Eugenia Keegan

Well dear readers (if there are any of you left) I am back with greetings, explanations and apologies.  I have been struggling with the content for this blog ever since returning from France.  Hard to find my daily life to be much more than it is…..fun, wonderful, mine, but not Hollywood, Bollywood, Washington, New York or France.  I suppose I could do something similar here; grab a map, fill up the tank, and head out for an adventure.  But somehow that seems either silly or indulgent when in your own ‘hood.

In addition to my personal apprehension about how to move this blog forward it came to my attention from some good friends that they thought the “blog” too girly and without substance (and they thought it might be doubling as a web site).  It was some serious bashing but seemed to be about the header (they did not comment on the content).  They thought it a complete fluff and not serious.  I suppose that it is somewhat girly….but then so am I.  Probably not what one sees when said girl is riding on a tractor or dragging hoses in the cellar or many other aspects of growing grapes and making wine.  But then that is not my entire life.  In fact, when I first conceived of the blog I started looking for the perfect vineyard picture.  Preferably one that I took.  I immediately searched in “my pictures” for a great photo of Chateauneuf-du-Pape with glistening galets. And indeed, I found one.  But then I realized that this project was about Old Vine Grenache, not about CNdP or specifically those vineyards.  And then I realized that this blog was about a lot more than vineyards, here or in France.  This blog was my opportunity to keep a journal.  Not just of my exploration and ultimately winemaking in France but my mid-life adventure.  Which frankly, I hope is about a lot more than just growing grapes and making wine.  It is about growing, period!  The header photo was in fact one that I took (but beautifully massaged by Luisa, my super blog designer).  This was taken in the garden in the south of France at the home of dear friends.  The garden is spectacular (so are they!)  I enjoyed many lovely days there in the spring with this home as a base for a great deal of my time there.  Gardens and gardening are one of my greatest pleasures.  Since my home in Napa I have not had much opportunity to enjoy gardening although our current humble abode has a very cute suburban back yard…..with lots of flowers, herbs, and in late summer goodies for the table.

Perhaps one of the issues in writing a daily blog is as mentioned, my life is not that interesting and secondly I am having some trouble sorting out how my days should look.  I am not used to “not going to work”, even when I worked from my home.  Right now the world is my oyster and I have tooooooo many oyster shells clinking around in my brain.  I tried to explain to these friends that my blog was not just about vineyards, but about life.  As I tried to articulate the many projects floating around in my head I realized how scattered and ADD this sounded (of course it was late in the evening after much pleasure).  So, the following weekend I headed to the local Office Depot, purchased the “big board” and downloaded my head. OMG, it felt like the world’s greatest massage…empty, spent, relaxed.

My Brain Off Drugs

And coolly enough, some of these things actually have X’s through them now meaning complete…or off the agenda in any case.  This board has helped me itemize and prioritize….and fantasize.

“Cheese” is an item on my master list.  I have dabbled in cheese making on and off for over ten years starting in Napa.  Strauss Farm located in Petaluma became famous when Cowgirl Creamery started using their milk many years ago.  Strauss had cream and milk at my local grocery store.  I started buying milk by the gallon and making cheese.  The mozzarella was pretty decent.  More pizza style than fresh for Caprese salad.  The other attempts were pretty pathetic.  But I had been bitten by the bug.  I have taken up the passion again but with much more direction.

Fresh Cheese At Home, December 5

Final Clean Up

This is the “direction”.  The following were taken at a cheese making class outside of Snoqualmie, WA at the River Valley Creamery.  It was a long drive up and back but worth every minute of class.  Loved it and hope to apprentice for a few days with Julie in the new year.

Cheese Making at River Valley

Preparing to Flip the Cheese

The Flip!

A Vat of Jack In Process

Weights and Whey

"Assembly Line"

So, other than trying to unravel the mysteries of my brain, cobwebs and all I have had the luxury of a non stressed run up to Xmas.  We head to California for an under 24 hour turn around but see lots of family and a handful of friends in that short time.  Enough time is not lots of time however, like our kooky neighbor who seems to have plenty of fun time.    And we in the neighborhood are thankful as we smile or outright laugh out loud with childish glee when driving by (slowing to a crawl for a longer gaze) as the evening lights come on.

First Glimpse Along the Sidewalk

A Mystery to All of Us

The Front Yard

Ninja Power Ranger Transformer

Some people take the Xmas decoration thing to the limit.  We have a modest tree with ornaments that have been gathered and given over the years that David and I have been together.

Tree of Giving 2010

Packages have started to arrive in anticipation of a small family gathering of food, foolishness, frivolity, and fun.  Regardless of one’s religious relationship to December 25th it is a lovely time to slow down and soak in the brandy of love like a soused fruitcake.  Stay cool and focused.  A new year is just around the corner.  Yippee, and Happy New Year!

It has been an event filled ten days.  Dominique my dear French host was in Portland for her fall tour starting in PDX and ending in NYC.  I picked her up at the airport earlier on the 4th and after dropping her off at the home of mutual friends (the ones who introduced us) I beetled chez nous to quickly change for our dress-up evening with the Oregon Historical Society.

Tuesday found us back with our friends Neil and Diana who hosted Dominique, several  of the best wine accounts in Portland, their own family (who doubled as the sous chefs), and lucky us.  Diana and kids cooked a super dinner and of course the Cristia wines were delicious and well paired.

David, Diana, Dominique

Neil, Eugenia, Diana, Dominique

Thursday evening we celebrated the finish of harvest with Adelsheim Vineyard’s Vineyard Manager Chad Vargas, his wife Teneal, their two kids and the stellar vineyard staff.  This crew works year around, year after year tending the 190 acres that is owned and/or managed by the winery.  Their work is challenging enough but at harvest their life is exclusively devoted to the vineyard.  This harvest was up and down with times of relative leisure and then full court press.  In the final dash to pull all grapes into the barn prior to the rains the crew worked herculean hours to provide clean ripe fruit to the winery staff (who then spent the next three days up around the clock processing it!).  I have tasted over 25 different lots of AV Pinots from the 2010 vintage and they are juicy.  My overall impression of the vintage from this experience was that of ripe developed flavors tilted toward the red/blue fruits.  Plenty of acid, mature tannins.

The Vargas Family

The next day marked the beginning of Salud! the annual pinot noir barrel auction that raises money for farmworker medical/dental needs.  This is a splendid two day affair.  The venue for Day One is Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley.  Autumn is particularly fond of this area and the fading brilliance of fall makes this an inviting location for an afternoon of nibbles and the best of the vintage from those wineries who have studiously honed their craft.  Spread throughout the three flights of their gravity feed winery DDO hosts 42 wineries showing a barrel sample of pinot noir blended or allocated exclusively for the winner of that auction item. Day Two is a black tie gala and auction at the Governor Hotel in Downtown Portland. There are winemaker dinners hosted on either side of these events that are often an auction item from the previous year.  It is a time of extreme generosity on the part of wineries, their owners, bidders, and the greater Portland community.  It is also a marvelous time to celebrate the end of harvest and the seasonal shift to winter and the holidays.

Sue & Neil Shay (Director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute)

Catherine (AV Dir of Communications) & Chad (Chehalem Vineyard Mgr.) Douglas

Jeanette Morgan (ED Oregon Wine Board) & David Adelsheim

Homage to Terry Castel and Family (Bethel Heights Winery) for Years of Generous Giving

The Magnificent Ballroom

By Monday morning the house guests had returned home, the gala garb was “reboxed” and put away, and it was back to work.  The afternoon was a blast.  As a guest of Domaine Selections I was asked to help lead a tasting of the incredible big gun (that means quality in this case) California wines that DS carries in their portfolio.  The lineup was as follows:

FLIGHT ONE – CHARDONNAY

Ramey Wine Cellars Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2008
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay “Les Noisetier” Sonoma Coast 2008
Shafer Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros District Red Shoulder Ranch  2008
Kongsgaard Wine Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008
Kongsgaard Wine Chardonnay Napa Valley The Judge 2008

INTERMEZZO

Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

FLIGHT TWO – 2007 NAPA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five 2007
Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow 2007
Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace 2007
Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Annum 2007
Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal 2007

FLIGHT THREE – BOND AND HARLAN

Bond Estates Melbury 2006
Bond Estates Quella 2006
Harlan Estate 2006

David, Bonnie, & Thom (who put together this cool event)

Amos (Sales Manager) and Tim (super salesdude) from Domaine

Vero & Erika, Domaine Sales Force Hard at Work

Ron & Dan, Super PDX Wine Guys

Joseph, Tim, and Akhil with Post Tasting Smiles

Some of the Tasted Goodies

Some of the Super Stars

Monday dinner was out once again with an interesting pair of corporate buyers for  the chain that owns Olive Garden and a small handful of other keenly focused brands.  Tuesday NEEDED to be laundry day!

Winter arrived today with a less than subtle entrance.  It was around 1:00 PM and within minutes of languishing clouds, shadows, and sunbeams the sky went dark and the hail arrived.  The temperature dropped 17 or 18 degrees in minutes, the trees swayed with the winds, leaves falling fast and quickly exposing naked branches.  I woke to fall, I went to bed in winter.

What could therefore be more perfect than a harvest celebration on what may turn out to be the final night of autumn weather.  Bill Sweat and Donna Morris own Winderlea Winery.  They purchased an existing vineyard that carried serious Oregon pedigree, Goldschmidt Vineyard.  They immediately went to work updating the vineyard, hired an experienced winegrower from California, created a beautiful label, built an aesthetically lovely building and pursued their dream.  The wines are super, don’t miss them.  They continue to sell some grapes to AV who produce a single vineyard Winderlea Vineyard (don’t miss that either!).  We were invited to this joyous occasion hosted by Bill and Donna.  The kitchen was under the command of David Bergen from Tina’s who served a quintessential autumn meal.

It was a quiet evening of thanks.  Vintage 2010 was a challenge for all involved and it was important to revisit the relationships that make this business work even in the most difficult years.  It felt a bit like the end of the fall season and then I remembered that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.  My favorite holiday.

Winderlea Dining Room

Vineyard Guru Matt Novak and His Wife Stephanie

General Frivolity and Goodwill

The Back Deck with Loads of Hail

More Hail

Side Yard Pathway

Winter Arrives 11/8/10

It has been a fabulous two weeks “off”.  Frankly, I had no idea of how this blog was going to (or not going to) go forward.  But I have been rewarded by the number of people who have been reading along and have encouraged me to find a way back to it.  Add to that the fact that I really enjoyed every part of the assignment, not just the discipline but keeping some kind of chronicle of life.  Certainly nothing can be as much fodder for phonetic phun than being in a venerable cultural capital like France with grapes and wine as the focal point of the investigation.  Although the home turf may not be as novel,  life continues to include social and professional intercourse that is interesting and fun.

So, before I jump back into the blog itself, one piece of housekeeping:  The missing photos from the post L’Oustal Blanc were retrieved and posted.  It took David all of five minutes to rifle through the rubbish bin to round up my folly.  REALLY, I can’t believe how easy that turned out to be and how I agonized over the event.  Arrggggh!

My arrival home was quiet as David was still on the east coast (he returned on Saturday to a long overdue dinner together), and Lizzie, David’s daughter, is working crush and arrives home around 11:00 PM, showers, and heads to bed for a 7:00 start time the next day.  This afforded me a leisurely return home and back to some sort of routine.  Oregon on the other hand was aggressive in showing off all that I had been missing with autumn on full display.  The first weekend in November warmed to the mid 60’s; a time to return to the garden before winter sets in.

The 4th of November included the last day of harvesting at Adelsheim Vineyard as the final pick of Syrah arrived at the winery.  And, a “red letter” date in the life and career of David Adelsheim as the Oregon Historical Society honored him with their “Oregon History Makers” award.  This year they chose David for his pioneering spirit and leadership in the Oregon wine industry.  He is the first in his field to receive this honor with other inductees including Michael Powell (Powell’s Books), Gert Boyle (Columbia Sportswear), Dr. Brian Druker (oncologist, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute),   and a handful of others.

It was a truly lovely evening and an honor to be there.

Fall in Mid-Stream

Flaming Fall

Joseph of Many Colors

Comes in Red

Comes in Gold

Back Road to Portland

Prep for First Dinner

Pearl Onions Braising

'Shrooms

David Fixing the Lights in Front of the House

David Totally Cracking Up with that Last Caption

I better interject and explain this.  The two lights in the front of the house on the garage were out.  During the summer when the sun goes down at 9:30 or so this was not much of a deal.  But now with the change in season and return to “regular time” those lights are very necessary.  So, what started out as a simple change in light bulb became a full dismantle of the lamps, cleaning, etc.  During the cleaning one of the small brass nuts was dropped inside the dishwasher.  Hence, the dishwasher had to come out from the wall.  A simple project turned into an afternoon.

David Adelsheim, Oregon History Maker 2010

I received an email from a dear friend with whom I have travelled to France on more than one occasion (including last spring).  Her French is very good, but she too is a bit timid launching into the language. However having said that, we ALWAYS called upon and counted on Dana whenever we needed something really important (like reservations at a three star restaurant or a famous wine estate).   She never let us down.

In her email she asked, “So, how’s your French?  Let me put it right out there that without any qualification:  My cellar French is exceptional!  As those words hardly work elsewhere, what happens outside the cellar?  What I have learned more than anything else is a level of confidence that allows me to openly bastardize this beautiful language without much shame.  I am over being timid.  In fact, recently when asked to repeat my order to a somewhat intoxicated hanger on at a small bar in Béziers I answered in French, “Just for you sir I will repeat myself very slowly.  This might help you (gesture here) understand”. My glass of wine and sandwich arrived promptly.

This is my last post from France for this trip.  My plane leaves in a couple of hours.  A post script from stateside is forthcoming.  Á tout á l’heure!