We gave Harvest 2009 a fitting farewell last Saturday. Under perfect fall skies we gathered the Taft Street family, including growers and other folks with ties to the winery; and had ourselves a party! We built a fire pit and started a fire with a load of oak and a couple of old wine barrels …
The inspiration for our fire pit cooking came from an Argentine recipe – Una Vaca Entera. This recipe called for “1 medium cow, about 1400 pounds, butterflied, skin removed.” We decided to start with something a bit more manageable, and our Saturday party was a big success. Chimichurri sauce is a staple of Argentine cooking, …
is upon us. Just after I put away tables from the President’s Club party, stashed cushions and rattan furniture from the decks and patio, and harvested forty pounds of tomatoes – the skies opened. From four to six inches of rain will drop over the next 24 hours. Timing is everything, and this year (and …
The Sonoma County Harvest Fair is the country’s largest regional wine competition and unique celebration of the senses, set in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country during the most splendid season of the year. Judged by renowned wine critics and sommeliers from throughout the country, Sonoma County’s Harvest Fair is truly a competition of the …
We are now at the height of Crush, with truckloads of gorgeous fruit arriving daily. It’s all hands on deck and then some, as Harvest 2009 appears to be a winner. Certainly Taft Street is a winner. For those not in touch over the past week, we collected 4 GOLD MEDALS AT THE Sonoma County …
We are in the middle of harvest, and things are hot and heavy. Today we are bringing in Merlot and Pinot Noir, with more Pinot and Chardonnay coming in the next day or two. Harvest should continue on a daily basis for the next week or so, especially if the weather stays hot as predicted. …
Wine & Spirits Magazine rated two of Taft Street Winery’s Chardonnays among the 40 exceptional (90+ points) North American Chardonnays over the past 12 months! The 2007 Russian River Valley Garagiste Chardonnay received 91 pts and the 2007 Russian River Valley Chardonnay received 90 pts and a Best Buy!!!
These mornings find me in long pants and sweatshirt. The fog lingers well into the day. Very definitely a cooler than average summer in our neck of the woods. Yet the harvesting continues. I’ve already picked and dried several hundred plum tomatoes, am fermenting several gallons of Asian pear cider vinegar, and have dug up …
Warm, smoke filled days indicate the Western wildfire season is in full swing. High summer means tomatoes and Asian pears are out in (over)abundance, and our six fig trees are about ready to bear. Why anyone has six fig trees is beyond me. Grapes are a month or so away. Peppers and eggplant are making …
Without the constant changes in latitudes, hotels, restaurants, and internal turbulence… life just doesn’t seem as varied here on the home front. Notable events seem fewer and farther apart, so I will probably write every other week or so (unless life becomes suddenly a good deal more bizarre). I have noted how my morning walks …
