We just finished my 48th harvest. It only took two frosts, one big rain, and a trail of smoke to get things done. We were very fortunate during the wildfire that the wind was blowing away from our vineyards and we escaped some serious problems.

We just completed what I think is one of the best crops we have ever grown. The Sangiovese, Barbera, Pinot Grigio, and Muscat were exceptional in quality. The weather was helpful in letting the grapes fully mature, which is not always the case. Our winery is full and we are busy finishing fermentations, putting red wines to barrel, and preparing 2020 wines for bottling. The circle has no end.

2017 Sparkling Rosato: We changed the base wine in the Sparkling Rosato from Pinot Grigio to Chardonnay and continued to add Dolcetto for color and Malvasia Bianca for a hint of floral character. Chardonnay is not foreign to Italy and it grows well in the north. This vintage is a notch up from our past Italian sparkling releases, showing a little less sweetness and a little more elegance. It is not short on taste. This wine was designed for celebration.

2018 Riserva: This wine continues to be our best scoring Italian wine every year. It is one super Super-Tuscan that matches our Los Alamos Sangiovese with Valley View Cabernet. It sets a high standard. This one is bold enough to be aged.

2018 Rosso Dolce: This wine was made from a historic grape, Freisa. I could not tell you where there is another Freisa grapevine outside of our vineyards. Some people think it may be an old relative of Nebbiolo. It is dark in color with big tannins which works well with a bit of sweetness. Our Rosso Dolce has a fair amount of residual sugar but the bold tannins make that sugar evaporate leaving just a small amount of residual in the taste. It is different - a wine worth exploring. I have no idea where or when you will get your next one!

I have been praying very hard and hoping that a lot of things would go away. I am not saying I want to go back to normal but we all need a dose of happiness and a big smile during this merry season. We hope for all of God’s blessings for yours and ours. Make it merry!