tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:52:14 +0000A blog about the ins and outs of starting and running a small winery in Berkeley.http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/Blog_2009.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (adonkey)Blogger277125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-8444929457625068867Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:33:00 +00002010-03-10T05:52:14.365-08:00The wine world has gone through a very hard year. Probably the most telling article was a few weeks back in the New York Times on February 16th in the Dining Section: But in 2009, sales of wines priced at $25 and above dropped 30 percent nationwide, according to Nielsen. While global wine sales increased, California wine shipments fell for the first time in 16 years. Searching for a way out of http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2010/02/wine-world-has-gone-through-very-hard.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared Brandt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-9092267963614674922Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:57:00 +00002010-02-22T22:35:25.748-08:00Each year, as we race to try and get our rose to finish, we consider filtering it. Should the wine look perfect or taste like summer? We picked taste this year and, as a result, the wine went into bottle without any filtering (except our bug catcher - to keep out, well bugs). This has been our decision nearly every year.Each time I pour the rose, this decision is evident. Sediment has http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2010/02/isabels-cuvee-grenache-rose-serving.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared Brandt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-4818119213861552541Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:05:00 +00002010-01-15T12:41:07.849-08:00Over the last seven vintages, we have been using less and less SO2. In fact, we have even started to make wines without adding SO2. (Isabel's Crazy Sh.. was made without any SO2.)We went to nearly zero SO2 until after malolactic fermentation last year. This year we went to zero until malos are done. That said, at bottling, we are often amazed at how the SO2 shows. Our forthcoming 2008 El http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2010/01/bottling-so2-and-sans-soufre.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared Brandt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-749785183157369203Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:05:00 +00002009-12-31T08:24:38.851-08:00blog, I am going to try and catch up with some photos and video from my trip to Denmark. My new phone, a Droid, doesn't do so well with photos. There is a software bug that they need to fix. The dinner took place in Haderslev. (My father's family emigrated to America from this area when it was under the rule of Bismark/Germany.) The food was delicious and the service delightful. I hope tohttp://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/12/as-everyone-posts-their-end-of-year.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared Brandt)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-4489748336782703324Tue, 01 Dec 2009 15:07:00 +00002009-12-01T08:16:33.812-08:00SyrahCopenhagenAfter Stockholm, I had a great visit to Copenhagen. Our wines have been imported into Denmark for two years now and it was a pleasure to meet our importer, Ole Jensen, in person.On Wednesday, he suggested we go to Sweden for lunch after I arrived at the airport. I was, of course, confused. (Fly from Sweden to Denmark to go back to Sweden?) After picking me up, we drove across the http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/12/hej-copenhagen.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-9175451987147961500Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:04:00 +00002009-11-30T07:19:59.915-08:00SwedenSyrahGrand TastingLast Tuesday, I had the pleasure of pouring at the Haut Les Vins Tasting at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden.It is the first time we have poured our wines at an event in Europe and I was a bit nervous. The event focused on terroir driven, European wine makers, many making incredible wine. I was unsure how our wines would be received, how the label would be received and how easy it would http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/success-in-sweden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared Brandt)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-9018386551923208599Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:34:00 +00002009-12-10T22:11:15.462-08:00If you have a taste box, now you can taste with us. Just get four glasses and label them with each wine using a dry erase marker. After that, sit down and watch the video.<!--Session data-->http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/tasting-video-for-our-taste-box.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-7380157011484011841Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:24:00 +00002009-11-15T09:14:48.975-08:00Peter Liem's recent column about un-grafted vines in Wine and Spirits is worth a read. (Found via Eric Asimov's blog. )We often make this same comparison between native yeasts and commercial yeasts. The native yeast is not a single species - various yeasts compete. Each vineyard clearly has its own flora. Thinking about the article made me wonder if it was actually even closer to talk about http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/peter-liems-recent-column-about-un.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-5610679520301258194Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:49:00 +00002009-11-13T08:59:18.975-08:00We are starting to take pre-orders for our Holiday Sampler pack - a combination of wine samples, killer chocolate and full bottles. You can learn more about it at adonkeyandgoat.com/holiday_samplerYesterday, we got another great review. As always, I like the note more than the score. But I can't complain about the 93...Stephen Tanzer's International Wine CellarDonkey & GoatBy Josh RaynoldsNov/http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/holiday-sampler-and-distinctive-wine.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-2994711368394082423Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:16:00 +00002009-11-06T05:16:00.423-08:00http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/we-are-really-going-to-sweden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-4909198616794908441Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:33:00 +00002009-11-05T08:12:16.699-08:00With harvest winding down, we have started to spend much more time tasting the wine. As mentioned early, we made four barrels of Roussanne on their skins. Each wine was made in a different style and now the barrels are each tasting wonderful on their own way. It is popular to classify these wines as "orange" but I don't actually like the name. The reason, orange suggests a color and ours are http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/tasting-our-09-rhone-whites.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-3655244886235534320Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:59:00 +00002009-11-05T10:10:49.036-08:00The other day Tracey copied me on an email dialog about our wines and thoughts on natural, organic and biodynamic. It's a pretty good manifesto so I thought I'd share on our blog. Tracey writes... "We make our wines for the table not the cocktail glass. We make Rhône varietals in both colors plus an unusual Chardonnay. We (my husband and winemaking partner Jared and I) strive to make wine as http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/our-manifesto.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-2755467938818970639Mon, 02 Nov 2009 17:59:00 +00002009-11-02T10:03:33.760-08:00when we don't post for over a month. Isabel has been helping at the winery this year. She knows how to wrap fermentors for sulfur candles, lower the press tray using the down control on the forklift when we need to place it back on the trolley (it takes two, one to lower, one to move the trolley) and punchdown. Here she is last night wearing pink, working hard.http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/11/you-know-it-is-hard-harvest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-1539446821821421900Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:50:00 +00002009-10-03T04:00:33.898-07:00"Zeez young American girl...I am surprised. She eez young and thin, but she can drink like a taxi driver!" This is what the French uncle of Eric and Laurence had to say about me last night over magre de canard. I almost choked on the Burgundy pinot noir that Eric had just poured for me. But then he continued, "non, non, it eez a compliment...I am impressed! And it eez important if she wants to behttp://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/10/zeez-young-american-girl.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Danielle)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-1506302817793548793Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:10:00 +00002009-09-23T03:56:13.016-07:00It's true, the grape doesn't fall far from the vine. Following in Jared and Tracey's footsteps, I am now here in the Rhone Valley of France working with their former mentor, Eric Texier. This being my first time in France, I have finally gained exposure to the magic of Old World wine. The intricate world of wine here in France can feel overwhelming at times, but working at A Donkey and Goat last http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/its-true-grape-doesnt-fall-far-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Danielle)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-3113561608683929045Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:51:00 +00002009-09-21T21:54:49.387-07:00Tom Bentley made this great video about our making verjus. I hope you enjoy it. http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/video-about-making-ver-jus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-8582454712894968648Wed, 09 Sep 2009 04:26:00 +00002009-09-08T21:29:53.697-07:00Isabel and I checked her vineyard on Labor Day. I sampled by the cluster, Isabel sampled by the grape. We jointly determined that a bit more sugar would be good - either for juice or wine. I expect us to harvest this vineyard in late September or earl October.http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/can-unicorns-determine-when-to-pick.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-1058353142387120343Tue, 08 Sep 2009 05:56:00 +00002009-09-07T23:00:42.567-07:00A short video from the Lightner Vineyard. One of the great things about this vineyard is the view (okay - just kidding, it is great but...). The vineyard is close enough to the American River that it is always windy. This wine help keep mildew and other bugs at bay naturally. We will first pick this vineyard, the Syrah, either in late September or early October. It should be a great yearhttp://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/more-vineyard-updates.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-141767562016445464Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:48:00 +00002009-09-06T10:37:54.628-07:00Yesterday morning, I drove up to the foothills to check several vineyards. Most pressing was Ellen Ridge. The grapes are ripe - lots of brown seeds, good sugars and nice acid. (24 Brix, PH of 3.37 and TA of 7.5 G/L)Ellen Ridge is on the edge of the American River canyon at about 1,800 feet above sea level. The blue label is right where our vines are.View Ellen Ridge Vineyard in a larger http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/update-from-foothills.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-8207199138027574003Thu, 03 Sep 2009 04:56:00 +00002009-09-02T21:59:16.467-07:00Chardonnay is slowly fermenting towards greatness. You can watch my update and learn how to measure brix. http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/chardonnay-is-slowly-fermenting-towards.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-1243645330252439505Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:22:00 +00002009-09-01T19:22:00.568-07:00Robert Parker recently reviewed several of our wines. The conventional wisdom is that Parker loves low acid wines. Being fans of high acid wines, one might think he would dismiss ours. Not the case - he liked both our Prospector and Four Thirteen. 2007 A Donkey and Goat Four Thirteen RATING: 89 pointsFROM: El Dorado, Sierra Foothills, California, USAVARIETY: Proprietary http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/some-nice-new-reviews-from-parker.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-1115336259721260378Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:56:00 +00002009-09-01T09:10:55.667-07:00Early this morning, I went and checked on our Chardonnay barrels. Each year, we try and fill the barrels to just the right height - an impossible task. I find that the native yeast, from Brosseau, are very foamy in there first few days of fermentation. On a different note, the Journal of Wine Economics just released its newest issue. The lead article analyzes the reliability of Gold http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/09/chardonnay-fermentation-and-golds.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-4443559430292847053Tue, 01 Sep 2009 04:40:00 +00002009-08-31T21:41:54.247-07:00We picked Chardonnay a week ago today. It has started to ferment thanks to the native yeast. I made a few videos with my flip camera - here is one of the better ones.<!--Session data-->http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/08/night-harvest-video.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-2864594077086897182Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:45:00 +00002009-08-28T09:45:58.540-07:00Harvest season has officially started. Monday our team picked, sorted, stomped and pressed the bright and juicy Chardonnay grapes. Ever since Jared, Justin, and I tasted the fresh grape juice last week, I've been waiting anxiously for harvest to officially begin. Seriously, I would've gulped down a whole glass of the sugary but full-flavored stuff if there was not the threat of a terrible stomachhttp://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/08/happy-harvest.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Danielle)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16787840.post-2021542882594736124Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:58:00 +00002009-08-26T11:39:44.657-07:00had such a good game last Saturday, we suspect it was because of the wine served before the game...Thanks Scott and Helen for the photo and your support!<!--Session data--><!--Session data-->http://www.adonkeyandgoat.com/2009/08/if-you-are-wonder-why-chicago-bears.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Jared)1