The Twisted Missive!
Issue #5
I’m just going to flat out admit that the whole Missive thing got away from me in May – so much to do to get concerts and pizza nights going – and the prognosis for June is still running flat out. What’s going on, you might ask? Well, read on Montague!
Speaking of Concerts and Pizzas….
Don’t forget that we’re having Twisted Pizza and Music Nights on selected Fridays all summer long! The next one is this Fridaystarting at 5pm at our Murphys Tasting Room – come and grab a pieand bottle!
And concerts at the winery! The next concert is June 24th featuring modern bluegrass band Front Country – you won’t want to miss this!
In This Missive
Farming da Grape, Part XXXVII
If you live or hang out in Northern California – or suffer from a seriously twisted weather addiction – you may have noticed the unusually cool and moist weather we’ve been having up here lately. (Heck, as I type this I’m wearing a long sleeve shirt – and the summer solstice is just a week away!)
At times of extreme weather I am often asked how this affects the grapes. Most of the time, the answer is “not very much.” In the winter the vines are basically asleep and don’t care about rain, snow, wind, or toads falling from the sky. We have a period of time in the spring where frost is always a threat, but once we get into the nice warm month of May we can breathe a sigh of relief…
Unless we get a cold and wet spring like we are having now. The grapes are fine… except that soggy grapes make conditions ripe for powdery mildew. We can weather the occasional wet storm during the spring and summer months, as long as the storm is followed by a nice bit of heat to make the problem evaporate. So to speak.
Last year Twisted Oak got certified as Sustainable… which smells a lot like Organic certification (heh) but without all the paperwork. Everything we do in the vineyard is done to maintain the natural cycle. We use natural sprays for whatever is needed, and usually spray at night so the beneficial insects are not affected – and certainly nothing that will harm bees – we like bees! All natural waste – stems, seeds, grape sediments – spends the winter in the back 40 and is returned to the vineyard as fertilizer.
So when the mildew threatens on a wet day like today, we use an oil-based spray product to prevent it. The oil – mixed with water – keeps the mildew spores from germinating, and also controls the little buggers that bring the spores. And that makes for happy grapes and yummy wine! Or as they say on the tee vee…
The Vintage Green Bride’s Private Tasting Room
Ima gonna tell you all about that in a moment, but first: Last month’s survey produced some great responses! Here are just a few:
And the winner, chosen at random, is… Julie! Now, what about that funky room?
If you have visited the winery, you may have noticed that very cluttered office at the opposite corner of the building. That’s supposed to be my office but frankly I don’t do a lot of office-ing in there these days. So instead we are turning it into a sort of all-purpose room, for the bride at weddings, for musicians at concerts, and most importantly, for you!
A Private Tasting Room! This will be a place you can reserve to enjoy a personaltasting of our entire lineup, plus a previous vintage or two – and also enjoy a tour of the winery, and even grab a little taste of something in the cave.
But… this room needs a name! I have asked myself and the crew, and none of us has yet come up with a name we like.
So, we are asking you: Name our new private tasting slash bride’s room slash concert green room. Just reply to this email with your best idea. If we pick your name, you’ll get a $35 MasterCluck gift card. (In the event of a tie, the first person to suggest a name will get the gift card.)
Meet the Crew – A New Feature!
Speaking of the crew… our new Event Coordinator Lynnie is writing a new feature for the Missive, each time featuring a member of the Twisted Crew. Take it away….
Here’s Kelsey! An old soul, born and raised across the river in Jamestown, CA. Kelsey only watches one show on TV, reruns of M*A*S*H. And she only listens to Classic Rock, Country, and Punk on vinyls on her record player at home, and a cassette player in her truck. Kelsey and Nick, her fiancee (sorry guys), live in a 100 year old home in Angels Camp, with their two babies: an American pit bull mix named Peggy, and a frisky young black lab named Beau. Kelsey & Nick’s hobbies are rock climbing, hiking, gardening, and fishing and hunting, providing the only meat they eat. They grow all their own veggies and their passion is restoring old hot rods and classic cars: 1952 Mercury, 1931 Buick, 1972 Scout, and… a motorcycle. Come visit Kelsey at either of our tasting rooms!
Summer Shipping
Just a quick note to mention that two-day summer shipping is now in effect! Between now and September 15th any shipment that would take more than two days to deliver will be automagically upgraded to two-day. And (if you are the “belt and suspenders” type) “Cool Packs” are also available in six and twelve bottle sizes.
That should do it for now. Have fun and stay Twisted! – el jefe