It's a New Year!

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Cheers!
Dani

Ground Breaking News!

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.
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.
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.
Cheers!
Dani & Ed Sellers

Spring & Our Cellar Club Shipment

“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, Winemaker

Serving Your Holiday Wines

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.

Temperature - 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.

Decanting - 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".

Breathing - 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.

Glassware - 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.

Glass Fill Level - 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…!

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.

Enjoy your wines this Holiday!

Wine May Prevent Gallstones

A glass or two per day can lessen the risk of painful condition in gallbladder.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

"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." Jacob Gaffney

Beautiful Summertime Gatherings Start With Viognier!

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.

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!

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!

Try our 2007 Edward Sellers Viognier, I know you will enjoy it.

Why A Dry Grenache Rosé?

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.

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.

We trust that you will find our 2008 Grenache Rosé 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.