I love this time of year. The hustle and bustle of harvest is in full swing. And this year I had the opportunity to experience the Crush first hand or should I say fist full…
It was a brisk Friday morning. The sweet aroma of grapes circulating about, mmmm, and I was headed to the crush pad. I was ready, feeling good. As the lovely Julia Leonardini would so eloquently put it, “Bring it!” But as that first half ton bin began to fall, I quickly learned I didn’t stand a chance. Cluster, after cluster, after cluster, quickly scurried down that sorting table. Some within arms reach, most without. It sure is a good thing Ana and Fernando were there to show me the ropes.
I just love my job!! I mean how many Sales and Marketing Managers do you know have the opportunity to jump right in and experience harvest first hand? Time to update the good old resume- Napa Valley Harvest intern, well yes, yes I believe I have. Even that sticky grape shower was well worth it! Nothing beats the first hand knowledge I gained from that looonng half hour. I just hope my last group of the day didn’t mind my intense Sauvignon Blanc aroma.
Thanks to our wonderful crew for putting up with slow, little old me out there. You guys work incredible hard and are the true heart and soul of the operation.
Next up- cleaning the tanks!! Just about time to check that one off my list. I’m sure everyone around here can’t wait to see that!
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We have the best fans here at Whitehall!! And as I have found out in recent days some of the most in shape wine lovers around. We received an email from a Whitehall fan so intriguing that I just had to share…..
Good morning,
I thought you guys might get a kick out of this. I hike up the top of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley this week. I’m not sure if you know of the hike, but it’s a grueling 16 miles with 4,800 vertical feet of climbing. I started at five in the morning and returned to the valley floor at three that afternoon. In addition to the 180 ounces of water I had in my pack, I brought a bottle of your ‘05 cab. I can’t tell you how great it tasted up there and how many new friends I made at the top of Half Dome! People thought I was crazy for carrying the extra weight, but then thanked me as I poured them a taste!
Keep on making great wines and we will see you soon!
Rick & Jennifer Souza
Burlingame, CA
Wow!! Thanks Rick & Jennifer for sharing. Maybe I’ll join you on your next trip up (I say with angst apprehension) Only if there’s another bottle of Whitehall waiting at the end. “Eyes on the prize… keep your eyes on the prize…”
Post your favorite BBQ recipe and summer entertaining tips featuring Whitehall Lane wines and we’ll highlight the best entries to share with the whole Whitehall Lane family. Submitted by Wine Club Member’s Larry & Christine Fiori: Christine’s Whitehall Lane Wine Sangria Recipe Ingredients: (Double these for a Party)
1/2 pint strawberries
1 small lime
1 small red delicious apple
1 small orange
1 750ml bottle Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc chilled
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup brandy
1 ea. 7oz. bottle club soda, chilled Procedure:
-About 20 minutes before serving, hull and cut each strawberry in half. Thinly slice lime, apple and orange.
-In a large pitcher, stir in Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc, orange juice, sugar, lime juice and brandy until sugar dissolves. Stir in strawberry half’s, lime, apple and orange slices.
-Refrigerate.
-Just before serving, stir the club soda, along with one tray of ice cubes, into the Sangria.
Enjoy!
BEST WINERY IN ST. HELENA!
The Best of the Bay’s “BEST OF… TELEVISION SERIES” features nominees selected by the show producers through industry research and / or by nominations received on the Best of the Bay TV website.
Drum roll please…. Whitehall Lane Winery has been named the Best Winery in St. Helena for 2009! Woo hoo!!!!
So mark those iCalendar’s, set your TiVo, and tune in to KRON to watch Tom Leonardini II, Katie Leonardini Melancon, and the rest of the Whitehall Lane family Saturday, June 20th at 6pm on KRON!!
A little behind the scenes sneak peak:
Summer is here in the Napa Valley. Ahhh…. There really is no better time to visit. With the picture perfect weather, the relaxed environment , and oh yes, the refreshing wines. Come on up, sip some wine and watch the grapes grow with us.
A few weeks ago our extended wine family did just that! We celebrated the completion of the new Club Room with the debut Wine Club “Pick Up” Party. What a great day that turned out to be! I must admit I was a little concerned about the crazy weather we had that weekend. Turns out that killer heat wave didn’t stand a chance, there was no slowing down our party!!
And what’s a “Pick Up” Party without some pick up lines? “Hey Red, nice legs!” didn’t win our contest, but it’s fit to print! The winner, Michael Goeringer, walked away with two magnums in tow. Finally a pick up line that actually worked!
Join the club, join the family, and we’ll see you at the next one.
Save the Date: October 18th- Harvest themed Wine Club “Pick Up” Party!!
For those of you not yet receiving our newsletters, I wanted to share with you the latest and give you some insights as to what we have going on here at the winery. Here’s a sneak peak from our State of the Winery address from owner, Tom Leonardini Sr. ” We just celebrated our 16th anniversary and to make it even better, we finally completed our major expansion. By the end of the month, we will be enjoying our new Club Room overlooking the Estate Vineyard and the aging Cabernet Sauvignon in the new barrel room. The pristine, new professional kitchen is ready for pairing gourmet meals with our world-class wines. Inquiries for private events are most welcome. And if you are looking for an old favorite, we’ve added a wine library next to the new barrel room that contains some older vintages and big bottles that had been previously squirreled away, deep in our personal cellar. ”
Download the full Spring 2009 Newsletter: Spring newsletter 2009.pdf
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Last week, bright and early in the morning (5am early!!) winemaker Dean Sylvester guest starred on WICN radio’s The Public Eye. The Public Eye is a half hour talk show that addresses everything from controversy to culture. Dean’s segment is part of a special behind the scenes look at wineries. A meet and greet of famous labels and the people behind them.
You did a great job Dean and you didn’t even have the early morning raspy voice thing going on. Such a pro!! Don’t take my word for it, listen for yourself!
In the upcoming May 2009 issue of Wine Enthusiast magazine our 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon received excellent press. 94 Points and a Cellar Selection pick!! Here’s a little sneak peak- “Made from 100% Cab, this wine pours inky black, and feels softly ripe in the mouth, with pie-filling blackberries, cherries, mocha, plums, tobacco and sweet dusty spices. Shows a tannic astrigency that strongly suggests cellaring, although it’s flashy now.” I just LOVE that flashy line. They also gave the 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 93 Points and a terrific write up as well. Oh and did a mention it’s another Cellar Selection choice! “… it’s a very fine wine that shows real Napa pedigree. Balanced and harmonious, it features complex flavors of blackberries, cassis and cedar wood that turn sweet on the finish.”
Yes, that’s right both 2005 Cabernet’s received great ratings and Cellar Selection picks!! We have an outstanding winemaking team and I’m proud to report this great recognition for them. If you drink any wine this year make it one of these!
Download rave review below and order your Cellar Selections today! Whitehall WE 2005 Res & Cab 2.pdf
