News

April
It’s that time of the year when winemakers start tripping all over each other as they hurry to get wines racked and bottled before the onslaught of vineyard maintenance takes over.  Three winemakers sharing a facility can be problematic so we’ve all chosen a day of the week to concentrate our winemaking activities.  It probably doesn’t mean much to anybody outside of our Blended family but Monday’s are now reserved for Medeiros Family Wines, Tuesday is the La Vie Dansante’s property, and TASS gets all day Friday.  Wednesday and Thursday are still there on a first come, first served basis.

It looks like the weather may finally be changing to summer (even though it’s raining outside as I write this).  The rains are forecast to go away this coming week and we’ll all start to concentrate on the vineyards which this time of the year means spraying.   Each year more and more of the vineyards are moving towards “organic” – which is a good thing.  The downside is that to be organic we use Stylet Oil and Elemental Sulfur to battle with mildew and neither of them have a lasting effect.  That means that they both kill mildew spores on contact but only for the existing bloom.  The next batch will grow unimpeded unless we spray again, every 10 days or so.

This is also wine walk season.  Gilroy on April 13th (Willow Glen too), Morgan Hill on April 27th, Los Gatos on May 4th (Hollister too), and Saratoga on May 11th.  We still haven’t heard where each of the wineries are pouring but expect to find all three wineries at Gilroy, TASS and Medeiros at Morgan Hill, La Vie Dansante in Los Gatos and Saratoga.

March
Today dawned sunny and warm.  We know there’s more rain on the way, but just for a moment we can see the promise of spring.   We feel rejuvinated, anything is possible, and everything is right in the world.  This is a time of rebirth in the vineyards as the vines begin their annual cycle.  We look to be about 4 to 6 weeks from budbreak but the cover crop is up and thriving so we should have flowers any day.  This is a truly magical time of the year to stop by the tasting room and enjoy a glass of wine in the sunshine.  Days like today are definitely on our list of top five reasons we love this life.

It’s been a slow start to the year, we’re hoping it’s just the weather being a bit dark and gloomy.  The good news for winemakers is that all of this rain means we can’t get out into the vineyards (too much mud) so we’re concentrating on affairs in the cellar – the wines are getting lots of love and attention.  In fact this is the first time all three winemakers can say they’re completely caught up on the day-to-day stuff and able to work on putting wine in to bottles.

This should also be the first year we have the time and resources to concentrate on our tasting facilities.  We’re thinking…improving the landscaping, finishing the Tasting Room ceiling, rebuilding the outdoor bar.  Who knows, we may even get to those long delayed pavers!

February
…insert Noah/Ark joke here…

and then the rains came down. It’s been a wet spring so far here at Blended and we couldn’t be happier. The vines really need all the water they can get in the spring to help them through our long, dry summers. The fact it’s also been cold is a bonus. Cool weather now lets the vines stay dormant longer which means a later bud break and less chance of a late frost killing harming the crop. The vineyards may be under water, and the parking lot might be a bit damp, but we’re still open. The Tasting Room is warm, dry, and cozy so stop by and try the wine stylings of our three winemakers any Saturday or Sunday from noon to 5pm.

Well, our “vacation” is over and it’s time to get back to work. Both TASS and Medeiros Family have wine club releases in February, TASS on the 16th (his first!), and Medeiros Family on the 23rd. Check their websites and social media channels for more information. Blended is also hosting the second La Vie Dansante Wines Symposia – “From Grape to Glass, a Wine’s Journey” on Thursday February 21st from 6:30 to 9:00 pm. Tickets are available in the Tasting Room or at La Vie’s online webstore.

All three winemakers have been working hard on bottling during January and February, hoping to get ahead a bit before all of the excitement in March hits us.  In March we’ll have the La Vie Dansante Wine Club social, Hop ‘N Vine, and the Wineries of Santa Clara County Spring Passport.

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