Fortified Wines, Not Porto, Presentation:
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Winery and Vineyard Experience and Analysis
The Brotherhood Winery is commonly considered to beAmerica’s oldest winery established in 1839. It is located in Washingtonville, the state ofNew York, in the Hudson River Region AVA. The winery was started by European immigrant John Jaques, who later deeded it to his three sons.
Actually, the winery does not grow grapes in neighbor vineyards, thus limiting its local production. The major reason for this is that they sold adjoining lands to various commerce establishments, such as local shops and supermarkets.
As a result, they purchase the world’s most widely known grape varieties intended for wine production. They include: Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon from Finger Lakes and Long Island and Merlot – a French technical type of grapes used for varietal wines fromTexas.
However, despite this fact, the winery has its own production of 100 acres inHighlandlocated near the Hudson River and just north to Washingtonville, where they grow several Vinifera and Hybrid grape varieties, known asConcord, Agria, Riesling and Pinot Noir.
While making their wine, the viticulturists employ specific viticulture processes to produce truly tasty and unusual wine varietals. They not only control and monitor various pests and diseases, fertilize and irrigate the vineyards, but also monitor fruit characteristics and their development and decide when to harvest or prune grape vines during the wintertime. Thus, “right rootstock, planting, pruning, training, protecting the vines” (the Brotherhood Winery, 2013, para. 4) are the major viticulture processes made by any viticulturist. Hence, utilizing various innovative techniques can help winemakers produce delightfully tasty and unique wines.
Focusing our intention on the total winery areas, it is possible to say that they have a pretty wide winery area with a huge number of various buildings that are just for you to enjoy during your visit: the museum in hand-excavated cellars, the mansion that is located in the west end of their campus and surrounded with some stone structures from the mid 1800’s, Vinum 4 stars Cafe, Gift Shop, Grand Monarque Hall Private Party Offerings, Blackbuilding with an actual Crushing vats, Fermenting pots and of course Tasting Room.
In fact, they produce 800 thousands of cases for outsourcing activities per year. As widely known, wine is considered to be very susceptible to temperature changes. Thus, the Brotherhood Winery keeps their wine creations in the most proper wine storage temperature (50-55 °F). Additionally, they use American Oak barrels and have 45 hundred gallon barrels for storage, aging and wine production.
In order to make excellent quality wine varietals, the winemakers strictly adhere to the wine production technologies, which consist of the following essential vinification practices: 1) planning (grapes are conveyed to the winery and then processed and pressed); 2) primary fermentation (it creates wine’s alcohol); 3) secondary fermentation (it lasts from 3 to 6 months, depending on the type of the future wine); 4) purifying or refining (occurs after fermentation to remove any solid parts); 5) preserving (it should be preserved with potassium sorbate or sulfur dioxide); 6) bolting and labeling.
Furthermore, they produce different cocktails, such as sherry, Sparkling Wine utilizing Charmat method – commonly used mainly in industrial productions.
Being at the Brotherhood Winery, we as a group had a young guide, who had enough knowledge about the history and events of the winery. However, he did not say much about the technical aspects for growing the grapes (approach to agriculture) and vinification practices. During the tasting our guide was able to tell us about the specific grape varieties, different wine styles and the food to pair with. The tasting was conducted in a clean, quiet, and well-ventilated area. All tasters were provided with spitting caps. Overall, the customer service was good and full of a helpful and positive experience.
Tasting notes of the wines that we tasted were as follows: sparkling wine “Blanc de Blanc” made from Chardonnay Grape – very dry, acidic and crisp with notes of citrus and lemon. As for me, I would pair it with a cheese plate and just simple grapes. The second tasting note was Brotherhood Dry Riesling – a dry and lemony wine dominated by green apples. Matching Brotherhood Dry Riesling with spicy food would be a great combination. The third one is known as Rosario Specialty wine –Concord, Agria grape – fruity and sweet. It would be great to pair it with Custard Tard and strawberry coulis. The forth note was Brotherhood Pinot Noir – a dry, tart and easy wine with some hints of oak, cherries, berries and vanilla. And the last one was Brotherhood Merlot – a soft, dry, medium-bodied red wine with notes of blueberries and black currants, which actually would pair with red meat.
Thus, taking the above-mentioned information into consideration, it is possible to draw a conclusion that the Brotherhood Winery is truly a great place where you can not only carry out a tasting of unique and unusual wine collections, but also purchase innovative and delightfully tasty wine varietals, as well as have lots of fun too. As for the comments and recommendations it should be argued that one of the main focuses concerning the Brotherhood Winery must be paid not only to the history and events of the winery itself , but also to some approaches to agriculture and viticulture processes applied by the wine factory.
Winery and Vineyard Experience Analysis
Klodian Vrioni
HMGT 2402-Wine and Beverage Management
Prof. Karen Goodlad, CSW
May 16, 2013
There are many Vineyards and Wineries in New York area. The most famous one and an AVA region is the North Folk area in Long Island. I was searching around and I choose the Vineyard 48 as my focus of my analysis. I choose this particular Vineyard because they not only were very knowledgeable in the wine viniculture but I was able to get a private tour and interview the Winemaker of Vineyard 48, Mr. Matthew Berenz.
A little bit about his experience and his profession, Mr.Berenz started as a Sale Person, and his passion for the wine grew working with the owners. In 1998, he decided to make wine together with the owners. After a couple of years they offered him the position as a wine maker and he is holding that position proudly from 2004 till the present day.
In my personal tour I learned that they not only use the best varieties in America but they also use the classic methods of the wine-making: the old-world style from hand- picking, to chilling down the wine naturally.
According to Mr. Berenz, the soil is sand, which make it perfect for drainage and they don’t need an irrigation system. Also, the grape varieties combine with the unique climate and maritime conditions; with water in both sides make the vine growth naturally and gives the wine, particular fruity characteristics.
Another aspect of the wine growing is the Viniculture process they use. As I mention above, with no irrigation they use the naturally growing grape varieties. They used root stocks from California planted there 1982. They also, use pruning, old fashion leaf-removal, allowing the sun for maximum ripening the grapes, they do the regularly pesticide spraying to protect the grapes from infections and diseases.
There are six grape varieties that they grow at Vineyard 48 : Cabernet Sauvignon-two acres , Merlot and Chardonnay-five acres each ,Riesling-nine acres ,Sauvignon Blanc-5 acres and Cabernet Franc only one acre (Matthew Berenz , Wine Maker 2013).
About harvesting is in October which allows the grapes full ripening and tanning. The grapes are hand-picked and machine crashed at the site. They have crushing machines and for the wine they use both: the oak and stain-still barrels. After fermentation, they use the cold stabilization and heat stabilization methods for making the wine. Often they use to add betonies for wine clarification, a method use often in Australian winemaking.
When it comes to production, they produce 500 cases a day, and 4.000 cases a year. The most of production goes after to a bottling machine. It is an Italian Machine called GAI and after bottling they are labeled by hand, one by one .The label contents: Vintage, Appellation region and alcoholic content. There are no restrictions in production wine-making but as Mr. Berenz adds in his interview, they prefer quality over quantity, so they choose to make two and half tons of juice for one hectare. This way the quantity is limited but the quality never suffers.
The price rage from: 16 to 45 dollars a bottle .They also won a lot of National and International Competitions. Some of those prices are: New York-Wine and Food Classic, Atlantic Seaboard Wine Competition, International Finger Lakes Wine Competition, Best Sauvignon Blanc 2007 Award Competition etc.
When I asked about the best vintage years in North Folk, Mr. Berenz answered-“The best vintage years in my opinion were 2012, 2010 and 2007”. But the most, that he is proud of is the Peach Wine, he considered himself a pioneer of peach wine in the area. They also produce a really good and fine Riesling. The best Riesling they had was in 2007 vintage .They also produce blends with fruity, vanilla and full-mouth tasting wines.
My favorite of all of them was Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blank. The best time to go is in the weekend since they offer wine tasting and also wine parties. On Saturdays they offer free barbeque and the best of house wine, a blend of varieties of their vineyard.
As for improvement of the vineyard and the winery, Mr. Berenz is hoping that is room for implementation adding new vines to existing one, to rejuvenate the wine and expend the production.
Overall, my visit at the winery and my interview with the winemaker was very interesting and a wine experience that I will not forget easy. His knowledge of the wine and the grapes varieties in his vineyard is excellent and I hope that the North Folk one day gets the same attention as Californian Wines. Is a present place to visit and they are offering the best wines is New York. I will recommend the place to all my friends.
Thank you
Matthey Berenz , Winemaker at Vineyard 48, North Folk , New York.
BEDELL CELLARS – Vineyard visit
Yatta Kamara
May 16, 2013
BEDELL CELLARS
I choose to visit Bedell Cellars when I read that it’s a 30-year-old sustainably farmed and family owned estate vineyard and winery on the North Fork of Island; and the address is: 36225 Main Road, Cutchogue, NY 11935. Contact number is (631)734-7537. I also wanted to visit because, Bedell is among one of the oldest vineyards in Long Island. The vineyard has been owned since 2000 by Michael Lynne, an esteemed art collector and film executive who produced The Lord of the Rings trilogy among many others, and the wines are made by Rich Olsen-Harbich a 30-year veteran. Rich Olsen-Harbich also wrote the North Fork of Long Island appellation into existence in 1986.
The drive to the vineyard too at least three hours, but the views are stunning, and I absolutely loved it. As we pulled into the long drive way into the parking lot there is a large cottage house, my sisters and I immediately walk to the tasting room. The feel inside the tasting room is very chic wine bar feel, I immediately introduced myself to the guy who was behind the bar. Joe was his name, he did the pouring and I asked all the questions. Joe was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. He explained to us all about Bedell’s history and how they make their wines, and seem to genuinely love his job of one year. My sister and I agree that he had a lot to do with our overall impression of the vineyard, especially when I asked how much the tasting of the wines were, he said ” it’s on the house.”
According to Joe Bedell grapevines are 30 years old, an age when they started producing more concentrated fruit and have deep sub-soil root systems, allowing them to grow and ripen fruit without being as affected by the localized, above-ground weather conditions.
The wines are made from grapes which they grow themselves on three vineyard sites totaling about 88 planted acres: Bedell Home Vineyard on the Main Road in Cutchogue behind the winery and tasting room; Corey Creek Vineyards on Main Road in Southhold, next to Corey Creek tasting room; and Wells Road Vineyard on Main Road in Peconic. All three vineyards is a holistic ecological system. Interview with Rich Olsen-Harbich was interviewed on the 2 of June 2011, and he said when it comes to the vineyards, they try to stay away from late season fungicide applications in order to preserve the wild yeasts which are used for fermentation. When new fields are planted, liming programs start early. The soils are replenished twice every ten years. Water tank are used to irrigate new vines when there’s a dry spell. Vine spacing range from 9’ by 7’ or 8’ by 3’ for Syrah vines, and the 8’ by 4’ is average spacing. All grapes are harvest about two tons and acre and the grapes are picked manually by hands and the yeast which is used indigenous, local from long Island.
Bedell Cellar grows a large selection of grapes, which are Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Malbec, Petit Verdot Riesling Gewürztraminer, Viognier. The wines are fermented with indigenous yeast and aged in stainless steel tanks, and a mixture of new and older French oak.
I tasted several wines, which includes 2012 First Crush Red and White – First Crush White is an aromatic, dry white blend. It’s a blend of Chardonnay and Riesling. Its vibrant aromas of ripe pears and honeysuckle and an incredible acidity the complements flavors of golden delicious apples, stone fruit and lemon zest. The wine was hand-harvested, whole cluster pressed, fermented with indigenous yeast and aged in stainless steel tanks. Tasting price range from $2, Glass $8, Bottle $20, and case $360. I also tasted the 2011, Cabernet Franc – This is a red fruity flavor, fermented with indigenous yeast and aged in older French oak barrels and stainless steel. On the nose I smelled spices, cloves, flowers and deep in color, like cherries. Price from $4 – $40, and the case is $480. I then tasted the 2011, Taste White, and the 2011 Malbec, and the 2010 Taste Red. All of Bedell Cellar wines are dry with alcohol level of 10.5% or higher. I did not practically like the red wines, but the whites were really good. I highly recommend Bedell Cellar it’s a must. 2011 Chardonnay was my favorite.
Oh My Dear Paumanok
Winery and Vineyard Experience and Analysis
Benjamin Mendoza III
New York City College of Technology
HGMT 2402.7443
Wine and Beverage Management
Professor Karen Goodlad, CSW
Oh My Dear Paumanok
Picking the vineyard and winery to visit was not that difficult as my first source is known to always have an opinion of the must see places regarding any genre. The New York Times article “Wineries’ Golden Haul” starts with Paumanok Vineyards and that was the main reason I picked them. After speaking with one of the sons of the owner, at the time unbeknownst to me, the deal was booked for a proprietor tour for Friday, May 3rd, 2013. Kareem kindly offered us a guided tour with winetasting by my heart was set on meeting the owner and helping out a local vineyard. The day for the tour came and onward I went with Jennifer Cortez, Ginnette Castillo, and my girlfriend. We all met up at Flushing, NY on Main Street and precede seventy plus miles on the Long Island Expressway followed by Old Country Road to Main Road and our final destination. Our mission, should we choose to accept it, was to investigate the vineyard and its staff on wine and knowledge there of such things related to wine. Is Paumanok Vineyards chance of validity as a world-renowned vineyard a reality or is it just smoke signals sent from an old Native American named business?
Paumanok Vineyards is a family-owned operation. Ursula Massoud was our proprietor tour guide and was very helpful with her information. She is the granddaughter of a vintner hailing from the Pfalz region in southern Germany along the French border from her mother’s side of the family. Ursula touts approximately 450 years of winemaking experienced blood running through her veins with a degree from Chestnut Hill College to boot (April Wine Dinner). You can find her on LinkedIn and the Paumanok Vineyards Facebook page.
Her husband, Charles Massoud, grew up in Lebanon and studied in Paris until he came to Philadelphia where he graduated with his MBA from the Wharton School. After some time in the Middle East, he returned to the U.S. and with importing in his blood, IBM, marketing, and Ursula by his side his adventure into the now North Fork AVA began approximately thirty years ago (April Wine Dinner). He does speeches and is also on LinkedIn, as well as, Facebook and Forbes.com.
They had three sons who all work at the vineyard. Salim Massoud works on the vineyard helping out and dealing with the day to day issues and seems to be the most private of the brothers or so his Facebook shows. Nabeel Massoud has been working on the vineyard since 2002 and is the Manager of the establishment. He studied at Sterling College in Vermont and is on Facebook. Kareem Massoud comes across as the spokesmen and winemaker of the vineyard and has his named mention with everything dealing with the vineyard. He personally took my call and booked our tour. You can also find interviews of his on YouTube and numerous articles talking about viniculture and innovative sciences that are helping vineyards like solar panels. The three sons are all over social media and anything that has to do with the vineyard which makes their parents very happy and proud.
The vineyard was a potato farm until 1983 when Charles and Ursula bought the farm and began converting it. The name was taken from a Walt Whitman poem which was part of Ursula’s studies of Native Americans in a college course (Starting From Paumanok). It is comprised of several small barn-like buildings that contain the winery, green grass event space, a patio with tables seats, tasting area with a bar set-up, and a beautiful gravel driveway with signage promoting Paumanok all over the place. It is very intimate and home-like, the way a family-owned business should be.
During the tour much was said about the soil. In the North Fork Region due to glaciers the soil is much like that of Oregon which is sandy and absorbent. Ursula says, “What makes the soil so special is that it is a well-draining soil and this prevents flood pockets.” The climate was also valued as Ursula mentions, “The micro-climate is suitable for growing grapes of a European variety, which helps the soil retain heat in the winter. She talks about the change of seasons and implies that, “During the growing and harvesting seasons the cool grape growing maritime helps especially with their red wines that have many similarities to Bordeaux’s.” She finishes with, “The grapes are happy here.” We were able to witness an early bud break which Kareem explains, “Is not a bad thing generally unless there is a frost. He continues by saying, “Not all is lost if this occurs because a new batch will grow but the quality will suffer.” Ursula quotes her husband by saying, “Charles always says that the most important and unpredictable partner is Mother Nature.” She adds, “That in the beginning they didn’t know what they were doing” and again quoted her husband by saying, “We made a lot of bad wine back then.” In particular she recalls a 1989 fermented Chardonnay and an article about it in the Wall Street Journal.
I must admit that the location of the vineyard seems like prime real estate. Located on 1074 Main Road in Aquebogue, NY or as us Brooklynites like to call it “the middle of nowhere”, even Ursula herself was taken-back by how far from the city the vineyard was back in 1983 and remembers when she said, “These people must be crazy, to want to grow grapes out here” back around 1978 when it was first suggest. Nonetheless thirty years after purchasing the land and expanding on the property Paumanok Vineyards is on the rise as well as the North Fork AVA.
In 2009, solar panels came on to the property (Paumanok Vineyards: Going Solar, 2009). The barn has been renovated many times and expanded upon but the newest technological innovations are the weather station and solar panels on winery. These items help the vineyard tremendously. In a video, Hakeem gives mention to the future possibility of the vineyard becoming a self-sustaining business in part to the funding provided for the solar panels.
The grapes are grown within view of first stepping into the property. The vitis vinifera species is grown on the vineyard and through their viniculture produces some of the most aromatic Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, the only producer of Chenin Blanc in the region, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot that I have ever had the pleasure of smelling.
Kareem’s approach to agriculture comes with some hand picking, as well as, harvesting machines that are used to safely remove the grapes. During harvest nets are used to protect the grapes from being poached by birds. Noble rot is not preferred but if a substantial amount is available to be controlled then a late harvest will be done making the grapes extra sweet. Ursula mentions that, “Sometime after the bud break stage some vines are cut off to control the amount of grapes and help produce a superior batch.”
In their vinification practices they mostly stainless steel tanks are used, but sometimes oaked barrels are used as well in particular for the oaked Chardonnay and red blend. At first the grapes where sent to another location to become wine and brought back bottled, but after a couple of expansions the wine is made right on the property. No product is ever bottled out of oak which helps with Paumanok’s unique clean and crisp taste. Ursula pointed that out as we made our way to the winery and pasted the huge stainless steel presser and oaked barrels which cost about $800 each. She says, “No wine is bottled without a hose, to keep out as much unwanted contamination as possible. After the wines are bottled they have to be labeled and with the recent support of New York restaurants, Paumanok reportedly makes anywhere from one to five million dollars. They even go the extra mile for clients by placing personalized labels for establishments that wish to have that extra bit of flair. The bottles are shipped to over five hundred different distributors in the Tri-State area, five places in Chicago, and one in Aruba (Paumanok.com). The bottles are also known for their screw caps which Ursula says, “They prevent corking and keep the wine fresh for longer.”
The knowledge of tasting room personnel was exceptional. It was mostly slow and then around three o’clock people came out of nowhere. With their short staff things got very busy, but their hospitality techniques and knowledge of their product was flawless. We had the distinct pleasure of having Ursula pour us the wine. Her pouring technique had us amazed as she never dripped the wine until seventh bottle was poured. We tasted nine wines in total as a group; I was able to taste the Vin Rose because I was buying it. At first, I just wanted the bottle from the description the cashier/wine server gave, but before I could get my credit card out, an ounce was already poured and it tasted like a sweeter version of the Dry Rose. There is also a ton of material related to the wine indoor were we sat, but the patio was also a very charming place to drink wine.
The friendly, easy going, very scenic, easy to navigate, hard to miss environment is a great change from the city and suits those who look to get away from city life very well. The only weakness I see is that with Generation X aging and the Millennial’s picking up on the trends of their predecessors, the vineyard may have a problem with what I believe will be an explosion of wine drinkers from New York, if just one local celebrity picks up one of Paumanok’s great wines. I can easily see Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter supporting this winery and with his influence and maturity, tsunami-like wave of people would swing by the vineyard. As these two generations age, the vineyard is going to seriously have to think about expanding its visiting grounds and having access control measures in place something I would enjoy being a part of maybe someday in the future.
After all was said and done, our trip to the winery answered many questions and left us wondering about the future of the vineyard as bigger predicted demands of wine occur. One thing for sure is that the Massoud family, one of the original twelve grape farmers of the North Fork AVA and one of the last three remaining original owners, seems in great and capable hands as the business is passing down a generation and hopefully many more to come. Paumanok Vineyards has made a long journey from the 1983 purchase, to their first wine in 1989 and official debut in 1993, but are they world-renowned? Well according to a book one of the bottles is a must drink before dying and reads, “…the greatest wines of Long Island are consistently the Paumanok Grand Vintage Cabernet Sauvignons (1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die).” Quite frankly, I do not see a ceiling for the vineyard as of yet and I do not think there ever will be one. They continue win acclaim and competitions like the New York Food and Wine Classic (Wineries’ Golden Haul). My experience was amazing and if this is the level of service and quality wine to be maintained; they should have no problem becoming world renowned and recognized in both the old and new world of wines. Pictures of my experience can be found on YouTube at http://youtu.be/fbWURh-9Rzk.
Works Cited
April Wine Dinner. (2012). Retrieved May 7, 2013, from M.I.T. Alumni Association: http://longisland.alumclub.mit.edu/s/1314/clubs-classes-interior.aspx?sid=1314&gid=192&pgid=7578&cid=14436&ecid=14436&ciid=29490&crid=0
Beckett, N. (2008). 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die. (N. Beckett, & J. Gaudet, Eds.) New York, New York, United States of America: Universe Publishing. Retrieved May 8, 2013, from http://www.amazon.com/1001-Wines-Must-Taste-Before/dp/0789316838
Goldberg, H. G. (2012, August 26). Wineries’ Golden Haul. New York Times, L19. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/26/nyregion/long-island-wines-win-prizes-at-ny-wine-and-food-classic.html?_r=1&
Massoud, K. (2009, October 22). Paumanok Vineyards: Going Solar. (E. Schultz, Interviewer) YouTube. STimesNews, New York. Retrieved May 7, 2013, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MW8T5TzQ5g8
Paumanok.com, 2013. (n.d.). Retrieved May 5, 2013, from Paumanok: www.paumanok.com
Whitman, W. (2007). Starting From Paumanok. In W. Whitman, Leaves of Grass (First Edition ed.). Radford, Virginia, United States of America: Wilder Publications. Retrieved May 7, 2013
Randall Grahm “The Original Rhone Deranger”
https://www.bonnydoonvineyard.com/meet_our_leader
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ABOUT ME
NICKNAME: Bonny Doon
Born in Los Angeles in 1953 and attended Uncle Charlie’s Summer Camp; excuse me, the prestigious University of California at Santa Cruz where he studied Liberal Arts.
Occupation: Wine Producer of producing the Great American Pinot Noir
FRIENDS: Russian River Chamber of Commerce, Randall Grahm, Sonoma County Winery
RECENT POST: “I am a man who dances to a different doon”
ABOUT ME
Merry Edwards made her considerable reputation on distinctive pinot noir wines from California’s Russian River Valley, so it seems right that one of her wines came in first in a blind tasting of California and Oregon pinots. Right behind her, though, came two of the Oregonians: Sokol Blosser, one of Willamette Valley’s pioneer wineries, and ForeFront, a new venture by the Crimson Wine Group. In general, the Oregon pinots were lighter in color, fruitier in the nose and cleaner on the palate than the Californians, which were dark, smelled more like hay and mushrooms and had more powerful fruit
FRIENDS: Russian River Chamber of Commerce, Randall Grahm, Sonoma County Winery
RECENT POST: “After a decade of wine-making, I am living my dream!
CENTRAL VALLEY, CALIFORNIA- MARY EWING MULLIGAN
- Includes California’s Central Valley and the Sierra Foothills AVA. One notable region in this area is the Lodi AVA. The Lodi appellation is noted for its classic Mediterranean climate and its distinctive sandy soils that provide the perfect environment for the production of world-class wines.
- Lies east of San Francisco Bay and runs south through the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys to Bakersfield.
The 8 AVA’s of the Central Valley:
Clarksburg, Diablo Grande, Dunnigan Hills, Lodi, Madera, Merritt Island, River Junction and Salado Creek.
Mary Ewing-Mulligan:
American author, wine educator and Master of Wine he first American woman to achieve this accreditation.She has been the director of the school International Wine Center since 1984, and is executive director of the U.S. programs for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. She is also a freelance journalist of wine articles to various publications, and the co-author of several wine books in the For Dummiesseries. Just tasted a great Pinot Noir from Santa Monica, hints of cherry and bright acidity!!!!!
Gustave Niebaum and Brother Thimothy
Gustave Niebaum
Niebaum quickly rose through the ranks, and was captain of his own ship at age 21. He spent the next few years acquiring as many expensive furs as he could. This was an extremely lucrative trade at the time.
In 1868, he arrived in San Francisco with over $600,000 in sea otter pelts from Alaska. He founded the Alaskan Commercial Company and expanded his business ventures with his substantial profits.
In 1880, Captain Gustave Niebaum purchased an 1,110 acre property from William Campbell Watson named Inglenook. Inglenook was one of the few wineries to survive Prohibition without receiving a contract to make wine for the Catholic Church. Niebaum was able to persevere by selling table grapes.
Inglenook’s winery and cellar were completed in 1887. Niebaum was an early advocate of meticulous cleanliness in his winery and insisted on using only the best fruit. His great nephew John Daniel Jr continued his reputation for quality.
Birth : 1842
Died : 1908
Pioneer California Vintner, founded Inglenook Winery in Napa Valley, 1876. Niebaum, a Finnish immigrant, is perhaps the most famous and revered of the early vinters of California’s Napa Valley. His extensive holdings were broken up and sold over the years, but producer and good-liver Francis Ford Coppola recently reunited the original vineyard, forming Niebaum-Coppola Winery
BROTHER TIMOTHY
D.O.B 1910
Lived –Napa Valley
Graduated-St Mary’s College in 1929
Occupation –Science Professor
A WINE THAT EDUCATES
A pioneering winemaker for the Christian Brothers Winery and a longtime fixture on the Napa Valley wine Known for its brandy and table wines, Christian Brothers was one of America’s top-selling brands for decades; the revenues went to support the order’s educational facilities.
Steven Spurrier
Steven Spurrier was born in 1941. He is a British wine expert that organized the Paris wine tasting in 1976 which led to the expansion of wine production in the New World. Spurrier got the idea of a tasting to introduce his French friends to some of the California wines he has been hearing about. This might have been the first time that California and French wines went head to head in a major tasting, with nine experienced French judges: sommeliers, chefs, winemakers and critics. Knowing the French, Spurrier decanted the wines into anonymous bottles, because it was too much to expect them to be fair about another country’s wines. He also wrote many books of wine such as How to Buy Fine Wines, Fine Wine Guide, French Country Wines Guide.
Enjoy your wines with Steven Spurrier!
