Sokol Blosser Wine Blog

'Allo! Fifi Gris reporting in, enjoying a short bit of post-Memorial Day sunshine. If you were one of our many friends who visited us here at Sokol Blosser this weekend, you most likely didn't see much of this fine weather - you probably got more than a little soggy trying to get down here to the winery. It looks like we're going to go back to rain for the rest of the week... keep thinking sunny thoughts!

After all the commotion, music, great food and good times this last weekend, I'll enjoy a little well-earned days of rest before June sets in. See you all next week!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 03:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Next time you're dining out in Portland and you're craving some great food and awesome wine, be sure to visit Ringside Steakhouse, Portland City Grill, Roux and Balvo. These are a few of the hottest and highest rated restaurants in Portland, and they all carry Sokol Blosser's Meditrina by the glass.

This summer, enjoy a glass of luscious, juicy, easy-drinking Meditrina - a perfect blend of Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Zinfandel that is rich, full of fruit and marionberry pie flavors. Pair with pulled pork sandwiches, charbroiled chicken with rosemary mashed potatoes, or enjoy by itself. Both bright and vibrant yet round and soft, Meditrina is perfect compliment to just about any meal out or in.

Check out the wine lists at other local restaurants and enjoy a glass or bottle of Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Rosé of Pinot Noir, Meditrina, or Evolution, available at many fine restaurants in the Willamette Valley.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In October, this tiny cluster will be a big bunch of Pinot Noir grapes!

Hi mes amis, Jean-Luc Pommard and Fifi Gris here. After all that hot weather last week, we are finally enjoying some typical Oregon “liquid sunshine.” The sun and rain help us to grow during this important stage.

At the Sokol Blosser vineyards, everyone is hoping (including us!) that the rain will stop before our delicate little buds start to bloom. We are expecting bloom in a few weeks, and if it is still raining when that happens, the rain has a chance of washing away the pollen on the blooms. If there is no pollen, then our grapes can’t “set,” which is vineyard speak for the act of pollination in the grape clusters. And if some of the grapes don’t set, we develop what the vineyard guys call “scattered clusters,” or scraggly, thin clusters of grapes where only a few of the grapes developed fully.

So think sun, everyone!

Posted by Jean-Luc Pommard at 12:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Many state legislatures were busy this year! The laws governing direct shipping are changing in some states, and we're trying to stay on top of everything. Here's a quick update of some new laws that are impacting Sokol Blosser's ability to ship wine to you:

Idaho - It's still ok to ship you wine, but starting July 1st, we'll need to start collecting and submitting sales tax. Place your order before June 27th to avoid having to pay sales tax!

Kansas - It's now an approved "on-site" state, meaning that if you come visit us in our Tasting Room, you can purchase wine to be shipped back to you at home.

Michigan - We are waiting to receive our direct shipping and sales tax permit in the mail. We hope to get this very soon and will post a blog and notify Michigan customers as soon as we're able to ship to you.

Minnesota - Internet orders are now allowed.

Vermont - It's now legal to ship wine to Vermont customers, but first we have to apply for a direct shipper's license. We can't ship until we get the permit, so stay tuned.

Washington - It's still ok to ship you wine, but starting July 1st, we'll need to start collecting and submitting sales tax. Place your order before June 27th to avoid having to pay sales tax!

Posted by Alison Sokol Blosser at 06:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hello again, mes amis! Jean-Luc Pommard here. It's been another sunny and hot day out here in the Sokol Blosser vineyards. Over in the Peachtree Block, where I live, it seems like the vineyard crew live and breathe to take care of me and my Pinot Noir friends. Just yesterday, some nice gentlemen came through and gently plucked off some unsightly "suckers" from the base of my trunk. Now that the suckers are gone and are no longer sapping my energy, I can focus on my delicate grape buds that will someday become delicious Sokol Blosser Pinot Noir.

Also earlier this week, a tractor came by to get rid of my weeds. Because Sokol Blosser only uses organic growing practices and doesn't use any sprays that are harmful to the earth I grow in, a blade that sits below the surface of the dirt is attached to a tractor that travels inbetween the rows of vines. As it travels, it cuts those pesky weeds off at the roots, but it carefully avoids the base of my trunk. Pretty ingenious, oui?

This unseasonable heat wave we've been having definitely makes me grow! Now that my tendrils are beginning to get longer, the vineyard crew will soon be attaching a catchwire so that my vines can reach upward to get that extra bit of sunshine and make my grapes that much more ripe and delicious at Harvest in October.

Thanks again, friends. Cheers, and have a great week! Au revoir!

Posted by Jean-Luc Pommard at 02:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alex and I did our first sister-brother wine dinner last week at Hall Street Grill in Beaverton. We've each done a lot of wine dinners, but never together. Try as we did to be on our best behavior, the normal "back-at-ya" sister-brother behavior kept shining through. But, I think people had a pretty good time and we made some new friends.

The food Chef David prepared was excellent. Especially the entree trio - duck breast, wild salmon, and lamb chop - served with a 3-year vertical of our Pinot Noir. Dessert was also amazing. A plum tart, which was delicious! Mine even had a special topping - sugar shaped into an "SB".

If you're looking for a good place to dine in the suburbs, Hall Street should be at the top of your list. And, during the summer, be sure to check out their outdoor patio.

Posted by Alison Sokol Blosser at 04:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I came across this article by Steve Connor of The Independent (a UK publication). It shows an interesting argument about using natural cork closures...

Here's the first part of the article, and click here:
http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article484095.ece to read the whole thing.

"Up to three quarters of the unique cork oak forests of the Mediterranean could be lost within 10 years because of the increasing popularity of the screw-top wine bottle.

The move away from traditional stoppers made of cork threatens the survival of one of Europe's most important wildlife habitats, according to a study by the conservation group WWF.

WWF - formerly the Worldwide Fund for Nature - is lobbying for the wine industry to reverse its headlong rush to screw tops and plastic stoppers in the hope of preserving a man-made habitat that is rich in wildlife.

Environmentalists argue that the projected demise of the Mediterranean cork oak forests will result in the loss of 62,500 jobs as well as a habitat loved by the endangered Iberian lynx, the Barbary deer, the black vulture and the imperial Iberian eagle."

Posted by Alison Sokol Blosser at 09:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Things are sprouting all over the place here in Sokol Blosser’s 75 acres of vineyards. The vines are beginning to come alive! Our two representative vines, Jean-Luc Pommard and Fifi Gris, have a unique perspective.

Kitri: “So, what’s going on out there, guys? Seems like there’s a lot more green than last week.”
Jean-Luc: “That’s for sure. Just in the last two weeks, I’ve developed some rather lovely shoots, each with two or three tiny clusters. In June, those little ones will begin to bloom.”
Fifi: “Me, too! My tiny clusters of Pinot Gris will actually end up being larger than Jean-Luc’s Pinot Noir clusters.”
K: “What’s this I hear about your health, Fifi?”
F: “Well, (cough), last summer I was attacked by voles, along with lots of my friends in the Willamette Valley. They ate away at my base, leaving my fate a little precarious this year! But my clusters will continue to grow for now, and we should know the final prognosis by the end of June.”
K: “Best of luck to you. Everyone who enjoys Sokol Blosser’s crisp and refreshing Pinot Gris will be rooting for you – no pun intended! And Jean-Luc, what will you be up to in the coming weeks?”
JL: “Soon, the vineyard crew will place a catch wire across my shoots so my tendrils will have something to grab onto in order to grow upward and not go sprawling all over the ground. With my shoots so carefully spaced, there will be just enough room between each shoot for air and sunlight to get through. My clusters will be very healthy and full, thanks to the Sokol Blosser vineyard crew looking after me! Come harvest in October, I will make excellent Pinot Noir.”

Thanks, Fifi and Jean-Luc! Next week, we’ll look forward to an update on how Sokol Blosser keeps your weeds to a minimum – with no chemical sprays or herbicides. Until then – au revoir!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 03:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)