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Upcoming Events
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- Petaluma Viticulture History Exhibit, Petaluma Historical Library & Museum
Sept. 21, 2014 to Jan. 11, 2015
- Petaluma Winegrowers Gala, Keller Estate Winery September 20, 2014 - Community Crush Celebration, Petaluma Historical Library & Museum September 27, 2014
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WINE INSOMNIA
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- "What do you take to fight insomnia?
- "A good glass of wine."
- "Does it work?"
- "No, but it keeps me happy while I wait to fall asleep."
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Late Spring in the Vineyard
 | | "Fuzzy" clusters are actually blooming flowers |
By Memorial Day, grapevines in the Petaluma Gap are either in bloom or have already set crop. Fuzzy clusters are actually blooming flowers, and when we see tiny clusters with BB size grapes we know the crop is "set." Workers in the field are now tucking shoots into wires and eliminating congestion in the canopy. The objective: to allow dappled sunlight to reach the grapes.
Vineyard "Aesthetic": Neat vs. Shaggy
As you drive by Gap vineyards you may notice they don't all look the same. Some are disced clean so not a weed or blade of grass remains; others are mowed, at varying heights, with tufts of grass poking up here and there -- the shaggy unkempt look. A neat clean look has been traditional in vineyard management -- no weeds to compete with the vines for nutrients or water. But other grapegrowers question this approach. A few weeds, or a mowed cover crop, do compete with the vines, but it encourages healthy soil and a vibrant ecosystem. Also, competition may prove to be a good thing. Less vigorous vines mean smaller clusters/berries, which result in a more intense wine! We could also give these weeds another name: "habitat for beneficial insects." Lacewings, parasitic wasps, lady bugs and praying mantises need a place to hang out and lay their eggs. So they like "scruffy" vineyards with a variety of weeds and flowering plants. A sustainable/organic philosophy calls for a new aesthetic. It may not look perfectly groomed, but when you pass a scrappy looking vineyard, consider what is going on: good bugs holding bad bugs in check (without pesticides), and lots of earthworms and microbes helping to enrich the soil!
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Member News
Fogline Vineyards
 Fogline Vineyards recently celebrated the Grand Opening of their tasting room and production facility at 875 River Road in Fulton. New releases include two Petaluma Gap wines:
- 2013 Sonoma Coast Rosé of Pinot Noir, Swan Block (Estate)
- 2012 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, Fogline Neighbors
Contact Evan@foglinevineyards.com for information on tasting room hours.
Flocchini Wines
 The Flocchinis are excited to announce that their 2011 Syrah won a double gold, best of Syrah at The Toast of the Coast Wine Competition and will be served at the San Diego Fair in June. You can find their Syrah on their website or at two local restaurants, Sugo Tratoria and The Washoe House. Their silver award winning Pinot Noir Rosé is being served at Pongo's restaurant and their Pinot Noir at Rosso Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar.
McEvoy Ranch, Bailiwick, Brooks Note, Couloir, and Kendric
 Come experience Marin's remarkable hand-crafted wines at the 10th Annual Marin County Wine Celebration, on Sunday, June 1, in charming downtown San Anselmo. Meet the vintners and growers who will be pouring their wines made from grapes grown exclusively in Marin County vineyards: Bailiwick, Brooks Note, Burning Bench, Couloir, DeLoach, Dutton-Goldfield, Easkoot, Ernest Bloom, Kendric, McEvoy Ranch, Pacheco Ranch, Pey-Marin and Skywalker. Wines will be available for purchase, so you can bring a little bit of Marin County home to your table. 10th Annual Marin County Wine Celebration Sunday, June 1st, 2014, 2pm - 5pm La Loggia Vinoteca + Café, 500 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo 415-234-8698 $40/pp in advance | $50/pp at door Tickets available here: marinwinegrowerscelebration.bpt.me
 Waxwing Wines
Couloir Wines | Straight Line Wine
 Also, Friday, June 27th is Base Camp Wine Club Member Appreciation Night at the tasting room (72 Main Street, Tiburon, CA). All wine club members are invited to enjoy a complimentary glass of their featured wine, sample local, artisan cheeses and snacks and meet the winemaker and other members. Enriquez Estate  Enriquez Estate Wines is releasing their 2013 Tempranillo Rosé to the public the week of June 1st. Crafted from 100% Tempranillo, this dry rosé is available for purchase on the Enriquez website. Only 52 cases produced. A recent review of their sold-out 2012 rosé is available at this link. For scheduled tasting events, you can "like" them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/enriquezestatewines. Guarachi Family Wines  Guarachi Family Wines announces the purchase of Meadowrock, a 62-acre vineyard in the prestigious Atlas Peak Appellation in Napa Valley. Meadowrock, Atlas Peak, is the second Guarachi Family Wines vineyard acquisition, following the estate purchase of Sun Chase vineyard in the Petaluma Gap in spring 2013. Click here for a complete press release.
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