Festa Della Vendemmia – Intimate & Exclusive
“The Celebration of the Grape Harvest” Join us for an intimate wine and culinary experience!Two Wine Club Member exclusive evenings to choose from:November 3rdNovember 10th 7:00 – 9:30 pm
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2017 Pinot Grigio
Here we go, go, go… Last year, on September 8th, I wrote about our double-gold winning ’16 Pinot Grigio, and here I am, almost exactly one year later, writing about the release of the new 2017. Once again, Jason and Brian’s forecasting skills are uncanny. Anyway, the 2017 is a lovely, delicate wine. Before we take a more in-depth look, however, let’s review the history of this very old grape.
The Discovery of Wine
Jeff’s Corner 9-14-18 Buenas Nachos, Yesterday, in the tasting room before we got busy, Debbie and Eve asked me how wine was “discovered“ by civilization and how long it had been part of our history and culture.
Farewell, King of Zin
Jeff’s Corner 9-7-18 Kent Rosenblum died Wednesday (9-5-18), and with his passing we lost one of the great legends and icons of California winemakers. Kent, aptly nicknamed, “The King of Zin”, founded Rosenblum Cellars in 1978; and, along with Ridge Vineyards (1962) and Ravenswood Winery (1976), formed the Holy Trinity of “R’s” when it comes to the early renaissance of great California Zins.
National Cabernet Day!
Jeff’s Corner 8-30-18 Hey Hey Hey, today is National Cabernet Day! (Actually, it’s probably National Cabernet Sauvignon Day, but I didn’t want to ruin my cheesy rhyme.) Now, the truth is, nobody gets excited about a National Fill-in-the-Blank Day unless the subject is something we are personally passionate about. National Liver and Onions Day slid by me without notice.
Sangria Wine!
Jeff’s Corner 8-15-18 “When friends come for Saturday night,It’s nice to make up some Sangria wine,It’s organic and it comes from the vine,It’s also legal and it gets you so high.” Great words, Jerry Jeff! It’s summer, it’s humid, and it’s hot. Some ice-cold Sangria, some burgers on the grill, and some good friends sound pretty darn good right about now.
2017 Grand Rouge
Jeff’s Corner 8-10-18 Hello, Hello, Hello, and a Howdy just for fun! Today we’re going to take a peek at our new 2017 Grand Rouge. Grand Rouge is one of our most insanely popular wines, but first a vintage update.
“Pump Over”
Howdy Doody. Yes, it’s that time again. Grapes are starting to roll in from the Texas High Plains, and as I mentioned a few weeks ago, 2018 is shaping up to be a banner year. We’ve already received some lovely Viognier and Chenin Blanc, and yesterday, saw the arrival of some great looking Pinot Noir from Lahey Vineyards that is destined for our exciting new Heath Sparkling portfolio. Here’s a pretty cool pic I snapped five years ago looking down into the tank of our 2013 Estate Epiphany while we were doing what’s called “pump over”.
New “Editor” & Harvest Update
Jeff’s Corner 7-20-18 Howdy, Howdy, and a Big Hola to All A month or so ago, those of you that are kind enough to read Jeff’s Corner on a regular basis might have noticed a change in format. I have a new “editor”; the person that posts these stories and makes certain I don’t step out of bounds with too much weirdness. This person would be the delightful and incredibly talented Chelsea Scott, whose photo is the lead for this story. Chelsea has breathed a bit of fresh air into my blog, and we have some interesting and creative ideas moving forward. After blogging in a bog for a while, I’m excited again.
Who is Jeff Binney?
Recently, we’ve had an overwhelming outcry from the masses wanting to know: Who is this Jeff Binney guy? Is he qualified to educate us on all this wine stuff? Where is he from? Is he real or a fictional character Grape Creek has made up? Well folks, I’m here to tell you Jeff is a living, breathing entity. If you’re lucky enough to end up at his bar for a tasting, soak it in and ask the man a question or two, he loves discussing wine and all things Grape Creek! Also, Jeff wanted me to remind you that it’s time to renew your membership to the Jeff’s Corner Fan Club. And, if you’re not a member, there is no better time to sign up. It’s simple, just get your hands on as much cash as possible and send it to Jeff Binney, care of Grape Creek Vineyards, attention Chelsea.
Veraison (vay-ray-ZON)
Jeff’s Corner 6-5-18 Greetings Once Again, A few days ago, Chelsea posted some images of our oldest (planted in May ’07) Montepulciano vines just entering veraison. I love this time of year, to me it reinforces the cyclical nature of our lives and how they are in rhythm with the vines. I took this snap shot in our Montepulciano block July 10, 2013.
“Slightly Famous” Peach Daiquiri
Jeff’s Corner 6-28-18 A few days ago, I got an email from my dear friend and co-worker Bill Burns asking if I would share my slightly famous peach daiquiri recipe. The answer, of course, was yes, and then I realized I should probably share it with all of you as well. After all, it is peak peach season in Fredericksburg, and this year we have had a bumper crop.