News

October
Beginning Monday, October 7th, Blended, a Winemaker’s Studio, will be transitioning to a single-winery tasting room. All of our winemaker chicks have flown the nest and, at least through the winter, we’ll be concentrating on growing the La Vie Dansante Wines and LVD Wine Company brands. When you visit – now five days a week, Thursday through Monday, you’ll be greeted with a familiar tasting list of at least 10 wines from which you can choose five or six to sample. La Vie Dansante Wines will continue to focus on our passion, Rhone varietals, while LVD Wine Company will present our familiar favorites such as Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Zinfandel.

We are thrilled with how Blended, a Winemaker’s Studio has fulfilled its role as an incubator for up-and-coming wineries and look forward to continuing that noble role in Santa Clara Valley. If you or somebody you know is interested in starting a small winery of at least 500 cases per year, contact us at “info@blendedwinestudio.com”. We provide production space, major equipment, a tasting room, and perhaps most importantly the guidance possible from having “been there, and done that”.

September

August
And then there were two… When we first started Blended, a Winemaker’s Studio the idea was to provide a safe, easy space for a new winemaker to begin working their craft. We’d provide space, equipment, guidance, and commeraderie while they began to develop their brand and build their following. Mission accomplished!

The first chick to leave the nest is Ron Mosely with TASS. Ron is a vineyard manager with a team of people working for him planting and caring for vineyards up and down the peninsula. Back in the ’80’s while some of us were playing punk rock and smoking clove cigarettes Ron was helping to plant the vineyards that would become Cinnabar Winery in Saratoga. Things have now come full circle and Ron has purchased the winery along with it’s tasting room in downtown Saratoga. He’s still with us until the end of the month but, like a dog with a dinosaur bone, Ron is so busy wonder if he bit off more than he can chew we haven’t been seeing much of him these days. As far as we know he’s planning to continue TASS, he personal label, but his current focus is on rebuilding the prestigious Cinnabar name. We wish Ron great luck on his new project and look forward to sharing a glass or two with him in the near future.

With Ron leaving, some space has opened up in the winery. We’ve decided, at least for this fall, to not replace his brand. Both La Vie Dansante Wines and Medeiros have grown to where the extra space is a blessing and we’ve agreed to help out a couple of our close friends by doing some custom crush for them. Exciting times around Blended. Things are changing quickly but it’s all good – If we don’t change, we don’t grow, and if we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.

July
We’re working hard to make your experience a Blended unforgettable. We’re constantly working on the Tasting Room to create a comfortable, inviting environment (check out the new art on the walls!). We’re bringing in entertainment in the form of our summer music series on Sunday afternoons to provide relaxing background music. Our next step is to update the picnic area and lawn games to give you an even more memorable experience.

Speaking of the Summer Music Series, check out the “Winemaker Happenings” section just to the right to see the calendar of events. This series is sponsored by our good friend Sonny Dimeo at Frederick Dimeo Insurance Agency Inc.    We’ll have music on our stage from 1pm to 4pm every Sunday through at least the end of August.  If it proves as popular as we think it will we’ll extend the run to the end of September.

It’s official, TASS is leaving us at the end of August.  That leaves a spot for a new winemaker!  If you, or somebody you know, is looking to get into the wine business and needs a place to begin contact Jeff at 408-826-2712 or Jeff@blendedwinestudio.com.   The space available is for production of 750 to 1,200 cases of wine (12 to 18 tons of fruit) and includes; space, processing equipment, help with marketing, guidance on the legal side of the business, and weekend selling space in the tasting room.

June
When we started Blended, a Winemaker’s Studio our plan was to create a space where new winemakers could practice their craft, grow their following, and learn the business of running a winery while being supported by a network of friends. Since that first day it’s always been the current three – La Vie Dansante Wines, Medeiros Family, and TASS Vineyards and Winery. Now one of our chicks is leaving the nest.

Ron Mosley, the owner of TASS has a wonderful announcement coming up that involves his moving on to bigger, much bigger, and better things. I won’t spoil his surprise so you’ll have to watch his social media channels to get the news. Because of this momentous change, TASS will be leaving Blended in the next 90 days. We wish Ron all the luck in the world and can’t wait to see what he makes of this new opportunity.

Of course that means we now have an opening for another aspiring winemaker. Do you know anybody who’s looking to make and sell a little wine in Santa Clara Valley? Blended offers a fully functional commercial winemaking facility and tasting room for a single monthly fee. The capacity of the space being offered is a minimum of 500 cases per year and a maximum of 1,250 cases per year. Email “info@blendedwinestudio” or call Jeff at 408-826-2712 for more information.

(more…)