Sokol Blosser Wine Blog

Just back from a wonderful trip in British Columbia. Sokol Blosser wines are alive and well in the international food town. BC is a great place to spend a long weekend!

Whistler Olympic Countdown Clock in downtown Vancouver about a year and a half to go.

Granville Island: Not really an Island, but a great place to shop, awesome Farmer’s Type Market, restaurants and wine shops. Say hello to Kristin, Sara and the crew at Liberty Wine Merchants while you eat a Nanaimo Bar from the pastry shop in the market.

BC Skyline from Stanley Park: Great place to picnic with Evolution & Meditrina.

“Shaker” by Nathan Scott Victoria, Vancouver Island: Kathleen our Salespeople on the island with her salmon fishing friend and his faithful dog.

Sokol Blosser wines taste wonderful in BC. Great food, wonderful people, beautiful surroundings; how could it not taste great! Thanks to the following for making my trip so special:

Whole PMA Canada Sales Team
Blue Water Grill
Camille’s
Cin Cin
Italian Kitchen
C Restaurant
Joe Fortes
Vij’s
Opus Hotel/Elixir
Deep Cove Chalet
West
Diva at the Met
Voya
Goldfish
Gotham

Posted by Scott Nagle, Brand Ambassador at 03:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's a scary day at the Winery! Brave Sokol Blosser employees turned up in costume to celebrate Halloween. See for yourself:

The Accounting Department... or ARE they??

Lauren says: "We want YOU for the mob!"
Kitri says: "Deal or no deal?"
Brooke says: "Watch out for the devil in the blue dress..."

Bianca is very bubbly as Miss Champagne.

While Barbara is up for sainthood, Scott N. is preparing for his next spaghetti western.

Alison the Hawaiian butcher carries her Petite Pumpkin!

The whole creepy crew!

Event the Tasting Room is dressed up:

Boo! Happy Halloween!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, Harvest has come and gone again at Sokol Blosser and it was a lot of fun to be part of my second Harvest. Working on the sorting line and getting that hands on feel for the grapes really gives me an idea for what the vintage will turn out to be; and the 2008 vintage looks to be fantastic. There was very little rot and the Pinot was looking and tasting great! We didn’t have to contend with the elements quite as much this year as last, so we were able to spread out the Harvest a bit more leisurely. Thus, only a few late nights for your diligent sorting crew.

I’m back in the Tasting Room full time now, no more moonlighting with the production side of things – it’s all about the finished product now, pouring wonderful Sokol Blosser wines. So, my fingernails are no longer purple, I can straighten my back without sub vocalizing a groan, and I can actually feel my fingers 24 hours a day. If you would like to hear more tales of intrepid adventures on the sorting line – shards of ice coming down the line, shaking off earwigs left and right, and jamming and cramming grapes in the press for starters – be sure to stop by our Tasting Room and say hi. Cheers!

- Eric Titus, Tasting Room Sales Lead

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 04:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thought you might like these pictures that show how beautiful Vineyard and Winery can be in the fall. Summit (my dog) and I took them on our walk this weekend.

Posted by Scott Nagle, Brand Ambassador at 02:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Come and visit us at Sokol Blosser Winery and check out our newly launched cheese program! Steering the boat is Rodolphe Louchart, your dedicated and beloved Frenchman bringing his restaurant background to the Tasting Room, and he's always ready for some fun. You say wine, I say cheese - then you discover and enjoy a universal wine pairing with a display of cheeses from around the world.

Treat yourself with some quality time at Sokol Blosser where you will give your wine tasting experience a whole new meaning. See you soon!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 01:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Don't let being a grown up put a damper on your Halloween spirit! Come visit our Tasting Room on Sunday, October 26 for an all day Winery Halloween celebration.

From 10am-12pm, carve a scary pumpkin and win a prize from the judges at the 12pm pumpkin catwalk! Be sure to bring your favorite carving tool from home, and let Tasting Room Manager Rodolphe Louchart know you'll join the contest at rodolphe@sokolblosser.com.

Don't forget to wear a costume! Everyone who wears a costumer will receive a complimentary tasting of our core wines. At 1pm, judging will begin for the best (and worst!) costume of them all!

There will be Halloween music, good times and of course, great wine. We'll see you here!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We are heading into the final weekend of harvest here on the Sokol Blosser estate. What better way to ease into a massive weekend of picking than starting to pick the mother of all blocks, the Betty Block. Yes, this block puts on more fruit than Cher puts on new outfits.

We will also bring in the rest of Durant Pinot Gris, Kreamer Pinot Gris, and a new Pinot Block from the Eola-Amity hills. Busy day.....

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 08:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here is a shot of Concert Block South Pinot Noir. I will go out on a limb by saying this is the best tasting Pinot Noir from this block ever - that is a long time in coming!

After this comes in all we will have left on the estate will be the Cattail Block Pinot Gris, White Riesling and Müller-Thurgau. So we are almost done here at Sokol Blosser but not almost done getting fruit in from other growers.

We had a full moon last night and a clear sky this morning. In the field right now I can see the full moon setting and the sun rising. Incredible!

Pick on!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 08:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Super Mario is dumping more Müller-Thurgau into the hopper this morning! We are getting in about 25 tons more of Müller today from Hyland Vineyards. We are makin' wine!!!!

Tomorrow we will be picking the remaining Pinot Noir from our estate, South Concert Block.

In Vino Veritas E Pluribus Unum!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Can you smell it? Yes, the apple and pear nuances that only come from the king of grapes in Evolution. Yes, the varietal that poetry and songs are written about in small, out of the way towns in Outer Mongolia. You know....Müller-Thurgau! Yes, it's Müller day today and we are bringing in Müller from 3 outside growers today.

Notice the smile on our Winemaker Russ Rosner's face!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We brought in about 46 ton of fruit yesterday and today will be a busy one too.

Here's a picture of our Fir Island Block Pinot Gris with Luis' back, Luce's daughter Esenlla and Luce's wife.

We will also bring in Concert Middle Block Pinot Noir, Thistle Block Pinot Gris, and some of Durant's Pinot Gris as well. Another big day!

A special thanks to Scott and Susan Nagle yesterday for making the crush crew a feast for lunch! Ribs baby!!!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's a cold morning in the Walnut Block Pinot Noir, and in a few hours it will all be picked!

We will also pick the Peachtree East Block Pinot Noir, and see some Muscat and Müller-Thurgau from Kraemer.

If you have not heard, David Lett passed away the other day. He was not only our neighbor but the founder of the modern Oregon wine industry. He will be missed!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 11:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I was up late last night writing a country song and it goes something like this:

It’s been raining all day
It’s been raining all night.
My grapes are getting wet and that ain’t right!

My cannons are booming, as the birds are looming.
And I’m itching to pick but I need some sun first
Come on weather goddess can’t you quench this thirst!

Oh make the sun come out as I need it now,
Don’t let this harvest go like what comes out of a cow.
If you need something from me, well I’ll buy you a drink,
I’ll promise not to cheat on you again if that’s what you think...

It’s got some rough spots but I’ll perfect it before the end of harvest. I think it’s got top 10 potential, at least maybe in Outer Mongolia.

But - I guess my country song worked! It was supposed to rain this morning and we got clear skies! YeeeeeHaaaaaa!

Orchard Block Pinot Noir is in the picture and then we'll pick Big Tree Block Pinot Noir, too.

Rock on!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 08:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

After a 5 day harvest hiatus of gray and rainy weather, we are back out in the vineyard today. The rain set us back slightly, as we were only able to bring in about 10% of our estate grapes before the drizzle started. Lucky for us, we have over 30 pickers today, so we will turn and burn!

It's a big Pinot Noir pick day today! Peachtree Block West, Goosepen Block, Big Tree Block Middle and East, and Walnut Block Southwest are all coming in. The grapes look really good - and we're excited to get out there again!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 09:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Have you heard? Now that Harvest has started and Pinot Noir is coming in, we need to make some room! For the whole month of October, we are offering FREE Ground Shipping on full or mixed online case orders. Simply use the coupon code FREEGROUNDSHIP and your discount will be applied at checkout.

Order your holiday gifts early, stock up your cellar for winter entertaining, or just treat yourself!

Some fun case mixes for you to try:

SOKOL BLOSSER SAMPLER
3 bottles 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
3 bottles 2007 Dundee Hills Cuvée Pinot Gris
3 bottles Evolution, 12th Edition
3 bottles Meditrina {5}

THE BLENDED BOX
6 bottles Evolution, 12th Edition
6 bottles Meditrina {5}

WHITES - DRY TO SWEET
4 bottles 2007 Dundee Hills Cuvée Pinot Gris
4 bottles Evolution, 12th Edition
4 bottles 2006 Estate White Riesling Dessert Wine

FOR THE RED HEADS
3 bottles 2005 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
3 bottles 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir
6 bottles Meditrina {5}

Check out all of our wines at www.sokolblosser.com.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On Tuesday September 23rd the Sokol Blosser team packed up the cars and headed for Seattle for a two day blitz of food, friends and of course some delicious wines. The purpose of the trip was twofold; first our Regional Brand Ambassador Lee Medina had organized several stops that we would visit in teams of two and second our Cellar Club event. Divided we conquered! Kitri McGuire our Marketing Manager and I visited 8 different restaurants and wine bars after a fabulous lunch at Wild Ginger. Lee was paired up with our Cellar Club Manager Jeff Knapp and accomplished a similar schedule. What a day - visiting many places that have supported our wine for years and reintroducing others to our 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is a great way to make new friends. It’s easy to be popular with a bag full of delicious wine!

Lee Medina takes Sokol Blosser to the streets at Pike Place Market!

After a long day of beating the streets of the Emerald City we relaxed with cocktails and appetizers at Palisades Restaurant. There we got a preview of the venue that would host our Club Party the next night. We had delicious Kobe Beef Sliders and Martinis to take the edge off. On to the Waterfront Grill for a unique starter of Heirloom Cucumbers and House Cured Salmon and then off to 10 Mercer for dinner. We put our faith in the hands of Brian Curry and we enjoyed an amazing dinner that finished off our first day. If you love obscure grape varietals make it a point to ask Brian about wines that are not on the list. The Chenin Blanc that he poured for us was one of the best I’ve ever had. Thanks again, Brian.

Wednesday started with a less ambitious schedule but equally as important. A light lunch at the Metropolitan Grill put a spring in the step. I had a Kobe Beef Top Sirloin Steak with Dungeness crab and Béarnaise Sauce and Kitri had a Kobe Burger with Fried Mozzarella! Ah, a light lunch in the wine business. Lee and Jeff went the seafood route at 08 and had what they said was their best meal in the city! I for one loved my "light" lunch.

That evening was the main event! We took our tasting room on the road and invited all our Cellar Club Members in the Seattle area to come down to Palisades for Happy Hour on us. We saw over 100 members and friends that night and have still been receiving praise for the success of the event. Thank you Seattle for all your support and commitment to Sokol Blosser wines - it’s your loyalty that makes events like that possible. We look forward to the next one.

Club members having a fun time at Palisades!

To wrap up the trip, we sat down to dinner at Oceanaire and dined into the night, receiving some of the best service I’ve ever had. From our experience at the front door (look for the 3L bottle of Meditrina next time you’re in), to the outstanding bartenders and our dinner server Dan we were taken care of every step of the way.

Thank you, Seattle!

Michael Brown and Lee Medina toast to Seattle.

Posted by Michael Brown, Direct Sales Manager at 09:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well my friends, I apologize for not getting a blog up sooner. It has been a whirlwind at the Winery and in the Vineyard! We are still recovering from one of the best times any of us can remember in a very long time. I am talking about our Harvest Party. Almost two weeks ago now, our Club members joined us for a celebration of the 2008 Harvest. (Although harvest had not yet begun, the grapes were tasting delicious.)

The Winery is tranformed with café lighting and family style tables set with Riedel Oregon Pinot Noir glasses.

We had 150 Club members join us for a vineyard walk with different members of the Sokol Blosser family, tasting fruit and learning a bit about the history of our little slice of paradise in the Dundee Hills. After the tour, everyone gathered for wine and hors d’ oeuvres in our LEED certified barrel cellar. We sipped on 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Meditrina {5}, and Evolution. Winemaker Russ Rosner discussed vintage, cooperage and he even waxed philisophical. After the barrel cellar, we headed into the Winery for a delicious wine dinner prepared by Chef Paul Bachand.

Winemaker Russ Rosner thanks our Cellar Club members.

At dinner, we pulled out all the stops. Susan read an excerpt from her new latest book, Gracious and Ruthless. Chef Paul prepared an amazing family-style dinner including Slow Roasted Carlton Farms Pork Loin, Fresh BBQ Oregon Tuna and Grilled Organic Hangar Steak with mustard braised onions. Dinner was paired with some of our finest wines, pulled from our cellar for one night a year. We served: 2001 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, 2001 Old Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2003 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, 2004 Watershed Pinot Noir, 2006 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, 2007 Dundee Hills Pinot Gris and 2006 White Riesling Dessert Wine.

Bidding on classic wines from Sokol Blosser's library... good times!

For the first time, we decided to hold a live auction as part of the festivities. We opened up our library and dug deep to uncover some pretty special selections. All the proceeds of the auction went to benefit Salud!, a charity established to help bring much needed healthcare to Oregon’s vineyard workers. The auction was a huge success! Alex Sokol Blosser acted as our auctioneer. We auctioned off ten different lots dating back to our 1988 Redland Pinot Noir and 1992 and 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon, among others. The crowd loved it. Amidst cheers and laughter, we managed to raise enough money to fund nearly four days of mobile dental clinic days for vineyard workers.

At the end of the day, we sat back in appreciation of our glorious bounty and of all the loyal Club members who help make Sokol Blosser who we are! Thanks to all that attended and for those that did not…see you next year!

Posted by Jeff Knapp, Cellar Club Manager at 08:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Day 2 of Harvest and here is the first crop ever from our Bluebird Block Pinot Gris. It looks great!

Lupe counts buckets of Pinot Gris as the Harvest Crew brings them in.

Today we will also be bringing in the new Watershed Block Pinot Noir and maybe the West Peachtree Block Pinot Noir.

This will be it for this week as the rains are moving in. Wish us luck!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 08:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)