We just had our first week of winter! I could really use some of the recent warm weather in May and June when the grapes are in flower and it’s all fog and gloom. In the vineyards, we are just about finished pruning. Our goal is to finish sooner because of the warm weather. We expect bud break to be at least 3 weeks early, which also causes us to be alarmed about frost. We are having some issues with water. We’ve had to irrigate during the past two months and our water wells are producing less. We’re working on a new rain dance.
We just tasted the 2012 and 2013 vintages and the word to describe them is SPECTACULAR! In those vintage years, the weather was very good to us and these wines are loaded with full body and great color.
Our Panama trip is coming on soon and we just announced a Bordeaux River Cruise for next year. This seems to be the trip that everyone has been waiting for! Cabernet IS king.
2012 Ramato: One of my favorites of the 2012 vintage. This one seems to have more flavor, a great nose, and that little bit of skin contact that takes it up a couple of notches. It’s probably a true blush wine and could be enjoyed as a cocktail, a pasta pleaser, and with that Easter ham.
2010 Barbera: Probably the most overlooked variety in both the marketplace and in the Toccata arsenal of wines. Our 30+ year old vines continue to produce grapes with lots of flavor and good skins. This vintage and the two following have the maturity that makes for great color, full fruit, and a jammy finish. For the past few vintages, we’ve used more oak and newer oak, which makes this wine even better. This variety has no tolerance for rain and thankfully, it left these vintages alone. We all will enjoy the results. Barbera matches up with many foods from Italian to barbecued ribs.
This is the 10 Year Anniversary of the Toccata Tasting Room. We have special plans on March 8th. With 10 being the magic number, we will have some 10 dollar wine specials on various wines, like the 2010 Classico we’re adding to your shipment this month. Interest in our Italian wines has grown. No longer unknown, they’re making their mark both in our Tasting Room and in the marketplace.
I hope you survive Valentines Day! Make it last all year.