DECEMBER 2023 | ISSUE #133

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Syrah Leaves Fall as the Vines Head to Dormancy

Photo courtesy of Sherry Crichfield, Crichfield + Black Vineyard

December 1-15, PGWA Annual Elections, online ballots will be sent to the primary contact for each membership. Results will be announced in January

December 2, 11 AM - 3 PM, Point Reyes Cheese Holiday Marketplace Open House

December 2, 11 AM - 5 PM, Petaluma Downtown Holiday Marketplace

December 2 & 3, 12-5 PM, Montagne Russe at the Bacchus Landing Holiday Bazaar

December 8, 22, 6:30 - 8:30 PM, Wine & Music Nights at Brooks Note Winery

December 9, Annual Holiday Dinner at Merryvale Vineyard

December 10, 1-3:30 PM, Holiday Paint & Sip at Brooks Note Winery

December 16, 8 PM, Don't Tell Comedy Show at Brooks Note Winery

December 29, 11 AM & 1:30 PM, Public Cheese Tastings by reservation at Point Reyes Cheese

January 7, 2024, PGWA's Annual Members' Meeting & 6th AVA Anniversary Celebration. Request an invitation

January 17-18, 2024, Direct to Consumer Sales Symposium (early-bird pricing ends December 14)

January 21, 2024, 9 AM, Youth Pruning Contest at Shone Farm

June 12-19, 2025, PGWA's Burgundy Wine Cruise with Bevan Cellars, Panther Ridge, Schermeister, and Thirty-Seven.

Anne Moller-Racke,

Proprietor, Blue Farm Wines

Anne Moller-Racke grew up in Oberwesel, Germany, a small town along the Rhine River. She came to California to work a harvest, but the plan was to return home afterwards. Instead, she went to work for Buena Vista Winery as their Viticulturist. Following that, she launched Donum Estate, while also planting a vineyard in Carneros and creating her own brand, Blue Farm Wines. She sources some of her grapes from the Petaluma Gap, and her 2021 Pinot Noir from Gap’s Crown Vineyard recently scored 99 Points, Double Gold, and Best of Class at the Sunset International Wine Competition. Here’s her story. 

Blue Farm Wines 2021 Gap's Crown Pinot Noir, 99 Pts, Double Gold & Best of Class, Sunset International Wine Competition

MacRostie 2021 First Flight Pinot Noir, Nightwing Vineyard, 95 Pts, Wine Enthusiast

Thirty-Seven Wines 2021 Essential Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, 93 Pts, Wine Enthusiast

Lombardi Wines 2021 Pinot Noir, Gap's Crown Vineyard, Petaluma Gap,, 92 Pts, Wine Enthusiast

Thirty-Seven Wines 2020 Chardonnay, Petaluma Gap, 90 Pts, Wine Enthusiast

Learn About Grants Available through CDFA's Organic Transition Pilot Program

Wine's Demand and Demography Dilemma, article by James Lawrence, Wine-Searcher

CA Bottle Fee to Apply to Wine in 2024, article in Wine Industry News

A Sustainable Approach to Achieve Total Tartaric Stability, article by Enartis