Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Happy Holidays

Hard to believe the year is almost over and yet, so glad to be getting some time off.  YUP - we are going to close for two weekends in a row!  We will be closed from December 20th to January 7th - reopening on January 8th.  There is just so much going on for everyone at this time of the year that we have decided to take some time off and collect ourselves.  We hope the coming year is a busy one again and this time, we plan to have a full harvest so it is time to get the 'to-do' list down to a 'done' list.  The break will be used to  travel a little and then crank through the small items that are on our list but we never get around to doing them.  And yes, there will be some resting, relaxing and playing in that timeframe.  We hope to get out to the other wineries we seldom get to visit because we are open the sametime they are!  Some of them we visited quite a while ago but they have grown and expanded and we haven't seen their progress or their success.  Others are new and while we meet them at conference, tailgate meetings and classes, we haven't stopped to visit with them.  So, this holiday season, we will be cleaning up our house and making the rounds with the other wineries.

I have some thoughts on changes we will be making for next year but I will save that for another time - for this one, I just want to wish everyone a happy holiday season.  Be good to each other, be safe and enjoy what you have!

Cheers!

Friday, December 3, 2010

December Energy

What a fun time of the year!  It doesn't matter what faith you are or your belief system - this time of the year seems to have an energy of it's own and it is infectious!  From the holiday cartoons on the T.V. to the decorations on absolutely everything; the school plays and concerts to the holiday open houses and neighborhood parties; the team lunches to the holiday parties -- absolutely everyone is buzzing with energy, good will, plates of food and holiday cheer.

The activity at the vineyard right now is all social - lots of groups getting together for holiday parties, shopping for holiday gift baskets or even just taking a break from shopping.  Lots of smiles, hugs and kisses all around.  Yup - a December Energy - it's infectious!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Fire

While each season has a place and a pace, there are a few days in each season where I'm not quite sure what the day is trying to be.  This time of year is one of those times when the leaves have already fallen and we have some gloomy days.  The colors of fall have given way to brown and more brown and it could be my imagination but we don't have as many truly sunny days either.  It is supposed to be the start of the festive season with Thanksgiving gatherings and family visits but it isn't quite festive yet (no snow, no decorations, no lights).  I'm just plain cold and I don't enjoy being outside. 

Well, actually, I do like being outside but only if it's by a fire (see the picture taken by a guest at the winery firepit a week or so ago).

Maybe it's the nice glow with the warm colors, maybe it's the warmth and the great smell or maybe it's because whenever you sit by the fire, people show up.  If you're sitting at a table, it is unlikely that people you don't know are going to just take the seat next to you but sit by the fire, and the chair next to you will be occupied in no time!  Everyone stares at the fire and starts to talk.  Stories are openly shared without pretense or formalities.  Bottles of wine are passed around to fill empty glasses as if we're one big group and everyone takes turn poking the fire or adding more wood.  Folks who were leaving will stop by the fire for a quick warm up and end up staying 'a bit longer'.  Jackets and blankets get shared and before you know it, you've made new friends.  Ah - that is the warmth of the season feeling after all!

Friday, November 5, 2010

Change of pace

The vineyard work is all done for the season.  The wine is in the tanks.  The days are getting shorter and while it is a beautiful fall, the chill in the air tells me we are closer to winter than I'd like.  It's a different pace now - with Halloween just behind us, and Thanksgiving right around the corner, the year will be over before we know it.  The challenge for this time of the year is to stay active and yet, not overcommit!  With football (and hockey) in full swing, school activities ramped back up and the list of chores that we didn't get to while we were focused on the vineyard, thinking of what to do next isn't a problem. 

With the clock being turned back this weekend, we are reminded that it will be darker earlier.  We pondered - do we change our hours or will folks still come out Saturday evenings?  We decided to keep our hours the same and add some fun stuff to do - last year we didn't have the indoor space to continue the music through the winter but this year, I think we have a cozy space for folks to gather in so, we've booked music on Saturday afternoons now.  The firepit has always been a draw (and I am sure we will head there right after the music each saturday).  And, as we were clearing another block so we can maybe plant more vines next year, we came across a rockpile so we are moving the rocks over by the pond to build a second, much bigger firepit!  This is the season to gather with friends and family so we figured we'd provide a couple of cozy options!  We certainly enjoy hanging out there so we are looking forward to this season where we can sit and chat with folks as they come in.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Fall Fun

What a great fall we are having.  So the new portion of the building is now open and last weekend we had lots and lots of folks come out and have a look.  Now we are adjusting schedules - we have been open friday evenings and that has been great so we will play it by ear for the coming few weeks.  It is also time to bottle more Viagem so we will also be offering the 'port blending' workshop in the coming weeks.  Another point on the scheduling - we weren't open last year on the day after thanksgiving but we had several calls asking if we were so this year, I think we will consider it - any thoughts?

It has been exciting to host the last few events - we've had a wedding reception, 3 rehersal dinners, a couple of family reunions and a few private parties.  So - now that we have the new space, I'm curious to see how people will use this space.  It's quite open, private and has direct patio access.  I know that we love it because we can be working outside, see someone coming and run in to greet them!  All the natural light is just great and I know that the new space was handy when we had the fire spinner last week!

So, in the coming weeks - port blending workshop and re-introducing the spices (including the mulling spices)!  If you have any requests or suggestions, please let us know!

Monday, October 4, 2010

Winery Grand Opening

Longtime coming but it's is time!  The tanks are full.  The crush pad has served it's purpose this fall and we are now ready to welcome friends and family to have a peek at the new (slightly expanded) indoor space and extended patio.  It is that time of the year when harvests are in, the days are getting shorter, the leaves are turning and it is time to gather with friends and family to spend some quality time together!  Hello fall!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Fall at the vineyards

This is such a busy time at the vineyard and yet, it is also the best time at the vineyard.  The vines are at their best - full canopy, ripe fruit on the vines or in some cases, we have just harvested.  The weeds are under control so if you want to take a walk in the vines, you actually can!!  If you walk into the tasting room, you may catch the distinct smell fermenting wine.  Oh yeah - the downside - fruit flies!  But, all in all - a year of hard work is every where to be seen, smelled and experienced!  The days are still nice so folks come out for a picnic or a stroll in the vineyards.  The evenings are cool so we sit by the fire and enjoy a glass of wine with our friends.  We all know what a busy time this is with kids back in school, football, all the various barbeques and fall fests but it is still great to stop, take in the fall colors and enjoy the season! 

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Outside on the outside!

Well, the building is closed in (not completed but the outside stays on the outside now)!  :)  We now have our tanks, filter, press, crusher, hoses, fittings, etc. and everything is in a space that is completed from the inside and closed in.  We hope to harvest and crush in the next week or so.

We are also opening up on Friday evenings starting the friday after labor day so a lot of excitement at the vineyard!  Looking back, this has been quite a journey and not one that we could have managed without our great customers and friends.  Later in the fall, we plan to have a special celebration to thank all the people that have helped, encouraged, put up with, guided, and been responsible for our progress!  Stay tuned - it includes you!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Harvest and Fall

As you have noticed from all the winery newsletters you get from all the wineries, it is harvest time!!  This year, that includes us!  In preparation, we have been working on the extension of our winery building.  The crush pad was completed a few weeks ago, the new structure is now all closed in and we are working on the insides getting ready for delivery of our tanks.  The filter and press have already been delivered.  Just a few short weeks and we will have it all enclosed and functional.

So, with the summer as hot and humid as it was, we have decided we will make the best of fall!  What does that mean?  That means we will open up on Friday evenings for the fall - Fall Fridays!  That means cool fall evenings enjoying the vineyards and hopefully some great stories and bonding by the firepit.  We will kick this off with our 'Songwriters Unplugged' evening on Friday, September 17th!!  We will likely go through October and into the early part of November!  Fence Stile Fall Fridays!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Where does the time go?

It has been a very busy month - just looked back and noticed there hadn't been a post for 6 weeks!  Any of you that have been out to the vineyard have noticed a number of changes I'll bet.  The biggest one being - the cistern work is underway!  We're adding a 2nd cistern to hold 16,000 gallons of water.  The view to the whites is impacted a little bit by the work underway but the work should be complete in a few weeks.  We've also relesed a new wine - remmuS and updated a couple of our labels for this year's bottling (Loft Red and Becca Blend).  This year's Reserve Vidal Blanc is back as well so lots of great options for some summer sipping.

If you've looked at the website, you'll also notice that we have music now almost every Saturday - Laura introduced us to some very talented artists and we've had a blast listening to them every weekend.  It is wonderful because they all play original music or public domain music (not covers) so you get a chance to hear something unusual and original!  In fact, we are working on a couple of special and unique events for September - stay tuned for details.

So what's next?  Well, in addition to the September music event, we are gearing up for crush and then perhaps another Fence Stile Vineyards & Winery cook-off (still in the planning stages).  Of course the rain and humidity are now a constant but, thankfully, there is a breeze across the vines most days so, life is good!

Friday, June 11, 2010

Progress (slow but steady)

The crush pad is now poured and the roof is partially on.  The winery building is starting to have shape.  We detoured a little bit when the sprayer broke and had to be rebuilt, twice!  The days are nice and long too so we are able to get into the vineyards in the evenings and work on the vines (although it still feels like there aren't enough days in a week to get things done)!

The weekends are great - lots of people coming out for celebrations, book clubs, group get togethers, etc.  It is wonderful to see all the things people celebrate and be a small part of it.

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

It's summer!

It's summer - we have gone from cool rainy days to warm days in a heart beat!  So, in the vineyard, that means lots of growth and weeds!  For weeks it was hard to get the tractor out in the rows and now, there is so much green (some wanted - some, not so much)!  So, it's time for the weeding parties (next one June 5th) and for spending time in the vines before the tasting room opens and at the end of the evening -- look for a day when it has rained and get in the next day to pull with ease.  :)

We have also released remmuS and have our Reserve Vidal Blanc back!  Now that is summer!  We also have the music lined up for the next few months, our annual BBQ booked and several other events.  The tent structure is reconstructed and we have plenty of firewood for the cool evenings.

On the construction front, the winery building is framed and we are now working on getting the roof on and then we will focus on the inside framing.  The crushpad wall has been poured and the rest will be poured as weather permits!  Next - order the equipment!  Gulp!  The plus side?  The tasting room will be even bigger and a private patio for use by special guests, friends and family!  All in all, it's a good life!

Monday, May 10, 2010

A few projects on the go

Those of you who have visited in the last few weeks are noticing some changes at the vineyard. 

The first very obvious change - the outdoor structure is gone!  It was damaged in the good Friday storm we had so, with the help of some very good friends, we have taken it down so we can reengineer it and rebuild it.  So, if the weather cooperates (and that is a big if), we will have it back up by this weekend!

The second big change - you will notice some new construction on the back side of the existing building.  We're adding on and expanding our production space, pouring a crush pad and creating housing for all of our equipment and the tractor you see on the back side.  A side benefit will be one additional tasting bay so we will have just a little more indoor tasting space.  Again, weather dependant, we hope make serious progress on this in the coming weeks!  We have been graciously accepting help from the volunteers - thank you again for all your help.

The other big change - Becca has been hanging out at the vineyard with us on the weekends.  Yes, she has been out there every weekend for the last month!  She is having a great time meeting all the visitors!  A big benefit - she is awesome about letting us know someone is coming down the walk!

So, lots of activity going on right now but we are anxious to make progress on these projects!

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

April showers have brought wine flowers!!

Isn't it a great spring!  We are loving being in the vineyards right now - the weeds are emerging but that is to be expected.  We have great friends that have jumped in to help us with the weedwacker - thank you gang!  The vineyards look fresh, young and full of hope and potential for the coming year! We are working on building out the new addition for the production area and working on fixing the outside covered patio - again, thank you gang!  You know who you are and we appreciate your help!  We are also busy with lots of events for the coming months - but, we NEVER miss the chance to sit and enjoy the fire at the end of a Saturday evening!  This, is the good life!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Happy Earth Day but really, shouldn't every day be Earth Day?

Those who have been to the vineyard know that we have kids and dogs running around all the time (ours and everyone elses)!  We have families that come out and picnic, kids that walk down to the pond to catch frogs, a few friends that like to fish the pond and of course, we have started the 'walk in the vineyard' series so that you can walk through the vines with us!!  Given that, every day should be Earth Day!  We do our part with solar power for the deer fencing, blue bird houses, bat houses and owl houses to encourage natural pest control, minimizing the use of pesticides, and NEVER using restricted use chemicals.  We mulch the annual prunings, have a compost pile, use a combination of flame control and pulling weeds to manage the weeds (thank you volunteers) and if we need to spray, we use targeted spot applications using a small hand operated backpack sprayer.  We recycles all bottles (either at the bottle depot or by donating to local artists who reuse them to create new arts).  As we move forward with building the winery addition, we will continue to keep green principles in mind and we will incorporate small changes that make a big difference.  After all, we all want this to be something we can enjoy for years to come!  So, feel free to make suggestions, join us to work in the vineyards or walk in the vines!  We think of everyday as Earth Day and always think of the impact to Amrish and Becca as we make our decisions!!    Happy Earth Day!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Spring flings!

All winter long it felt like spring would never get here.  And now, it feels like we are speeding right along to summer!  The 70 and 80 degree days are bringing new faces out to the patio and bringing familiar faces back together.  This past weekend we enjoyed watching people who hadn't seen each other all winter get reacquainted and make plans to meet up again on a coming weekend.  Watching friendships develop and grow is such a great part of our winery experience.  This just reaffirms our tag line - Good fences made good neighbors, a Fence Stile makes neighbors, good friends!

Cheers!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Anniversary plans

Spring is finally here!  The pruning is done.  I read somewhere that there are about a thousand decisions being made in the process of caring for vines - how to prune, how much load to carry, one trunk or two, etc.  1,000!!  I don't know if it's a thousand but we made the first of many of these decisions for this season as we pruned.  We decided not to carry fruit this year on the Vignoles, the Vidal and the Noiret.  We will plan for a half harvest on the Chambourcin, the Seyval and the Concords.

To make sure we have room for our tanks for our harvest, we have also started the construction on the addition to the existing facility.  The holes are dug, the posts are in and hopefully, the concrete will be poured in the next week (weather permitting).

In the meantime, let's celebrate our first year as a winery!!  This coming weekend, we plan to unveil our new shirts, have some live music, cake (can't have a party without cake) and maybe even some fireworks.  The first year hasn't been without the ups and downs - the most recent one being the storm last friday that took down the patio enclosure we have.  However, those aren't problems - they are just small bumps in the road and stories that someday will turn into tales told around the firepit! 

All in all, the ups out-weigh the downs by a huge margin.  We have met some fantastic people, developed many new friendships and formed some close bonds.  This weekend, we plan to play a lot and celebrate!

Good fences made good neighbors, a Fence Stile makes neighbors, good friends!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

First day of spring

Really??  There is snow on the ground and the wind is fierce.  First day of spring??  No matter - the Seyvals, Vidal Blancs, and Vignoles are pruned and so are the Concords.  One block left - the Chambourcin.  Our favorites.  Why?  Closest to the tasting room - we can hop out there, do a few dozen vines and hop back into the tasting room when customers arrive.

We are on the eve of our one year anniversary - April 10th!!  Just planned the weekend.  Live music, fire spinners, fireworks and give aways.  A year and what a memoriable year it has been.  We have met lots of great people, enjoyed the work in the vineyards and watched the winery tasting room become a 'hang out' for some very cool regulars.  The coming year??  More of the same and more.  We will be starting a few new programs ('walk in the vines' & 'working in the vineyard') and hopefully building an addition to house all the equipment that is laying outdoors right now.  What would we change about the last year??  We would have poured the 2nd patio earlier.

For now, get the rest of the pruning done, bottle the Viagem this weekend, have the next blending workshop and welcome the spring.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Time for Irrigation

Sat down with consultants this morning to review/revise our irrigation system design for the existing and proposed vineyard blocks. It's finally time to automate watering and have a reliable alternative to Mother Nature. The balance of the day was spent pruning the Concord block.