tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76731829890726383862024-03-13T22:18:45.388-07:00Edward Sellers WinesEdward Sellers is an award winning boutique winery specializing in small lots of handmade American Rhône-style wines from Paso Robles, California. Although modeled after the great French wines from the Rhône River Valley in France, our ultra-premium wines speak distinctly of their progressive California Central Coast origins. Grapes for our wines are grown and handpicked from the finest vineyards found on the calcareous-rich hillsides of Paso Robles.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-76776039782230866522013-03-01T11:41:00.002-08:002013-03-01T11:41:44.359-08:00At Least 7 Glasses of Wine Each Week<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iamiRw3L_1k/UTD-DDMSu_I/AAAAAAAAAT0/iAkGJ9ed94Y/s1600/mediterranean.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iamiRw3L_1k/UTD-DDMSu_I/AAAAAAAAAT0/iAkGJ9ed94Y/s320/mediterranean.jpg" /></a><br />
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By James Hamblin<br />
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Pivotal research in the New England Journal of Medicine today confirmed well-worn notions that the Mediterranean diet -- including produce, olive oil, nuts, etc. -- significantly reduced rates of heart attacks and strokes, as compared to a low-fat diet. Now, to make these foods as accessible as corn sugar<br />
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When research has to be stopped because it would be "unethical to continue," it suggests one of a few polarizing scenarios. In this case, it's because the study found something that was clearly good. So good that after five years of watching trends in heart disease and strokes among people at high risk, the researchers could not in good conscience continue to recommend a "low-fat diet" to anyone. <br />
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On the island of Ikaria, in Greece, there are more centenarians than you can shake a stick at. In Loma Linda, California, the Adventist community has a lifespan that's five to seven years longer than the average American's. These are people who eat a Mediterranean diet, and we've long inferred correlations between that and their prosperity and longevity. But we haven't had solid research to show us how important their diet -- as opposed to other factors genetic, lifestyle, and social -- actually is.<br />
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That's why today's study in the New England Journal of Medicine is particularly important.<br />
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As Dr. Steven E. Nissen, chairman of the department of cardiovascular medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, told Gina Kolata at The New York Times, the study "says you can eat a nicely balanced diet with fruits and vegetables and olive oil and lower heart disease by 30 percent ... And you can actually enjoy life."<br />
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So, enjoy life, if that's what it means to you.<br />
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Of course, utilizing this knowledge doesn't just mean educating people about diet choices, but also making these foods accessible. That would necessarily involve reassessing and prioritizing how the U.S. subsidizes agriculture. You don't need to eat a ton of any one these items to see the benefits of the diet, so making them more common in U.S. culture is not at all inconceivable. <br />
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Here's how the study defined and broke down the diets it tested:<br />
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<a href="http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1200303?query=featured_home#t=article" target="_blank">Click for recommended Mediterranean diet, Table #1</a><br />
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Sofrito is "a sauce made with tomato and onion, often including garlic and aromatic herbs, and slowly simmered with olive oil."<br />
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I note the wine as a point of interest because a lot of people ask me how much they should drink. But no one element of these diets clearly shouldered an undue share of the glory or burden. I take this as a check in the "good" column for alcohol, among the thousands of studies that look more specifically at its goods and bads.<br /><br />Copyright © 2013 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All Rights Reserved.<br />
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I've been telling you!!!Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-72386573654493271442012-12-07T15:19:00.001-08:002012-12-07T15:19:37.408-08:00Wine Myths That Need ShatteringA fellow came up to me the other day and said, "How long do you think such-and-such wine will live?" My initial impulse was to reply, "How the hell do I know?" But that, of course, is hardly what he wanted to hear.<br />
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So I blathered on about cellaring conditions (cold slows maturation), cultural differences in taste (the French and Italians prefer younger wines while the English like their wines well-aged) and, finally, the sheer impossibility of predicting the life trajectory of any wine.<br />
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I should have saved my breath. "I don't think the wine has structure," he said, full of self-assurance. That, he asserted, was the predictor of longevity.<br />
Where does this stuff come from? And, more important, why does it persist? It's astonishing how certain beliefs are the undead of wine, forever resurrected and roaming about. For example:<br />
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<b>The Structure Myth.</b> Structure is no more a predictor of a wine's future "career success" than your fourth grade attendance record. So why did this business about "structure" become such a devoutly held article of truth?<br />
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The myth of structure derives from a long-held and mistaken notion about tannins. Time was wine drinkers looked at tannin levels in wines, especially red Bordeaux, as a marker of longevity. A wine without a sufficiency of tannins was thought to lack the necessary "carpentry”; it lacked structure. Wines that could age needed musculature; short-lived wines were akin to jellyfish. (You needn't be a Freudian to assess George Saintsbury's famous description in his Notes on a Cellar-Book of a 40-year-old Hermitage, made from tannin-rich Syrah, as "the manliest French wine I ever drank.")<br />
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Effectively, the business about structure came from a Bordeaux-centric view of wine, one that persisted into the 1980s. You might well ask, "What about all those white Burgundies and German Rieslings that age successfully for decades?" Good point. They were conveniently ignored as outliers. Real wine was red, and needed "structure" in order to age for decades.<br />
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We know better today, of course. Indeed, the Bordelais themselves long ago dispensed with "structure" as a guiding measure, instructed by no less influential a figure than Emile Peynaud (1912–2004), the university professor and ubiquitous Bordeaux winemaking consultant who single-handedly reshaped how Bordeaux châteaus made their wines.<br />
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The breakthrough moment was the 1982 vintage, a rich, ripe year that traditionalists harrumphed lacked "structure." Have you had an '82 red Bordeaux lately? Thirty years have now passed and the '82 red Bordeaux are sailing along just fine, thank you.<br />
Wines age successfully thanks to a confluence of forces involving acidity, phenolic ripeness, pH and that mysterious thing, the wine version of dark matter, called "balance." Some wines, such as cru Beaujolais from great vintages, reach magnificent heights after decades of aging with nary a tannin to be found. Ditto for Barbera, which is one of nature's least tannic red wine grapes. Forget "structure" in evaluating a wine's capacity to age to glory. It's a myth.<br />
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<b>The Money Myth</b>. This one will never die, I know. But still, it's got to be said: There's very little correlation anymore between the cost of a wine and its intrinsic quality. And once beyond, oh, $30 a bottle, there's absolutely no correlation whatsoever.<br />
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It's irresistible to conclude that something more expensive is always going to be better than something cheaper. As Thomas Paine put it, “That which we obtain too easily, we esteem lightly. It is dearness which gives everything its value.”<br />
So, OK, I accept that this myth will persist. But I have to add that never in the history of wine has it been less true than today. Winemakers everywhere have advanced scientific educations, equally advanced modern equipment and high ambitions toward quality. The result has been an unprecedented explosion in superb wines from everywhere.<br />
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Inevitably, some wines will be better than others. And some wine districts are still improving, with yet more accomplishment to come. But the fact is—and it is a fact—that the old wine aristocracy has been supplanted today by a new wine meritocracy. If you miss this critical fact, then you've missed the most important feature of 21st century wine.<br />
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Thanks to this revolution, price has lost potency as a predictor of quality. Simply put, many of today's most interesting, most invigorating—dare I say "best"?—wines are not necessarily high-priced. Many superb wines from Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Oregon, Hungary, New Zealand, Australia and, yes, even California, sell for $20 to $40 a bottle. That may not quite be pocket change. But it's not expensive, either—especially given the quality and originality on offer. That price tags now tell us anything worthwhile about wine quality is a myth.<br />
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<b>The Humidity Myth</b>. I've banged on about this for decades, so I'll be brief. You've all read, over and over again, about how your wines should be kept in a cellar with a certain amount of humidity. The figure cited is anywhere from 70 percent to 95 percent humidity. The reason, so-called, is that you need to keep the cork moist. This is nonsense. Think about it. Your wine is encased in a glass bottle. It's sealed by a tightly compressed cork, one end of which has a dime-sized exposure to air. (Actually, that’s not even fully exposed, as most corks are covered by a capsule.) The other end of the cork is kept outright wet by the wine if the bottle is stored horizontally.<br />
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How much humidity, if any, is going to penetrate the cork, which is already very tightly compressed? Virtually none. And no scientific study, to my knowledge, has demonstrated otherwise.<br />
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So why does this myth persist? Fear, mostly. And history. Wine used to be shipped and held in wooden barrels or casks, even in private homes and certainly in restaurants. Private consumers bottled their own wines when they saw fit.<br />
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A wood barrel, unlike glass, is porous. When wine is held in a barrel you most definitely want a high humidity, which helps keep the staves tight and reduces the amount of evaporation through the pores of the wood.<br />
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In a conventional winery cellar, about 10 percent of the contents of a barrel is lost through evaporation every year. This is why wineries like to have caves, which have an ultrahigh, 95 percent humidity. In Napa and Sonoma, which have high-priced wines, the cost of constructing a cave pays for itself in about seven years from "saved" wine.<br />
Simply put, what's good for wineries and their wood barrels makes absolutely no sense for home cellars with their tightly corked glass bottles.<br />
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The need for humidity in home wine cellars is a myth.<br />
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Matt Kramer, Wine Spectator<br />
Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-74098854389372673782012-11-08T09:42:00.001-08:002012-11-08T09:49:28.917-08:00Red Wine's Resveratrol Helps Bees Live Longer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioNG_VKX54A/UJvugfQ-_PI/AAAAAAAAATE/szzLqAFGyQQ/s1600/Red%2BGrapes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="220" width="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ioNG_VKX54A/UJvugfQ-_PI/AAAAAAAAATE/szzLqAFGyQQ/s400/Red%2BGrapes.jpg" /></a></div><b>Bees? Yes. Scientists say honey bees have important similarities to humans; fed a diet including resveratrol, bees ate better!</b><br />
A recent study on the red wine compound resveratrol is generating buzz with its conclusions. According to researchers at life science centers in Arizona and Norway, the behavior of honey bees is altered when they are fed diets supplemented with resveratol.<br />
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Prior studies show some promise that resveratrol may increase lifespan and preserve animals' cognitive functions as they age, according to co-author Gro Amdam, a food scientist at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. "In the current study, we tested whether we could promote healthy aging in the honey bee via the administration of resveratrol," his study states.<br />
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What does bee health have to do with human health? Honey bees, the study explains, are similar to humans socially, in that they have different social statuses. The ways in which bees behave, based on their roles in life, impacts their probability of survival. Honey bees caring for young in the hive are not as exposed to danger as foraging bees, for example. Therefore, the authors argue, if resveratrol shows health benefits for one higher-order species, there is a possibility this may carry over to other groups of organisms.<br />
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In the study, populations of bees were separated and provided either a normal diet or a resveratrol-enhanced meal of ground pollen and sucrose. Free access to sugar was always available. The scientist measured how long the bees lived.<br />
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Two resveratrol treatments, in amounts of 30 and 130 micromoles, lengthened the average lifespan in wild-type honey bees by 38 percent and 33 percent, respectively. Amdam says it's because the resveratrol-diet bees regulated their intake of sugar better. But he couldn't say if such results may translate to humans. "We do not know if resveratrol can change peoples' food perception, but this effect is clear in bees: they become less interested in sugar, and consumed less sugary drink when they have free access to it," Amdam told Wine Spectator.<br />
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However, unlike other studies, the 130 micromoles solution was no more powerful than the smaller dose; rather, the opposite was observed. "Less is more—at least for the bees," said Amdam. "That does not mean that every species, including humans, will react the same way. We have to be open to the possibility that dose responses are not a simple linear function going up into the sky. Too much isn't always better."<br />
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<i>Jacob Gaffney<br />
Wine Spectator<br />
<b></b></i>Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-80136589063220211272012-08-01T12:05:00.005-07:002012-08-01T12:13:07.273-07:002008 Edward Sellers MAYHEM - New Release<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vNrCkapp80/UBl-mSy0nDI/AAAAAAAAASg/AWHe4qvyrbM/s1600/Mayhem%2BPicture.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2vNrCkapp80/UBl-mSy0nDI/AAAAAAAAASg/AWHe4qvyrbM/s400/Mayhem%2BPicture.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5771783593797131314" /></a>The ideal situation would be to bypass all of the drama and MAYHEM in life, but what fun would that be?<br /><br />Our first offering of MAYHEM blends the lush dark fruit and dark berry flavors of Syrah, the powerful concentration of smokey, meaty Mourvèdre, the intensity of Grenache’s crushed dark cherries, with a hint of black berry and licorice flavors of Zinfandel. This blended with a kiss of French oak produces an opulent red wine with great complexity and length.<br /><br />Experience the MAYHEM with your next bone-in Rib Eye off the barbeque, or a Tuesday night retro styled, pulled Pork sandwich with friends.<br /><br />And sometimes… you just need a little MAYHEM by yourself.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.nexternal.com/eswines/2008-mayhem-p76.aspx">MAYHEM Statistics:<br /> Blend: 65% Syrah, 20% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Zinfandel<br /> Appellation: Paso Robles<br /> Alcohol: 15.3%<br /> T.A.: 5.4 g/L<br /> pH: 3.75<br /> R.S.: 0.19%<br /> Cooperage: 100% French Oak<br /> Release Date: August 1, 2012</a><br /><br />"Experience the MAYHEM today!"Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-72496869931269761022012-07-19T07:53:00.003-07:002012-07-19T07:57:35.523-07:00Weather Update in Our Vineyard<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yg8NfmllPzs/UAgf7ijkmDI/AAAAAAAAASQ/VyAyD3eVXJ0/s1600/ESVW%2BVineyard.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 205px; height: 285px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yg8NfmllPzs/UAgf7ijkmDI/AAAAAAAAASQ/VyAyD3eVXJ0/s400/ESVW%2BVineyard.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5766894430596667442" /></a>Mid-July is generally quiet from a viticultural perspective (at least from what we can observe) but the last two weeks are worth mentioning. This week we had two days that topped out at 72, which is a record low for those dates. A deep marine layer embedded itself here which made the air feel moist enough to drink. In contrast, during the previous week we tried to get all of our outdoor work done before noon because the temperature breached 100 (109 on July 10th!) for three straight days.<br /><br />While the temperature swing itself probably will have little if any specific impact on this year’s harvest, it’s worth noting to illustrate the challenges that all farmers face.<br /><br />The brief heat spell, for example, meant that we had to ensure that the vines were adequately hydrated well before the mercury began its ascent. Water stress can be a tool to quality-minded grape growers, but too much stress will kill the plants.<br /><br />The low temperatures per se were not especially harrowing for the vine, but they did nothing to promote maturation. Plus, the low temp and high humidity increased the threat of powdery mildew infection and growth, keeping us on our toes and reminding us to shorten our spray interval. Now that we’re biodynamic, we must be extra vigilant against powdery mildew and other unwanted visitors.<br /><br />We are still on track to normalcy phenologically, meaning the average temperature this year is closer to the 10-year average than the previous three years and the vines are advancing on pace. We will soon see some color in the reds and sugar accumulation in the reds and whites, as the vines begin to devote their energy to the fruit.<br /><br />In the midst of all the weather happenings, we bottled a great new value blend in screw cap called appropriately, MAYHEM, which is an easy drinking everyday red wine, easier to open and pour. Our MAYHEM helped us muse on the last couple weeks.<br /><br />Jeremy Weintraub,<br />Winemaker & FarmerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-68536160043109262412012-05-15T16:39:00.001-07:002012-05-15T16:42:55.237-07:00Vineyard Update - May 11thMay 11, 2012<br /><br />Our estate vineyard is brimming with life. The plants are fully awake, the ladybugs are ganging up on delicious (to them) aphids, and, if you listen closely enough, you can just about hear the shoots growing. <br /><br />Our Grenache vines are the most advanced so far, with shoots about 6 inches long. The Roussanne is lagging, with shoots between one-half inch and 2 inches. The trend will likely continue past fruit set, but we will undoubtedly harvest Roussanne before Grenache.<br /><br />As noted in a previous post, we’ve begun some important changes here at Edward Sellers. We have purposely cut back on the available fruiting positions on the vines to redirect some of the energy back into the wood and, further down the road, the potential grapes. Come harvest, the vines will yield no more than about 2 tons of fruit per acre. In doing so this year we hope to enliven the vines and make the fruit that we do harvest that much more concentrated.<br /><br />With all the desirable growth we must also contend with springtime’s unwanted visitor: powdery mildew. Mildew is present in every vineyard worldwide and loves the kinds of temperatures that grapes and humans also like: 70 degrees to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Left unchecked, powdery mildew will destroy a season’s crop. <br /><br />To combat powdery mildew we spray a mixture of organic horticultural oil and a dilute tea that we make from the plant Equisetum arvense, commonly known as horsetail. We follow the UC Davis Powdery Mildew Index to determine when and how often to spray. Generally, we will do so every 12 to 14 days until the fruit reaches about 13 brix.<br /><br />Next week we will begin thinning shoots and removing suckers. This cultural practice will allow the vines to focus on growing the fruit that we want and it will open them up to the sun and the wind.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-28844921991501337282012-05-10T15:43:00.002-07:002012-05-10T15:49:08.999-07:00Going Biodynamic!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uCzs8feZsmM/T6xE3K44CXI/AAAAAAAAAR8/Ts_kE9IDzMs/s1600/BioD.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uCzs8feZsmM/T6xE3K44CXI/AAAAAAAAAR8/Ts_kE9IDzMs/s400/BioD.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5741039339596941682" /></a>The 2012 growing season has just begun here at Edward Sellers and along with the change of seasons we are taking a new approach to growing our grapes. We are now farming our estate biodynamically, with an eye toward enlivening not just our grapevines but also our olive trees and our soils in general. We hope this approach will lead to even more interesting wines and a healthier environment for all the animals (those that drink wine and those that don’t) that visit our estate.<br /><br />Austrian farmer and philosopher Rudolph Steiner developed the Biodynamic farming method in the 1920s as a holistic way to grow crops, and he did so with the understanding that farming is not just about rainfall, micronutrients and heat. There are spiritual forces at work, too. The Biodynamic method of farming incorporates the rhythm of the earth and the movements of the planets, enfolding these seemingly disparate systems into a whole. Think of your own circadian rhythms, or the effect of the moon on the tides, and you’ll get an idea where the biodynamics is coming from.<br /><br />In practical terms, that means, among other things, rejuvenating the soil by applying concentrated amounts of cow manure to the ground after we have stirred this mixture by hand for an hour. And when we prune now, we do so according to the position of the moon and the planets.<br /><br />We don’t expect to see results immediately. We may not, in fact, see any measurable results for several years. That’s okay. We are farming this estate for the future and making wines that can be enjoyed for years to come.<br /><br />Jeremy Weintraub<br />WinemakerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-9260284565749899312011-10-19T11:26:00.001-07:002011-10-19T11:29:36.011-07:00It’s mid-October and we’ve brought in just viognier, marsanne and grenache blanc. The reds are still not ready to be picked, though this week’s beautiful weather should move syrah into the harvest window. <br /><br />For the last two weeks we’ve spent lots of time in the vineyard. Two weeks ago, for example, the weather forecasters were calling for rain and clouds—the perfect cocktail for botrytis bunch rot. We took preventative measures in all of our estate blocks, such as pulling leaves and making certain that clusters were not touching each other. The skies cleared up after just a night of rain and we immediately dropped those clusters that had incipient rot.<br /><br />Now it’ a waiting game: Waiting for continued sugar ripening and the further advancement of all the inexplicable things that signal it’s time to pick. <br /><br />The whites that are in barrel taste great. The viognier is already a new wine with a sexy nose. We picked the marsanne and grenache blanc at very low brix levels (and the grenache blanc just before a full moon—for those who pay attention to such things). The rousanne is still on the vine and could be ready by next week. <br /><br />The reds are developing great flavors at low brix levels this year. We’re all anxious for the reds to turn the final corner and the sunny and warm days are making us feel hopeful.<br /><br />Jeremy Weintraub, WinemakerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-21364099161296937832011-10-19T11:26:00.000-07:002011-10-19T11:27:18.617-07:00It’s mid-October and we’ve brought in just viognier, marsanne and grenache blanc. The reds are still not ready to be picked, though this week’s beautiful weather should move syrah into the harvest window. <br /><br />For the last two weeks we’ve spent lots of time in the vineyard. Two weeks ago, for example, the weather forecasters were calling for rain and clouds—the perfect cocktail for botrytis bunch rot. We took preventative measures in all of our estate blocks, such as pulling leaves and making certain that clusters were not touching each other. The skies cleared up after just a night of rain and we immediately dropped those clusters that had incipient rot.<br /><br />Now it’ a waiting game: Waiting for continued sugar ripening and the further advancement of all the inexplicable things that signal it’s time to pick. <br /><br />The whites that are in barrel taste great. The viognier is already a new wine with a sexy nose. We picked the marsanne and grenache blanc at very low brix levels (and the grenache blanc just before a full moon—for those who pay attention to such things). The rousanne is still on the vine and could be ready by next week. <br /><br />The reds are developing great flavors at low brix levels this year. We’re all anxious for the reds to turn the final corner and the sunny and warm days are making us feel hopeful. Jeremy Weintraub, WinemakerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-65774474846815878182011-09-06T14:58:00.000-07:002011-09-06T15:00:44.900-07:00The Right Direction!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Oe7ReTDphk/TmaXmJNnO4I/AAAAAAAAAR0/pHsdCoMW2Q4/s1600/GreenFeast2011.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 350px; height: 262px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3Oe7ReTDphk/TmaXmJNnO4I/AAAAAAAAAR0/pHsdCoMW2Q4/s400/GreenFeast2011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649369464146705282" /></a>Organic farmers, ranchers, fishermen, vintners, and notable chefs team up to donate cooking talent and locally-grown, artisanal foods at The Ecology Center’s third annual outdoor farm-based fundraising dinner, Green Feast.<br /><br />From all over Southern and Central California, organic farmers, ranchers, wine makers and renowned chefs will contribute their expertise and their foods, to serve up The Ecology Center’s third annual Green Feast on Saturday, September 10, 2011. Over two hundred supporters of The Ecology Center will sample hors d’oeuvres and enjoy a five-course meal served on tables set up end to end outdoors at The Ecology Center. For a look at the full menu, click here.<br /><br />The Green Feast generates funds for educational programs at the South Orange County non-profit, housed in an historic farmhouse. Conceived by founder Evan Marks, the three-year-old learning facility offers programs for school children, families and adults interested in learning practical ways to grow organic gardens, conserve water and energy, and design environmentally responsible living environments. <br /><br />The Feast will take place from 4:00 p.m. until after dark. Dinner will be served on tables dressed in white linens and candles, set up communal-style next to The Ecology Center. <br /><br />Before dinner, guests will be entertained by the Eco App Off where they will be sampling appetizers from 10 stations spaced around The Center. Guests will be asked to vote for their favorite appetizer. Chefs participating in The Eco Ap Off are Ryan O’Melvey Wilson (Five Crowns Side Door), Casey Overton (Loft at Montage Resort), Nathan Coulon (True Foods), Ryan Adams (Sorrento Grill), Gina Galvan (Chomp Chomp Naition), Justin Monson (Vine), Paul Buchanan (Primal Alchemy), John Cuevas (Crow Bar and Kitchen), Scott Brandon, Ryan Carson (Anqui), Pascal Olhats (Pascal), and Cathy McNight (What a Dish).<br /><br />After The Eco Ap Off, Chefs Cathy McNight (What a Dish), Jenny Ross (118 Degrees), Rich Mead (Sage and Canyon), Rob Wilson (Montage Resort), and Yves Fournier (Andre’s Conscius Cuisine) will prepare the remaining four courses. All food is prepared in an outdoor kitchen. As each course is served, the rancher, fisherman or farmer responsible for the main ingredient will speak to guests about his or her special approach to organic, pasture-raised and sustainable farming.<br /><br /><strong>Among the purveyors participating in this year’s Green Feast are Santa Monica Seafood, Carlsbad Aqua Farm, MM Livestock, South Coast Farms, Weiser Family Farms, Hidden Haven Farms, Tablas Creek Vineyards, Bonterra Vineyards, and Edward Sellers Vineyard.</strong><br /><br />Tickets for the event are $180 per person for members of The Ecology Center. Tickets for non-members are $225. Persons wishing to become members, at a minimum price of $50 per person, can telephone The Ecology Center at (949) 443-4223. Non-members can purchase tickets either by calling The Ecology Center, or online at TheEcologyCenter.org. <br /><br />The Ecology Center is located at 32701 Alipaz Street in San Juan Capistrano. For additional information, please contact Vicki Marks at The Ecology Center, 949-443-4223 or vicki@TheEcologyCenter.org.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-49632593340764711482011-08-15T11:30:00.001-07:002011-08-15T11:45:54.393-07:002011 Harvest Update<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TllivQrO5Fw/Tklmiy-hBpI/AAAAAAAAARs/asp-noWgIt8/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TllivQrO5Fw/Tklmiy-hBpI/AAAAAAAAARs/asp-noWgIt8/s400/003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641152756243826322" /></a>We are just beginning to see some colored berries in our 5-acre block of Mourvèdre here at Edward Sellers, which means the onset of berry ripening (véraison) is finally commencing. From a winegrower’s perspective, that means harvest is within sight.
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<br />If we agree that organisms big and small are concerned with propagating their species, then for a grapevine the period up until now has been about protecting its grapes until the seeds are mature enough for dispersal by birds and other animals. This helps explain the production of astringent compounds known as tannins, as well as the synthesis of tartaric and malic acid. Foragers rarely return to hard green berries that pull all the saliva from their mouths.
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<br />During veraison the grapes will grow and soften as they accumulate sugar and begin to synthesize the color pigments known as anthocyanins (for red varietals) and volatile aroma compounds (for white varietals). Tannin and malic acid levels will decline. Simply, the grapes are becoming more attractive and more palatable.
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<br />The cool 2011 season has kept our focus on vine balance. In a normal year for high quality grapes we ask each vine to hang roughly four pounds of fruit. But 2011 is not a normal year. In April, two consecutive days of frost severely reduced the number of Grenache clusters we could expect, and the low temperature has continued through the summer thanks to a trough on the coast that just won’t go away.
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<br />We’re spending many hours in the vineyard looking closely at each vine’s strength and its ability to ripen fruit before autumn rains arrive, and we’re articulating our farming based on our observations. As usual, we’ve made a green pass, dropping fruit from weak shoots, but this year we have been more aggressive. We’ll make another pass at about 75% veraison, dropping clusters that have not colored up. This year we’re also doing a bit of origami, cutting some shoulders and tips of those clusters that are too big and heavy.
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<br />Come cool weather or warm, our vines should be in fine shape at harvest to deliver grapes with plenty of stuffing and poise.
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<br />Jeremy Weintraub, Winemaker
<br />Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-80684258783051697032011-08-10T12:29:00.001-07:002011-08-10T12:44:32.943-07:00New Winemaker - Jeremy Weintraub<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ExFsNu8-hY4/TkLdkoSIQaI/AAAAAAAAARk/aBlzglhIcLA/s1600/003.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ExFsNu8-hY4/TkLdkoSIQaI/AAAAAAAAARk/aBlzglhIcLA/s400/003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639313304779768226" /></a>If you have visited the Tasting Room lately, you may have noticed a flurry of activity in the winery. This is not just some cellar rat, this is Jeremy Weintraub, our new Winemaker.
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<br />Jeremy joined us at Edward Sellers in early June and has gone through every barrel and walked every row in the vineyard preparing him and us for our upcoming bottling and a very interesting 2011 harvest. (More from Jeremy on that later!)
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<br />Jeremy grew up on Long Island, New York drinking mostly French wine with his family. In the summer before he left to study at the University of Edinburgh, Jeremy took a job giving tours at Lenz Winery on Long Island. After receiving his undergraduate degree from Clark University, Jeremy worked at a think tank in Washington, D.C. He then moved to New York, where he wrote articles for a number of magazines. As he approached his 30th birthday Jeremy quit writing and listened to his heart, and began interning at wineries and vineyards on Long Island.
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<br />In 2002, Jeremy moved to Davis, CA and earned his Master’s Degree in Viticulture and Enology from UC Davis, where his awards included the American Society of Enology & Viticulture Scholarship and the Wine Spectator Scholarship. He followed his academics with stages on the North and South Island of New Zealand and at Italy’s famous Tenuta Tignanello Estate.
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<br />On return from Italy, Jeremy became assistant winemaker at Tantara Winery in Santa Maria, CA. In 2006 he became winemaker at Shadow Canyon Cellar in Paso Robles, where he started his appreciation for the Paso Robles, AVA and Rhône varietals. Since 2008 Jeremy has been the winemaker at the highly acclaimed boutique winery in St. Helena named Seavey Vineyards. At Seavey, Jeremy was responsible for the winemaking decisions from vineyard to bottle, with assistance from consultant Philippe Melka. While at Seavey, Jeremy has received luminous accolades from Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator.
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<br />Our goal at Edward Sellers is to continue the tradition of making some of the finest Rhône wines in California and we are proud to have attracted a winemaker of Jeremy’s caliber. His winemaking style captures the essence of our past while infusing new energy into our future.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-18144548995770408882011-04-05T16:04:00.001-07:002011-04-05T16:10:27.198-07:00The Vineyard - Spring Pruning<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muktWulvipE/TZuhW0X4E4I/AAAAAAAAARQ/8VFjXKYJHXA/s1600/Bud%2BBreak%2B2011.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 343px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-muktWulvipE/TZuhW0X4E4I/AAAAAAAAARQ/8VFjXKYJHXA/s400/Bud%2BBreak%2B2011.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5592240775698584450" /></a><br />With the temperatures climbing to 86 degrees last week and the Paso sky bluer than blue, I think we are finally on track for the start of a beautiful spring “in the vineyard”. After Mother Nature gave us increased winter rains this season, 22 inches in our vineyard, the vines are now ready for the next phase of their early spring routine, a haircut. <br /><br />Yesterday as I walked the vineyard, as I do many days, I looked at the new spur pruning regiment we have implemented to again improve the quality of the vines in our vineyard and most importantly, the quality of the grapes these vines produce. Because the pruning strategy directly influences the number of shoots and the potential crop level (grapes only grow on new shoot growth), it is one of the most significant annual vineyard decisions we make as farmers. This decision will affect the balance of the vines throughout the growing season and the quality of fruit we harvest. We prune our vineyard each year with the intent to balance fruit production with adequate shoot growth, while still controlling the vine’s canopy (shading). The shoot numbers, their positions and the length in which the vine produces them, leads directly to the vine’s capability to ripen the given crop level we have chosen.<br /><br />To achieve our increased quality and lower production levels this year, we are removing any cordon (the woody "permanent" horizontal branch of the grape vine) that is not larger than your little finger and prune the remaining unilateral cordon to only one bud per spur position, not the traditional two (the bud is the location on the spur the new shoot will grow from). We have trained our vines to the unilateral cordon style because of our dense planting, 6’ between rows and 5’ between vines, and because we feel the vine will ripen its fruit better and more evenly with this method.<br /><br />Our pruning strategy will decrease the number of shoots the vine produces, increase the overall growth and health of the vine, increase the remaining shoot length and ultimately intensify the flavor and color the grapes harvested. As our great friend and former vineyard manager, Jim Smoot, would say…. we’re “Gucciing” the vineyard up to another level! Pruning is KEY!Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-42184456281475869082011-02-14T16:05:00.000-08:002011-02-14T20:18:59.294-08:00Cooking With The Stars!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4lRSheNnpbM/TVnFLD4eRrI/AAAAAAAAARA/nl1Ond2kCLs/s1600/Zovs%2BLuncheon.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 320px; height: 240px; float: left; cursor: hand;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573702807659103922" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4lRSheNnpbM/TVnFLD4eRrI/AAAAAAAAARA/nl1Ond2kCLs/s320/Zovs%2BLuncheon.JPG" /></a>On Sunday, January 30th, I had the exciting opportunity of attending a “celebrity” luncheon at Zovs Bistro in Tustin, California. The luncheon benefited the James Beard Foundation’s Scholarship Program which helps aspiring culinary students. We were thrilled to donate the wine for such an amazing event.<br /><br />The afternoon started with a cooking demonstration on the quaint patio of Zovs Bistro. The small group of 65 guests anxiously awaited the first celebrity Chef, Ann Burell, host of <em>Secrets of a Restaurant Chef</em> & <em>Worst Cooks in America</em>. As the President of the foundation, Susan Ungaro announced Chef Ann, she popped up to the stage and was just as lively and bubbly as she is on the show, if not more so! Chef Ann walked the guests through the preparation of Chicken Milanese with Escarole Salad and Pickled Onions. Delicious! As she demonstrated, she sipped on a mimosa and ranted on the inappropriate use of salt and pepper, ribbed the crowd and encouraged questions. She had everyone laughing and it was such a treat to watch her in person.<br /><br />Next up was Chef Michael Symon, host of <em>Next Iron Chef</em>. He walked us through a tasty Crispy Gnocchi with Morels and Spring Peas recipe. Michael was down to earth and spoke of his family and especially his grandfather who is in his ninety’s and still in great health. He chalked it up to eating fresh rather than processed foods. His infectious laugh had us all in stitches as he told fantastic stories of his family and restaurant life.<br /><br />After the demonstrations we were treated to a luncheon prepared by Zov Karamardian complete with poached salmon and dill sauce, stuffed grape leaves, lamb chops, delicious Mediterranean salads, hummus, and of course Chef Ann and Chef Michaels’ delicious dishes. The guests also enjoyed our 2007 Blanc Du Rhone, 2008 Viognier, 2007 Le Thief and our 2007 Syrah Sélectionnée. The wines paired perfectly with all of the light salads and complemented the lamb, kabobs, and eggplant dishes beautifully.<br /><br />It was such a pleasure to meet so many new Edward Sellers wine lovers. Many who had never been introduced to our wines and were anxious to talk to me about the winery and Paso Robles.<br /><br />Great company, fantastic food and beautiful wines, what more could a girl ask for?<br /><br />Cheers!<br />Dani SellersEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-38108799248303303302011-01-10T19:56:00.000-08:002011-01-12T10:23:43.306-08:00It's a New Year!<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/TS3wvZ6q7OI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/BwZTajEx8EA/s1600/006.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/TS3wvZ6q7OI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/BwZTajEx8EA/s320/006.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561365812073917666" /></a>It's a New Year! 2010 proved to be quite a busy year here at Edward Sellers Winery. We had a lot of positive changes including the completion of our winery and tasting room out on 46 West. We so appreciated all of the support that we received at our downtown location but we are definitely "at home" here in the vineyard.<br /><br />Our Grand Opening celebration over Harvest Festival weekend helped us break in our new tasting room as wine club members and friends enjoyed the music of Gruvething, a 14 piece band that rocked the house (or rather the vineyard), delectable food by Trumpetvine, and magic performed throughout the evening by our favorite magician Steve Wastell. It will be hard to top it this year!<br /><br />The Holiday's were extremely busy and our tasting room was visited by a host of travelers from San Diego to San Francisco, Colorado to Alaska, and from as far away as Mexico, France, and Ireland. It was so much fun to talk with all of the interesting wine lovers from around the globe.<br /><br />After the excitement and over indulgences of the Holiday's were over and all of the travelers had journeyed back home, we finally had a moment to catch our breaths and welcome in the New Year. Although this time of year is typically slow in the tasting room, it gives Kendall, Ed and I an opportunity to plan all of our fun parties and events for the upcoming year.<br /><br />It is sure to be a fun year in our new vineyard home so stop by and say "hello" and enjoy a great glass of wine and our terrific view.<br /><br />Cheers!<br />DaniEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-46709666583094873802010-05-18T10:56:00.000-07:002010-05-18T11:26:20.308-07:00Ground Breaking News!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/S_LbC56JuRI/AAAAAAAAAPk/QbUYdiCCG78/s1600/1st+bucket+full"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/S_LbC56JuRI/AAAAAAAAAPk/QbUYdiCCG78/s320/1st+bucket+full" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472677340159523090" /></a><br />It has been a long time coming but we have finally broken ground out at the vineyard and we couldn't be more excited! After years of blood, sweat, and tears..... .and more tears, we are finally under construction and are looking to open by September.<br />The old barn came down on Saturday and I have to say that it was bitter sweet. Many of you have come out through the years for private events and enjoyed the "quaintness" of the property. We were a bit nostalgic as we reminisced about all of the fun times we have had in that rickety old barn. Smokey (our wild cat) was none to happy about the arrangement as she used to sit atop the barn and view her empire. She has been sulking around ever since. <br />We will be keeping you updated on the progress of the winery and look forward to many fun events and good times out at the vineyard. Until then, come see us downtown and enjoy our award winning wines.<br />Cheers!<br />Dani & Ed SellersEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-28999353707296886612010-04-05T12:36:00.000-07:002010-04-05T12:41:18.786-07:00Spring & Our Cellar Club Shipment<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/S7o8ElJECWI/AAAAAAAAAPc/LiCn8AAlUts/s1600/Spring+2010.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/S7o8ElJECWI/AAAAAAAAAPc/LiCn8AAlUts/s320/Spring+2010.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456739947900045666" /></a><br />“It's Spring again at Edward Sellers, and, as I write this, a cold wind has blown in too..... the warm weather I thought was here to stay. We were all gearing up for bud break—Spring temperatures mean the sap is flowing in the vines-- but it looks like it isn't going to come early after all. In the winery, Spring means that the current vintage, the 2009’s, are finally starting to taste like wine. Blending is just around the corner, and I already have some ideas about how to portion out the stunning, structured, and low-yield wines of 2009 into some stellar cuvees. The 2008’s are beginning to mature as well, and already taste ready to bottle, with lush fruit and well-integrated barrel characters. But oh, the 2007 reds! You have those now, in this shipment. (Last shipment you got a preview with our Saboteur) The ‘07 Mourvèdre is, in my opinion, a textbook rendering of Paso Robles Mourvèdre, with its earthy and almost gamey character, soft tannins, and rich, velvety fruit. If you've been with us for a while, you probably know that this is our first single-varietal bottling of Mourvèdre. Also in your shipment is the ‘07 Cognito, which has the highest percentage of Zinfandel ever in a Cognito bottling, and shows a great deal of spicy Zinfandel characters and mouth-watering fruit flavors. The 2007 Vertigo is possibly the most serious Vertigo since ‘05, with bones and structure to hold it up for years to come, but enough youthful and inviting Rhône wine intensity to make it a lot of fun to drink now. It's possibly the most French-influenced wine I've made, with the exception of the Cuvée des Cinq. I can't wait to throw it into a blind tasting with some of my winemaker friends! The verdict is still out on the ‘08 whites-- the only one you've tried is the Estate Blanc, I believe -- but I think the whites just keep getting better and better with each vintage. 2008 Viognier goes back to the crisper style I started with in ‘05, while the Roussanne and Blanc du Rhône come out on the richer end of the Edward Sellers style spectrum. Enjoy the wines, and remember that I always love to hear your comments!” Amy Butler, WinemakerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-55107358311738777242009-11-19T12:35:00.000-08:002009-11-19T12:47:22.091-08:00Serving Your Holiday Wines<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SwWuyT1WcRI/AAAAAAAAAPU/ssLW9PGxBCk/s1600/Cinq_Rhone.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SwWuyT1WcRI/AAAAAAAAAPU/ssLW9PGxBCk/s320/Cinq_Rhone.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5405919107068883218" /></a><br />There's really no mystery to serving wine, as most of us can somehow manage to pour the wine out of the bottle and into our glass without too much trouble. But here are a couple of things that may help your holiday wines show their best.<br /><br /><strong>Temperature</strong> - I feel temperature is the most important factor in serving fine wine. As a rule, Champagne, white and rosé wines should be served chilled, while red wines should be served at room temperature. For Champagne and white wines, 30 minutes in the fridge will do them just fine. The ideal temperature for pouring our white Rhone wines is at approximately 57 degrees, cellar temperature. If the wine is too cold it will numb your taste buds, so you cannot enjoy the wine’s beautiful flavors. The cold temperature does not allow the wine to show its bouquet until it warms up. For reds, we serve our wines at room temperature, 70 to 72 degrees. We have all had red wines served to warm.<br /><br /><strong>Decanting</strong> - It is frequently done with vintage red wines that have spent many years in the cellar. This is the process of pouring off clear wine and leaving any sediment in the bottle that has developed overtime. The vast majority of wines we drink today do not need to be decanted because we are drinking wines younger. If you do need to do it, move the bottle as little as possible so as not to disturb the sediment and pour the wine slowly into a glass decanter keeping an eye on the neck of the bottle. When you see sediment in the neck, it's time to stop. Decanting can also help wines to "breathe".<br /><br /><strong>Breathing</strong> - If a wine has spent many years locked up in a bottle, away from the air, it will benefit from a little breathing time. This can take place in your glass or even better in a decanter for an hour or so. Even young wines can benefit from a little breathing time, as it allows the wine to open up and really show what it's made of. Test this by tasting a wine immediately after opening it and then see how your second glass tastes an hour later …if you can wait! There's often quite a difference. That's also why, if you're opening several reds, open them all at once. You give your next bottle a chance to breathe, while you are enjoying the current one. Whites generally don't need to be opened ahead of time, as the goal is usually to retain their freshness.<br /><br /><strong>Glassware</strong> - The best glasses for appreciating fine wines are made of crystal. The shape and glass quality do make a difference. We use Riedel’s Ouverture Series in the Tasting Room. Under a microscope, Crystal looks rough and has lots of little crevices that wine can coat when you swirl your glass. Heavy cut/pressed glass is smooth, not allowing the bouquet of the wine to open and show its best. Whatever glass you use, it should have a wide bowl tapering to a narrower opening, tulip shaped. This allows room for the wine to be swirled while concentrating the aromas in the glass. Champagne should be served in tall flutes or tall, thin tulip-shaped glasses. Today there are many specialty glasses designed to be used with different grape varietals, try them, they do make a difference! Also, make sure you wash your crystal under hot water with no detergents or rinse aids. These build up on your glasses and will change your wines bouquet and flavor.<br /><br /><strong>Glass Fill Level</strong> - The glass should be filled to the widest part of the bowl, no more than about half full, (unless you’re a good friend of mine who thinks filling to the brim means less trips from his chair…!) This level allows room for swirling the wine in the glass to release its bouquet without splashing it on your shirt or new table cloth. A good technique to achieve proficient swirling is to place the base of the glass on the table, hold the stem and make small, quick circles. Clockwise or counter clockwise, that’s the question…!<br /><br />If you don't finish the bottle (which is unheard of in our crowd), most wines will keep well for a couple of days by vacuum pumping them to keep air out. You can pick these stoppers and pumps up at any wine shop. We use these in the tasting room and they work well. It's impossible to say exactly how long a wine will keep once you open it because each wine is different, but in general the higher quality the wine, the longer it will keep.<br /><br />Enjoy your wines this Holiday!Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-74545762663737171132009-06-25T08:22:00.000-07:002009-06-25T08:29:01.368-07:00Wine May Prevent Gallstones<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SkOXon4xTVI/AAAAAAAAAO4/gI-kblf_pYU/s1600-h/Two+Couples+Laughing.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 205px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5351287506403937618" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SkOXon4xTVI/AAAAAAAAAO4/gI-kblf_pYU/s400/Two+Couples+Laughing.jpg" /></a><em><strong>A glass or two per day can lessen the risk of painful condition in gallbladder.<br /><br /></strong></em>Most people don't think about their gallbladders very often, that is, until they face the painful sensation of gallstones. But a new study holds that a glass or two of wine each day may help prevent gallstone formation.<br /><br />The findings were presented in May at the Digestive Disease Week 2009 conference in Chicago, by Dr. Andrew Hart of the University of East Anglia's school of medicine (located in Norwich, U.K.). The study was conducted with cooperation from the gastroenterology division at the university's hospital as well as the epidemiological department of Cambridge University and the U.K.'s National Institutes of Health. Hart and his colleagues found that drinking up to two units of alcohol per day reduces the risk of developing gallstones by one-third when compared to nondrinkers.<br /><br />The gallbladder is a small organ below the liver in the right upper abdomen that stores bile, a substance that helps the body digest fats. Gallstones form when stored bile hardens and can be incredibly painful. If the problem is persistent, surgery to remove the gallbladder may be required.<br /><br />Previous studies have found that alcohol may have a preventative effect on gallstone formation, but Hart noted that this is the first study to document this effect on a drink-per-day basis. Earlier studies linked alcohol to lower levels of cholesterol (the major ingredient in gallstones), but did not provide detailed enough data that could potentially translate into dietary guidance.<br /><br />To find a daily amount of alcohol that may optimize gallstone prevention, the researchers monitored the dietary habits of 25,639 English men and women, pulled from the larger European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, a broad study that follows inhabitants of the continent for a 10-year period. During the course of the study, 267 patients developed gallstones, and the scientists compared this to daily drinking habits.<br /><br />They found that drinking 175ml of wine per day (about 6 ounces) offered a 32 percent lower risk of gallstones. The more the participants drank, the lower the risk, but the researchers noted that the dangers of excessive alcohol outweighed the benefits.<br /><br />"These findings significantly increase our understanding of the development of gallstones," Hart said in a statement. "Once we examine all the factors related to their development in our study, including diet, exercise, body weight and alcohol intake, we can develop a precise understanding of what causes gallstones and how to prevent them." <a href="http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Free/Authors/Author_Page/0,1173,25,00.html">Jacob Gaffney</a>Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-45896390031539835972009-05-12T16:12:00.000-07:002009-05-13T14:11:59.435-07:00Beautiful Summertime Gatherings Start With Viognier!<img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335080277410390162" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SgoDPu89IJI/AAAAAAAAAOo/P0gLKW8LghE/s320/Viogner.jpg" />Viognier, pronounced (vee-ohn-yea), may be one of the toughest varietals from the Northern Rhône appellation of Condrieu to pronounce, but it is one of the friendliest white wines for summer. Our dry, crisp styled Viognier, with its creamy mouth feel, aromatic nose and fruit forward nature makes pairing this wine with summer fare a breeze. At your next neighborhood soirée, spark up the grill and throw down some chicken or fish, then finish it with a fresh mango-jalapeno salsa, or for the more adventurous, try a spicy Thai shrimp or curry chicken with coconut milk. Viognier is an incredible match.<br /><br />In Paso Robles, the 2007 growing season had cool temperatures and perfect ripening conditions for Viognier. This vintage exhibits beautiful floral aromas of jasmine, orange blossom and honeysuckle, with tropical hints of pineapple, apricot and ripe citrus fruits on the finish, perfect to pair with tonight’s romantic dinner!<br /><br />So, the next time you’re in the tasting room to pick up a bottle or three. Ask Kendall how many different pronunciations of Viognier she’s heard over the last few years. “Vig-neer” has got to be her favorite!<br /><br />Try our <a href="http://www.nexternal.com/eswines/Product31">2007 Edward Sellers Viognier</a>, I know you will enjoy it.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-39156124729574661802009-05-08T10:56:00.000-07:002009-05-08T11:02:40.927-07:00Why A Dry Grenache Rosé?<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SgRzY9aeS6I/AAAAAAAAAOY/nV-Xqifa9sY/s1600-h/2008+Rose+Master.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 240px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333514731353164706" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SgRzY9aeS6I/AAAAAAAAAOY/nV-Xqifa9sY/s320/2008+Rose+Master.jpg" /></a>A dry Rosé is the first flower to bloom in the wine world. It's the first wine to be released from the previous year’s harvest. It will tease you to relax by the pool during those hot afternoons and balmy summer evenings reflecting upon the many pleasures of life.<br /><br />A true Rosé is made from a saignée, which is an early “bleeding” of the tanks. This juice has only flirted with the contact of the Red Grenache skins that it once came from. This short, but timely interlude gives our Rosé its delightful color and fruity aromatics. Dry Rosé is a way to enjoy the characteristics of a red wine without being weighted down by its typical tannins and oak flavors.<br /><br />We trust that you will find our <a href="http://www.nexternal.com/eswines/Product35">2008 Grenache Rosé </a>to be one of the most flexible warm weather wines. It can accompany you on a day picnic or be right at home with a late evening grilled salmon served on the terrace.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-70055874290947448442009-04-27T07:40:00.000-07:002009-04-27T14:38:34.941-07:00Cuvée des Cinq's Hierarchy<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SfYlygo9k-I/AAAAAAAAAOA/wR7IZNJv4t4/s1600-h/Cuvee.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5329488758724989922" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SfYlygo9k-I/AAAAAAAAAOA/wR7IZNJv4t4/s200/Cuvee.jpg" /></a>If I were a member of <a href="http://www.edwardsellers.com/cellarclub.html">Ed’s Cellar Club</a>, I would be particularly excited about this wine shipment. It marks the third release of our fantastic <a href="http://www.nexternal.com/eswines/Product7">Cuvée des Cinq</a>, which most of you know is our flagship wine and my proudest achievement. Sometimes, when we are showing this wine in the Tasting Room or at various festivals and trade tastings around the country, we’re not quite sure how it should fit into our lineup. After all, as the <em>coup de grace</em> of our production, it should be tasted last, but how can we go back to something so restrained, so elegant, after pouring our bold Syrah Sélectionné or palate-pounding single vineyard Syrahs? Honestly, it weakens the impact of our Cuvée. True, too, if we bury the Cuvée somewhere else in the middle. It’s bigger than our Vertigo, not quite as much of a mouthful as Le Thief, but with its five-varietal blend and Old-World style, Cuvée des Cinq is far more refined and age-worthy than either one. In short, it’s a more serious wine! The wines that comprise the blend each year are the most balanced in the cellar; the French oak it’s aged in is more structural than aromatic. The Cuvée is layered, complex, and it develops in your glass. It’s a wine for a long, leisurely meal. It’s worth spending some time in the kitchen to create a meal suited to its subtle intricacy. Cuvée des Cinq embodies the definitive style of the Edward Sellers wines… and then it truly is a notch above.<br /><br />So how best to show this wine, that’s the question? It is important to us that those in the know – our <a href="http://www.edwardsellers.com/cellarclub.html">Cellar Club</a> members, <em>the already converted</em> – help us share with the rest of the world what you have already discovered; how special these wines are, especially the <a href="http://www.nexternal.com/eswines/Product7">Cuvée des Cinq</a>. I challenge you, the dedicated consumer, to help me, to help Ed and Kendall, to help all of us in coming up with a way to make people understand this ethereal, this revelatory, this arcane and very delicious Edward Sellers wine. Amy Butler, WinemakerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-91089006182645076372009-04-06T09:52:00.000-07:002009-04-06T09:56:59.833-07:00Another of our 9 Rhone Varietals: Mourvèdre<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/Sdo0CVvj55I/AAAAAAAAANQ/2-vuEVSnGUs/s1600-h/Mourvedre.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321623124492674962" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 107px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/Sdo0CVvj55I/AAAAAAAAANQ/2-vuEVSnGUs/s320/Mourvedre.jpg" border="0" /></a>In the fall of 2008, we harvested the first fruit from our estate vineyard. Among the most promising was the Mourvèdre, from five acres on the south end of the property. The yield was extremely low – it turns out that starlings like Mourvèdre almost as much as I do – but the wine that resulted from that small amount of fruit will provide backbone and depth to our very first Estate Red blend.<br /><br />Historically, Mourvèdre has been planted in the south of France, especially in Bandol, where it makes killer rosés (think Tavel) and earthy, rustic reds. The variety originated in Spain (it’s known there as Monastrell) where it thrives on the hot, dry summers and ripens dark and strong. Its delayed spring budding and late ripening, coupled with its love of heat, make it almost ideally suited to California’s Paso Robles region, where it has recently enjoyed a surge in popularity. At Edward Sellers, we love it for its bold structure, fleshy tannins, and meaty, slightly funky aroma. Mourvèdre is featured in a number of our blends, including our flagship Cuvée des Cinq and our unmistakably easy drinking Cognito. For the 2007 vintage, we’ve even created a 100% Mourvèdre to showcase the unique character of this variety. I know you will enjoy it! Amy Butler, WinemakerEd Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-48076720599781089442009-02-25T11:18:00.000-08:002009-02-25T11:28:16.679-08:00Edward Sellers Named One of the "10 Emerging California Rhône Producers" from the Golden State<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SaWblcFfXcI/AAAAAAAAANI/7bbkegDYQLM/s1600-h/WSCover3.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306818803422682562" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 239px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SaWblcFfXcI/AAAAAAAAANI/7bbkegDYQLM/s320/WSCover3.jpg" border="0" /></a>Wine Spectator... High-Flying California Syrah!<br /><br /><div>2006 is Another Banner Year for Paso Robles and the Golden State Rhône Reds!<br /><br />In this month's issue of the Wine Spectator (March 2009), James Laube writes "California Syrah keeps getting better-and its ranks deeper" and as a Rhône-style producer, we couldn’t agree more! To prove his point and ours, James put together a list of the newest and hottest "10 Emerging California Rhône Producers" from the Golden State. Not to our surprise or anyone else’s... the majority of his Rhône producers were from the Central Coast of California. Three were from Paso Robles, the best AVA on the West Coast to grow Rhône varietals. Edward Sellers was one of them!<br /><br />The Spectator writes about Edward Sellers: "The entire lineup of Rhône-inspired wines from this 30-acre Paso Robles vineyard is impressive for its depth and value. Winemaker Amy Butler specializes in small lots of balanced and focused bottlings. Le Thief contains Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre; Cuvée des Cinq is a five grape blend based on Mourvèdre."<br /><br />Thanks again Spectator for recognizing our style of Rhône wines from Edward Sellers.</div>Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7673182989072638386.post-1626458983037213522009-02-17T16:37:00.000-08:002009-02-17T16:44:56.611-08:00One of Our Nine Rhône Varietals – Marsanne<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SZtZ-PzJgTI/AAAAAAAAANA/sgulA04upm4/s1600-h/Our+Marsanne.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303931912086716722" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 194px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_EUXuy-nhuSE/SZtZ-PzJgTI/AAAAAAAAANA/sgulA04upm4/s320/Our+Marsanne.jpg" border="0" /></a>In 2005, after much analysis, Amy Butler, our winemaker, and I went about the task of laying out the vineyard to plant our six Rhône varietals, Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Marsanne. We selected a perfect location in a back block of our property where the soil was rich in limestone to plant our one and one-half acres of Marsanne. After three years of tending our new vines, watering, pruning, training and praying to “Mother Nature”, it was now time to reap a little “fruits of our long labor”! We may have only picked ¾ of a ton last harvest… not a lot in the great scheme of things, but an important beginning for our Estate Wine program. This fruit will yield great softness and rich texture, with those slight flavor hints of mineral, stone fruits, almond and tuberose. This will make a stellar addition to our already elegant <a href="http://www.nexternal.com/eswines/Product16">Blanc du Rhône</a>.<br /><br />If you are not familiar with Marsanne, it is a white grape varietal, most commonly found in the northern Rhône Valley of France, where it is often blended with Roussanne, another white Rhône grape. It is the predominate variety used in the production of the famous white Crozes-Hermitage and the sparkling and still St. Péray white wines. Marsanne is not permitted in the white Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines found in the southern Rhône Valley, although it is one of the eight white varieties permitted in the Rhône Valley’s Côtes du Rhône. The six permitted Châteauneuf-du-Pape white varietals are Bourboulenc, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Picardin, Picpoul and Roussanne.Ed Sellershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15961565714750844742noreply@blogger.com0