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Upcoming Events
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Keller Estate Harvest Celebration
Saturday, October 12th
Noon to 4:30 pm
Price for the public is $65, and there is a special 15% discount for PGWA Members. Type "GAP" at the checkout to get your discount and bring your membership card to the event.
Rancho Nicasio Farm to Table Dinner
Sunday, September 29th
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Random Wine Facts
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Not All Wine Gets Better with Age
Frank Sinatra was wrong: Most wines do not get better with age. According to Kevin Zraly, a master wine educator and author of the Windows on the World wine course, only 1% of the bottles produced in the world are to be aged. "Ninety percent of all wine made in the world today is meant to be consumed within one year. Another 9% should never see more than five years. Therefore, 99% of all wines should be consumed within five years. If you're shopping in the $5 to $25 range, all of those wines are really meant to be consumed now." Drink up!
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PGWA Summer BBQ
 | | The chilled wine area was a popular start to the event! |
Nearly 100 members and their guests attended the PGWA Summer BBQ at the Clary Ranch / Grand Vent Vineyards on Sunday, August 25th. Jim Crayne (Armagh Vineyards) and Jim Griffin (Griffin's Lair Vineyards) grilled up sausages to go with the dozens of potluck dishes brought by our members. The wine table was packed with Petaluma Gap wines (and a random few from outside the Gap). The rustic ambiance of the Ranch was perfect, with tables and chairs set up along side the pinot noir vines.
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Guests enjoy their food with Gap wines next to the Ranch's pinot noir vines
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In addition to the great food and wine, guests were treated to an equestrian show and a tour of the pinot noir and syrah vineyards. It was exciting to see the grapes nearing ripeness, with the expectation of harvest in just a few short weeks!
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Paul Clary leads a tour of the Ranch's pinot noir and syrah vines
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Member News
 In early August, McEvoy Ranch released their inaugural wines to the public. Their 2012 "Rosebud" Rosé of Pinot Noir, 2010 Pinot Noir "The Evening Standard" and 2010 "Red Piano" Proprietary Blend are being sold exclusively in their San Francisco Ferry Building shop. Public tastings are offered at their shop every Tuesday and Friday afternoon from 4pm to 6pm. You can also find their wines by the glass at Sir and Star in Inverness and Sugo in Petaluma. If you'd like to join their Wine Club for fall and spring shipments of their current releases, complimentary tastings, event invitations and ranch discounts, sign-up at http://www.mcevoyranch.com/wine/our_wine_club.html
 Keller Estate is hosting their annual Harvest Celebration on Saturday, October 12th from noon to 4:30 pm. Enjoy tasting wines undergoing fermentation, current vintages including the long awaited Rotie, library wines, enjoy amazing paella, and share the bounty of harvest in the Petaluma Gap. Tickets are $65 per person for the general public, but PGWA Members enjoy a 15% discount! Members should enter "GAP" in the Coupon Code section during on-line checkout. Tickets and more info are available on line at Harvest Celebration. Devils Gulch Ranch will be participating in the Rancho Nicasio Farm to Table Dinner on September 29th celebrating local farms, vineyards and cuisine. Additional information is available at www.ranchonicasio.com. |
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Winery Discounts and Specials for PGWA Members
 Following is a list of discounts or other specials currently being offered exclusively to our PGWA Members:
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Vineyard Happenings -- Green Drop?
 | | Green clusters like this are cut off (dropped) to allow the vine to ripen the rest of the fruit |
No, it's not the odd-flavored gum drop that's always the last one left at the bottom of the jar. Green drop is when the vineyard crew walks down each row of fruit shortly after veraison is complete and cuts off (drops) the clusters that are still mostly green. Those green clusters are too far behind the others in ripening and if left on the vine would impair the ability of the vine to properly ripen the other clusters.
Crop thinning, on the other hand, is when the vineyard crew reduces the overall crop load on each vine regardless of whether the clusters are still mostly green. The decision to do crop thinning depends on many factors, including whether the vines are overcropped (carrying more fruit than they can ripen). For the grower and winemaker, it can be a difficult "yield vs. quality" decision.
This year in the Gap, the early bud break and warm spring/early summer have contributed to a very good crop load in most vineyards. The cooler weather in late July/early August has helped to slow overall ripening with the prospect of sufficient hang time to allow development of complex flavors in the fruit. Many vineyards have completed their green drop, with very few having to do any further crop thinning. With our typical warm "Indian summer" weather ahead of us in September and October, most Gap growers and winemakers expect that this year will be great for both yield and quality. |
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