Sokol Blosser Wine Blog

Nancy, our friend from the Prescott Western Bluebird Recovery Project, banded one box of chicks this last weekend and, as usual, tried to capture the parents to check their bands for their history or band them if they weren’t already banded. She does this with a small wire cage baited with meal worms. She checks them, records the number on the band, and lets them go. It’s very fast, once they’re trapped, which isn’t easy. She wasn’t able to capture the male but she did get the female. The female was first captured and banded nesting in June of 2006. So, this is the fourth year that she has nested at that box. Bluebirds live 6-7 years, so this is a healthy female. Happy too, I suspect, as our Winemaker Russ Rosner gives her meal worm treats.

Posted by Susan Sokol Blosser at 11:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A big "Dank u wel!" (thank you!) to our new importers in the Netherlands!

Above, Alex Sokol Blosser visits Sokol Blosser Winery's new Dutch importers with some Evolution in hand. Cheers!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're setting up the Big Tent today in preparation for our huge 19th Annual Memorial Weekend Summer Kickoff! The weather will be gorgeous, the wine will be flowing - how much better can it get?

We'll have music, a tasting flight of 7 wines, and Phresh Organic Catering will be offering their delicious grilled picnic fare. All of us will be having a great time - and we invite you to join in!

We're located 2.5 miles South of Dundee on 99W. Click here for directions to the Winery, or if you can't make it to see us this weekend, visit our website at www.sokolblosser.com for 20% off of all case purchases through May 31! Simply enter in the coupon code MDAY09 in the Coupon Code field at checkout.

Cheers!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As some of you know, we are a part of the Western Bluebird Recovery Project. We host many bluebird boxes around the vineyard, and things are getting exciting! Check out our Winemaker Russ Rosner's notes on the progress of our many Western Bluebird families:

715: 4 WEBL eggs (warm). Last egg laid 5/15 (?). Estimated hatch date 5/29.
706: No change (complete nest, no eggs).
705: ~2” WEBL nesting material, now with ~2” swallow nesting material on top.
701: 6 WEBL eggs (warm). Last egg 5/14. Estimated hatch date 5/28.
704: 6 WEBL eggs (warm). Last egg 5/8 (?). Estimated hatch date 5/22.
702a: 6 (?) WEBL chicks. Hatched 5/12.
702b: Swallow nest. No eggs.
703: 5 WEBL eggs (warm); first egg laid 5/1(?), last egg laid 5/5 (?). Estimated hatch date 5/19.
709: Complete WEBL nest; no eggs.
710: Empty.
707: 6 (?) WEBL chicks. Hatched 5/17. (This hatch date is one day earlier than predicted.)
714: HOSP nest.
712: 6 WEBL eggs (warm). Last egg laid 5/12 (?). Estimated hatch date 5/26.

Now we have something very disappointing to report. We found a dead male WEBL partially squashed/run over on our winery drive just near box 706 (the first box you come to on the right as you come up our road). He was tagged - #2251-82871. Most likely he was the male of the pair for that box; it’s fortunate that they had not yet laid any eggs.

Next Sunday, the 24th, we will begin the first banding of our new fledgelings.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It was a gorgeous day Saturday when I joined about 30 others to help spruce up Herbert Hoover Park in Newberg (named after President Herbert Hoover, who is the only US President to have lived in Oregon). I pass the park on my way to work every day but rarely pay much attention to it. I’ve always enjoyed seeing the giant tree that the city lights each year for the holidays, and I’ve heard that a stellar Frisbee golf course meanders through the park. Even though I grew up about 15 minutes away, I’ve never stepped foot in the park! So, taking part of Take Care of Oregon Days seemed like the right opportunity to get to know this hometown park. I’m on the board of Oregon150, which is a group the Governor appointed to help plan Oregon’s sesquicentennial birthday this year. One of the major initiatives Oregon150 undertook was to create a way for Oregonians all over the state to give back to their communities. There were about 600 projects on May 16th around the state. SOLV, a terrific non-profit that helps to keep Oregon clean and beautiful, helped to create and publicize the various projects around the state.

Unfortunately, May 16 also coincided with a very busy pre-Memorial weekend open house at the winery, so I was the sole representative of Sokol Blosser at the park clean-up. I worked alongside quite a few Newberg High Schoolers. I was impressed that Newberg HS has a greenhouse and offers classes to help students develop a green thumb. Participating in the park beautification project earned these students extra credit. The plants we put into the ground actually came from the school’s greenhouse, and they were also concurrently running a plant sale through the weekend as well.

We planted a bunch of flowers at the entry to the park and worked to trim trees and remove blackberries (that is really tough work – can’t we just get the city some goats?). All in all, it was a great morning and I can’t wait to drive by the park to see how the flowers we planted are doing. And, there’s a fabulous play structure that I know my son will enjoy, so I will definitely be back soon. I encourage you to visit on your way to or from wine country as well!

Posted by Alison Sokol Blosser at 08:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Come on out to the Tasting Room this weekend for our Pre-Memorial Day Celebration! Beat the crowds and enjoy all the same perks as our Memorial Day events. Plus - the weather will be gorgeous. Bring a picnic and some friends... and enjoy a day in Oregon wine country!!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 08:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

That's right! Alison Sokol Blosser will be representing Sokol Blosser at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado on June 19-21. For 27 years, the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen has been the premier culinary and wine event in the country. The three-day weekend brings Food & Wine to life with cooking demonstrations, food samplings and wine tastings. Seminars led by food and wine superstars such as Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Danny Meyer, Giada De Laurentiis, Dan Philips and Joshua Wesson provide a world-class educational and entertaining experience.

Be sure to come by and meeting Alison Sokol Blosser while sampling some of Sokol Blosser's most popular wines. We'll see you in Aspen! To learn more, visit the Food & Wine website here.

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Are you looking for fun ways to be involved in the local community? Join Alison Sokol Blosser and the Sokol Blosser staff members from 9am-1pm on May 16th to help clean and restore Herbert Hoover Park in Newberg, hosted by SOLV for Take Care of Oregon Days!

We will be removing noxious weeds in the canyon and rhododendron garden, pruning, and performing trail maintenance and restoration near the creek. After the fun in the sun, join the Sokol Blosser staff back at Sokol Blosser Winery for a reception with wine and snacks.

Keep in mind that this area has some steep slopes and uneven ground so be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

There is no cost to attend and this event is filling up fast, so contact Cellar Club Manager Jeff Knapp at cellarclub@sokolblosser.com to RSVP. We'll see you there!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Looking for the dirt on Oregon? Well, it's official now - last week, Oregon state legislation named Jory soil Oregon't official State Dirt.

What makes this dirt so special? According to the Dundee Hills Winegrower's Association, "This special volcanic soil has excellent minerality and drainage... The Jory soils, covering the mid and upper elevations of the valley, were formed from ancient volcanic basalt. These volcanic deposits originated from lava flows over 15 million years ago, before the hills were actually formed by plate movement in the Pacific.

Jory soils are typically 4-6 feet in depth and consist of a brick colored silty, clay loam. The depth and quality of the soils lend themselves ideally to the viticulture. Grapevines’ roots are encouraged to grow deep into the earth, while the rich soils nourish the vines. These exceptional growing conditions produce consistently excellent wines."

There you have it! We invite you to visit us and take a tour of our estate vineyards to see for yourself what makes this place so special. Until then, get dirty!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The spring rains have been coming down and we are still only 92% of normal for the water year. Does this mean we will all get soaked for our July 4th bar-b-ques? All I know is that my son’s baseball games have been getting rained out and we are about ready to play some ball!

Vineyards- Luis, our Vineyard Manager, and his crew have started the canopy management season by doing the first thing in the vineyard: Shoot thinning. This is when we go through and make sure only one shoot is coming out of every bud, and not two or more. After we do this the remaining shoots really start growing. I expect our first mildew spray to be put on next week. Get ready to smell some sulfur! Also, we have been taking up the annual cover crop so you will be seeing some cultivating happening in the vineyard as well.

Winery- That bottling truck has been hanging out quite a bit lately. Well, the gang in the cellar is filling bottles like no one’s business. At the end of this week’s bottling we have bottled about 38,000 cases which means we are half-way done for this year. So we will be seeing more of the bottling truck needless to say…

We're looking forward to seeing everyone out at the Winery very soon!

Posted by Alex Sokol Blosser at 09:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Brilliant shades of green
Vines reporting for duty
Vibrant, everywhere

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Even though we all grumble about how this is the month of "May flowers" instead of what April typically brings, the rain that we've received over the past few weeks has really been a blessing to our vineyards. Our water table for the year is low, and since we are dry farmers, we need all the rain we can get.

Just yesterday, we received 1.4" of rain. In the 5 days of May 2009 so far we have received over 3" of rain - that's more than in May 2008 and May 2007 combined.

So rain, rain, don't go away!

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 01:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Thanks to SBW fan Thomas Stump for sending along these fun pictures he took during our Dundee Hills Passport Weekend Event in April! Here's a note from Thomas:

"Folks- Here are some pics from Passport weekend. Sure was a nice day. Thanks!"

Thanks for visiting Sokol Blosser's Tasting Room!

"The Ham" - Rodolphe Louchart, Tasting Room Manager

"The Pourer" - Bianca Swain, Tasting Room Sales Associate

Posted by Kitri McGuire, Marketing Communications Manager at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)