Passing the first test

There are all sorts of areas of the wine business that people can pursue. If you like sales then perhaps you want to work for a distributor and sell wine wholesale, or work in a tasting room. Working for my family’s winery where everyone does a number of different jobs there is a vast array of education needed.

I had the extreme pleasure of meeting seven Master Sommeliers, there are only 90 in the US, and let me tell you, these guys wowed me! The amount and extent of knowledge that they posses is just mind blowing. In order to become a Master, which in my opinion is basically equivalent to being a doctor of wine, you have know a massive amount of information from wine regions, to production of different wines to macro and micro climates of countries and appellations all over the world.

During the course we did a series of blind tastings, these I thought were the most fun part. I have had experience with blind tastings but very little with wines all over the world. Most of the wines we tasted were fairly specific to the appellations they were from they included a Nebbiolo from Italy, Gruener Veltliner from Austria, Zinfandel from Lodi and Riesling from Germany (of course there were more but those are just a few off the top of my head.)  Although the blind tasting part was my favorite it was the most nerve racking…. one by one we had to stand up in the middle of the class and talk about the wine (varietal, region etc).

Overall I might some amazing people during the course and learned SO much information about wines from all over the world. Right after the test I wanted to go to Bottle Barn and look at all the wine labels!!

AND I PASSED MY TEST! *which is the best news of the experiance.

1982 Belvedere Pinot Noir from Bacigalupi Vineyards

As growers in the area for over 50 years we have sold our fruit  to countless wineries in Napa, Sonoma and Mendicino counties as well as out of state, most notable New York. For several years we partnered with Belvedere winery which recently sold in 2007 and opened as C. Donatiello. Here is a label from the 1982 vintage when they made a special label for the Bacigalupi designate.

Opening up the Past

Last night’s dinner was sensational and the wine that we served was some of the most interesting that I can remember that we have had at Christmas time. My grandparents have a phenomenal collection of wine, most of what they have collected over the past 50+ years of being in the wine business. But the problem is they don’t have a fancy wine storage unit where all the bottles are neatly organized, they keep the wine in boxes in the garage. So every holiday Grandpa brings over an array of wines; some of which are good and others which have since turned into cooking wine and last night was no exception.
We started off the night with so champagne (or sparkling wine) and then Grandpa pulled out a 1982 Belvedere Pinot Noir from our vineyards; the year that my parents were married. My grandparents; Charles and Helen Bacigalupi started selling grapes to Belvedere in 1982, the year the winery was founded and this continued for many years.  Part of our vineyard property lies just above the winery. Since then Belvedere has since changed hands and is now C. Donatiello. They put our vineyard designate on both the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Now I must say for a 26 year old Pinot Noir, it was pretty good.
Next on the list was also from Belvedere, a Cabernet Sauvignon from the Robert Young vineyard, also a very nice wine and went great with the prime rib. But my favorite of the night was the 2001 Williams Selyem Zinfandel from our vineyards. In my mind, this wine was everything that a Zinfandel should be. We rounded off dessert with a bottle of port from Rodney Strong, The True Gentlemen’s Port which has become a family favorite. All in all the wines were a great addition to a wonderful night

Rainy Christmas Eve Morning

Looking out of our office window and enjoying this very rainy morning makes me think about how 2008 is almost over. It is only natural that at the end of every year you reminisce on that year; the challenges that were overcome, and the challenges still yet to face, the changes and positive outcomes that have happened throughout the year. In the wine industry and in any family business there will undoubtedly be a lot of these ups and downs along the way. The 2008 harvest was certainly difficult, for the vines as well as for the farmer. But the ending of this year also makes me think about how fortunate we are to have an opportunity to be involved in a family business, doing what we love. The best satisfaction from all the hard work and dedication is knowing that consumers like our product and enjoy it as much as we do.
We are very much looking towards 2009 with enthusiasm and anticipation for many exciting projects; the release of our 2005 Pinot Noir and Zinfandel as well as the long awaited opening of our Russian River Valley Tasting room.  Thanks to all you and your continued support and our family wishes you a Merry Christmas!
~ The Bacigalupi Family

Sausage stuffed mushrooms!

This is one of John’s all time favorite appetizers. We make it for almost every holiday and special occasion. You can choose to use any bulk sausage; we have just found that the flavors of the Jimmy Dean Sausage really compliment this recipe. It’s easy (and fun) to make and I’m sure the whole family will enjoy it. Happy Holidays!
~Pam Bacigalupi

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs medium mushrooms
1/2 lb Jimmy Dean Pork Sausage
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs
parsley for garnish

Directions
1. Remove stems from mushrooms; chop stems. Set mushrooms and stems aside
2. In 10 -inch skillet over medium heat, cook sausage until well browned. With slotted spoon, remove sausage to paper towels to drain. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet.
3. In hot drippings over medium heat, cook mushroom stems until tender, about 10 mins, stirring frequently. Remove skillet from heat; stir in sausage, cheese and crumbs.
4. Preheat oven to 450 degree F. Fill mushroom caps with sausage mixture. Place stuffed mushrooms in 15 1/2 ” by 10 1/2″ pan. Bake 15 mins.

The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Selections

Top 25 Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs from the Russian River Valley
Article from the San Francisco Chronicle
The Russian River Valley, one of California’s notable Pinot Noir regions, produces wine with plenty of cherry and red berry fruit. Cooling wind and fog flow through the Petaluma Wind Gap, causing evening temperatures to drop; the growing season is slightly longer, allowing more time for grapes to ripen and flavor.

Rating: TWO AND A HALF STARS 2004 John Tyler Bacigalupi Vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($42) Subtle cedar, eucalyptus and spice on the nose plus toasty oak; dry, dusty mineral leads to flavors of roasted cherry and bright strawberry on the palate. Winery only.

This week the panel tasted 2005 and 2006 single-vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noirs, which in general seemed deeper, more concentrated and complex than the majority of those labeled solely with Russian River Valley. We will feature these wines in The Chronicle Wine Selections next week. Cooler temperatures in 2005 maintained grapes’ acidity and resulted in a slightly decreased harvest of great-quality fruit.

A late, wet spring started the 2006 vintage, which had a heat spike in midsummer. Cooler October temperatures delayed harvest, slowing ripening and providing additional time on the vines for grapes to concentrate and mature to full flavor.

The panel found lots to like among the 57 vineyard-designate Russian River Valley Pinots, which are made from vintners’ best, most distinctive grapes. The wines showed well and are displaying depth, complexity and less noticeable alcohol levels than many from the hot 2004 vintage.

Demand is high for these limited-production wines, which is reflected in the prices.

Winter maintenance

So even though there is not a whole lot going on in the vineyards right now, one thing that we are focusing all our attention on is pruning. We started pruning about a month ago and we will continue to prune all through the winter until budbreak in March. Pruning is an important step in winter vineyard maintenance. It removes the old, dead growth from the vine to make room for the new growth in the spring. Because this is all done by hand there is a special technique and it can be time consuming. This photo was taken this morning. We were pruning the south block of Chardonnay and all the vines and ground were covered with frost.
This time of year frost and cold weather are actually desirable and benefit the vines. The cold weather will help the vines go to sleep and become dormant. It is during this time that they are storing energy and nutrients for the spring. All we need is some rain and we will have a good start to the new growing year.
On the other hand frost can be very dangerous when the shoots are starting to emerge at spring time. The frost will kill the buds and the new, delicate growth. This is what happened this past spring and what effected the crop sizes of this year’s harvest. I think that all vintners, including myself are hoping that Spring 2009 starts out with some warm weather.
~ John Bacigalupi

Top of the morning

This morning I went down to the cellar to top our 2008 Pinot Noir. They are trudging through malolactic fermentation at this time. The cold weather is slowing this process down a little but we are almost there. Topping is extremely important and with our strict barrel regime I check the barrels for topping every week. The amount of topping we do changes dramatically depending on weather, humidity and wine loss through evaporation. Topping ensures that we inhibit oxidation in the wine.
I am especially looking forward to getting the rest of the lots of Zinfandel and Petite Sirah racked and barreled so I can evaluate their progress. The 08 Zinfandel this year I feel is one of the best wines that I have made thus far. It is one of the most complete and balanced wines with virtually no drawbacks.
The Petite Sirah is looking good as well, as will be racking it for the last time this week before we start to barrel age it for the next 12-16 months. During those months I will be sampling the wines to track their progress. I am looking for them to start forming structure and balance. You can be sure I will be monitoring them carefully!

Ranch work

Today I went out with my dad to see some of the work he has been doing around the ranch. Because there is not a whole lot going on in the vineyards right now he has time to do some work around the ranch. He just bought a new spreader and is using it to spread manure around the base of the vines. We bought the manure from the neighboring dairy. This will help to promote better vine growth and help to produce higher quality fruit. The manure also replenishes the soil and encourages the recirculation of certain nutrients like Potassium Phosphate, nitrogen and lime. This project is just a small part of the Bacigalupi Vineyards sustainability practices. These practices ensure that we do not compromise the natural resources future generations require to meet their own goals.

“With dedication to producing the finest wine possible comes also the commitment to preserving the environment. Consistently striving to improve farming practices, I have tried to emphasize environmental soundness, sustainability and efficiency, all without compromising quality.”
~John Bacigalupi

Another look

 This is a computer model and Lindsay, our architect did for us of the outside of building and it’s natural surroundings.

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