Lately things have seemed (almost) normal. Blue skies, warm days, cool nights, grapes picked and pressed – life seems idyllic; and it is (kinda). There is no rain in sight, high winds are occasionally forecast, and the pandemic has changed both our personal and business schedules. But life goes on, providing ample proof for the …
Beaujolais Nouveau Day, this year on Thursday, November 19th is a yearly event in France when the first wine of the season is made available. We at Taft Street are offering our rendition of a Pinot Noir Nouveau, made in the same manner as its Beaujolais counterpart. At the winery we will offer samples of …
The strangest harvest in memory continued into September; but the lightning, fires heat and smoke appeared to be tapering off, and we were all looking for a quick ending to this very odd year. Then things turned really weird. Another record breaking heat wave visited California last week, bringing with it high winds, fires, unhealthy …
I cooked up a batch of these wings for my grandson’s 16th birthday, and they were a hit for Otto and his three buddies. The adults in the socially spaced crowd enjoyed them as well. INGREDIENTS: 3 pounds chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats 1 tablespoon baking powder (NOT soda) ½ teaspoon salt 2 …
Just when we thought we had our arms around our ever changing circumstances, we get hit by dry lightning storms and accompanying wildfires. These fires were no less serious than others over the past several years, and closed down vineyard operations temporarily in the Dry Creek and Russian River Valley appellations. As of this writing …
It must be baseball season, as curveballs seem to be everywhere. Regulations regarding restaurant and bar openings, public gatherings, indoor vs. outdoor events – all seem to change at an alarming rate. Moreover, the end is nowhere in sight. Planning is more of a guessing game than ever, but here at Taft Street we are …
A significant uptick in Covid-19 cases in California has delayed the reopening of sections of the state’s economy. For the wine industry restaurant sales remain virtually nonexistent, and in Sonoma County Tasting Room activities are limited to reservation-only parties who must sit at socially distanced tables. This will undoubtedly change, but no one has been …
In the cellar Melissa and crew continue doing their magic of the wines of 2019, bottling for clients, and starting preparations for this year’s harvest. It is still early and we have just gone through a brief hot spell, but vineyards look healthy and happy. The Tasting Room remains closed. A number of wineries in …
This month we at Taft Street will release our first single vineyard Merlot – the 2018 Los Amigos Vineyard, Chalk Hill, Russian River Valley. We had a staff tasting a few weeks ago to get any final pre-release reactions to the wine. Above the usual and expected ooh’s and aah’s was the recognition that the …
