Date: Wed, 01 Sep 2010 10:07:26 -0700
Subject: [PV-Friends] August Newsletter

	Perennial Vintners	In this issue:
		▪ Open Labor Day wknd
		▪ In the vineyard - veraison
		▪ Almost out of 3 wines
Newsletter -- August-2010		▪ Bottling party
(Click here to view in HTML on website)		▪ No 2010 Ichigo
http://www.PerennialVintners.com/		▪ Bainbridge Wine Weekend

(Click on any image below to go to website with more information/larger image/etc.)

▪ Open Labor Day Weekend
Perennial Vintners is next open to the public this coming weekend -- for the Labor Day weekend - we're open 10am-5pm Sat, Sun, Mon.  (Please note that this is not a WABI weekend.)

▪ In the vineyard - veraison
The vineyards are just at veraison.  This is a critical time in grapegrowing, it's where the grapes turn color and begin ripening in earnest.  Depending on the variety, weather, and many more factors, it takes at least 30 days from veraison to ripe grapes.  If you're local, you're aware that this year has been very cool, meaning that we are late on veraison.  We can compensate for this poor weather by reducing cropload, which allows the plants to concentrate on a smaller crop, thus getting better ripening in that which remains.  This means being out in the vineyard and cutting off as much as half the fruit from each vine.  If we can, we'll pick up that fruit and make a verjus* out of it, but that's only if there's time.  We also need to finish leaf pulling which allows the fruit clusters to dry out better which helps prevent molds and mildew.  If interested in learning about grape growing by helping out in the vineyard, please consider  joining our helpers email list or simply replying to this newsletter.
* (see archived newsletters at our website for more on verjus)

▪ Almost out of 3 wines
We're both happy and sad that we have almost run out of 3 of our 5 wines!  It's great that we're selling what we make, but it's tough not having stuff to sell!  We're basically out of Ichigo (2 bottles left) and Madeleine Angevine (4 bottles left), and although we thought we were out of Melon de Bourgogne, 2 cases surfaced in an inventory.  Please help us by coming out and buying these last few bottles so we can clean up and make room for the 2009 releases.

▪ Bottling party
We will be bottling the 2009 releases (should have done it over a month ago so we wouldn't run out!) in 2 weekends, and we still don't have enough bodies -- please, please, please consider helping out with bottling on Sat.-Sun. 11,12-Sep.  Note that this event will be catered by Perennial Vintners' Executive Chef Andrew MacMillan, with dishes specifically designed to challenge PV wines.  We'll work a morning and an afternoon shift both days with a break for lunch.  If able, simply reply to this newsletter with your availability (morn/aft, and Sat/Sun).

▪ No 2010 Ichigo
Due to the unusually cool wheather this Spring, the Suyematsu Farms strawberry crop was much smaller than usual.  They did not have enough fruit to sell to Perennial Vintners, so we do not have an Ichigo strawberry port-style dessert wine this year.  The raspberry crop was excellent, so we bought more raspberries and will have about the usual amount of port-style dessert wine overall, but it is a shame to not have the strawberry.  So the moral of this story is to come out this weekend and get those last 2 bottles of Ichigo (see above) as they're the last for a year!

▪ Bainbridge Wine Weekend
First weekend of October will be a very special 3 day wine event on Bainbridge.  In a just a few words: Friday evening a street party featuring salsa dancing and PV Melon de Bourgogne with oysters at Pegasus; Sat. outdoor dinner on the farm at Tani Creek with the chef from Hitchcock restaurant, including PV wines; Sun. grand tasting of all Bainbridge wines.  More details at Island Wine Weekend - get your tickets soon!

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