Happy New Year!
I am looking out a window in my home in Dry Creek Valley and it appears to be another beautiful day. The only problem is there have been far too many “beautiful” days in the past year. Just five inches of rain fell in this part of the county in 2013, where the average is over 40 inches. There appears to be no significant relief in sight, which could have serious consequences on everyone in Northern California wine country.
This is perhaps the quietest time of the year at the winery. The production staff shuts down between Christmas and New Year’s. Mike Martini shuts himself in his office and finishes out the books for the year. He has once again shown Taft Street Winery to be a profitable organization, and has produced a budget that predicts even greater things in 2014. Bravo Mike!
Things pick up next week, with bottling our main activity. This month we will bottle our 2013 Russian River Valley Pinot Gris and our 2013 Russian River Valley Rose of Pinot Noir. Both these wines will be in an updated package. Wines such as the above which will be available primarily in the Tasting Room will have their own label, differentiating them from our national core brands (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot). Our “garagistes” wines will continue to be bottled in their own distinct package.
We have added yet another reason to visit our Tasting Room. You may now charge your electric car or hybrid vehicle while tasting some of the finest wine in the Russian River Valley. Right next to the Tasting Room we have installed a 240 volt charger that will help you get where you need to go.
All of us at Taft Street wish you the very best in 2014.
Cheers,
Mike Tierney
President, Taft Street Winery