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Welcome!
We appreciate your patronage and hope to keep you up to date on the latest news from the vineyard and the tasting room (with an occasional bite from Alan's musical efforts).
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From Sandra's Desk
April 2024
What did I say in the March Newsletter? That "March comes in like a lion but goes out like a lamb?" …NOT!!! Here we are in the first few days of April, and we are seeing cool temps and lots more rain. In fact, we are worrying about an early frost on our vines because we have some leafing out in a few spots. Yikes! The perils of farming. But it IS stunning in the vineyard these days, with the emerald green grasses that only come once a year and the bright blue skies and big white clouds. No wonder the vines sometimes awaken a little too early. It's just too darn beautiful to miss. Today I saw the first sprigs of lupin, one of my personal faves.
Alan is back to work again, which is great news. The strikes of last year took a toll on the business but luckily things have resolved, and he is back in the film-scoring business. His latest film is "Here" directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright, with many of the behind-the-scenes talent from Forrest Gump. It's a special film and it is due out in early November. In addition to this, Back to the Future the Musical begins its 27- city tour of the US in June. Here is a link to the latest cities if you are interested in seeing it somewhere outside of NYC.
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From The Winemaker
Hi all, happy Spring? Sooo, as I write this, the coldest storm of the year is swinging through, dusting the peaks with snow and putting us in a state of high alert for the vineyard with the dreaded F word (fr-st), a real possibility. Praying and hoping that it doesn't get too cold for the brand-new shoots that are just forming. One aspect of winemaking that I am not sure I have covered, (I probably have but am getting older and can't remember what I had for breakfast, if I had it at all) is new barrel selection and its role in the year-to-year winemaking process. So, the funny thing about ordering barrels (we use all French oak that are coopered in France), is that they have to be ordered now. I have a general idea of what percentage of new barrels I want and need but we have no idea at this time of year what the vineyard is going to produce. Like I said, the shoots are just coming out of dormancy. Besides the crapshoot of ordering blindly, there are other decisions that need to be made and for me they go as follows: the right cooperage (barrel making brand) is first. Luckily, I have been doing this for almost 25 years, so I have narrowed the brands I like to 4. I use Taran Saud, my favorite barrel for the big reds, Seguin Moreau, also a big red contributor but more aggressive than Taran Saud, meaning it adds a lot more pop for the buck but isn't as elegant. I use Francois Frere, a must for Pinot and Chardonnay, and last but not least is the one that I only use for the Bella Sandra, D'Aquitane, the newest addition to my mainstays. Now, after I decide what cooper I like, I pick the forest the wood comes from. Generally, I get COF or center of France, which includes the Allier, Troncais, and Nevers areas. For me, they work really well with our fruit, especially the Allier. After forest choice, comes toast level of the barrels, basically how much char they allow in the barrel. Some Cooper's really make smokey barrels and others don't; for instance, one has to be careful to not use too much Francois Frere because it can dominate the wine with smokey flavors but on the other hand if I use all new Taran Saud, the effect won't be nearly as dramatic. This brings us to the percentage of new oak. For the reserves, I might use 60% new French oak, and then I use 25 to 30% for the wines that are not reserves but that is determined later when I start to make the final blends. So, this has been a quick tutorial on the basics of new barrels and their roles in our winemaking process. Of course, there is a lot more to it, but I think I have made my portion too long now... hahaha. Cheers and thanks as always for the continued support. It is much appreciated.
Go Giants!
Frank
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From The Tasting Room:
The sun is shining, and the clouds are still raining. We have been enjoying the warm weeks with a few showers in between that have been keeping the flowers blooming and everything green. Don't let the rainy days stop you from experiencing tasting in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Just grab an umbrella and head our way. If the rain is pouring, then so are we.
The tasting room has been happy to see all of our wine club members coming in to pick up the recent wine club release. Wine club release always gets a bit stressful in the beginning, making sure everything goes smoothly. In the end it always works out and pays off. Like I said before, seeing our wonderful club members makes the hard work, worth it. If you haven't come into pick-up your allocation, we still have it waiting for you. Our tasting room is open daily from 12-6pm with no reservations required.
If you are interested in being a part of our wonderful Wine Club, members get exclusive offers! We offer our Signature Wine Club where members receive a 20% discount on regular priced wines and most on-sale wines. Sign-up is simple through the tasting room or on our website and benefits start immediately. Shipping wine is easy, too! Silvestri ships directly to select destinations across the U.S. Order online or through the tasting room with assistance from our knowledgeable staff.
We look forward to seeing you in the tasting room soon.
-The Tasting Room Staff
Daniella, Elian, Andi & Brian
Daily Tasting Menu:
2020 Pinot Blanc, Il Campione, Estate
2020 Chardonnay, Tre Bambine, Estate
2021 Pinot Noir, Rising Tide, Estate
2019 Red Blend, Eugenia, Estate
2019 Barbera, Estate
Available for Purchase (click or tap here to visit our online store):
2020 Pinot Gris, Ala, Estate
2020 Chardonnay, Bella Sandra, Estate
2021 Pinot Noir, Piave, Estate
2019 Syrah, Estate
2021 Syrah, Red Ranger, Estate
2019 Cabernet Sauvignon, I Vendicatori, Estate
2018 Late Harvest Moscato, Estate
Rosé Special:
2020 Grenache Rosé, Estate
2020 Cab Franc/Malbec Rosé, Estate
For Tasting Room information (hours, location, etc.) click or tap here to visit our website
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