decants” was also a judge. And the judging panel included winemakers from some of my favorite wineries: Elizabeth Vianna of Chimney Rock, and Sally Johnson from St. Francis to name a few. Also Rebecca Murphy, founder of the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition, one of the most prestigious wine competitions in the country, and Dr. Ann C Noble, creator of the wine aroma wheel, which I have hanging on the wall in my office.

The National Women’s Wine Competition is the only competition with all-women judging panels, reflecting the marketplace reality that women make 60-70% of all wine buying decisions.

Oh, so soil matters after all…

A new study by German researchers (from the Service Center of Rural Areas) shows that soil type may have a greater influence than climate on the characteristics of wines. This contradicts conventional wisdom. Taking samples of Riesling grapes grown across Germany, researchers put lots of grapes from different vineyards through identical winemaking processes, then compared them based on soil types. What did they find? Riesling gown in Limestone based soils - even when grown hundreds of miles apart in completely different climates - had similar characteristics of tropical fruit and honey with intense color. Meanwhile, Riesling grown in sandstone soils all showed mineral and citrus qualities. Interesting stuff. These results were based on two years of study and are just the beginning. The next phase of the study will look specifically at climate differences. Stay tuned! And for more info, check out the January 2008 issue of Wines & Vines magazine.

Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah gets OUTSTANDING Review

The Spring 2008 issue of Wine Press Northwest is out and for the second year in a row, we’ve gotten a rating of “OUTSTANDING!” I have to say, this is the best review we’ve ever gotten. I LOVE Wine Press Norhtwest! Check this out:

“OUTSTANDING! Top-flight Syrahs from Scott Ratcliff in Bend, OR are becoming a tradition. This vineyard-designate near Jacksonville, OR is on the precocious side with youthful, lip-smacking sweet brambleberries and balanced oak. A dark midpalate leads to a rich and lingering finish of semi-sweet chocolate that brings you back. The Ratcliffs, who have a background in fine cuisine, suggest pairing this with pulled pork or salty and bitter foods such as greens, olives, lemons, eggplant and asparagus.”

Vintner's Dinner at McMenamins St. Francis

Join us on Saturday April 19 at 7 pm at McMenamins St. Francis for a four course wine dinner. Cost is $50 per person. Call 541-382-5174 for reservations. Here is the fabulous menu:

Hazelnut-crusted Rogue Creamery blue cheese with rosemary shortbread and champagne grapes
Volcano Vineyards 2005 Viognier

Mixed greens with Manchego cheese, spiced marcona almonds and Spanish olive vinaigrette Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah

Smoked buffalo tenderloin with truffle butter, roasted fingerling potatoes and sugar snap peas Volcano Vineyards 2005 Merlot

Chocolate lava cake with cherry-Syrah reduction
Volcano Vineyards Lava Red Blend

Another Gold Medal

We are very pleased to announce that we were awarded a Gold Medal at the 2008 Grand Harvest awards. The Gold Medal winning wine was our Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah from the Rogue Valley AVA in Southern Oregon. The Grand Harvest Awards are sponsored by Vineyard and Winery Management magazine. The focus of the competition is on terroir – the influence of soil, weather conditions, climate, etc. on the grapes. Wines are grouped not by varietal but by region or appellation. Volcano Vineyards was the only Gold Medal winner from the Rogue Valley AVA designation.

Valentine's Day Wine Dinner at Balay

Still have not made plans for Valentine’s Day? You are in luck! We are teaming up with Balay Coffee House (next to The Pine Tavern) to present a five course wine dinner featuring our Volcano Vineyards wines. Cost is $100 per couple. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today by calling 323-6417

FIRST COURSE
Wild Mushroom Tart
Riondo Pink Prosecco

SECOND COURSE
Endive, Apple, Blue Cheese and Hickory Salad
Volcano Vineyards 2005 Viognier

THIRD COURSE
Beef Provencal
Volcano Vineyards 2005 Merlot, Rogue Valley

FOURTH COURSE
Tumalo Farms Cheeses
Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah, Rogue Valley

FIFTH COURSE
Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with Creme Anglaise
Harris Bridge Pinot Noir Dessert Wine

Hope to see you there!

...Once Were Waiters

Since many of you are just learning of Volcano Vineyards, this is who we are:

Scott and I were both introduced to the wine industry at young ages. While I wish we could say that we learned to walk in granddad’s vineyards or jammed Uncle Harry’s bottling line with a Barbie Doll, the fact is our initial exposure was on the consumer side. Scott’s folks were big foodies and started visiting Napa Valley in the late 60s, became members of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, and have amassed an enormous wine cellar. My dad was hit with the wine bug in the early 80s, falling in love with Chateauneuf du Pape. The day we discussed French wines in my high school French class, I was the only person who said anything – Monsieur Beckman was so excited because I NEVER said anything in that class ever and suddenly I was “Cotes du Rhone-ing” all over the place.

Scott and I met when we were both waiters in San Francisco. San Francisco waiters are professionals who love food, love restaurants and love wine (and in the best restaurants, that will always be the case). As a waiter in a four or five star restaurant (such as McCormick & Kuleto’s or The Sherman House), the more you know about the food you are serving and the wine on your list that perfectly complements it, the better the experience your guests will have (and presumably, the better your tip). Restaurants spend an enormous amount of time and money training their wait staffs on wine, wineries, the nuances of food pairing. We were 70 minutes from Sonoma and Napa and spent almost every weekend up there, first visiting wineries, then spending time at Gallaway Vineyards in Healdsburg - the vineyard that Scott helped plant - which belonged to family friends. Once those vines matured, we started home winemaking, using Gallaway Vineyards grapes that were left on the vines after harvest. In the late ‘90s we both got lured into desk jobs, which was a nice break. But we both missed the buzz from the restaurant biz, we missed the people who are drawn to working in food and wine, and we missed the daily exposure to (and the consumption of) all that great food and wine!

In the fall of 2001 we moved from San Francisco to Bend, Oregon. And again, while I wish we could say that we were cashing out stock options or that we had sold our cracker box house for a million dollars, that wasn’t the case. We were renters in San Francisco, and when the house up the street from us in the Inner Sunset sold for $650,000 and the new owners proceeded to knock it down and build a new house, we knew it was time to go. We figured out very quickly that Bend is an entrepreneurial town, thriving thanks to small businesses. After a few months we went back to the Bay Area for a wedding. While there, Scott sent off an email to Randall Grahm, (founder of Bonny Doon Vineyards and the "Original Rhone DeRanger") stating that he was a local boy thinking about going “pro” with his home winemaking and would Mr. Grahm have any advice. About 20 minutes later the phone rang in Scott’s parents’ house (where we were staying) and it was Randall Grahm himself who said he had just had surgery, was bored out of his skull and would we like to come to his house to talk wine. When we arrived, he said to us, “If I were in your position, this is what I would do…” And by the end of that meeting, Scott had thrown his heart off the cliff, and there was no turning back. Volcano Vineyards was born.

Wrap Up of the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for Volcano Vineyards

In case you missed it, we were awarded two Gold Medals at the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The Gold Medal winners were the Volcano Vineyards 2006 Syrah and their Volcano Vineyards Lava Red Blend both from the Rogue Valley AVA in Southern Oregon. Both wines are set to be released later in 2008.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the world’s largest judging of wines produced in the US. This year, a record 4235 wines from 1500 wineries were tasted.

Wineries from Oregon fared better in the 2008 competition, winning a total of 8 Gold Medals, compared with only 3 in 2007. Volcano Vineyards is the only Oregon winery to have won Gold in both of the last two years, with our Volcano Vineyards 2004 Syrah winning Gold in 2007.

We submitted three other wines for judging, with all three winning Silver Medals. Those wines were our Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah, Lakeside Vineyard, the 2005 Merlot and the 2006 Merlot, Fortmiller Vineyard. All of our award winning wines were grown and produced in the Rogue Valley, Southern Oregon.

For those of you in the San Francisco Bay Area, Scott will be pouring our wines at the San Francisco Public Tasting on Saturday February 16 at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion from 2 to 5 pm. All wineries who won Gold Medals or better will be there. Tickets are $50 in advance, $70 at the door. Check out winejudging.com for more info.

Review on Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah - Lakeside Vineyard, Rogue Valley

The Tasting Lounge will be open Sunday, January 20 and Monday, January 21 from 11:30-5.

Our Volcano Vineyards 2005 Syrah, Lakeside Vineyard, won a Silver Medal at the 2008 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. And, we just got the review back from Northwest Palate (January/February 2008):

"Floral notes of lavender and rose are pretty and perfumed on the nose, while sweet and equally pretty flavors of plum and cassis fill the mouth. Light oak spice and a sense of dried potpourri infuse the full and soft fruit center of this wine, while lightly brisk acidity lends a lively tone. The tannins are plump and sweet, and the finish is fresh and long. A great wine for garlic-studded leg of lamb."

Sounds yummy, no? You can order directly from our website, and right now there is a glitch that makes your shipping costs very inexpensive: http://www.volcanovineyards.com/store/index.php

Gold and More Gold - WooHoo!

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest competition of American wines. Thousands of wineries participate. This year, over 4200 wines were judged. Last year only three wineries from Oregon received Gold Medals, and we were one of them. And the results from the 2008 competition are in...

Sooooo, we are thrilled to announced that our Volcano Vineyards 2006 Syrah, Lakeside Vineyard/Serenade Vineyard, Rogue Valley took GOLD. And, our Rogue Valley Lava Red Blend took GOLD. Release dates for both of these wines will be set in the next few months. The 2005 Syrah, Lakeside Vineyard, the 2005 Merlot/Cab Franc and the 2006 Merlot all took Silver.

From the preliminary look at the results, Oregon wineries fared better this year, winning a total of 8 Golds (last year, Oregon wineries took home 3 Golds, total). Yes, we have TWO of those EIGHT. Not too shabby!! Other winners include Willamette Valley Vineyards, who also won two Golds (Riesling and Pinot Noir), Del Rio Vineyards and Dobbes Family Estate both won Gold for their Pinot Gris, Griffin Creek won Gold in the Syrah $35 and over category, and Zerba's fabulous Cabernet Sauvignon won Gold. Woohoo!!

More details once the final results are tallied. The Tasting Lounge re-opens on Friday, January 18 at 11:30 a.m.