(I wish they all could be) California Wines

Music by Brian Wilson
Words by Becky Zelinski

(Read the words while you hum the tune to California Girls)

Well West coast wines are hip
I really dig the wines they share.
Santa Barbara wines with their earthy taste
They knock me out when I’m down there.

The North Coast growers’ Pinots really make you feel alright
And the Napa Cabs with the way they taste,
They keep the tourists warm at night.

I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all would drink California wines…

The Central Coast has the sunshine
And the grapes all get so ripe
I dig a Paso Zin or a Big Syrah
The Chardonnays are out of sight! 

I wish they all could be California
I wish they all could be California
I wish they all would drink California wines…

I wish they all could be California
(Wines, wines, wines yeah I dig those California wines)

September is an exciting month! This year it marks the beginning of harvest, as well as the beginning of the end of the growing season for the Paso Robles wine industry. As harvest begins, wine grape growing gives way to winemaking.  It’s definitely the most exciting and beautiful time of the year here in wine country, and one you surely don’t want to miss.

And with First Crush, you don’t have to miss any of it.  From taking you into the vineyards to pick, crush and stomp wine grapes at our first Harvest weekend of 2010, all the way to the Meritage Wine Bar to learn about terroir and tasting with Paso Wine 101, First Crush has something for everyone.

September is also California wine month. First Crush, along with lots of Paso Robles wineries are offering special deals and activities commemorate this month-long celebration. Check out all of our great events, deals and specials, and join us this September to pick, drink and be merry!

First Crush @ Silver Horse Winery & VineyardSeptember 18, 2010 – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

In celebration of September wine month, First Crush invites you out to the Silver Horse Winery & Vineyard.  We’ll take you beyond the tasting room and into the vineyards and winery to explore the vines and wines of Silver Horse Vineyard and First Crush. Stroll through the vineyard with viticulturist, Lowell Zelinski, tour the winery and enjoy barrel samples of our 2009 vintages with First Crush owner, Becky Zelinski. 

Includes wine and cheese tasting.

Did we mention FREE?

We’ll be kicking off our First Crush Harvest Grape Escapes with a little thunder from down under. Our first harvest getaway weekend  will start off at Croad Vineyard with New Zealand owner/winemaker, Martin Croad. You can enjoy a superb four course winemaker dinner under the stars at the beautiful Westside tasting room. Panoramic views, fabulous Croad wines, great music and local cuisine prepared by chefs James Hauser and Steve Isaac of Catering Unlimited make this the perfect blend.

On Saturday, you’ll enjoy a champagne, continental breakfast in the vineyard, connect with nature, learn a little about viticulture and pick some wine grapes. You’ll then get to help crush them and enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch with Silver Horse, First Crush and Tassajara wines at the winery with winemakers Steve Kroener and Craig Reed.  This Harvest Grape Escape weekend includes tickets to the Silver Horse party-of-the-year, Bacchanalia. At the Bacchanalia, you’ll enjoy four wine and cheese pairing stations, plus one port and chocolate station, live music and the First Crush berry stomp competition.

Great last minute deals and locals only discounts are available for this exciting weekend package!

Register for September 24 Winemaker Dinner I Register for September 25 Harvest

In the early 1700s, Spanish missionaries moved north from Mexico into California and needed wine for religious ceremonies.  They originally transported Mexican wine for this purpose.  But accidents and difficulties along the route led them to plant their own vineyards.  The cuttings they used were brought from Mexico and of Spanish origin.  In California this grape variety was called simply Mission.  And for the next fifty years, all of the wine made in California was 100% Mission grape.

Source: The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil

First Crush Harvest Discount: Harvester + Winemaker Dinner for $350!
2010 Harvest Dates: September 25, October 9, October 16-SOLD OUT, October 23-SOLD OUT.
CALL TO REGISTER.
Harvest Experiences include:
- Champagne continental breakfast
- Harvest, de-stemming, sorting, and crushing
- Lunch and wine tasting in the vineyard with a winemaker
- Berry Stomp Competition
- Professionally made custom wine (optional)

20% Off First Crush Custom Wine
$24 per bottle with discount
Custom blended wine and custom labeled wine available.  Call for details: 805.434.2772.

$5 Off First Crush Paso Robles Wine 101 Seminar -- $25/pp with discount
Paso Robles is emerging as one of the premiere wine destinations in California.  This seminar will provide participants a wonderful introduction to Paso Robles Wine Country, its wines, and how to taste them.  The one-hour presentation will give guests an overview of how terrior influences wine taste and learn how wine is made. Attendees will also find out how to evaluate wines and taste several of the great wines that Paso Robles has to offer. Use coupon code: 5DLROFF when registering online

20% Off First Crush Blending Workshop
Celebrate California Wine Month with 20% off a First Crush Blending Workshop. Blend to learn, blend for fun or blend to create your own custom blend of custom-labeled, professionally-made wine! Join us at our beautiful Silver Horse Winery location for a fun-filled afternoon of wine tasting and blending experience. No previous winemaking experience necessary – First Crush makes your custom winemaking experience simple, and fun! Includes wine tasting and cheese pairing. Reservations encouraged. Groups welcome. Use coupon code: CAWINE20 when registering online

At First Crush we take a bit of a different approach to vineyard selection than most wineries. Our harvest weekends are pre-determined to give customers the opportunity to plan their harvest getaway in advance. We select them based on typical ripening dates, but unfortunately the grapes don’t understand our need to have them ripened on a date that’s convenient for you or us.  So until Mother Nature registers for a First Crush harvest experience and agrees to play along, we’ll have to keep doing it the way we are now.

We are fortunate that here in Paso Robles, we have many micro-climates that offer varying stages of ripening among varieties and even from one vineyard to the next. We are also fortunate that our relationships with growers and wineries through First Crush and our vineyard management company – gives us access to many vineyards throughout Paso Robles.

The 2010 Vintage could be great one for Paso Robles.  The cooler summer day and nighttime temperatures have allowed for slower ripening, which generally improves quality. While the grapes had it good, it was a bit of a different story for the growers (and we don’t know the end of the story yet), but those who properly managed their vineyards could be rewarded with some fantastic quality fruit.

All of these things mean great things for First Crush customers.  There will be plenty of plump, juicy fruit hanging on the vine making for easy picking and the custom wine that we make for you should be superb. Here’s a look at this year’s crop and a preview of some of vineyard selections….

2010 Vintage Overview

While the unseasonably cool summer in Paso was generally good for grape quality if properly managed, there are some pros and cons for both the grapes and the grower. The chilly, damp summer mornings and evenings created some fairly heavy powdery mildew pressure early on, but in vineyards where the growers were aggressive with preventive maintenance, the crop did not suffer.  The much-needed rainfall created a bit of a challenge for vineyard floor management which also required aggressive maintenance. The cool weather also led to decreased shatter and inhibited shoot growth, while increasing fruit load.

Introducing Paso Robles Wine 101 with First Crush at the Meritage Tasting Lounge
Saturdays - 11 a.m. - Noon

Paso Robles is emerging as one of the premiere wine destinations in California.  Paso Robles Wine 101 is a wonderful introduction to Paso Robles wine country, its wines, and how to taste them.  Learn about terroir and tasting from First Crush owners, Lowell and Becky Zelinski. The one-hour presentation gives guests an overview of how terrior influences wine taste and explores how wine is made.  It will also teach them how to evaluate wines and taste several of the great wines that Paso Robles has to offer.  Each week First Crush will feature a Meritage winery and special selections from their wine list. 

The featured winery for the September 4th Seminar is CrossLynn and TKL. The wineries' owner, Kevin Lynn will be talking about biodynamic viticulture practices, CrossLynn and TKL's winemaking styles, and presenting this week's tasting selections:  TKL Grenache Rose 2008, CrossLynn Chardonnay 2006, TKL Mourvedre 2007, and CrossLynn Zinfandel 2007.

Register here, call (805) 434-2772 or just come by Saturday at 11:00 a.m. Space is limited and advanced reservations are encouraged. $30/per person.

SPECIAL OFFER: Register at firstcrushwinemaking.com and get $5 Off!  Use the coupon code: 5DLROFF when registering.

This is a highly complex question, fraught with countless "it depends on" considerations. That said, viticulturists generally do want long growing seasons. Long ripening allows components in the grape other than sugar-  tannin, for example to reach greater physiological maturity. Fully developed grapes, of course, hold more promise for fully developed flavors and aromas. Historically, perfectly ripe (but not overripe) grapes with long "hang times" have often produced superior wines that age gracefully.

Source: The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil