Dear Friends,
Welcome to winter at Windsor Vineyards! Curious about what the vines are doing right now? In this issue of Sips, we'll take a peek. We'll also introduce you to some lesser known wines, and highlight a few members of our team. And speaking of team, be sure to catch our Super Bowl wine tips for the year's best snacking. Enjoy the game!
Tammy Boatright
President, Windsor Vineyards
Contents
Asleep in the Field: Winter's Vine Dormancy
Shh - quiet, please!
When we took you through our vineyards in the last issue of Sips, the lively bustle of harvest time was in full swing. Now, a gentle silence blankets the vines. On the outside, the branches have shed the last of their leaves. On the inside, all is still. There are no carbohydrates streaming into the roots, and no new growth poking through. The vines are hibernating, literally asleep.
The time of vine dormancy is here. Of course, there's really no need for silence. The chilly air and cold soil will ensure that our vines get the rest they require. And northern California's winter rains will supply them with enough to drink during the spring and summer growing seasons.
At least, we hope so. As the vines snooze, water is the primary thought on our minds. Well-saturated soil is vital during the winter, but excessive water creates problems in the spring. Where water sits, air is pushed out, leaving the soil too compact for healthy growth. Sitting water also tends to deposit minerals on the vines, leaving them rusty and mottled. Lastly, vines with "wet feet" tend to oversleep and miss the first part of the growing season.
Fortunately, many of our vineyards are planted on hillsides, and all of them have well designed drainage systems. In our next issue of Sips, we'll discover what springtime has for us. As the soil dries and warms, we'll get a look at the first signs of activity on the vines - and we'll know that the New Year in the vineyard has begun.
The Wine-Filled World of Tom Simoneau The Wine Guy
"I'm a guitar player with a Psych degree." With these fateful words, musician Tom Simoneau began a journey to become Tom Simoneau The Wine Guy?
It's true. Among his mile-long list of wine-related activities, Tom is a local wine celebrity on the radio and records his monthly Wine Minute for the Windsor Vineyards web site. In both capacities, he offers short "tips and sips" on everything wine: varietals, food pairings, corks versus screw tops, even the proper wine tasting dress code.
In between, Tom shares his world of wine with us at Windsor Vineyards. He's one of our Business Development Managers, and serves as Personal Wine Consultant to more than 1200 of our customers.
Life Takes a Detour
In 1982, Tom took a break from his musical life on the road. In need of a job, he shared his 8-word self-description above with an employment recruiter in Healdsburg, California. "Not a lot of opportunity for that around here," she muttered honestly, then asked, "Have you ever worked phones?" Bingo! "As the band's manager," Tom says, "the phone was my life." He was promptly referred for an open position as a phone marketer. The company? Windsor Vineyards.
"Our band's listeners were all wine drinkers, and I had absorbed a bit of knowledge here and there," Tom recalls. "So I took the job and began to study the wine life."
He also began to live it. In 1983, he started making his own wine. In 1988, he and his wife bought a small vineyard in the famous Alexander Valley. His big break came in 1992 when he brought his 1990 Meritage to the Sonoma County Harvest Fair - and took home the Best Amateur Red award. He was promptly contacted by a local radio station, and became the voice of Tom Simoneau The Wine Guy. He's also become a national wine judge and an Adjunct Professor of wine (teaching Bordeaux blending) at the local junior college.
As a grape grower, winemaker, wine educator, wine judge, wine salesman, and wine radio and web personality, Tom Simoneau is indeed the walking definition of "Wine Guy". It may take him less than a Wine Minute to answer the question, "Is there anything in this industry you don't do?"
To listen to Tom on our audio library, click here. In Sonoma County, California, catch his Wine Guy tips on KSRO radio, 1350 AM. To check out his wines, visit our website and type in Simoneau.
In Case You Were Wondering: Some Great Wines You Might Have Missed
Just when you think you've heard every wine name, another one appears - and you may wonder if you'll ever be able to keep up. In the Sips spirit of sharing what we know, here's the scoop on a few:
Meritage
The name "Meritage" is actually an American creation. It rhymes with "heritage" because it's a blend of the words "merit" (for the wine's high quality standards) and "heritage" (for the wine's Bordeaux-based blending tradition). There is no Meritage grape. The wine is a blend of several different grapes - the classic Bordeaux varietals - and it can be either red or white. The Meritage Association offers a list of the varietals that can be used, and they've specified that no single varietal can account for more than 90% of the blend. Finally, each release must have less than 25,000 cases. Serve the white with lighter fare and the red with steak or game.
Semillon (pronounced "Seh-mee-ON")
Semillon is a thin-skinned white grape that ripens early and is easy to grow. It's used often in Bordeaux, France, and it's the main ingredient in Sauternes wine (we'll have to cover that one some other time). Along with Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadell, it's one of only three grapes approved for making Bordeaux white wines. It's also frequently blended with Chardonnay for the mass market, to soften that grape's richness. On its own, Semillon is an aromatic wine that can be grassy or nutty, depending on the terroir. It can be drunk young or aged for up to five years. Chill it to about 50°F and serve it with oysters and clams or salmon and tilapia.
Riesling (pronounced "REEZ-ling" or "REES-ling.")
Riesling is actually one of the world's premiere white wine grapes, from which some of the best white wines are made. It's a native of Germany, where it's believed to have been grown for at least 500 years, and perhaps for as long as 2000 years. Rieslings are both complex and delicate, with spicy, fruity flavor, a flower-scented bouquet and a long finish. Higher quality Rieslings are sweet, while lesser quality vintages tend to be sharp. Rieslings can be enjoyed for up to three years. Most importantly, Riesling is generally said to be one of the best white wines with food. You'll love it as an aperitif, and paired with oriental cuisine, seafood, and chocolate.
Gewürztraminer (pronounced "guh-VOORTS-truh-mee-ner")
This white wine grape is a member of the Muscat family, offering pungent character and full-bodied flavors. The German word "gewürtz," meaning "spiced," refers to the wine's spicy nature. "Tramin" is an Italian village, believed to be the grape's original home over a thousand years ago. The grape's pinkish pigment makes it one of the darker whites, often with peach tones. The wine offers a range of sweetness. Gewürztraminer is best enjoyed when it's young, though it can age fairly well. It's fruity and perfumed with a flowery bouquet. Try it with sauerkraut, sausages and Munster cheese. It's also great with curry seasoned dishes, ethnic foods and rich poultry dishes. The versatile Gewurztraminer can even be served for dessert.
So now it's your turn to share. We'd love to hear your thoughts on a lesser known wine or two. Anybody care to take a stab at "Blaufränkischer" or "Asti Spumante"? Share your comments with us! Click here to send us a quick email.
Wine Gets Personal: Creating Our Personalized Wine Labels
Would you like to design your own label? Here's a behind-the-scenes look at how our wine label wizards create your personal message on a bottle.
What's the Big Idea?
The first step is determining a concept, says Scott Cruz, one of our in-house designers. "Some customers give us lots of direction for the layout, and others just send a photo or an inscription and leave the rest to us." Scott's always ready for this challenge: his creative toolbox includes a Visual Communications Design degree from UC Davis. Fellow designer Tommy Wren, with a degree in Computer Tech Design and a life-long passion for art, says his favorite part of the job is the creativity - in his words, he loves adding the "wow" factor to customers' photos and logos.
Picture This
Tommy and Scott typically work the customer's requests into a template; they have created wine label templates for everything from weddings and birthdays to corporate events. "My favorite is the ASPCA layout," Scott says. "We use it to display photos of our customers' dogs and cats right on the label. It's very popular." Indeed: the Windsor Vineyards pet label was recently featured in the November-December 2006 issue of Bark magazine.
Putting It All Together
Once the artwork is approved and printed, it's time for the text. Although the sky might be the limit for designs, inscriptions are more structured. "The space on a label allows for no more than 3 short lines of text," Scott says. "And some images require the entire area, leaving no room for inscriptions." Scott and Tommy rely on our phone consultants to assist customers with preparing the perfect prose. After this, the labels make a final stop in the warehouse to meet the bottles before being shipped out to you.
Ready to give it a try? Your Wine Consultant can help you though every step. So have a look through our label library or send us your own photo, company logo, or original illustration - and add your favorite memory to a case of your favorite wine.
Support a wonderful cause! Put your beloved pet on one of our award-winning wines, and upon your request we'll donate 10% of your order to the ASPCA. Call your Personal Wine Consultant at 800.289.9463 for details.
Super Sipping: The Best Wines for the Super Bowl
Why not enjoy the big game with a case of award-winning wine? You can make the sipping even more fun with personalized labels. Create your own message to welcome your guests or to immortalize a cheer for your team. Great wine is the perfect beverage for a gathering of friends and friendly opponents - and it's terrific with all your party snacks. Here are a few suggestions:
Veggies: Hand off a glass of our smooth 2004 TSIG Merlot to guests who favor these crunchy morsels. The delicious contrast will earn you an early vote for party MVP.
Chips and Salsa: Our 2004 barrel-fermented Chardonnay provides the perfect coverage for spicy salsas. If nachos are your game, catch a bottle of our 2003 TSIG Zinfandel for a spectacular taste combination.
Pizza: This classic party food scores with both reds and whites. Team it up with our 2004 Three Vines Red or our white 2005 Pinot Grigio and you might even ignore the game's commercials.
Chinese Food: Open a bottle of chilly, fruity white wine when you open those little white boxes. Our double gold-winning 2005 Riesling and our multi-award winning White Zin make an unbeatable lineup. With sushi, our 2004 Sparkling Shiraz is a big winner.
Of course, when the game is over, it's celebration time - so be sure to order plenty of our Brut or our Blanc de Noir champagnes, and end the evening with a delicious victory toast for everyone.
Game time is 6:00PM EST on February 4th.
For more specifics, call us at 800.289.9463. Your Personal Wine Consultant is a great resource for all your wine and food questions.
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