Grand Island Vineyards - DECEMBER 2024

Welcome to the Bridge - The Official GIV Newsletter

For more than 50 years our family has tended our vineyards and grown our own grapes, for our wines, along the lush banks of the Sacramento River. We are striving to perfect the art and science of grape growing, and we’re proud to share the rewards of our labor by creating wines that showcase distinctive grapes perfectly. Bridging all aspects of our Winery from the Vineyard, to the Cellar, Winery Grounds, Tasting Room and beyond.

GIV UPCOMING EVENTS

December 7, 2024 - 10am - 4pm

December 13, 2024 - December 16, 2024

January 19, 2024 - 11am - 2pm

See all events!

XMAS vintage of Grand Island Cabernet Sauvignon!

------- Written by GIV Winemaker, David Shattuck

We are excited to be releasing our new vintage of the Grand Island Cabernet Sauvignon!

The 2020 vintage was characterized by moderate weather and good ripening conditions. We love this wine as a stand alone sipping wine or for pairing with richer dishes like porchetta, rib roast, or aged cheeses.

The wine pours a brilliant ruby hue with a hint of purple in the meniscus. The initial notes are of dusty black cherry, star anise, and crushed granite.

As the wine continues to open, an intriguing blend of white pepper, strawberry blossom, and toasted oak wafts out of the glass.

A sip of the wine provides a mouthfeel that is voluptuous with bright fruit core and subtle tannins intermixed with a pleasing acidity. This wine finishes with a prolonged note of chocolate, smoked oak, and ripe plum.

Crush is finished, now... holidays await!

------- Written by GIV Winemaker, Ed Siekel

We've finally just wrapped up our 2024 crush!

This year, we brought in 33.5 tons of grapes from 16 different lots!!!

Our Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, along with our Vin Gris of Cabernet Sauvignon, fermented beautifully and are on track for release early next year.

Our red wines, which all saw extended skin contact this year (And you can read more about in last month's Cellar News!), are also shaping up to be a wonderful vintage.

While we didn't add any new lots this year, we are, however, planning to make a new version of The Premier, our take on a Bordeaux-style blend. It won't be available for quite some time, but we're all very excited about it and it should be another special wine to look forward to!

We also want to thank everyone who visited us at the Holiday Market. David was giving out barrel samples of our 2022 Petite Sirah and 2023 Merlot, and he might have been even more popular than the Clydesdale! We always enjoy seeing our club members and talking about our wines with everyone. Thank you so much for coming out, tasting great wines, and making the event a huge success!

New Sign, same Great Wine!

------- Written by Operations Manager, Joe Salman

As mentioned previously, harvest came to an end in October.

Ed spoke of the last pressing in November, all leading to the Holiday Kickoff Party.

With our work in the fields slowing, it became new project time, and the very first was our damaged road sign! New sign completed just prior to the Clydesale's showing up and thanks to Dan Harris and Galt Sign for their expert skills in the project. We also added a bit of other curb appeal: a curb that I refer to as the SPS (Sign Protection System).

Let's hope it works!

It is now time for all the other projects and repairs and there are a lot of them. Don't worry about me, I won't get bored. I hope everybody and a great Thanksgiving are getting in the Christmas spirit! Cheers with a glass of Holiday RED!

Merry Christmas to all of you,

Joe

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