Ridge Vineyards

The weekend before I started at Merryvale, Marc and I headed down to Ridge in Cupertino. It was one of the last wineries in the Santa Cruz mountains area that I wanted to get to before I moved up to Napa. It was also the last of the 3 R's known for their Zinfandels, accompanying Rosenblum and Ravenswood.

The Santa Cruz mountains are beautiful, but the wineries up there feel like they take forever to get to due to all those steep hair-pin turns. It was a lazy day, so by the time we got down there, the tasting room was only open for another hour or so. The view was beautiful, but the tasting experience was lackluster. Either our pourer was not too knowledgeable about the wines or she was just anxious to get out of there. She was a lot less talkative than most tasting room employees I've encountered. However, she did waive the $5 tasting fee for us. I wasn't impressed with Ridge so much as to buy a whole bottle, and it didn't look like I was getting a discount, but we settled on a 375 ml bottle of 2004 Lytton Spring Zinfandel (79% with 18% Petite Syrah and 3% Carignane). It's still in the bottle, in my overflowing wine rack. A review will come whenever the cork gets popped.

Grapes on the vine

View of the South Bay


Marc enjoying the view


Picnic benches outside of the Ridge tasting room

Gene Simmons Wine Moment

So I'm watching Gene Simmons Family Jewels and he sends Shannon Tweed and her sister to a winery to represent him because they're going to make a wine for him. They're trying to brainstorm names for the wine and Shannon's sister suggests "Genie In A Bottle," but my favorite suggestion was by his son Nick: Gene Simmons Balls Wine. Classic.

No word as to when this wine will come out or what it will be called, but I will let you all know when I find out.

Speaking of musicians with their own wine labels, a little while back I ordered a bottle of Claypool Cellars (yes, that's Les Claypool of Primus fame) Purple Pachyderm, a 2007 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. It is now in my possession and I am waiting for the perfect opportunity to open it up. It's in the queue with about 8 other wines.


The very cute Purple Pachyderm logo


Les Claypool and his winemaker Jay Meyer

I am so behind!

So I just got my internet set up here in Napa, so I am behind on my posts. I still owe you Ridge and Rosenblum Open House entries.

In more recent news, we're currently bottling Merryvale's premium Profile. I've had many days of being able to taste this wine, and, without quite knowing exactly how to articulate it, this is a damn good wine. It will be stellar if you can hold onto it for a few years. The 2004 vintage is comprised of 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 7% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc. I think the 2007 make-up is slightly different, but not exactly sure how. You think I'd know these things, but I get all of my sample bottles without labels. Retail price: a cool $75.

My new Merryvale adventure

During my several months of unemployment, I was debating whether to stay in wine or branch out to the "green" jobs becoming so prevalent in this area. My head was telling me to do something that would be transferable to other parts of the country in case Marc and I moved. But my heart (and my mouth) told me wiiiiiiine. Even after trying to network at green events, going to green job fairs, and going to green information sessions, the only interviews I got were in the wine industry. I interviewed at a company in which I'd be a technical rep, talking with clients and feeling out their needs. It would be a departure from what I was used to, but they seemed to like me and would pave the way to becoming a wine consultant.

After that first interview, Merryvale called to offer me an interview for their Starmont facility. I went up to Napa and met with the assistant winemaker and the cellar master. We seemed to really hit it off and they showed me around the gorgeous facility. This particular job really appealed to me because Merryvale's Starmont facility is a green facility, complete with solar panels, water recycling, energy efficient lighting, efficient insulation, etc. The best of both worlds! Also, it is absolutely gorgeous. I get to drive through the grape wines on the way down Stanly Lane, lavender and white roses surround the winery, and Napa actually feels like summer.

View of some of the grape vines from the parking lot

Some grapes on the side of the building

My favorite lavender!

Right now we're doing bottling, so I'm just doing a lot of QC lab work for that. Behold, my lab! So big. So new. So pretty.

White wine production for dummies (and lab techs). Hey...

All and all, a good start to a good job. I'm currently working Mon-Thurs, 7AM-5:30PM. I have to be up at 5 to get to Napa from San Mateo, but I'll only be doing that for 4 more work days then I'm moving up closer to Napa. Once September rolls around, I'll be there up to 6 days a week for up to 12 hours a day. Much more hardcore than Rosenblum. Let the harvest begin!

Wine Bloggers Conference

Note to self: Register for the 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference, taking place in Walla Walla, Washington. Also, build up Free SO2 into a stellar wine blog before then.

This year's conference is happening this weekend and is being held right up the road in Napa and Sonoma, but unfortunately, it is sold out.

Merryvale, Ridge, & Rosenblum Open House

Coming this weekend!

Waking up at 5AM and coming home at 7PM is not very conducive to blogging. Check for blog updates at the end of the weekends!

Friends! Californians! Countrymen! Send me your wine!

One more quick thing. The other night, a wonderful friend named Jim Smith bought me a bottle of wine on his drive back from LA to San Francisco. Of course I am going to blog about the wines that I buy for myself, but I will also definitely blog about the beautiful wines (and champagnes) given to me! Yes, you will get props. Yes, I will even put a picture of you in the blog entry. No, do not send me Sutter Home white Zinfandel.