Why We Pick at 4am
It's not for the romance. The fruit is cold, the sugars are stable, and the trucks can get in and out before the heat turns everything to jam. By 10am we're done—berries in the destemmer, juice in the tank, crew at the table with coffee. Here's what a harvest morning actually looks like.
Block 3 comes first. Our oldest Cabernet vines, planted in '89. The rows are tight; we pick into small bins, 30 pounds max, so nothing gets crushed. Marco tastes a berry from every fifth vine. When he nods, we move. When he frowns, we wait. Some years that means three passes over two weeks. This year we got it in one.
Read moreCabernet and Short Ribs: A Recipe
Sofia's been testing braises for the winter wine club shipment. This one works. The key is browning the meat properly—don't rush it. And use a wine you'd actually drink. If you wouldn't put it in a glass, don't put it in the pot.
Ingredients: 4 lbs bone-in short ribs, 1 bottle Estate Cabernet, 2 onions, 4 carrots, 6 cloves garlic, thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste, beef stock. Brown the ribs. Sauté the aromatics. Deglaze with wine. Add stock, herbs, ribs. Cover and braise at 300°F for 3 hours. Serve with polenta and the rest of the bottle.
Read more2024 in the Rearview
Dry year. Early budbreak, long hang time, no rain when we needed it and too much when we didn't. The vines handled it. The crew handled it. The wines are in barrel now—we'll know in a year what we got. Early signs: structured, concentrated, maybe our best Cab yet. Maybe. We don't like to jinx it.
What we're grateful for: no smoke, no frost, no hail. The crew that showed up every morning. The members who stayed with us through the pandemic and never left. You. Happy holidays, and we'll see you in the spring.
Read moreWhat "Native Fermentation" Actually Means
We get this question a lot. It means we don't add yeast. The grapes come in with yeast on the skins—wild, ambient, whatever was floating in the vineyard that day. We crush, we wait, and eventually the fermentation starts. Sometimes it takes 48 hours. Sometimes it takes a week. We've learned not to panic.
The tradeoff: less control, more character. Every vintage is different. Every tank is different. We're okay with that. If you want consistency, buy from a big producer. If you want something that tastes like this place, this year, come here.
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