The Bridge News
May 2017 - Vol. 3
Welcome to the Bridge
Bridging all aspects of our Winery from the Vineyard, to the Cellar, Winery Grounds, Tasting Room and beyond, our ongoing newsletter is an ideal way to stay up to date with our many activities, family team members, Wine Club deliveries/pick up parties, upcoming events, live music events and newest wines!

ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY/OPEN HOUSE PARTYPlease  j oin us Saturday, May 27th and Sunday, May 28th for our One Year Anniversary Party featuring Gourmet Food Trucks, Kite Flying, a Classic Car Show and Live Music including:  Midtown Jazz
(Sat. 12-2p),  Gage Courtios  (Sat. 2-5p),  Sharp Clan  (Sun. 12-2 p) and  Sly Fox  (Sun. 2-5p). Please RSVP on our  events page .

vineyard
Vineyard News
Whats Happening in the Vineyard?  A Lot! by Joe Salman
 
Not to complain, but there is no doubt it is the busiest time of the season and mother nature has not been helping out.  Am I in Oregon?  The jobs:  Mulching, Mowing, Mold and Mildew protection, and now a job of the utmost importance to quality wine grape production, shoot thinning.  This job is another manual task out in the vineyards where we remove young tender shoots to manipulate the canopy and the crop. This ensures the fruit (to come later) will be in the right environment that enhances aromas, color and flavor. Take a look at the Fiano vine (below), before and after shoot thinning.

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cellar Cellar News

Hard at Work Making Wines, by Ed Seikel 

As those of you that follow us on Facebook may have already seen, we have been busy in the cellar working on racking the most recent vintage of red wines.  Post-fermentation byproducts such as yeast and other suspended particles can rapidly settle and form a thick sediment in the bottom of the tank or barrels during aging.  Racking is the process of transferring the wine to another container leaving the sediment known as lees behind.  This technique helps with wine clarification, as well as introducing some oxygen to help in aging and the prevention of off aromas.  It's also a great time for us, as the winemakers, to evaluate how far along the wine has come in the aging process.  So far everything is looking and (more importantly) tasting great and we're excited for the day we get to release this latest vintage to all of you!

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tasting Tasting Room

News from the GIV Tasting Room, by Courtney Elmore

A good time was had by all who came out and joined us for GIV after dark on April 7th. Not only was the wine flowing but we were lucky enough to have the musical talent of Kevin Marcy. As the weather gets better we hope more and more people can come hang out with us to get your Friday evening started the right way. Join us the first Friday of every month with next months being on Cinco de Mayo (may 5th) with musical guest Sly Fox from our own Delta area. 

The beginning of April didn't fail in the diversity of people who came to visit us in the tasting room. We had a group from Washington, locals who have been in the area their entire lives, our amazing wine club family members, and even a group from Brooklyn, NY. The New Yorkers brought their accents and a wealth of knowledge on best eateries and spots for visiting. They were also big fans of our Winemakers Blend which is quickly becoming a favorite like our Cabernet Franc. Also, as a reminder to all who visit from afar...we can ship our delicious wines to you if you live far or simply don't want to carry them. Don't miss the opportunity to come visit us and meet new people while you enjoy our grounds and tasting room. You never know who you are going to meet or see again!

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family GIV Wine Family
Say Hello to Rodney and Paulette Hennum!
 
Rodney and Paulette have been avid wine drinkers and members of the Grand Island Wine Club since the first week we opened.  Currently residing in Courtland, Rod claims to have been a Chippendale dancer prior to his retirement (though others vividly recall his NorCal Beverage Co. uniform and truck). Paulette manages the Tribal Affairs Program for the Cultural Resources Division of California State Parks.  Rod grew up in San Diego while Paulette lived in Rome, Italy during her formative years. What's really interesting is that Paulette and Rodney have the same birthday and in the same year. Also depicted is Rod's brother Randy who enjoys dancing with Jan.  (Apparently "happy feet" run in the family.)  Daughter Becky Hennum lives locally and manages the family business -  The Bartlett , a bed and breakfast in Walnut Grove and a wonderful place to stay if you are in the area. We are fortunate to call them all both family and friends. 

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spotlight Wine Spotlight
Bridgehead Red, Winemaker's Blend
 
This month we are featuring one of our newer wines, the Bridgehead Red.  This blend comes from barrels hand selected by our winemaking team to celebrate the rich fruit flavors and aromas that abound in wines from Salman Farms.  This blend utilizes Petite Sirah for dark berry flavors and richness.   The Cabernet Sauvignon in this blend is used to bring brighter red fruit notes, hints of dried herbs, and elegant tannin structure.   The Bridgehead Red is an incredibly versatile wine that pairs well with steaks, barbeque, and can also be enjoyed slightly chilled in the afternoon during the summer.  

This wine is currently available in our online store, this long awaited, rich and fruit-forward casual red wine will not disappoint! Click here to find out more.

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grounds Grand Island Grounds
Spring/Summer Event Scheduling Underway!

Grand Island Vineyards is pleased to begin scheduling private events on the grounds for the upcoming 2017 Spring/Summer season.  With all the water, this is a banner year at the Winery and our landscape has never been more beautiful. Always offered at a reasonable fee, consider Grand Island Vineyards for your next event including Weddings, Social Gatherings, Corporate Meetings, Receptions and other private events.

The possibilities are endless considering our 128-acre vineyard grounds right off the Delta include a tasting room, barrel room, fire pits and much more! To schedule a private event or for more information, please use our online request form , stop by Friday through Monday or call us anytime to schedule a Winery/Vineyard tour by appointment at (916) 775-2111.

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club
Wine Club
News, Dates and Shipping Times for Wine Club Members

The Grand Island Vineyards Wine Club Shipment/Pickup Party is currently scheduled for May 27th/28th, 2017.  Our featured bottle this quarter is the new 2016 GIV Sauvignon Blanc! The other two highlighted wines include 2016 Bridgehead Rosé of Cabernet and the Bridgehead RED Winemakers Blend. As always, the last two wines can be changed in your wine club member account online. 

To enroll in the Wine Club , or to access your existing account and make changes on which wines you would like to receive each shipment, please login using our online access area . To verify your account upon signup (via Billing Information or by Email) you can do so at our online  Account Verification Area .

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events
Upcoming Events 
View all events, R.S.V.P. or get tickets to Grand Island Events and Tours here!

GIV After Dark Event - Friday, May 5th, 2017
5:00 - 8:00 p.m. - Live Music by Sly Fox - PRICE: Free!

Once a month, after tasting hours are over, the real fun begins! The lights go down, the drinks get bigger and the fun goes up. Make GRAND ISLAND VINEYARDS your stop to a memorable Friday evening. Includes an intimate setting to enjoy Grand Island Vineyards Wine, Live Entertainment by Sly Fox, Indoor and Outdoor seating and service.

One Year Anniversary Party - 
Saturday & Sunday, 
May 27th & 28th, 2017
12 - 6 p.m.  - Live Music -  PRICE: Free!

Join us to celebrate the first amazing year of Grand Island Vineyards!  We thought one day would not be enough to show our gratitude so we decided on two. This two day anniversary party is complete with wine, gourmet food, entertainment and fun for all ages, including prizes, a classic car show, kite flying exhibitions and VIP Club Member Barrel Room. Live Music includes Midtown Jazz (Sat. 12 - 2pm), Gage Courtios (Sat. 2pm - 5pm), Sharp Clan (Sun. 12pm - 2 pm) and Sly Fox (Sun. 2pm - 5pm), with other groups playing instrumentally in the tasting room throughout the event.

We are currently looking for classic cars to showcase at this event, for more, click here!  

GIV After Dark Event - Friday, June 2nd, 2017
5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Live Music by Afterglow - PRICE: Free!

Once a month, after tasting hours are over, the real fun begins! The lights go down, the drinks get bigger and the fun goes up. Make GRAND ISLAND VINEYARDS your stop to a memorable Friday evening. Includes an intimate setting to enjoy Grand Island Vineyards Wine, Live Entertainment by Afterglow, Indoor and Outdoor seating and service.

Vineyard Harvest Dinner 
- Saturday, October 7th, 2017
5:30 - 9:30 p.m. - Live Music - PRICE: $89.00 - $109.00

If you missed last year, be sure to ask around! This event is amazing with wine and food pairing under the stars in the clean country air and night sky. Gourmet Multi-Course Meal Prepared by All Seasons, All Reasons Catering & Event Design with Grand Island Vineyards Wine Parings!  Menu currently being developed, but rest assured we will let you know as soon as we finalize the event.

Visit our Online Store for Tickets and/or to RSVP
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