Life Among the Vines
Thanks be to Mother Nature, the atmospheric rivers have cleared up and we are seeing some sunshine here in Sonoma and Napa Counties. In fact, we’re looking at a clear forecast with temps in the 70s for the next week and a half at least. More consistent blue skies have definitely topped the list of reasons I probably can’t ever move away from California, but when it comes to grape vines, warmer weather comes with concerns. Early budding can make the vines susceptible to frost, pests, and diseases.
If you had told me even a couple of years ago that I’d be worrying about spring arriving too early because it might affect the development of the grape crop, I would have laughed at you. Now I am more connected to nature and agriculture than I have ever been, as well as to the industry that depends on the health of those grapes. So many things are true in my life that I never thought would be, sometimes I’m not sure I even know myself anymore. But I will say that this is a wonderful place to meet a new version of oneself.
The same old version of myself that has always existed still finds solace and inspiration in books, and lately I’ve been revisiting Wine and War: The French, the Nazis, and the Battle for France’s Greatest Treasure. The book describes the role of French winemakers during WWII, with plenty of stories to strengthen us for the current resistance. Buy it from your local bookseller, not from some oligarch who appears in the Epstein files, or get wild and check it out from a library.
The Grape News
Tough decisions continue for wineries during a time of struggle in the industry.
Kate Reuschel shares her excellent application essay for the Wine Writers’ Symposium, an event I didn’t know about but which now fills me with wild jealousy. Wine is often described as the confluence of art and science, but what would it be if it were only one or the other?
Wine critics weigh in on the 2024 vintage in Burgundy. Meanwhile, Brett Vankoski writes about spending twenty-four hours there:
A month-long pop-up takes on the daunting task of introducing Austrian wine to the French. The previous link was to a LinkedIn article from a site called Perfect Cellar - no author identified. This one is from one of the organizers:
I feel like I’m constantly correcting people’s assumptions about natural wine - and by “people,” I mean highly educated wine professionals who had one frothing Pet Nat that smelled of horse butt and decided all natural wine was a scam. I’m going to share this video with you, not because I recommend it, but because I’m so annoyed by things like this that contribute to the confusion. This is a video from a sommelier with a WSET Diploma, purporting to be about natural wine. The truth is, it focuses on farming methods but barely mentions natural winemaking at all. Low intervention and sustainable forms of farming are related to - and usually used to produce the fruit for - natural winemaking, but they’re not the same thing. Confusing all these terms isn’t helping people sort out what natural wine is or whether it’s any good. The short answer to the latter, by the way, is…sometimes. Just like all wine.
Vineyard Maintenance
One of the frustrating things about Substack is that I can see when I have a new paid subscriber, but it doesn’t alert me when someone renews. I’d love to thank the person who re-upped their founding level subscription this week, but I don’t know who you are! If that’s you, please know that I appreciate you so much. You’re helping make my life out here in California and my writing possible. Thanks also to all of you who read, subscribe, and engage here in other ways. If you know someone who might appreciate these newsletters, please do pass it on.
The Best Thing I Drank This Week
Okay, I don’t know that this is the best thing I drank this week, because I did a tasting when I picked up my Lasseter club shipment, and popped a truly wonderful Allen Vineyard Chardonnay from Williams Selyem a few days ago. But I am a big advocate for reasonably priced and delicious wines that are a bit more accessible, so I wanted to bring to your attention another wine I enjoyed this week - and it came from a box.
Yes, boxed wine can be good! Case in point: LAB Portuguese red blend. Did I buy this because there is a black Labrador on the label? Yes, I did. Do I feel very good about my purchase? Also, yes. That 3L box holds the equivalent of four bottles of wine, and it costs around $25. Price means nothing if the wine is terrible, but this is not even close to terrible (a true Gen X compliment)! It’s fresh and juicy with fine tannins, and it has enough acidity to pair with food but is perfectly pleasant to sip on its own. I frequently recommend Portuguese wines as great quality value buys, and this is a terrific example. LAB gets a Lab’s seal of approval.
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