Blending, Mixing, and Mingling

May is a busy month in the life of a Paso Robles Winemaker. First, and most important, the current vintage wines are starting to really show their stuff and are begging to be tasted and blended. All of the '07 reds should be blended by the end of the month, as Dani and I and a few other FOES -- Friends of Edward Sellers -- have already begun tasting and grading the base wines and barrels. We are really hitting our stride with 2007, and I think this may be our best vintage yet (see the amazing whites in your current wine club shipment).

Secondly, there are two major festivals this month: the matchless and fantastic Hospice du Rhone, on the first weekend of May, and the rambunctious and wildly fun Paso Robles Wine Festival on the third weekend. Hospice gathers Rhone wine producers from all over the world for a weekend of education, tasting, and friendly competition that always leaves me thinking about new winemaking adventures and striving for that old-world balance of power and finesse. We hosted a wine dinner at the Range as a part of this year's HdR festivities, and I can fairly say that it was the most fun wine dinner I've ever attended. Chef Jeff and lovely Lindsay did an amazing job of making the whole event feel like a dinner party in their back yard, but with truly outstanding food, great live music, and plenty of perfectly paired Edward Sellers wines. Big thanks to Jeff, Lindsay, Jade, and all those of you who joined us for that event. I always enjoy mixing with the people (you) who make what I do worthwhile.