Startled deer stare as I drive through the morning fog on my way to Starr Ranch to help harvest our first Syrah. The workers start at sun-up so I quickly gulp the last of my coffee and get to the vineyard by 6:40. Neil and Luis have the crew load the picking bins onto the trailer that is pulled through the rows. "Jump on" they shout and off we go down the gentle hills to the block where our 6 rows of Syrah are ready to be harvested.
This is a small block of Syrah 2A with brix over 26 that hang plump, juicy and ripe. The workers quickly grab small bins and attack the vines while I ride the rails of the trailer. They dump the smaller bins into the main bin and I madly grope the grapes ridding them of twigs, leaves and any other "Material Other than Grapes" hence, MOG. Throughout the process, you can catch a glimpse of each of us sampling a grape every so often. Boy are they sweet! Judy, the owner of Starr Ranch shares the story of one of young tenents who lives in her rental property. His name is Felix and is from Sweden (long story for another blog post.) She suggested he taste some of the fruit and we both laugh when she relayed his comments, "Taste just like grapes!" I don't know why folks think wine grapes are all that different from the table grapes they buy at Albertsons, but I have seen similar reactions.
It takes about 45 minutes to strip the vines of their bounty. The crew is off to harvest someone else Cabernet so I head back. On the way out of her beautiful vineyard, seven quail scurry across the drive and as I head down her windy drive lined with persimmon trees, I gaze at yet another startled deer grazing in the golden fields. With the sun high in the sky by this time and the crisp morning air enters my car, I nearly pinch myself. This is why I live here.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Monday, September 14, 2009
W.E.T.S.
We just offered a wine tasting for a great group of folks who call themselves WETS. This acronym stands for Wine Enthusiasts Tasting Society. They are down to six couples now, but these folks have been drinking wine together for the last few decades and always include some extra $$ in their annual dues to cover a wine tasting trip. This year it is Paso Robles turn.
Coy with the Wine Wrangler was their guide and he called to arrange a private tasting with Per Cazo. Dave and I were thrilled to pour for such knowledgeable wine lovers. They ate their box lunches on the patio pool side while sampling all of our wines. It was lots of fun. I was quizzed on every one's names and of course could only recall 4 of the 12 but we blamed it on the wine. Coy was on the ball however and nailed every one!
Following the tasting they toured the B&B. Like everyone who visits, they were impressed. I hope they come back soon and plan to stay at Creekside. I know they have some great stories to share.
Coy with the Wine Wrangler was their guide and he called to arrange a private tasting with Per Cazo. Dave and I were thrilled to pour for such knowledgeable wine lovers. They ate their box lunches on the patio pool side while sampling all of our wines. It was lots of fun. I was quizzed on every one's names and of course could only recall 4 of the 12 but we blamed it on the wine. Coy was on the ball however and nailed every one!
Following the tasting they toured the B&B. Like everyone who visits, they were impressed. I hope they come back soon and plan to stay at Creekside. I know they have some great stories to share.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Great guests!
We had a great week for guests at the Bed and Breakfast! It continues to exceed any expectations I might have had. Last Sunday, Mark and Diane from Redmond Washington checked in for a four night stay. After a two day drive they were ready to be out of the car.
Having guests for four mornings, allowed me to branch out of my typical weekend breakfast fare. Baked eggs with pesto, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese was a big hit! Of course, I offered the stuffed croissants, huevos rancheros and even made steel cut oatmeal one morning. Delish! Since they had time to actually explore, it was fun to hear about their daily excursions. The typical wine tasting and day at the coasts were supplement by a trip to California Valley. I had just learned of this region of California, thanks to the paper, but this is a scorched section of land that might hold promise for the solar industry. Over 30 years ago, Mark's family bought a small plot of land. He went to see it expecting some signs of progress over the years but dismayed to see it exactly the same. Who said time doesn't stand still.
Next we had two cute millennials arrive from Orange County. Randi's father had stayed here when the previous owner offered gift certificates so we honored it. They arrived late on Friday just after we completed a wine tasting so we insisted they sample the wine so they could choose their complimentary bottle. They picked ZinG, a favorite of the youthful crowd. Randi and Chris left this morning with good memories except they lost their camera while winetasting. The worst part was they hadn't even taken any photos!
We had an available room so when the phone rang early Friday evening, Stan and Mary were seeking a room following the rehersal dinner for their daughter, we quickly readied the room. Their daughter had a perfect day for a wedding - blue skies and good temps. Their other daughter and fiance spent the next night in the murphy bed. She gets married in 2 weeks. Stan and Mary are going to need a vacation after all this. Perhaps they'll come back here to retreat.
Speaking of return guests, we have our first returning couple. Bill and Valerie spent the last week up north at the beach with their family. They stayed with us on the way up and called to say they would be coming through on their return so they might as well stay again. They also are coming in October for their anniversary for a few days. Needless to say, they are our best customers to date!
While the guests are the best part of innkeeping, laundry is a necessary evil. Time to go do another load!
Having guests for four mornings, allowed me to branch out of my typical weekend breakfast fare. Baked eggs with pesto, cherry tomatoes and feta cheese was a big hit! Of course, I offered the stuffed croissants, huevos rancheros and even made steel cut oatmeal one morning. Delish! Since they had time to actually explore, it was fun to hear about their daily excursions. The typical wine tasting and day at the coasts were supplement by a trip to California Valley. I had just learned of this region of California, thanks to the paper, but this is a scorched section of land that might hold promise for the solar industry. Over 30 years ago, Mark's family bought a small plot of land. He went to see it expecting some signs of progress over the years but dismayed to see it exactly the same. Who said time doesn't stand still.
Next we had two cute millennials arrive from Orange County. Randi's father had stayed here when the previous owner offered gift certificates so we honored it. They arrived late on Friday just after we completed a wine tasting so we insisted they sample the wine so they could choose their complimentary bottle. They picked ZinG, a favorite of the youthful crowd. Randi and Chris left this morning with good memories except they lost their camera while winetasting. The worst part was they hadn't even taken any photos!
We had an available room so when the phone rang early Friday evening, Stan and Mary were seeking a room following the rehersal dinner for their daughter, we quickly readied the room. Their daughter had a perfect day for a wedding - blue skies and good temps. Their other daughter and fiance spent the next night in the murphy bed. She gets married in 2 weeks. Stan and Mary are going to need a vacation after all this. Perhaps they'll come back here to retreat.
Speaking of return guests, we have our first returning couple. Bill and Valerie spent the last week up north at the beach with their family. They stayed with us on the way up and called to say they would be coming through on their return so they might as well stay again. They also are coming in October for their anniversary for a few days. Needless to say, they are our best customers to date!
While the guests are the best part of innkeeping, laundry is a necessary evil. Time to go do another load!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
It's the little old lady from Morro Bay...
This is Lynda. She just bought our Porsche today. I had posted the car for sale on Craigslist in hopes of selling it versus trading it in at a dealership. I have never seen anyone more excited about a car.
Lynda is 70 years old and this will be her 10th Porsche. It's been over 20 years since she owned her last one and chances are this really will be her last one. She is a dynamo who has had some health issues lately. She shared her philosophy that at this point all she wants is to have fun. We are so pleased to have found a buyer who truly can appreciate this great car.
Many folks think we are crazy but we need a pickup truck not a sports car. We had a lot of fun with this car but Dave has the attitude that you can always get another car and maybe one day we will, but for now, we are on the hunt for a used 4x4, long bed, extended cab. Maybe it will have a Duraliner too!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
new toys
We bought a refractometer today. Boy do we feel like official vintners. The temperatures have climbed and so have the brix in the grapes. Dave and I went out to our main grape grower to check on levels and tested several clusters.
A winemaker judges when to pick the grapes based on a couple of things but brix are the sugar levels in the grapes and that is what the refractometer measures. The brix levels were rising but we hope that the grapes can hang a little longer so they can mature more. The seeds are green and they should be brown. We are hoping for a cool spell to let them settle down a little more.
We are trying to pin down our grapes for the harvest and it is a bit like a moving target. We had a handshake deal on the Choo-Choo zin, but that fell apart. We had found someone who thought they would have some extra Viognier but the crop came in light so we didn't. Never fear, it's a small town and word gets out and the phone rings and low and behold we have Viognier being picked tomorrow. We just contracted with Fess Parker for the other grapes for our Tres Blanc so that is good. Everyone cross fingers that the reds get the hang time they need and harvest goes smoothly. I wonder who the patron saint of the vineyards is?
A winemaker judges when to pick the grapes based on a couple of things but brix are the sugar levels in the grapes and that is what the refractometer measures. The brix levels were rising but we hope that the grapes can hang a little longer so they can mature more. The seeds are green and they should be brown. We are hoping for a cool spell to let them settle down a little more.
We are trying to pin down our grapes for the harvest and it is a bit like a moving target. We had a handshake deal on the Choo-Choo zin, but that fell apart. We had found someone who thought they would have some extra Viognier but the crop came in light so we didn't. Never fear, it's a small town and word gets out and the phone rings and low and behold we have Viognier being picked tomorrow. We just contracted with Fess Parker for the other grapes for our Tres Blanc so that is good. Everyone cross fingers that the reds get the hang time they need and harvest goes smoothly. I wonder who the patron saint of the vineyards is?
Baby, it's hot inside!
Guests at the B&B this past weekend were great. Sandy and Tim were already fans of Per Cazo Tres Blanc and were in town from Huntington Beach for just one night with their daughter. Cel Tustin is our interim innkeeper so she checked them in as we were returning from our whirlwind trip to Minnesota (more on that later.)
By the time we arrived at Creekside, Sandy had a glass in hand and Tim was out getting steaks and fresh corn for a barbecue. They are our first guests to take us up on the offer to cook-out. We supplied them with the necessary BBQ tools and left for the Art in Adelaida benefit at Halter Ranch. We stayed for dinner and excused ourselves early as we were beat from the days travels. The Grennans were still up so they came over to taste the reds and we all turned in early.
This weekend in Paso was as hot as it has been all summer. It was one of the first nights all year when you want the AC on. Unfortunately for our guests, they were using the thermostat for the heater, not the AC unit. Note to Self: Get a manual in those rooms ASAP!
By the time we arrived at Creekside, Sandy had a glass in hand and Tim was out getting steaks and fresh corn for a barbecue. They are our first guests to take us up on the offer to cook-out. We supplied them with the necessary BBQ tools and left for the Art in Adelaida benefit at Halter Ranch. We stayed for dinner and excused ourselves early as we were beat from the days travels. The Grennans were still up so they came over to taste the reds and we all turned in early.
This weekend in Paso was as hot as it has been all summer. It was one of the first nights all year when you want the AC on. Unfortunately for our guests, they were using the thermostat for the heater, not the AC unit. Note to Self: Get a manual in those rooms ASAP!
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