The Uncultivated Life The Toil For a Vineyard and Its Wine

Some Days In the Life

July 28, 2010 in And Then Some | 4 comments

Just dropped Sam off at his new little play-group daycare thingymajig down the street, and back home doing some work. Thought I’d share what I’ve been working on these past few days:

- Editing Scott’s video debut – that stylist I need for myself could also be used on Scott, at least his choice of t-shirt (a gag-gift from a friend, not a statement he’s trying to make). I did my best to edit what I could out, hence the jiggle effect. Sorry if you get sea-sick while watching. Scan the horizon.

- Website nitty-gritty. We’re trying to get an expanded website up, other than our DIY splash page you currently see at The Grande Dalles address. I’m 2.5 months behind doing it – trying to coordinate with the designer I traded work for, and the programmer, and how it can be done on the budget we have, and how the design drives budget and my head hurts. Then all the “where should one go after clicking here?” “How to return?” “Is the message clear?” “How much will this add to programming costs?” And then all the gentle stylistic proddings, to a well-seasoned, know-her-crap designer. See, that’s the (one of the) trouble(s) with people with vision (meaning me and scott) — we know what we want because the vision is so deep within us. But since we don’t have the know-how to create it (like this website – as much as I’d LOVE to learn programming and more about design), we have to rely on people doing their best to translate their idea of what THEY think WE want. Painful sometimes.

- Restaurant/chef picks. When we were in New York last month, The James Beard House was so excited about our wines and story, they want us to present them at a dinner sometime in the future, something we are deeply honored by, even just the idea! So now it’s trying to find a chef who might want to present a meal with our wines. We have a shortlist, so in the last few days I’ve done some research to uncover the chef’s stories — I LOVE that stuff — sleuthing, and stories — to see how we might be a good fit. Of course, who knows if any of them would be interested, but The James Beard House?! AND The Grande Dalles wine?! C’mon!

- Setting up our e-comm page to link with website. Lots of DIY (that’s Do It Yourself, for you Euro readers) in this endeavor.

- Going through an emotional roller coaster — I know, that’s old news for you seasoned readers — but here’s the skinny: LAST week we were turned down a SECOND time for a loan to move into a bigger home. This the second house we had found. I was so angry and sad, all our sacrifice for this endeavor and living in this tiny house and blah blah blah. THIS week Scott found us a local bank who said, “Yes.”! We will get that larger house. Fingers crossed.

Ok – enough of the blah blah — I’ll post this and get Scott’s video up, too –

Over and out -

Summer Sardines and Bone Dry Riesling

July 23, 2010 in The Other Side | No comments

Before Summer gets away from me and it’s too late, I want to share a few recipes from Saveur’s First Annual Summer BBQ, eats we imagined when sampling them out on Chelsea Pier last month in New York that would pair wondrously with our wines. So no, we have not actually had this food with our wine, not yet. Why not, you ask? Well, it’s not like we could bust out our bottles at the fête (although I had considered the idea, some guerilla marketing, but then someone suggested it might be, well, tacky), and really, we gotta sell our wine, not just sit around drinking it – although we HOPE those days will soon be here.

Back to this recipe – the whole Saveur event showcased some of the best chefs from across the country, this one from four-star Italian restaurant chef Tony Mantuano of Spiaggia in Chicago. We’d want to drink our bone dry Leroy’s Finest Riesling with it.

Read the rest of this entry »

Walk of Faith

July 21, 2010 in And Then Some | No comments

That’s what a very dear friend of mine said to me, that I must see all this as a “walk of faith” after an outburst of expletives I had for the ridiculous mortgage lenders who, just today—after telling us WEEKS ago “no problem, no problem” about getting a loan for a larger home, even after we explained our farm losses on the tax returns that caused the denial of the first loan—told us today that we were denied. After all their stringing along and “Yes you can” bullscheisse and all the work we (Scott) did and time and money of the inspection and sewer scope and back and forth with the seller, not to mention the dreams, the DREAMS! of FINALLY a larger place, and the sanity, the SANITY involved (mine, really), only to be, once again, denied a loan for a larger home. “Walk of faith my ass,” or something like that, I told her.

I was in tears, thinking of what Kay had said on the God Father II: Read the rest of this entry »

Slowly Catching Up

July 18, 2010 in And Then Some, Eye Roll, Please | No comments

The first thing that popped into my head after reading the other day about the apparent Washington state trend taking place to establish estate vineyards was a remark by the father in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang when he learns his children have skipped school, “Good. It’ll give the other children a chance to catch up.” (side note, who knew Chitty was written by Ian Fleming? I didn’t. So Truly Scrumptious now makes sense…).

Scott and I have been speaking “estate” since our giantly robust business plan was born; with all the research I did and Scott’s full grip on what makes great wine well established, we knew from day one that it’s estate all the way, baby. In fact, here’s a glimpse of what I had written, all the way back in early 2006:

One Vineyard, One Producer, One Wine: the Key to Fine Wines

It is widely accepted that wines are made in the vineyard, and history has shown that the finest and most memorable wine comes from vineyards that are estate-owned and grown. This philosophy is a luxury few wineries can afford: the time and cost to establish and oversee a vineyard means fewer and fewer estate wineries are being created. Yet on the flipside, it is a luxury some wineries cannot afford NOT to have, in order to remain competitive and distinct. Recently there has been a small movement growing, of established, premium wineries returning to estate wines. Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, and Cadence Winery are now developing or plan on developing their own estate vineyards (Bonne, 2006). “We’re going towards being entirely estate grown, and that pushes me philosophically towards showing off our vineyards,” says Chris Figgins (Wine Enthusiast, 2006), head winemaker of the prestigious Leonetti Cellars. In effect, Figgins is pointing to the fact that estate is THE only way to ensure quality and uniqueness in the marketplace, and the only way a winery can guarantee it. The Grande Dalles, founded 100% on the estate philosophy, will from the start come to the market with this distinction and consumer appeal, for the very first wines we make, and the ONLY wines we make, will be estate.

Maybe instead of catching UP, better to say catching ON. Which is absolutely surPRIsing, that, the big players in particular, did not recognize the importance of estate from day one.

For us, Scott and I no longer talk about estate. Because what we have realized, in the past four years since we wrote our plan and planted our vineyard is that there’s so much more.

It’s Fire Time

July 15, 2010 in Secret Office Video Files | 1 comment

When I filmed this on Monday, there was indeed a red flag fire warning for our vineyard area. Today, Thursday, there is none. This does not eliminate the actuality of fire occurring, just lessens the chances, for NOW. And I have no idea why I blink like a fish. I guess I’m tired. Blame it on the heat. For sure it’s not because of anything else in my life, since it IS so leisurely…

Sam’s Two Today! And Much More Underway

July 12, 2010 in Life Creeps In | No comments

This was written on Sam’s Birthday, two days ago, but due to that day’s party and our Mt. Hood Railroad trip yesterday, it’s getting posted today.

Hip hip hooray! Our little one’s two today! Scott’s just going upstairs to get him from his getting shorter-yet-still-sweet Sam nap, guests to arrive in an hour or so, probably later, knowing this crowd. Backyard is decorated with crepe paper flutters hanging from the apple tree, a birthday toad, and bunch of balloons, and the Mother is just finishing up her version of a Thomas cake.

I’m taking a moment’s rest, for, besides running around with b-day prep, the wine life and other life necessities have crept in. The first one is the new threat of wildfire. It’s been hideously hot here, and now thunder clouds are beginning to accumulate near Mt. Hood, causing a swath of land to be under fire-alert, and our vineyard is in that swath. Lovely.

Then, the marketing aspect — meeting with the designer (the gal I’m swapping my writing with) and web programmer, to find out we need to rethink website to keep costs down and now I’m really under the gun to get all the copy written. ARgh. This following that same morning a sewer scope for the new house we’re trying to get so we can FINALLY get out of this shoebox (I’ll have to share one day, or not, the long story of why the farm prevented us from getting even a much larger house. You can imagine…tax returns showing losses, arsehole banks who caused all this mortgage trouble being bigger arseholes than ever before… you get the picture) — anyway — it’s a lovely small, but larger than this shoe-box home very close to a great 80-some acre forested Portland city park, Pier Park, yet still not in The Dalles or on our land, which is where we want to be. And then somewhere between the scope and the design meeting, a lovely chat with an editor from Snooth.com, where I actually cried recounting the sacrifices for this endeavor. Geez. I thought I had been through all that with my therapist!

But for now, Sam’s two. And we have a party. And the sun is shining, and it’s not as hot as it’s been. As long as the fires don’t come, what a great afternoon lays in store.

If You Can Make It There

July 7, 2010 in Our Wine, Secret Office Video Files, Wine Marketing | No comments

It’s up to you, New York. Well, it is and it isn’t. It’s obviously up to our wine, but after the trip we just returned from, and all the positive feedback we had from the critics, editors and journalists we met with, you just never know.

Week Twenty-Six: The Little House On the Hilltop Project

July 1, 2010 in The Little House on the Hilltop Project | No comments

HIGHLIGHTS: Preliminary Design Package Done, On to Phase II. Sneak Peak! Junk the Countdown. Inching Along: To Do List.

JUNKED* COUNTDOWN: 17 WEEKS *(Last time you’ll see this particular countdown. See below.)

Twenty-six weeks. That’s half a year. If this were the only thing going on in our lives I’d be rather ashamed at not being further along. But between taking care of Samuel and the nanny being sick and hawking our wares in NYC, house chores and a bunch of family-based travel, Week Twenty-Six and where we are in it is a wonderful half-way point. Not that I know where and how and most importantly WHEN this Little House On the Hilltop Project will end. But halfway sounds just right. So halfway here we are. Read the rest of this entry »

Living La Vida Cultivata? I Think Not.

June 25, 2010 in And Then Some | No comments

That’s what a dear friend of mine suggested, after I gave her a peek into our journey to NYC for a media tour with journalists and editors. We found ourselves at Saveur’s First Annual Summer BBQ, living the good life, if even for those few hours. She thought I might have just passed from life, uncultivated, to something more upscale. But no. I was still the same old sweaty me, with shiny nose and limp hair in that NYC heat, hoping the sway of Pier 66 wouldn’t make me lose any of that just eaten strip steak slider with truffled robiola or any of those mojitos I was more than happy to imbibe under the circumstances. And my feet hurt, wearing my mother’s vintage golden goat-skin shoes through all those dirty streets and up the skinny stairs at the James Beard House and in and out of cabs and elevators and ugh. Cultivated life, indeed. I just hope my lipstick was on straight while I was there.