San Sakana Cellars Blog

2007-07-24T18:10:00.000-07:00

Escaping Home

A two day trip to Taiwan from San Francisco should not seem like an everyday thing. It should be planned, scheduled out, worried over, even debated as to why make the trip. however I do this once a month, and two days is just a lot of plane time. Aside from the inevitable jet lag that kicks in at 5pm Taiwan time (and will kick in again at 10am California time when I get to work tomorrow), and of course the time I have to spend away from home and my wife, there isn't much difference with this trip versus, say, a trip to Austin.

That is, except for the food, the wine, the people, the culture, the weather, the driving, the meetings, and the language.

Taiwan, like many countries throughout Asia, is said to be improving its wine appreciation as its global interdependence progresses. Not that I really find much of it in Hsin Chu. A university town that is home to its famous Science Based Industrial Park, the city also houses the country's oldest (and largest) temple, and regional Taiwanese fare of noodles, steamed meatballs, and soups fill the stalls surrounding the central shopping area. The hotels cater mostly to engineers and high tech executives who shuttle in and out of Science Park or up and back to Taipei to the North. I travel to HsinChu pretty much every month, and have adopted the habit of bringing a decent bottle of wine with me, so that I am not suffering too much on my trip. The hotels where I stay have a mediocre selection of medocs and bourdeaux superior, some chilean and aussie selections, but not much in the way of variety or quality. Eating out and seeking for fine wines I did find a Montrachet in a restaurant for $60 US, but was deeply disappointed to find that it was cooked by being stored in the open air (probably next to a window or near the stove). My one find was a teppanyaki restaurant called the Red Door which had a better selection, and we enjoyed a very decent bourdeaux blend from an argentinian joint venture of ch. lafite.

But these are, unfortunately, the great exceptions. I heard that Taiwan has something like a 100% markup due to import duties, taxes, and shipping costs, and that (coupled with the still minority status of premium wine lovers) means that most places will, frankly, just get something red and white on their list, preferably with a french (or french sounding) name, and keep it listed for as long as they can, 'just in cases.'

There are many wine lovers in Taiwan -- I have many friends at my company who collect fine wines and love to explore the world of wine, both in varietals as well as style. Their bias still tends toward the Opus one or chateau lafites (not a bad place to start), with occasional appreciation for the great burgundies. Italians outside of chianti and barolo would be fairly obscure for them, and the world of Spain, Bandol, Alsace etc. are new and uncharted territories.

I recently heard that americans are now drinking more wine per capita than beer -- a significant milestone that has occurred just over the past decade. The people in their 20s and 30s are driving this change, as greater exploration and appreciation become part of the emerging national culture. the impact of venues like winelibrary.tv to energize people to explore different wines and different things is having an impact and getting people to branch out, try new things. We have met so many people in their 20s and 30s who are, not just enthusiasts, but people who are incredibly passionate about wine that they will travel to Seattle or Rome or Paris, just to attend a tasting dinner. these people make wine exciting, an exploration that is endlessly surprising and educational. No matter how much these people taste and learn (and there are so many of these in their 30s who have an incredibly broad knowledge base of wines -- far more than I can ever recall!) and for them, the universe is constantly expanding, as each new vintage and each new winery expands from the 'big bang' of their discovery of wine!

And we all benefit: more wine appreciation means more great wines which will get noticed, be sought after, get established. More choice means even the 'standards' will have to keep working hard to keep making the best wines they can, as more and more people get more comfortable with wandering off of the well-worn cabernet aisles at your local beltramo's. God bless 'em all.

2007-07-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

Veraison's Started, wow!

That's color turning. Its a sure sign of ripening coming along very nicely and due to the dry, hot weather we've been having up and down the coast. Furthest along up north, Santa Cruz, south maybe about 1-2 weeks away from first red grapes showing.

Focus now is on timing for ripening, harvest. There's a fine balance between keeping the grapes from ripening too fast, providing much less water (water deficit) with full canopies will let the fruit ripen slower. We're praying for no major rains, no major winds.

Looking like an early harvest this year.

2007-06-26T08:13:00.001-07:00

2007 Harvest Update ... .its been hot

sustained temps in the 80's - 90's has moved growth along fast. some shatter with grenache grapes up in Eaglepoint Vineyard has occurred but for the most part bloom and set is done and fruit clusters are coming out heavy and strong. Pruning is word of the week. We want to cut back growth to ensure concentrated fruits, flavors to what's remaining.

We're predicting EARLY HARVEST this year. Okay, you can never predict mother nature but that's my current bet. Let's see.

Q's, comments - pls. let me know.

Bettina

2007-06-05T11:01:00.000-07:00

Our 2005 White Hawk Syrah has been winning Gold Medals and getting reviewed with great notes by some fun ebobbers & wineblog reviewers, lately, thought I'd share some harvest, winemaking, vineyard notes.

2005 Syrah
White Hawk Vineyard
Santa Barbara

Appellation: .......................Santa Barbara County - 100%
Harvest Dates:...................October 13, 2005
Brix at Harvest:.................26.9
Alcohol:...............................14.8%
Cooperage:..........................Francois Freres, Cadus
Aged:...................................16 months in 100% French oak
Release Date:......................February, 2007
Retail Price:........................$52.00

Tasting Notes

Presents a complex mix of dark cherries, moist earth, spicy peppers, and a hint of vanilla. Aging 16 months in neutral oak gave the wine a slight toastiness that does not overpower the fragrant Syrah fruit. The dark fruits will hit your nose at first sip, but the layers of flavor slowly unfold in a truly enjoyable finish. This wine should drink well for the next 5-8 years.

Vineyard Notes

White Hawk Vineyard is another favorite located in the Los Alamos Hills of Santa Barbara County. It is a small vineyard perched on 900 foot elevation on pure sand that immediately drains off water and nutrients to force the vines to work extra-hard. We custom farm acreage we contract, using sustainable and primarily organic viticulture to ensure the right mix of sugars, tannins and acidity. Being one of the top wine producing vineyards in the area, its Syrah clones both clone 6 and clone 1 has become extremely well-known throughout California. We are excited to bring you a wine of such impact from this vineyard

Hope you like it, q's - please leave a comment or email me at bettina@sansakana.com

Thanks.

2007-05-21T19:27:00.000-07:00

A dreary day in Boston can be made great by little things that mean a lot. The Red Sox beat the crap out of Atlanta (we don't talk about the night game), the Provost and his wife opened up their house and pantry to us and made us a part of their family, the cab driver got turned on to sfogliatella which he has never had hot or cold (you must eat it hot!) and we had a terrific (fantastic) meal at Troquet and tasted some terrific wines. The food was superb, I had veal cheeks in a wine reduction sauce that was more tender than spring buds, a cavatelli with mushroom and truffle appetizer that surrounded the sinuses with aroma, and my wife had the roasted suckling pig plate that knocked her socks off! Good food with new friends, a selection of both pinots and syrahs that complemented the foods in a big way, and late night walks back to the hotel to NOT worry about work the next day. Good happens, doesn't it?

2007-05-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

I'm traveling thru upstate New York right now, enroute from Toronto to Rochester and points beyond. It is mid May and in California the days are warm and the evenings still chilly, not yet the idle days of summers when boys play with their puppies in streambeds and bring home salamanders to their moms, but warm enough that the heat of the midafternoon soaks deep into the chest and thaws the last splinter of ice packed deep into your breathing through the cold, wet winter days. In California, budbreak has already set and the vineyard managers are starting their first pruning and watching closely for flower set and the first indication of the strength of the harvest. The head cordon grenache pictured above was from May's beginning, two weeks ago and a bit. So far so good so far, is all a farmer will admit to the fates.

In New York it looks as if the frayed threads of winter's corpse have just blown off and the trees are shaking out their leaves, finally! A stiff and steady wind blows past my window, remnants of a passing storm, a steady thumping that encourages the trees and bushes to grip their toes harder, rasping more dirt and rocks just to hang on. The vineyards I passed on my way look tentative, not as willing to put out its tender knobby green tufts and trust that the ice and snow are fully gone. More sun, more rays, more comeraderie from the trees and bushes, more new grass brushing at its ankles, more blue luminescent skies, more kilocalories, more coaxing, more life!

I wonder do the boys and puppies wait just as patiently?

2007-05-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Gold, Silver and Bronze in 2 Recent Wine Competitions!

San Sakana took in a total of 7 medals in recent competitions, including a UNANIMOUS GOLD MEDAL for our 2005 White Hawk Vineyard Syrah!

Pacific Rim International Wine Competition

As one of the largest and most respected wine competitions in the west, the Pacific Rim International received entries from over 2200 entries this year from wineries spanning the globe from the U.S., to Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Australia and New Zealand. We are THRILLED to have been recognized by this very prestigious event. Our medals this year as follows -

GOLD MEDAL for 2005 White Hawk Syrah
SILVER MEDAL for 2005 Las Madres Syrah

SILVER MEDAL for 2005 Broken Leg Viognier

BRONZE MEDAL for 2005 Catie's Corner Viognier

West Coast Wine Competition

The 25th West Coast Wine Competition was held on April 20th in Santa Rosa, CA with a field of over 1700 entries spanning wineries from California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Baja California, British Columbia, Australia and New Zealand.

Our medals

GOLD MEDAL for 2005 White Hawk Syrah
SILVER MEDAL for 2005 Las Madres Syrah

If you'd like to try some of these award winning wines, please order soon. Demand is STRONG due to the competition buzz!

Thanks again - Bettina

2007-04-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

April 2007 Vineyard Report ... its been a very very dry winter with temperatures still fluctuating from 'heat waves in the south' coupled with frost, even snow as recently as last week in the Sonoma mountains then north to Mendocino. Some reports are saying driest since the 40's! what does this mean if no rains persists -- our vineyards with good wells, ample irrigation will flourish. AND from wine quality, could be a phenomenal vintage as we can carefully control vigor before flowering.

This is the goal we will strive for in Eaglepoint Vineyards (see pic above c/o Casey Hartlip owner, vineyard manager); with Las Madres Vineyard in Carneros; with White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara and the rest of our sites.

Budbreak has started though in most vineyards. Lets us hope for temperatures to continue to rise. FROST is a bad word starting now.

I'll send regular vineyard updates and pics as we travel and visit all through the Harvest season.

Q's, comments - pls. let me know.

Bettina

2007-03-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

Release of the 2005 Las Madres Vineyard Syrah from Carneros

We're thrilled to finally release our 2nd vintage from this very special Syrah only vineyard from Carneros. Here are a few notes:

Appellation: ............................................. Carneros - 100%
Harvest Dates:........................................ October 18, 2005
Brix at Harvest:........................................ 25.4
Alcohol:.................................................... 14.4%
Cooperage:….......................................... Seguin Moreau
Aged:........................................................ 16 months in 100% French oak
Release Date:.......................................... February 2007
Retail Price:............................................. $45.00

Tasting Notes

San Sakana’s 2005 Las Madres Syrah presents a complex mix of black cherry, peppers, and olives all present in a bed of Carneros terroir. Aging for 16 months in a combination of brand new & neutral French oak barrels gives a hint of toast to the fragrant Syrah fruit. Richly aromatic with a beautiful garnet color, this wine should drink well for the next 4-6 years.

Vineyard Notes

Las Madres Vineyard is located in the heart of the Carneros region of the Sonoma Coast, with nine acres planted in 1999. The vineyard is split into two plots, named Elsa and Hilda, after the mothers of the vineyard owners (giving the vineyard its distinctive name). Planted with a combination of 300 and 174 clones on hillside slopes, the grapes get plenty of hang time to develop their flavors. The vineyard follows organic practices and is farmed for low yields, generating complex, fruit-forward syrah grapes.

Food Pairing

The rich fruit and full body of this Syrah will complement pork roasts with sage, lamb chops with rosemary, and rib-eyes from the grill beautifully. A syrah reduction sauce with shallots over your steak would be very yummy as well.

Hope you enjoy it as much we had in making it.

Thanks, Bettina

2007-03-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, life isn't always work, work, work.

During the winter season, with vineyards dormant, our wines aging nicely in barrel, the 3 fish do get out sometimes and we enjoy our ski season alot. well, at least 2 of the fishes. (middle one doesn't like cold weather at all, oh well, we hold out hope, she's still young)

we're lucky to have a home we rent in the Tahoe area for the entire ski season. For those who also enjoy the slopes up in the North Shore, pls. visit the following great apres ski bars and restaurants. Plumpjack's Cafe @ Squaw Valley, Balboa Cafe @ Squaw Valley, Bar of America in Truckee, Sol y Lago Restaurant in Tahoe City. order a bottle or 2 of San Sakana and enjoy.

Seriously, our vineyard management work and cellar work is gearing up to higher gear starting now. We are making final blending decisions on our 2006 Viogniers, topping off all of our 2006 Syrah's and Mourvedres and Petite Syrah's in barrels and we head out to El Dorado county in a few weeks to visit some Grenache & Syrah vineyards.

I'll send a post from the road soon.

Thanks - Bettina the ski bunny

2007-02-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

2005 Alta Mesa Vineyard Mourvedre Released !!! After 16 months aging in 100% neutral French oak barrels, we bottled our 1st ever 100% Mourvedre last week. Here are some detailed tasting notes and vineyard notes to wet your appetite:

Appellation: ....................................... Cuyama Valley - 100%
Harvest Dates:.................................. October 14, 2005
Brix at Harvest:.................................. 27.8
Alcohol:.............................................. 14.4%
Cooperage:........................................ Francois Freres
Aged:.................................................. 16 months in 100% French oak
Release Date:.................................... February 2007
Retail Price:....................................... $40.00

Tasting Notes

San Sakana’s 2005 Alta Mesa Mourvedre (pronounced MORE _ VED _ RE) will surprise you in its depth right from the first sniff, that shows chocolate, earth, and maybe a hint of cardamom! The first taste will show more plum and tobacco, and the finish will leave you guessing for that second sip. This wine can easily age for the next 3-5 years and still wow your senses.

Vineyard Notes

Alta Mesa Vineyard is located in the Cuyama Valley area of Santa Barbara County. Approximately 40 miles from the town of Santa Barbara, the elevation and soil make it an ideal location to grow and harvest high quality Rhone style grapes. Farmed with sustainable agriculture principles, the grapes from Alta Mesa are very hearty, fruit-forward, and ripen to perfection with the help of the temperature variations common of this area. A mixture of clones 4 and clones 369 were used in this vintage release grown on VSP (vertical shoot positioning) trellises with lots of hearty hand pruning done between July and September.

Food Pairing

This Mourvedre will complement all red meats (try it with Venison) but don’t be afraid to open a bottle with a truffled chicken or curried rice!

Please checkout our website Order Page. We will start shipments in early March.

Enjoy!

Questions, comments - please let me know.

Bettina

2007-02-15T10:57:00.000-08:00

2005 Vintage REDS BOTTLED this week!!!!

from 2pm on to past 9pm on Monday, we bottled and labeled and bottled and labeled and bottled and labeled then packed in cases all of our 2005 Reds. twas fun to spend time with the cellar crew, my hubby Fish C. we celebrated with a Grand Cru Reserve Vintage champagne AND some great Vietnamese take-out and to die for chocolates... (only in California !!!)

cases are now sitting quietly in our case storage area. we wait for bottle shock to subside before we start shipping out. estimate we'll start shipping to avid thirsty San Sakana fans starting in March.

we hope to see most of you soon at Rhone Rangers on March 18th. Can't wait to share our 2005 Las Madres Syrah and our 2005 White Hawk Syrah and our 2005 Alta Mesa Mourvedre with you soon.

Regards - Bettina the happy but tired fish a.

2007-02-06T21:32:00.000-08:00

Must Learn to SPIT, during our 2005 REDS Final Blending Tastings....

Yes, MUST LEARN TO SPIT, MUST LEARN TO SPIT, MUST LEARN TO SPIT ....

a core competency, I haven't quite mastered.

Last Friday nite, the 3 Fishes and MikeZ spent a marathon evening, tasting and doing our final blends for our upcoming 2005 Vintage Red Releases. All I can say, is I can't wait to share this vintage with you all.

Talk soon - Bettina the non spitting Fish.

2007-01-22T15:57:00.000-08:00

San Mateo County Times article today... Pinch us, it seems good news keeps coming in.

The San Mateo County Times interviewed us and the Crushpad crew last week to learn the story of how a small winery like ours got started & to find out how its going so far.

Thanks to a spirited wine tasting interview that started at 9am with Julia Scott and John Green their staff photographer we shared our humble story.

Its so rewarding to have others recognize San Sakana for what we intended it to be -- & that's a winery where we can make damn good juice that hopefully we'll all find memorable and delicious to drink often!

Here's the link to the full story.

http://www.insidebayarea.com/search/ci_5060382

Again, thanks to San Mateo County Times for their support.

Best Regards - 3 Very Happy Fishes

2007-01-16T16:50:00.000-08:00

LET's CELEBRATE - 2007 SF Chronicle Wine Competition Awards!!!

Results are in from the 2007 SF Chronicle Wine Competition and we're thrilled to share that all 4 of our wines we entered -- the 2005 Catie's Corner Viognier; the 2005 Broken Leg Viognier; the 2004 Las Madres Syrah and the 2004 Trio Syrah won Bronze awards in each of their classifications.

For a small Rhone only 2 year old winery, we're so pleased and proud that others have found our wines to their liking. For those of you who have been a part of our short journey, thank you. Let us celebrate together soon. For those from far away virtual internet lands, thanks and hope that we can share more San Sakana wine with you soon.

Best Wishes - 3 very happy fishes

2007-01-02T17:14:00.000-08:00

There's something visceral about heavy machinery that means real work is being done.

Bins being carted back and forth, hoisted, tipped, raked and scraped, hoses washing out empty bins preparing them for the next load, and the ubiquitous beeping of a forklift being swung around to snatch another load. The feel of half ton bins being hefted about, the taut siezing of the chain as the forklift tines jam under the bin and make that first heave, the bend of the bins as the weight of the grapes press against the side during the tip-over, the plunge of the hands into the first dump of grapes, reaching and searching for the leaves, sticks and detritus which needs to be sorted out before crush -- all of these are part of winemaking. Eventually you have 10 or 15 bins all fermenting along, each being monitored and punched down, each following its own path for fermentation. You can feel the yeasts saturating the air, you can see the juice turn color, skins softening, flavors extracting into a raw alcoholic stew which marks the beginning of the wine's life. Days turn to weeks, the sugars disappear, the dry tartness of the wine discovered, an endpoint detected. Press slowly, taste the juice steadily get richer as it filters through the skins, then eventually weaken out as pressures increase. Move to barrel, top and cap, put to bed for the coming months, hope that you stayed out of the way of the promise within the fruit. Fifteen months or more or until no more time in barrel will do it much good, then set up the bottling line and get prepared to bottle.

Our 2005s are a month away from bottling, our 2006s just getting comfortable for the coming year. Hope your holidays were great and can't wait to share our latest with you!

2006-12-12T02:29:00.000-08:00

Seeing Pretty Stars or How I found Truth in a C02 Rich Fermentation Room

It's been a bloody long harvest.

what else can you say when you still have some vats not yet dry, and it's the 2nd week of December? Long extractions and some aggressive techniques have yielded some pretty rich wines this year. Final judgment still out, but (if we did our wine making right) we should have some good age worthy wines this year. The viogniers already show their character, and we have decided to block malo on the Catie's Corner as the aromatics and balance are already there. All of the reds have depth -- not a thin one in the bunch, especially with the reduced yields of the harvest. We keep playing with blends to get a sense for what our flavor pallete looks like, and what next year's Trio options are. Overall we're very pleased and are looking forward to the Spring.

The '05 reds are getting ready for bottling; probably be Jan or Feb to get in bottle. They show most of their stuff right now; more time in barrel isn't needed -- there is a point where you trade off any incremental benefits from the barrel interaction, with increased loss of some of the delicate aromatics. For us, this judgment call is now and we are finalizing the labels as we speak.

I think 2007 will be a great year for San Sakana; for any of you who can get to Rhone Rangers in March, please do so as this will be the first time to taste our '05 releases. Overall, the reception for San Sakana has been terrific and thanks to all of our new friends and fans. As before, we still expect to sell out quick so make sure we know who you are and can get the pre release info out to you!

All for now,

Peter

2006-11-15T20:56:00.000-08:00

The cows are in the barn!

After a protracted and fretful harvest (will it rain? will it rain too much? how are the stems? will we pick this Wednesday? this week? this weekend? should I change the truck rental? how are the acids again? skins? seeds?) we finally sorted and crushed our last ton of White Hawk two weeks ago, and now are monitoring all of our fermentations. Things look great -- despite the uncertainty in the weather and some extra care in sorting, the quality of the fruit all lives up to expectations and the initial flavors taste great. The Viogniers, subject to the late harvest and cool maturations, are deep and complex. The Syrahs all show a lot of fruit up front and a good balance of tannins; for the reds, the real test will be thru first and second fermentations but we are breathing much easier now that the crush is all done!

Since we ferment all of our wines in small lots, we are experimenting with different fermentation techniques. The main thing we are trying is submerged caps: basically forcing the cap down into the juice during fermentation, instead of letting it rise to the top and manually punching down. The objective is maximum extraction, which we montitor carefully to make sure we don't over-tannin the wines, but with the small lots we are using, over-extraction is damn near impossible within the short timeframe of the fermentation, so we are very excited about the process. So far, the colors look deep, black plum almost, with juice that instantly stains your hands when you push into the vat. Along with the submerged cap, we closely monitor temperatures so that extraction can occur but not get too hot so that aromas start to dissipate. We will also be experimenting with different oaks, adding new oak to some wines which can stand up to the wood, expecting to blend the new oak into the neutral oak wines before bottling.

It's just the start -- this dish takes a year to finish cooking!

2006-11-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

California Rhone Varietals Hit the Big Time in NYC

I recently spent a few days in NYC and was lucky enough to try one of the hottest new restaurants in town...Megu. It was recommended by my hotel's concierge as well as being a top listing in the latest Zagat's restaurant guide, so we thought we'd try it out.

I was pleasantly surprised with the ambiance, the food, but most importantly with the wine. The wine list was extensive, but what I noticed the most were the familiar names I found in the "Rhone Varietal" section. They had the best of the best from Garretson, Core, Donkey & Goat, and Tensley. The list covered Mourvedre, a GSM (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre) blend, and 2 Syrahs.

It is always great to see ...

Questions, comments, please email me at: leslie@sansakana.com

2006-10-31T15:44:00.000-08:00

And after 7-10 days, its WINE !!!!

its the science, the magic, the art of fermentation. it never ceases to amaze me that after almost 8-9 months of growing in the vineyard, 7-10 days after harvest, we have essentially baby wine.

The sugars have converted to alcohol, the skins have macerated and we squeeze the juice with the Press Machine. If its white wine, pressing of grapes is done in unfermented must so as to minimize skin contact. If for red wine, pressing is done after skins have macerated, sugars have dissolved and fermentation is complete.

The juice or wine that is pressed out with minimal pressure is called FREE-RUN. Most of our wines are good majority % of Free run, from 40% - 50% free. this is the purest cleanest state of the juice or wine. When pressed, this is called PRESS-RUN, though I personally like the phenolic structure and aromatics that pressing to up to 0.8bars for red wines and up to 1.8bars for white wines can achieve. Its a matter of taste, tannins and structure that we try to optimize for. And I hope our San Sakana fans will enjoy.

Its been a very busy 10 days for us with grapes getting harvested and crushed from all of our vineyards. We have barreled the 1st wine, our 2006 Catie's Corner Viognier, we have pressed the 1st Red, our 2006 Alta Mesa Mourvedre and this weekend we are elbows deep into sorting & crushing our Syrah fruit from Las Madres Vineyard from Carneros and the White Hawk Syrah from Santa Barbara.

Hopefully we'll have pictures of the 3 Fishes, foot stomping to share with you soon

Yes, its just like Lucy....

Q's, commetns - please email me at bettina@sansakana.com

2006-10-23T23:49:00.000-07:00

Cool Sweet Viognier

Well the first viognier is now officially wine and slumbering (still burping) away in its cool dark steel jacket. Fermentation took 3 weeks, with the brix leveling out at -2.7.

Young wine usually tastes raw, bitter; a bit like apple cider with grapefruit juice added in. The Catie's Corner, though, already shows the honeysuckle and citrus that made last year's wine such a hit. The aging should take about 5 or 6 months, meaning late spring release -- can't wait? There is still VERY LITTLE of the 2005 Catie's available.

Wondering about the rest of the harvest? As you have probably heard, the fall has been cool with spotted rains, pushing harvests late. This week begins the flood, and most vineyards will be in full swing for the next 2 or 3 weeks trying to get all the fruit off the vine before the real frosts hit.

For Late Harvest fans, watch out: this is an excellent year for Botrytis in California and you should expect some spectacular productions out of the year's harvest!

2006-10-15T11:56:00.000-07:00

Trucking from Santa Maria

So here I am, into my 8th hour of driving after a very long day trucking from San Fran down to Santa Maria and back. Sunset over the Santa Lucia mountains with the rain pelting the highway. The trip was long and tiring, more so because of the 4 hour delays in the fruit showing up from the vineyard, and our surprise at being told to hand-transfer the fruit from one bin to the next. Yields down at Alta Mesa were half of what was expected, which sucks for us because the production will be half as well, but will be great for our customers as this low yield means concentrated fruits and complex flavors.

We finished with crush at midnight, 18 hours after starting the day. On the way we stopped at Paso to visit Martin Weyrich and Eberle vineyards and see how things were doing. Scattered rains continue to run through the valleys, with clouds that keep the temperature cold. Luckily we got our Alta Mesa harvested last week, as the outlook is for continued cold in the coming days. I expect harvests continuing deep into November ...

2006-10-06T17:40:00.000-07:00

Harvest Update, 10/6

Well if you live in northern California, you know what the weather's been like of late. We were initiated to the start of our RAINY FALL season this week. The rain has caused some concern with ripening pinot grapes up & down the coast, but not for our Viognier or Syrah grapes. thank god....

Picture above is of the BROKEN LEG VINEYARD up in Philo in Anderson Valley. Rain on our Viognier grapes needs to dry but if weather forecast holds we should be harvesting soon. The vineyard is on an unreal 60degree slope, it should make picking an adventure.

With the delays caused by the recent cool wet weather, we will be in crunch mode with all of the picks and crush for all of our grapes. Should be a crazy next few weeks, if you don't see any new blogs its cause we're knee deep in juice.

Can't wait to share more stories and pics with you all soon.

Bettina

2006-10-04T10:22:00.000-07:00

Harvest Update, 10/4

We wait and wait and wait .... Mother Nature sure reminds us that she's way more powerful then any spreadsheet or models or plans we can put in place.

The 2006 growing season is certainly different. We had the rains & cold weather that marked our Spring, this cause late fruit and bloom. And then we had the CRAZY HOT MANY LONG days in the 100's in August and September which really got veraison and sugars going.

But now, with the fog and the cool Autumn weather suddenly upon us, sugars have stopped and harvest up and down California is delayed.

So we wait.

We are hoping that our Alta Mesa Mourvedre grapes will be ready to be picked and crushed next week, if not, yours truly will be all alone driving a 16 foot flat bed truck to Santa Maria. Anyone out there want to drive down with me? if so, please email me soon.

Thanks, Bettina

2006-09-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

2006 Catie's Corner Viognier Picked !!!

We're off to the races. Our 1st harvest & crush was on Tuesday 9/26. We picked over 3 tons of Viognier from the famed Kunde estate in Russian River Valley. We hand sorted, then crushed and pressed off our Viognier all on Tuesday the 26th. An exciting and very long day for us.

Clear racked pressed juice is measuring at
brix --> 26.8
pH --> 3.51
Ta --> 0.64

If you've ever tasted fruit cocktail from the can, that is what freshly pressed Catie's Corner Viognier juice is tasting like. Yummy.

Now its off to the fermentation tanks, we will age this vintage in stainless steel barrel once ready. May have more peach & apricot flavors versus the more lemony citrus 2004 vintage but I think will be just as aromatic and delicious. Can't wait to try as it evolves and ages.

Will be keeping you posted as our harvest crescendo rises. Next up --> our Mourvedre grapes from the Alta Mesa Vineyard down in Cuyama Valley.

Questions, please email me at bettina@sansskana.com

2006-09-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Harvest Update, 9/25

We wait and wait and wait....

Despite hot September days up and down California, our grapes are ripening slowly. Brix levels are all over the place. We maybe, report MAYBE picking Catie's Corner Viognier this week, brix on CC Viognier is up at 23.5 as reported by Joanie our vineyard manager this weekend. If that's the case, then we will be sorting soon.

Slower ripening conditions with Broken Leg Vineyard in Mendocino, Las Madres in Carneros, White Hawk in Santa Barbara. Probably next for harvest is Alta Mesa in Cuyama Valley. This is the big one, we rent a truck and pickup our grapes at dawn, can't wait.

But the name of the game in the last few weeks and up to harvest is tracking the low and high pressure systems over all of California. The trick is to keep the canopies and leaves pumping and ripening fruit without plumping the berries. Canopies are green & happy, Its a pretty sight...

We're keeping our fingers crossed, there's a long way to go...

2006-09-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

Harvest Update, 9/17/06

Temperatures have climbed again in California, this is all good for grape ripening...

Here's some recent updates from our growers

From Catie's Corner Vineyard in Russian River Valley - brix on Viognier up to 23.5, we usually pick around 24-26brix, so its soooon. If weather holds, maybe we'll be picking and crushing our 1st lots this weekend.

From White Hawk Vineyard down in Santa Barbara - brix on our Syrah clones are still in the 17.5 brix level, we're estimating another 3-4 weeks before we're going to be ready.

From Alta Mesa Vineyard down in Cuyama Valley (east about an hour from Santa Maria), our Mourvedre grapes are in the 20brix level. David Corey our rock star vineyard manager is estimating harvest to be either last week in September or 1st week in October. maybe just before Fish C's birthday!

I'll keep you posted as we get updates from our nervous & excited vineyard owners and managers.

We share the nerves and excitement. It never ceases to amaze us how this time before harvest is the LULL BEFORE THE STORM!

Q's, please email me at bettina@sansakana.com

2006-09-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

Stranded at the Clubhouse

In August of this year, Bettina and I went down to Cabo San Lucas for a long weekend. The trip was only slightly spontaneous; aside from getting the biggest barbecue in Northern California, Bettina wanted to take a trip for our anniversary. Cabo was chosen because, from San Fran, it is a quick 2.5 hour flight and a 30 minute bus ride between fog and sun on the beach, and at this time of year, the place isn't overrun with tourists and the pace is very relaxing. Now Cabo is a lot more about margueritas than wine, true, and let's just say we discovered the invaluable pacifying effect of citrus and tequila on the human nervous system, but we both love exploring the wines of different regions and Mexico is no different.

We had 3 nights' meals there, tried to explore what wines show best. The selection (aside from the expected selection from California) leaned heavily toward South America, and also showcased several Mexico wineries, as well. As Mexico (like much of California) was settled by the missions as part of Spanish rule, it is not surprising to find many old and established wineries in the region. Our surprise was the explosion of growth in wineries in the Baja peninsula, with many bottles available for $100 or more. I can't say that we tried enough to pass judgment on these wines versus those of other regions, but the passion we found for their local wines was encouraging -- perhaps another trip is needed to explore these regions more carefully.

Disappointing in the experience was not so much the wines, but the state of wine storage: Baja is still desert environs, and though the beer is stored cold, the wine is not. We had 2 bottles delivered so warm that we insisted had to be chilled before we could taste it, and one which obviously went bad from poor storage conditions. In my view, the restaurants are still learning this aspect of their service, though they were all apologetic for the state of the wine and I believe this will change in the future.

When we were in Buenos Aires a few years back, we got great exposure to the wines of Mendoza. In Mexico, it seems the bias is toward Chilean wines, and we found several selections which were joint ventures from many of the French chateaux; more bourdeaux style than the mendoza region, though our sampling was probably biased by what wines and styles the distributors wanted to push, and not truly representative of the breadth of winemaking going on in that region (so, another trip is needed!)

This isn't meant to be a review of specific wines we tried, but rather my impressions of the experience in Cabo, and interest in seeing how things develop in the future. In the end, you always are reminded that you are in Cabo and not Loire -- when the flash flood stranded us on the golf course and we were rescued by workers cutting through the barbed wire to truck us back, our survival while trapped at the clubhouse depended solely on margueritas and ceviche!

2006-09-10T12:59:00.000-07:00

Wine Tasting Events

Arriving at the restaurant 2 hours before opening, you are greeted when you enter with a frenzy of activity as everyone hurries to get the floor set up in time for opening. Standing there with 2 cases of wine for the tasting that evening, you feel as out of place as, well, as a fish out of water. It's like that dream where you're naked and nobody notices, except you aren't dreaming, you definitely are not naked, and your arms are getting tired holding these 2 cases!

As you make the way across the floor towards the bar finally one of the wait staff notices you. Surprised, in a don't-we-have-a-security-guard-watching-the-door kind of way, she reconnects after a second and says "Yes, that's right, we're all looking forward to the tasting tonight!" You believe her anyway because you know that they are trying to set up a hundred salt and pepper shakers in under 2 minutes, and there's place settings and glass ware still to be put out.

These tasting events are great events in that the owner, the staff, the customers -- everybody likes to see the event and everyone loves having a great wine pouring at a special event! And, to be sure, for us who are doing the pouring, it's a great and hectic night (though standing and talking and pouring non-stop for 3 to 4 hours takes Olympic stamina from just about anyone!)
Usually our biggest fans are the chefs and wait staff themselves -- these are people who make their living around fine food and great wine, and who develop acute sensitivities to the differences in flavors and tastes over time. Their endorsement of San Sakana really does mean something (so the next time your wait person recommends a San Sakana wine, take it to heart!)

For us, we are always hoarse and exhausted after the end of the evening, another hundred pours, hopefully a new handful of San Sakana fans and wine club members. In the end, a great night's sleep and the chance to do it again!

Thanks for attending some of our tastings, for updates on our upcoming events, please check our website at www.sansakana.com

2006-08-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

Selling & Marketing Our Wines - the other piece of the puzzle

I've been asked countless times from fellow newbie wineries - how do you do it, price & sell your wines and get known in the marketplace...

Well its been a great learning experience for us, hope some of the notes below, helps you.

First, Pricing -- how'd we set it. Really its an art and a science

Questions to answer -- Will it be good value for our customers, will they buy a bottle or a case and not even think about the price, will it be competitive in the niche we play in? all these questions come into play when we set the retail price. We drew on all our past experience in marketing & selling & growing hi tech businesses. Competitive analysis, understanding the market niche we play in, establishing our brand and identity is part of the discipline we went thru in setting our price. I believe we've achieved the sweet spot with our pricing. We've sold out of every vintage we've released so far and are deemed very good values by our customers.

Second, who do we sell to, what channels to use?

Because of our initial size, we geared up to sell 100% of our business direct. Meaning no sales reps or distributors involved. We set up our online store & wineclub and try to sell to as many targeted restaurants & winebars we know in the area. So far so great. We spend ALOT of time eating out, doing reconnaisance ... not so good for our diets but we'll do anything to get an order.

Its still a thrill to have restaurants pick San Sakana wines to be part of their wine list. List above is from THE GRAND CAFE, our 1st winespectator awarded restaurant in the City. Alex Morrisson, the sommelier, is a true fan of boutique California wineries and we feel privileged to have met him.

Third, how do we market & spread the word about San Sakana?

This has been the trickiest part. Between the 3 Fish owners we probably know 200 friends and family who have joined our newsletter and wineclub. But how do we expand to the 1000's... Fish B of our team who heads up our marketing effort has done a great job with our website, collateral, event planning. We pour at key tasting events, we send our wines to wine editors & reviewers, we submit wines to competitions. Slowly but surely, our ecosystem is expanding.

So my advise to newbie wineries out there, spend time establishing your brand, your identity in the niche you want to play in. Tell your story. Go out to restaurants, pour at events, meet with wine bloggers, get them to review your wines. Before you know it, others will tell your story as well.

Hope this helps. Questions, comments - please email me at bettina@sansakana.com

2006-08-23T19:42:00.000-07:00

Barrels, what's the big deal ....

Next to the grapes & vineyards we source its the 2nd most important decision we have to make in our winemaking plan.

Coopers are the other artisans I've grown to respect in the foodchain of making great wines. Coopers are the artists, manufacturers who turn oak trees into barrels for our wine.

Its like a cigar I suppose (I don't partake, but Fish C of our team certainly does). The wood tastes vary based on how toasted the wood is, are the heads toasted as well, how new is the wood, which forests did it come from, what country, who was the Cooper. Tastes it imparts to the wine is significant - from sweet tones of vanilla and allspice to woodsy & earthy notes.

For us, we like to blend 1 year old French oak barrels with neutral or > then 3 year old barrels for our Sonoma Valley Syrah's like our Las Madres from Carneros and the Trio from vineyard selections in Sonoma. We feel gives enough vanilla, spice overtones without an overly tobacco or woodsy feel therefore letting the cherry & blackfruits of the Syrah come through.

The permutations are endless in winemaking, picking the barrel is just one of the many decisions we make to make wines we can't wait to share with you.

Please email if you have questions or comments, bettina@sansakana.com

Thanks - Bettina

2006-08-17T17:35:00.000-07:00

Roadtrip to Wine Country

In addition to being very selective about our winemaking style and producing quality, drinkable wines, we at San Sakana are also very involved in the viticulture side of the business. Bettina and I trounced off this past weekend to Russian River and Carneros to visit the two vineyards that are a staple of ours - Catie's Corner for its floral Viognier grapes and Las Madres for its fruit-forward Syrah grapes.

Joan Patrick, vineyard manager, showed us around the many rows of Catie's Corner Vineyard which is part of Sara Lee's 200+ acres in the Russian River Valley. The vines were cut back last week after the many days of heat to ensure that the healthiest bunch per stock would ripen to perfection. The vines were planted in 1998 and our rows are part of an organically farmed block. With the rocky soil and dry clay, our grapes are looking even healtheir than those in 2005. We look forward to harvest which will be a little early this year - we're expecting the 1st or 2nd week of September.

Our next stop was Las Madres Vineyard where we picniced by the pond with owners John and Jean Painter. This is now their third year of harvest and the vines are looking pretty clean, with veraison continuing to occur. We believe the nutrients from the pond are the key to the vines keeping their great color, even through the summer, and the full clusters that are abundant every year. With nine total acres, we source from the two clones that are planted - 300 and 162. Beginning of October is the estimated pick time for our Syrah - so we better get some sleep before now and then :)

Aside from the vineyard trips, Bettina and I also spent some time in Bodega Bay soaking up the views and playing some golf. Sonoma was our next stop - and we could not visit without a visit to A Girl in the Fig where we shared a great flight of Rhone style wines (Cinsault, Carignane, Syrah, Mourvedre). You have to try this place if you are a Rhone lover. The selection and depth of their wine list is to die for...as is the food.

Q's, comments - pls. email me at leslie@sansakana.com

Leslie

2006-08-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

What's in a Blend?

We just released our first Rhone Blend to the market this past month, our 2004 TRIO Syrah. A barrel select, vineyard selected Syrah from 3 of the best Syrah vineyards we sourced in 2004 from Sonoma Valley.

Sounds simple doesn't it... blend a little of this, a little of that and voila, you have your TRIO.

All I can share, is it was the most exhausting, thrilling, winemaking experiment we've embarked on so far. First, we had to pick the vineyards. We picked Clary Ranch from Petaluma for its fruit forwardness of cherries & blackberry jam & spice notes, blended with a bit of Teldeschi from Healdsburg to provide the structure & depth and then gave it a splash of WhiteHawk Syrah to give it acidity and perfume.

AND THEN we had to decide what barrels to age each of the Vineyard designate syrah's. We planned for our TRIO Syrah to be the best of the best of our releases, and knew that we would age it for alot longer then our previous 2004 Las Madres Syrah. So blending barrels with newer oak, more pronounced toasts like a brand new Demptos oak barrel from France which had strong tobacco & allspice notes, added the spice in Trio that I think elevates this wine's Syrah characteristics. 22 months later, we have our 2004 Trio Syrah which is now quickly becoming a restaurant and customer favorite.

We hope you enjoy it. We certainly enjoyed our multiple long blending evenings ...

Oh yeah, our other learning, must learn to spit more!

Thanks for reading. Q's, comments - please email me at bettina@sansakana.com

Technorati Tags : wine food & drink

2006-08-04T09:17:00.000-07:00

Harvest Update, its been HOT!!!!

With the scorching string of 100+ degree weather we've had lately, we've been checking out the vineyards alot these days. Picture to the left shows signs of sunburn on some clusters. (thanks to our friends @ Crushpad for sending us some of these pics ).

From the Las Madres Vineyard in Carneros in Sonoma to Broken Leg in Anderson Valley and south to Alta Mesa in Cuyama Valley and clear west to White Hawk Vineyard in Santa Barbara - conditions appear on track for a healthy albeit late harvest this year. In cooler climate vineyards like Broken Leg up in Mendocino County, we open up the canopy & aggressively leaf pull & remove lateral shoots from the vines. This ensures air flow through the grapes. In warmer sites like Alta Mesa in Cuyama Valley, we manage with more leaves around the fruit to protect from too much sun & sunburn. Though we will lose some clusters due to sunburn (like above), remaining clusters will ripen nicely with soft tannins.

Its a gamble we make - how much canopy coverage to provide. More coverage, more leaf protects the grapes from sunburn; but capturing sunlight promotes photosynthesis which sustains the vines, ahhh.... all that high school biology comes into play. But across the board, berries are ripening. And the thick skins on our fruit should be perfect for delicious tasting Syrah, Viognier & Mourvedre juice!

We'll be heading north to Sonoma in a week to check out Catie's Corner vineyard in Russian River Valley & the Las Madres Vineyard in Carneros to check out our Syrah rows. Can't wait to share more pics & stories with you after our trip. Its a treat for us to visit with the artisan farmers who toil the soil, in my book they're the true artists in winemaking.

Q's, comments - please email me at bettina@sansakana.com

Thanks for reading, Bettina

Technorati Tags : wine food & drink

2006-07-29T09:12:00.000-07:00

Our wine inspiration can come from anywhere ... Like from Santa Fe, New Mexico

We just returned from a long 4 day weekend in Santa Fe, New Mexico. For those who have never been, please try to schedule a trip soon. Its stunningly beautiful, perched hi up @ 7000 foot elevation. And yes, believe it or not, grapes grow in the New Mexico high dessert.

We enjoyed New Mexico's own GRUET sparkling wine grown from the outskirts of Albuquerque. Gruet NV Blanc de Noir at $13/bottle is a rare gem. Hints of peach, vanilla with the most sensual peach coral colors. Methode Champenoise is used. Gruet is a well known French Champagne house in Champagne France. One of the sons moved to Albuquerque in 1983 and started Gruet Winery based in New Mexico. My learning, if you're passionate & have the knowledge & werewithall, you can start a winery anywhere.

Aside from New Mexico grown grapes, we found Santa Fe to be extraordinarily adventurous & noteworthy in its wine lists at the many restaurants we happened upon. Like, Geronimo's. New Mexico's only Mobil 4 star restaurant. Quinn Stephenson, the wine buyer, is a California boutique wine fanatic. A rabid fan. He loves small, single vineyard productions like Garretson's lineup of Syrah's from Paso Robles and Merry Edwards's roster of Pinot Noirs. For us small wineries, a great person to know. What a pleasure it was to wine & dine with Quinn.

If you're needing wine for your picnics in Santa Fe, visit Susan's Fine Wine & Spirits store on El Cerrillos. Susan opened her own store just earlier this year with a mission to teach, and share the wines she loves from around the world. We bought a spectacular Jumilla from Roblemar, 2002 vintage for about $20/bottle. A meritage of Spanish Merlot & Tempranillo & Cabernet Sauvignon, that blends the best of all. Very well balanced with strong cherry fruit and a long mouth finish, it was great with our tamales & chicken mole tacos. What a great combo!

So our motto, venture off... travel to new places, try new wines, go out of your way to meet new people. You never know who will be your next mentor, friend, partner or customer.

Fish B of our team lives that motto well and we try to keep up. Thank you Leslie for the inspiration.

No doubt, our travels shape our tastes and decisions in the San Sakana wines we hope to share with all of you for many years to come. So who knows if we'll ever own our own vineyards, or source grapes from outside California but if exceptional wines can grow in the high dessert mesas of New Mexico, then maybe someday... We definitely made some good sales calls this weekend, so hopefully once we line up our NM wine distributors, we'll be sellling San Sakana wines to Geronimo's and to Susan's wine store.

I know I'll never forget what Santa Fe exposed me to this weekend. I hope you can all visit sometime soon and taste the magic yourselves.

Q's, comments - pls. email me at bettina@sansakana.com

Bettina

Technorati Tags : wine food & drink

2006-07-24T16:45:00.000-07:00

Who said winemaker dinners were a stuffy, low-key affair? Well, maybe some are...but not ours!! The first ever San Sakana Winemaker Dinner held on Saturday was a hit. With all three fish in attendance, and the help of Charles and Chris of Left Bank San Mateo, we presented our latest Rhone style wines paired with their French brasserie cuisine. Here's a recap of the menu served:

Selection Passed Hors d’ Oeuvres
Foie Gras Mousse on Spiced Bread, Cumin, Fennel Crusted Ahi on Brioche,
Gruyere Soufflé
Paired with our 2005 Catie’s Corner Viognier, Russian River Valley, to highlight its crispness from all stainless steel aging, floral nose, and citrus notes

Curried U-10 Day Boat Scallops
Salad of Shaved Fennel, Mango & Hearts of Palm
Vanilla-Honey-Viognier Reduction
Paired alongside our 2005 Broken Leg Viognier, Anderson Valley, to accentuate its creaminess from barreling in stainless steel and neutral oak – bringing out hints of apricot and peach

Grilled, Herb Marinated, Bone-In Center Cut Pork Loin
Roasted Figs, Wilted Rocket Arugula, Spiced Syrah Veal Demi-Glace
Paired with our 2004 Trio Syrah, Sonoma Valley, which is the best of the best blend of Syrah grapes bringing out a toasty oak flavor with vanilla and black fruit overtones. This wine had 22 months to evolve in barrel

Selection European Cheeses
St. Simeon, Petite Agour, Lancashire
Seasonal Fruit & Croutons
Paired alongside our 2004 Las Madres Syrah, Carneros. Aged 17 months in a combination of neutral and one-year old barrels emphasizes its balance - fruit-forward, black cherry, and pepper

Chocolate Fondant
Oregon Huckleberry Sauce, Vanilla Ice Cream
Paired alongside our 2004 Las Madres Syrah or 2004 Trio Syrah. The cherry notes and weight of our 2004 Syrah’s are a great complement to this rich silky chocolate dessert

We had a full house at this event held in the private dining room of the restaurant. The evening was filled with lots of fun, jokes, a speech or two, but most importantly some great food and wine. This is definitely one of the perks of owning a winery - the ability to showcase your wines to friends, family, current/future customers, and Wine Club members.

The three fish, Bettina, Leslie & Peter would like to thank all that attended. Without you, making (and drinking) wine would not be nearly as fun. Hope to see all of you (and many others) at the next one. We'll keep you posted :)

Q's, comments - pls. email me at leslie@sansakana.com

Leslie

2006-07-17T18:45:00.000-07:00

The Best Burger Recipe with San Sakana 2004 Las Madres Syrah

This recipe is courtesy of our good friends Ken & Deb Kranefuss. That's Ken, sorry Deb didn't have a pic of the two of you.

This burger recipe is TOO DIE FOR, hope you can try it soon.

Open up a 2004 Las Madres Syrah at least 30 minutes before serving, if you open up just as you form the patties, all should be timed perfectly. The cherry fruits and black olive notes of the Las Madres Syrah pair heavenly with the blue cheese tang on the burger. Enjoy!

Blue Cheese Burgers by Ken & Deb Kranefuss

This recipe is a variation of a winning recipe on the Great American Hamburger Contest broadcast by the Food Network in 2005.

Makes 4 delicious burgers

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
4 whole wheat buns or your favorite breads
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste (other spices if you want, too!)
Blue Cheese or Feta cheese, 4 ¼ inch slabs
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1T oil and 1T butter
1 green, red or yellow bell pepper, cut into rings, serve uncooked
(Bettina's note, the ring serves as an 'inner tube' for the cooked mushrooms to rest on)

1.) Mix beef, egg and spices in bowl. Divide into 4 portions
2.) Divide each portion in half again, roll and form smaller portions into 2 patties
3.) Place one slab of feta cheese between two patties. Pinch edges of patties together to form one burger.
4.) Broil or cook on grill 3-4 min on each side or to taste.
5.) While burgers are cooking, sauté mushrooms in butter and oil 4-5 minutes or until cooked. Set aside.
6.) Arrange cooked burgers on bread, place an uncooked pepper ring on top of burger, spoon cooked mushrooms inside pepper ring.

Add your favorite condiments.
Pour a large glass of Las Madres Syrah.
Write haikus.

Trust me, its great! Enjoy!

If there are any other recipes out there that you've paired with San Sakana wines, please share them with us.

Thanks again Ken & Deb for being our friends for life.

Bettina & Peter

2006-07-11T22:11:00.000-07:00

What is California Style?

I just returned from a trip to Europe, where I had the great pleasure of sharing a bottle of San Sakana Las Madres Syrah with my Italian friends. Generally, we plan these events in advance: pick a night, pick a type of wine, arrange for an evening of tasting and comparisons. Aside from our syrah, I brought a small vineyard, low yield Sangiovese from Sonoma (good fruit but lacked depth and finish), and from Italy we shared a Ripasso, Brunello, and a Barbaresco. More about these later, but the reaction to Las Madres was what I wanted to write about.

Overall the Italians loved the depth and finish of the Las Madres; they also picked up the taste of black olives in the wine, and admired its great balance and long finish. What surprised them was the alcohol at 14.5% - not uncommon at all for a California wine, but with most Italian varieties in the 13-14% range, it is a noticeable difference.

So what makes this Californian? I think it is in the particular attention we pay to full physiological maturity of the grapes before harvest. California vineyards have been putting a lot of emphasis on this, and using indicators like grape seed appearance as the final indicator of full ripeness, rather than strict numerical targets of brix, pH and TA. Granted, the 2004 harvest in California saw a late season heat spell just before harvest, which pushed the sugars up as the fruit was still reaching peak maturity, and this accounts for some of the added alcohol, but even in 2005 with the cooler season, the fruit was allowed to hang until the physiological apex was reached. This is not to downplay the results achieved in other regions -- for sure, the greatest wines still come from France and each region plays to its strength in soil, climate, and fruit. Not better, but different -- and maybe that is what makes Californian wines what they are.

Now back to the wines -- by far the Barbaresco was the best: long finishing and deeply aromatic with a complex of flavors and aromas that kept you coming back for another taste, if only to identify that last aroma (was it really Chinese 5 Spice?). Wish I could remember the label, but it was a friendly evening and after 5 bottles of wine, I'm glad I remembered the types! the Brunello was a disappointment -- a wine specially selected and aged for 5 years should show more body, but this wine showed well, indicated promise in the mid palate -- then dropped off a cliff like a lover forlorn. Sad.

The Ripasso is an interesting wine, one which most probably haven't heard of. Amarone, as most know, is a Valpolicella wine made by taking Passito grapes and drying them on a rack for 2-3 months prior to fermentation. This process intensifies the fruit without making it overly alcoholic, and Amarone wines can easily age for 10 years before drinking. Ripasso is an entirely separate wine, typically an everyday red made in the usual way, but then racked over to barrels containing the must from the Amarone grapes for 2-3 weeks, then re-racked into their permanent barrels or foudres. The process gives tannin, color and flavor to the wine, and is a popular if inexpensive wine found throughout Italy. The Ripasso we tried did show some of the complexities of the process, though truth be told, it was competing with 4 other wines of unusual depth and power, so it was understandably overshadowed.

The moral of the story: any chance you get, bring a couple of bottles of Californian wine to share with your Italian friends, and the evening will always turn into a wine tasting party lasting until the Restaurant is forced to close!

Q's, pls. email me - peter@sansakana.com

Peter Himes
Fish C

2006-07-06T08:57:00.000-07:00

San Sakana Wine Haiku Society, how it all started....

When we started San Sakana, the idea was floated that we should do Wine Haiku, to keep with the Japanese theme. Some took it as a joke, but I believed that it could become a great theme for the winery. Life, Lust, Love, Wine and Food -- if you could have everything you want in these five areas, what else would you want?

So I started the San Sakana Wine Haiku Society, mostly to celebrate the role of Wine in our life's most intimate moments. Wine can and does share all of the moments which puctuate our life's journey, and often the memories we have of life's poignant moments -- both good and bad -- involve wine in some way. The Haiku Society is open to everyone; I publish every wine-related haiku I get. I also give credit to all authors. Truth be told, most of the haiku are mine (in fact, ALL haiku which don't list an author -- nearly 200 so far -- are all mine). I have found that haiku can express so much about life, whether pain or joy or the quick fiery passion of a growing lust. I invite everyone to read them and contribute what you can!

http://sansakana.com/category/haiku

Best
Peter Himes
Fish C
Haiku ist

PS today we got Googled for the first time as a haiku site! Woo hoo!!

2006-07-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

2006 Harvest Update

Summer's here. If you're in the Bay Area, you know. We've certainly had our share of HOT SUMMER DAYS & NIGHTS.

Set has occurred in most vineyards. Some are lagging slightly due to the late start this year with the long rains we had in the Spring. But for the most part, we are monitoring bloom & cluster growth and prepare for our heavy pruning stage. We prune aggressively in all of our vineyards. Seems illogical (at least from our accountant's point of view) but the less fruit we yield per acre the better the wine. Concentrated fruit per vine yields much more flavorful & distinctive wines. Its what we like to drink and so its what we strive for in our vineyard management practices.

Every vineyard's different though and thats the beauty of it all. Wines can vary so much, even within blocks of the same vineyard due to different microclimates, soil composition and fruit set.
Here's what's happening at some of our Vineyard sites...

Up in Mendocino, near town of Philo @ the Broken Leg Vineyard in Anderson Valley, this very cool climate vineyard benefits from cool foggy mornings which clears in the mid day yielding long hot afternoons then cooling off in the dusk for temperate evening conditions which our Broken Leg Viognier grapes love.

In Carneros @ the Las Madres Vineyard in Sonoma Valley, mornings start cool due to the San Pedro Bay effects then as the sun rises, temperature soars for long growing hours which clone 99 and clone 374 Syrah thrive on.

If in Santa Barbara @ the White Hawk Vineyard, days are hot and remain hot yielding ripe rich fruit that will bear distinctive cherry jam notes in the Syrah wines from this famed & special vineyard.

Or if in Cuyama Valley @ the Alta Mesa Vineyard, mornings are cool because of the 3200' elevation but temperatures can rise to the 100's by mid afternoon. The San Sakana acre block of Mourvedre clones thrive in this combination.

But before we know it, it'll be September and harvest prep and frenzy begins!

More about that later....

Q's, comments - please let me know.

Bettina

2006-06-27T16:05:00.000-07:00

Some of the best wines grow in the craziest places...

Here's one of them. High up in the Cuyama valley, crowding against the foothills of the Southern Rockies, are a series of mesas which plateau out at 3200'. The soil is rocky, the air dusty. Water runs deep and whatever grows has to really want to grow. All along the valley below, the agriculture of Santa Maria fills the floor with hundreds of acres of fruit and grain and vegetables.

Up on the mesas, though, only a persistent weed with a knack for channeling its energy into fruit production can call this place home. This place is Alta Mesa, and finding it is like finding a lemonade stand on the moon -- perplexingly out of place, silly when you think of it, but beautiful in its own way. The altitude and soil force the Alta Mesa Mourvedre and Alta Mesa Grenache to produce fruit of unusual strength and depth.

Our first barrels of the 2005 Vintage Mourvedre are maturing nicely in our Sequin Moreau French oak barrels -- this will be a wine which will drink for years, yet taste extraordinary out of the bottle.

Coming in 2007! We can't wait to share it with you.

2006-06-21T10:35:00.000-07:00

Wine is a living thing ....

In so many ways ... from grapes to grape juice, then through fermentation, then throughout its life in a barrel and then finally to its final resting place in a wine bottle before you & I uncork and sip ...

Something I learned recently reinforces this thought - the BOTTLE SHOCK phenomenon

After you bottle a wine, the wine 'seizes up'. I believe it must get very upset after being so happy sitting quietly in a dark, cool barrel in our winery cellar. Its safe, its happy, Then one day, we decide its time to bottle. How to decide --> if for our Viognier, the sugars are down to zero, malo's have been blocked to a mouthfeel we like, the aromatics are pronounced, & as in our 2005 Catie's Corner -- grapefruit & tangerine peel fill your nose.

Then on bottling day, the wine is RUDELY forced through a bottling machine pump which forces wine out of a barrel & into every wine bottle. If that wasn't bad enough, then a cork is slammed in for good, labels are pasted & bottles are boxed in cases. I guess I must now know what giving birth is like.

The wine must get traumatized by its new surroundings. Its now seeing 'light' for the first time, its touching glass... how weird it must be, when its been swimming in a dark cool oak barrel for months. BUT as wine is a living thing, it evolves and gets used to its new 'womb' of sorts. So... few weeks after bottling, the aromatics open up again, the mouthfeel of the wine fills.

This is why we do NOT release or ship wine as soon as we bottle.

Wine is a living thing, isn't it cool ...

Q's, comments - pls. email me.

Bettina.

2006-06-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

The 2004 Las Madres Syrahs are going fast...

(down to our last 5 cases) and we are anxiously monitoring the 2005 Wines in barrel.

To me, Las Madres has a taste unlike any other syrah I've come across -- call it terroir or Carneros Clay or whatever, but I could pick this wine out of a lineup blindfolded! I've heard it described as black olives, which sounds more like a pinot than a syrah, but maybe that is what you get when you grow syrah in a traditional Pinot area. 2005 will show the same characteristic -- alcohol will be slightly less, which will give more balance to the finished wine, but it won't hurt anyone's enjoyment!

For me, this is the wine I look forward to every bottle ...

Peter

2006-06-14T08:54:00.000-07:00

Winery as a Co-Op

Many have wondered how we launched ourselves as a winery. For us it was opportune that a San Francisco based winery launched in 2004 the same year we decided to start our venture. Having Crushpad in the city allows us to be in charge of our winemaking, cellar operations without having to travel to Napa or Sonoma AND most importantly to allow most of us to keep our day jobs.

We have had the privilege of learning from our crew of consulting winemakers like Kian Tavakoli of Opus One & Clos Du Val. Our learning curve is steep and soooo much more enjoyable then anything we've ever tackled with our day jobs.

The economies of scale are also phenomenal... we do NOT have to pay for $150k bottling line machine, we get access to cellar space that is pristine & in perfect shape. Truly for us, it was the only way to go as a start-up boutique winery.

More about life as a winery owner later, pls. email me if you have q's - Bettina

2006-06-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

What a great weekend to meet HUNDREDS of thirsty Syrah & Viognier loving wine drinkers.

This is part of the life we now have as San Sakana Cellars. Instead of playing golf or watching Da Vinci Code (we maybe last people in America who haven't yet), we managed to squeeze in two tasting events this weekend.

The Crushpad open house, our winery in San Francisco, was filled to the brim on Saturday afternoon June 10th. We managed to meet with 600 or so rabid fans of limited production, single vineyard Syrah's and Viogniers.

On Sunday, June 11th, we were also one of the featured wineries at the Taste of California Wine Event in San Mateo. It is a great charity and for us another fantastic opportunity to share our wines with more Syrah & Viognier loving folks.

We're tired, but happy.

More notes soon as we gear up for the release of our 2005 Viogniers!