Winery Talk - Tanis Vineyards - Amador County

Tanis Vineyards

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 21:28:00 +0000

Tanis Vineyards is a small boutique winery in Amador County, CA. We are located at 13120 Willow Creek Road in Ione, CA 95640. We produce around 800 cases per year of distinctive and delicious varietals such as Primitivo, Zinfandel, Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Pinotage, our TNT Red Blend, and more.

For more information visit Tanis Vineyards at www.tanisvineyards.com. We are currently posting all blogs and other information at that location. Stop by and see us in the tasting room and enjoy some fabulous wine and lively conversation with the winemaker.

We are open SAT-SUN 10am-5:30pm. Hope to see you soon!

Wine & Recipes at TANIS Vineyards!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Fri, 29 May 2009 06:37:00 +0000

Well, our friend Mark from Southpaw Catering has done it again!

We spent a wonderful evening with Mark and friends, pairing delicious food and exceptional new Tanis wines. Here for your enjoyment are two of our favorite recipes of the evening... "Encore Tenderloin Kabobs" and "Halibut in Sicilian Sauce!"

Encore Tenderloin Kabobs:
(Exellent with Tanis 2006 Barbera or Tanis 2006 Cabernet Franc)

1 - 1 1/2 lbs Cubed Tenderloin or Eye Fillet
6-8 Tbs Sesame Oil
2 Tbs toasted sesame seeds
12oz Teriyaki Baste and Glaze
Skewers soaked in water

Directions: Soak skewers in water. Place cubed beef in bowl and add all the sesame oil and seeds. cover and let stand at room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Skewer meat. Fire the grill up and place skewers on grill. Baste meat constantly with teriyaki sauce. Grill 5-10 minutes and let rest for 5 minutes. Serve.

Tanis 2006 Blushing Beauty Rose is now ready!
This is such an elegant and dry Rose! (I just love the color!) Shown here without a label, but being dressed by Andrew as I write! You're sure to enjoy this one immensely with the Pacific Halibut in Sicilian Sauce:

Halibut in Sicilian Sauce:
(Delicious with Tanis Blushing Beauty Rose)

1/4 cup flour
salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 (1 inch thick) halibut fillet (about 8 oz)
3 TBS extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (optional)
2 TBS green olives, pitted and chopped
2 TBS pine nuts, toasted
2 TBS raisins, plumped in hot water
1 TBS capers, rinsed
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup Tanis Blushing Beauty Rose

Directions: Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly oil a baking dish that will fit your fillet. On a flat plate, stir together the flour with a little salt and pepper and dredge the fish in the seasoned flour and shake off excess.

In saute pan, heat about 1 TBS oil, or as needed to form a film in the pan, over medium-high heat. Saute the fish on both sides until lightly colored. With a slotted spatula, remove fish to the prepared baking dish.

In the same saute pan, heat 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery and saute until soft and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, and simmer for 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Add olives, pine nuts, raisins, capers, garlic, and wine and simmer for 8-10 minutes to blend the flavors. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Ladle the sauce over the fish. Bake until the fish tests done with the point of a knife, about 10 minutes. Eat while hot or warm.

Enjoy these recipes and a bottle of TANIS wine with some special friends! If you're like us, you may even like to end the evening off with a glass of TANIS 2006 Barbera and a bit of Karaoke! (another excellent pairing) We do have fun!

UPDATE: That last barrel of Tanis 2006 Barbera is now bottled and will be ready to release in the next few weeks. We'll keep you posted! We have taken numerous pre-orders. If you'd like us to set a few bottles or cases aside for you just give us a call or email. This Barbera may not make it to the tasting bar. Those of you who tried the first release of the 06 Barbera know how big and jammy it was. This barrel is as good, if not better!

Final Thoughts...

Tanis Vineyard's HCO (Head of Corking Operations), points out the mark of truly handcrafted, premium, small-lot wines. The dimple in this Tanis cork shows that this bottle didn't touch an assembly line machine. It's all done by hand! (He would know!)

Newest TANIS Photos Online...
For the latest NEW photos, visit us at http://www.tanisvineyards.com/newphotos.html

Come and see us soon!!!

TANIS VINEYARDS WINERY - 06 CABERNET FRANC IS HERE!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 16:32:00 +0000

Spring has arrived and the poppies are popping up profusely on our little rural road. Along with the spring flowers, an awesome new wine is also in full bloom and ready for picking here at Tanis Vineyards! The 2006 Cabernet Franc is ready! Several weeks in the bottle, this wine is definitely through bottle shock and it is DELICIOUS!

Next on the line-up, a blushing beauty. This year Andrew has perfected a dry Rose that's perfect for a warm day or night. Fresh and light with the fruity characteristics of the reds it's made from (Mourvedre, Grenache and Cabernet Franc), this is the perfect wine to pour with a range of hors d'oeuvres or for before dinner sipping. In the bottle and ready to drink, this delicious light wine is amber-pink! It will be available as soon as it's labeled!

Experience the beauty of Spring with a leisurely drive to our tasting room, where you can relax and enjoy some wonderful wine. Andrew is almost always on site. You'll enjoy visiting with him as much as you enjoy the tasting!

A VERY LIMITED EDITION WINE BOTTLE!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 01:06:00 +0000

The winter rains have been blessing the earth, but as the clouds clear up it feels like spring around Tanis Vineyards and some special things have been happening! The weekend before Valentine's Day, Steve and Kari (big Tanis Cabernet Franc fans!) came by the winery... but it was no ordinary visit.

Several weeks earlier, Steve had contacted us about the possibility of a specialty label...a very SPECIAL specialty label! With excitement, preparations were made.

And so at the end of their tasting, Steve calmly asked the question that was to trigger Andrew handing him the "very limited edition" wine bottle. You can imagine how overwhelmed and surprised Kari was when Steve got down on one knee and held the bottle up for her to read, "Kari, Will You Marry Me?"

And her answer? ... "Of Course!" The special proposal bottle not only had the perfect question, it got the perfect answer and was the very first bottle of our (not yet released) Tanis 2006 Cabernet Franc, Kari's favorite!

We were so happy to share in this moment, and wish Steve and Kari the very best. May their days be blessed and their life be fruitful!

Important Update to Jan 24-25 Food & Wine Pairing

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 00:05:00 +0000

Hi friends, family, and faithful Tanis Wine fans! Thank you again for being a part of our first exciting year.

We have some unfortunate news about the wine and food pairing weekend that was scheduled for January 24-25. We've run into a glitch with local government conditions prohibiting food service, and have been made aware that offering food service will require a special permit. In an effort to cooperate with the powers that be, we must sadly cancel the food pairing.

But we WILL still be here at the winery and would LOVE to see you and appreciate your support in 2009! Although we are not having an 'event', Andrew & I will definitely still be 'celebrating' our first year as we enjoy the weekend in the tasting room, visiting and enjoying some fabulous wine and friendly folks. I'll have copies of the recipes for the foods that paired so well with our Tanis wines, so you can experiment at home! My favorite was the Cocoa-Rubbed Pork! It's amazing with the Barbera!

We will still have samples of our specialty wine gift chocolates out Jan 24-25 and the entire month of February, as part of our normal operations.

Life is full of challenges, but like our label says, they can certainly produce perseverance and character if we let them. So we'll press on into year 2 of our possibly crazy and definitely daring winery adventure, and see what 2009 has in store! We hope it's a wonderful year for you and yours, and we hope you can join us for a few delicious downtime moments in the near future.

Thank you again!

Jill & Andrew

Wine & Chocolate at TANIS Vineyards!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:43:00 +0000

Well, 2008 was a wild ride! ...and Tanis Vineyards has been open for one year at the end of this month! Thanks to all of you who stopped by for wine tasting this past year. We're glad you were able to be a part of our beginnings. To celebrate, we're bringing back Chef Mark Ballard of South Paw Catering and providing food and wine pairings the weekend of January 24th-25th. Please join us at the winery for a fun time!

In February, join us for Chocolate & Wine pairing the weekends of February 7th-8th and Valentine's Day weekend the 14th-15th. We'll be pairing delicious 2006 Tanis releases with specialty chocolates like Tanis TNT Jamaican Jerk seasoned "Dynamite Explosion," Chocolate Covered "Cherry-Bomb Poppers," and our "TNT Tremors" Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans!

For those of you who have not tried our 2006 Barbera yet, we can't wait to share it with you! It'll knock your socks off!

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

Institution of Civil Engineers 2008 'Americas' Convention features TANIS wines!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:10:00 +0000

TANIS Vineyards was recently designated "The Official Wine of the United Kingdom Institution of Civil Engineers 2008 Americas Convention on Sustainability!"

The 2008 Convention in Las Vegas was the first ever ICE Regional Convention to be held in the Americas, where a range of high-profile speakers from across the Western Hemisphere presented and discussed important sustainability issues facing the world today. Topics included the Engineer's role as we enter the ecological age, as well as California's water issues and how to manage crisis and opportunity.

We were honored to have our wines at this exciting Convention!

Thank you ICE for the privilege!

2006 REDS Released! Primitivo, Pinotage, Petite Sirah, and Petite Sirah Port!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 04:10:00 +0000

Lots of exciting things have been happening around TANIS Vineyards. Harvest is here and things are CRAZY!!! : ) But we're still having fun!

Are you ready for some awesome REDS yet? October 4th and 5th we are releasing FOUR of our 2006 dark, rich, hearty reds...Primitivo (maybe even BETTER than the 2005!), Pinotage (dark and CHEWY), Petite Sirah (Exquisite) and our Petite Sirah Port (this one STAINS the glass!).

The weekend of October 4th and 5th is the BIG CRUSH weekend event in Amador County. If you like a fun and upbeat crowd this is a great time to come. If you'd prefer to visit us on a quieter day, maybe you'd like the weekend or two after Big Crush. Either way, we are REALLY looking forward to sharing our newly released wines with you! You're going to love them!

Another FUN ANNOUNCEMENT... TANIS Vineyards has been featured in the new online wine magazine VINOPRIMO.com ! The article is titled "My Sweet Baby Syrah, TANIS Vineyards Birth of a Winery." VinoPrimo plans to follow our story over the coming year and possibly beyond. Visit this great new online magazine site at www.vinoprimo.com! Read our story and check out this fun new magazine!

What's Hot at TANIS Vineyards!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 23:40:00 +0000

Well, harvest is here again and it's an early one because of the HOT temperatures. But according to customers in the tasting room, the temperature is not the only thing that's HOT around here. : ) The guys were SO happy with the comments of two attractive female visitors, that they're thinking of making T-Shirts. Can't you just see them now, smiling and wearing their logo shirts that say..."The guys at TANIS Vineyards are HOT!" I'm definitely adding that one to my list of 'Top 10 Tasting Room Quotes!'

If you're not on our mailing list, you can now sign up on our website at www.tanisvineyards.com. We've sold out of almost all of our 2005 REDS and are getting ready to release some fantastic 2006 wines including Petite Sirah, Primitivo, and Pinotage. Add yourself to our mailing list to receive notice when these delicious wines are released. I'm sure they will sell out as fast as the 2005's did.

You can also look for some great recipes at our main site. "Tarts by Ann" were a big hit. Our favorite was the Cheese and Red Onion Jam Thumbprints. YUM! Very tasty with our 2006 Viognier.

August FUN at TANIS Vineyards!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 17:57:00 +0000

Next Weekend, August 9-10 is our "Getting Fruity & Nutty" Chardonnay Release! Join us for a fun and fruity time! Side by side Chardonnay pairing! Spiced Almonds, Rosemary Roasted Cashews, Chili Almonds, dried fruit and more. Ask us for directions and we'll point you to nearby wineries having other food pairing events this weekend!

August 30-31 will be a GREAT time with our Viognier release and the pairing of ALL our whites with delicious "Tarts by Ann." Be ready to enjoy our whites with tasty bites of 'Little Apricot Tarts,' 'Cheese, Fig & Almond Tartlets,' and 'Bleu Cheese/Red Onion Jam Thumbprints!'

Dates & Details Below... Hope to see you soon!

AUGUST 9th -10th

WHAT: TANIS 'Getting Fruity & Nutty!' Chardonnay Release!

WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, August 9th-10th, 10am-5pm

WHERE: TANIS Vineyards 13120 Willow Creek Road Ione CA 209-274-4807

DETAILS: Side by side Chardonnay pairing! TANIS 2006 Chardonnay and our newly released 2006 TANIS 'Sutter Ridge Vineyard' Chardonnay, paired with dried fruits and flavored nuts...Spiced Almonds, Rosemary Roasted Cashews, and Chile Almonds! Yum!

AUGUST 30-31

WHAT: TANIS Cool Whites For HOT August 'Daze' Viognier Release!

WHEN: Saturday & Sunday, August 30th-31th, 10am-5pm

WHERE: TANIS Vineyards 13120 Willow Creek Road Ione CA 209-274-4807

DETAILS: TANIS 2006 Viognier wine release. Food & Wine pairing with ALL of our white wines, featuring "Tarts by Ann!"

New Wines Released!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:57:00 +0000

This Weekend: June 21st & June 22nd

Food and Wine Pairings between 11am and 5pm:
Lamb, Thai Chicken, Stuffed Chicken Rolls,
“Not Your Mother’s” Jamaican Jerk Spicy Bread Pudding

New Wines Being Released:
2006 “My Sweet Baby” Late Harvest Syrah
2006 Mourvedre
2006 Sauvignon Blanc

Special Discount:
Extra 5% off per case on our newly released Sauvignon Blanc
for a total of 15% off your full case purchase of
this crisp refreshing white wine

My Sweet Baby Update!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 04:42:00 +0000

"My Sweet Baby" is coming soon! After looking over several possible bottles for our 375ml My Sweet Baby Late Harvest Syrah, we've just ordered our glass and are pleased to have found the tall slender bottles we had hoped for. The bottles were only available through special order, but My Sweet Baby is worth it! The labels are on order too, in the classy black style. We hope to be bottling mid May. Then My Sweet Baby will need to rest and settle into the bottles a few weeks before pick up. We plan to have a special private release party for our My Sweet Baby futures customers. Dates and details coming soon!

Budding Vines! Spring is Here!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 19:30:00 +0000

Everything is beautiful as we open our doors again this weekend for what is only WEEK 12 for Tanis Vineyards! It's week 12, and we are sold out of almost half of our 2005 inventory! Bottling of "My Sweet Baby", 2006 Late Harvest Syrah, is in the works. We have a unique bottle in mind that is only available through special order from Italy. This could delay us slightly, but we still plan to have it bottled and ready this Spring!

We've enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people in the tasting room! Lovely Ladies Fun Day Out Club...Come back and see us again soon!

RACKING THE WINE

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 02:40:00 +0000

One important step in winemaking is called "racking the wine." As wines age, some sediment drops down and collects at the bottom of the barrel. This sediment is called lees. The lees can add wonderful flavors and aromas to the wine if handled properly, but if left too long at the bottom of the barrel, it can also cause issues. The racking process involves siphoning off the wine from the barrel into another container, leaving the lees behind. The lees shouldn't be left on the wine for more than a few months. Most winemakers rack their wines at least 3 to 5 times. The wine is racked as many times as necessary to remove all the lees and when this is accomplished and the specific gravity is 1.000 or lower, the wine is ready for bottling.

Racking takes time and effort, but is not all that difficult... especially when you have several little helpers like we do!

TANIS Vineyards and TNT Dynamite RED in the news!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 22:56:00 +0000

TANIS Vineyards and our TNT Dynamite RED were featured in the business section of the Ledger Dispatch this past Friday!

The article follows:

Tanis Vineyards features wine tasting, vineyard in Ione
Friday, February 22, 2008
By Marcia Oxford

Jill Tanis designed the TNT Dynamite Red label.
Photo by: Courtesy to the Ledger Dispatch

The first weekend of February saw the opening of Tanis Vineyards, the latest winery to join the ranks of quality producers in Amador County.

Winemaker Andrew Tanis and his wife Jill launched their winemaking venture a decade ago when they began planting a quarter of an acre in Elk Grove where they lived. Andrew, a home winemaker at the time, explained, "We planted numerous varietals to understand how they grew. I also got all the textbooks I could from UC Davis to learn about grape growing and wine making."

Five years ago, the couple built a house and moved to Willow Creek Road in Ione and began following the lessons learned from their Elk Grove experiments. Before they could plant vines, though, they had to clear their land of liberal quantities of poison oak, whose distinctive leaves are featured on some of their labels. "As I was making wines, a couple of winery people told me I was making a really good wine and should consider selling it to the public," Andrew noted. "I owe a lot to people like Steve and Jamie Concannon at Convergence Vineyards and Mark McMaster at Nua Dair for helping along the way."

Tanis Vineyards produces Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Sangiovese, Primitivo, Syrah, Barbera, Cabernet Franc and TNT Dynamite Red, a blend which Andrew said differs every year since they began crafting it. "Reception has been phenomenal," Andrew continued. "Everyone likes all the wines because they're smooth and full-bodied."

"The TNT Dynamite Red is one of our top sellers because it's very good and people chose it especially for Valentines day," Jill said. Likening their personal experience in wine production to vines that endure harsh conditions to produce exceptional wines, she continued, "Tanis Vineyards began as a dream and a plot of land covered with an intimidating patch of poison oak. Five years later, with hard work and perseverance, it has been transformed into something special. Andrew loves his craft, because winemaking involves a blend of art and science that he finds exciting."

Jill has a background in information systems management and since 2000 has operated Tanis Design, providing Web and graphic design to clients; her favorite design is their TNT Dynamite Red label. The Tanis main label concept was also her creation, finished by a local artist. Early on, Andrew lost and never retrieved his wedding ring in the vineyards while hand-pressing grapes. The label, on which a ring wreaths around grape leaves, is a symbolic reminder that although there is loss in life, the important things endure forever, Jill observed. The couple are parents to five children, ages 6 to 19.

Tanis Vineyards, at 13120 Willow Creek Road, is open Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For more information, call 274-4807 or visit http://www.tanisvineyards.com.

First Weekend Excitement!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 04:58:00 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came, for making our first open weekend at the winery a wonderful experience! It was exciting to see you all, and to share our wines with you, and we appreciate all the positive feedback! The well timed song was just what was needed...you know who you are! Couldn't have made it without you! ; )

The Barbera, Primitivo, and Cab Franc were VERY popular, however the MOST popular wine of the weekend was the TNT Dynamite Red! It's a tasty wine, AND it's a fun Valentine's gift with the bright red label, so several folks paired it up with our "Too Hot to Handle" salsa, "Smokin' Fuse" dipping sauce, or "Sweet Heat & Spice" Chocolate Explosion for a spicy hot gift combo!

At the last minute, we decided to barrel taste our "My Sweet Baby" 2006 Late Harvest Syrah. A very unique wine. By popular demand, we are selling futures of this wine, which will be bottled in 375ml bottles in late Spring of this year! There is only 1 barrel of this wine so don't miss out...get it while you can!

Here are some photos from last weekend. More can be found on the gallery page under "Fun & Friends" at our website, www.tanisvineyards.com Check it out!

The days just flew by last weekend with so much activity...and here we are on the eve of weekend 2! We're looking forward to it and to seeing more friends and family! Y'all Come!

Sneak Peek!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 03:03:00 +0000

Only 3 weeks from opening, we're having fun getting the tasting room together. Here's a sneak peek!

We had people taste the TNT Dynamite Red over the holidays, and everyone loved it. Several people also commented on the label, that they really like the bold red color. It would make an excellent Valentine's Day gift or perfect complement to your Valentine's dinner! You can "Light Your Sweetheart's Fire" with TNT Dynamite RED! ...or any of our other delicious wines!

GRAND OPENING!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 18:04:00 +0000

On Friday we completed the last of what needed to be done for the county in order for us to OPEN! We are so excited and are just waiting for a few important items to come in...like tasting glasses... so we can welcome you in for a great tasting experience!

We WILL BE OPEN the last two weekends in January for a pre-opening for friends and family (if you are reading this, consider yourself friends and family!) Then our official Grand Opening will be February 2nd and 3rd! Visit us during our pre-opening or anytime after that. We'd love to see you! We have a fantastic line-up on the bar with 9 different wines to choose from!
We're open on Saturdays & Sundays from 10am - 5:30pm.

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 02:14:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is a time to focus on our many blessings. We've certainly been very blessed this year.

We're thankful for so many things, including friends and family and their enthusiasm and encouragement as we prepare to open Tanis Vineyards.

The tasting room project should be finished by the end of the year and our Grand Opening is scheduled for February 2008.

May you always have much to be thankful for!

Wishing you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!

And a blessed holiday season!

Tanis Tannins

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 20:20:00 +0000

Most of us simply drink and enjoy our wines, and that's the way it should be! Wine is to enjoy and we all know what we like when we taste it. Knowing about the structure of a wine isn't necessarily important to our enjoyment of it, but it's always interesting to understand more.

Perhaps you're out tasting one afternoon, and while you're sipping something really great, you hear someone discussing tannins in the wine. So just what are tannins?

Tannins are a very complex set of chemicals that occur in all plants, and are associated with "astringency" of a wine. The word "astringent" means "binding, drawing tight, severe, austere". Tannins tend to make the mouth suck inwards.

Tannins have the property of binding proteins together, so they affect the proteins in saliva making them stringy, hence the effect on the inside of the mouth. They also have the ability to react with polysaccharides, carbohydrates and enzymes, all present in the mouth.

They are responsible for the colors seen in autumn leaves or flowers and literally, tannins are used in tanneries for the production of leathers. Skin proteins are bound when soaked in tannins and they make the skin a tough material - leather.

When it comes to winemaking, tannins come from the skins, stems, and seeds of the grape during the winemaking process. Some people love them, some people don't, and winemakers try to achieve them in lovely balance.

Too much tannin, and a wine will be overly tart and bitter leaving a strong unpleasant aftertaste. But even STRONG tannins are not necessarily bad. In fact, most aged wines of distinction started off with heavy tannins. The bitterness of the tannins in a wine disappears with storage in the bottle over time. As your wine ages, a complex chemical reaction makes the bitter side of tannins disappear and the wine changes to create a complex array of wonderful flavors. Certain flavors and characteristics can only be achieved through this kind of aging. A high level of tannins also gives a wine longevity. A highly tannic wine can be happily stored for long periods of time. The tannins act as a preservative. So some exceptionally good red wines are not at their best until they are 7 to 20 years old! Wines like that are made to be aged. You wouldn't want to open them right after bottling. You would probably find them actually undrinkable due to the pucker factor! But tannins are vitally important if a wine is intended to age. Some of what are considered the very best wines from good vintages are still a good drink at between 50 and 100 years old! But most of us just don't have that kind of time to wait to enjoy a good bottle of wine!

Still, tannins are also important in wines not intended to be aged for long periods. Winemaker's strive for a level that is sufficient to provide structure, but not so heavy that it dominates the enjoyment of the other components of the wine. This can be adjusted by how long the juice sets on the skins with all the seeds and stems before it is pressed off. People enjoy different levels of tannin. It's really an individual preference. Tannins have different qualities, and may be described as harsh (especially in a wine meant to be aged that is opened too young), soft, stalky, chalky, etc.

Our wines are for your enjoyment now, though a few of them are definitely age worthy as well. We hope our Tanis tannins are balanced just right for your pallet!

Flying with Wine!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 17:44:00 +0000

With liquid bans here to stay, how DO you get your wines home with you on the plane?

As you may know from a previous post, I've tried stuffing mine in clothing and hoping for the best as I loaded it in my suitcase. But even if it makes it home, who knows the temperature damage it will encounter on the way...your luggage lingering on a hot tarmac...

We've already had requests for us to ship our wine out of state. Oh how we would love to ship out of state, however strict laws make it nearly impossible for a small winery like ours to do so. The big guys perhaps can afford the multiple fees per state for the permission to ship in, or they work through distributors who do not have the same restrictions placed on them. But the remarkably complex, entirely unworkable and exorbitantly expensive wine shipping permit system now in place makes shipping out of state extremely cost prohibitive for us little guys. Bummer!

So, back to the plane...in the days before liquid bans, you could carry several bottles of wine home in a carry-on foam-padded type wine bag...now you just have to check these items.

Great news! Our friend Anthony came across this cool new gadget that can make traveling with your wine so much better, and it's FAA approved!

It also comes in smaller sizes as well.

Check it out, it seems like a pretty slick solution to me!

Oh, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Latest News

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 04:04:00 +0000

Although we've had quite a few challenges with our remodel project, we must say that our experience with Jardine Construction has been more than positive. Rick & Mike (pictured here) are not just carpenter, painter, awning, construction experts, they are both also pastors! So during break they decided we'd better have communion!

We're getting close to the end of this project, and in some ways will be sad to see it over. Rick and Mike have been lots of fun! Mike (on the left) specializes in awnings. He's going to be providing one for us on this job. You can find out more about Mike's awnings at www.sunwestawnings.com. Rick can be found in the phonebook under Jardine Construction in Jackson, CA. Both Rick and Mike are terrific people and come highly recommended. Not everything flowed exactly as planned on our job, and thankfully Rick has handled all the issues with patience and good judgement. And so far he's making sure everything looks great too!

This past weekend we had guests over for our annual Halloween party. Everyone tasted our 2006 Late Harvest Syrah (My Sweet Baby) from the barrel and loved it. An opportunity came up again this year for us to get another 1000lbs of Late Harvest Syrah at around 32 brix. So it looks like we'll have yet another sweet baby on the way!

The 2007 harvest looks to be very promising. We're seeing great colors and flavors coming out at pressing time. I think this will be a great year for Amador County wine.

The FIRE Tank!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 03:30:00 +0000

We just may need lots of water to put out the fires started by our TNT Dynamite Red!

Thanks to the County, we'll be covered!

It's amazing the requirements we have had to fulfill to open our small family run business here in Amador County. It looks like we are nearing the end of the list with the addition of a 5,000 gallon water tank. This tank has been deemed necessary by the County to protect us from fire danger. It's an interesting requirement since we did not add any new square footage with our remodel. None the less, we were thrilled to recieve our tank this weekend and we look forward to getting it filled and hooked up so we can get signed off and ready for business!

Andrew single handedly lifted the tank from the truck and set it in place...no, just kidding, he may think he's Superman but he still needs help now and then!

We're considering our artistic options for our lovely new addition. We may plant a viney trellis in front of it, or perhaps place lathed wood slats around it to disguise it as a huge wine vat! Your creative ideas are welcome!

Mulled Wine Recipe for Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 03:24:00 +0000

With cooler weather swirling in and the holidays around the corner, nothing could be cozier than a toasty mug of mulled wine. Mulled wine, the vine’s version of a classic hot toddy, is a traditional holiday treat in many Old World countries. Mulled wines have been warming people for centuries, they are wines that have been sweetened, spiced and slightly heated - offering a delightful alternative to traditional coffees, ciders and toddy’s at holiday gatherings or just a cold winter's night.

The word "mulled" simply means heated and spiced. Many liquids can be mulled - mead, cider, and of course wine. Mulled wines have a long history. In medieval times these wines were called Ypocras or Hipocris, named after the physician Hippocrates. These heated drinks probably helped keep people healthy through the cold winters.

Mulled wines today are as varied as sangria recipes. There are different styles in every part of the world - some favor using white wine, others red. Some add in only a few spices, while others pour in oranges, cloves, twelve spices and more fruit for color! Your mulled drink is limited only by your own imagination! Here is a great basic recipe. Halloween is a good time to enjoy this hot drink with friends!

INGREDIENTS:
One bottle (750 mL) of red wine (suggestions: Zinfandel or Barbera)
One peeled and sliced orange (keep peel to add zest to taste into cooking pot)
¼ cup of brandy
8-10 cloves
2/3 cup honey or sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp fresh or 2 tsp ground ginger (allspice can be substituted)
Serves 4-6
PREPARATION:
Combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the honey or sugar has completely dissolved.

A Dynamite Night!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrew & Jill) — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 04:07:00 +0000

It was a Dynamite Night for many reasons. This evening we labeled our 35 cases of TNT Dynamite Red! We're finally rounding the learning curve on the labeling machine. This was the best labeling experience yet! After all our hard work we decided to open a bottle with dinner and we were thrilled with the aromas and flavor! I'm very proud to have our name on this bottle of wine and only wish we had produced twice as much. On first tasting, it was cherry and berry with some awesome spicy notes that we just loved. Andrew tasted vanilla and oak too. Later in our meal I was picking up some hints of olive. Very delicious, very enjoyable wine...in a word....YUMMY!

This weekend we also pressed our Tempranillo and Pinotage, and this morning we crushed our Sangiovese. It's a busy time around here, but before we know it things will slow down again and we can begin preparing the tasting room for visitors!