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Upcoming
- General Meeting, Wednesday, 4 June, 3pm at
Camel Hill Vineyards: "Fertilizers & Vine
Nutrition". Our speaker is Dennis Culver, an ESA Board-certified
entomologist, certified crop advisor, and fertilizer expert. He will talk
about vine nutrition and fertilizers, including organic solutions, to promote
the health and growth of your vines. Save the date, and look for more details
in the upcoming newsletter. And yes, there are real camels at Camel Hill.
Our host: Jon Anderson
Camel Hill Vineyards
18951 Bear Creek Rd., Los Gatos
Directions: take Hwy. 17 through Los Gatos, exit Bear Creek Rd. at Lexington
Reservoir. Go 1/2 mile up Bear Creek; Camel Hill is on the right.
- Grafting Workshop, Friday, 16 May, 10am - noon at Burrell School.
John Rogers has been working with David Gates since the beginning of the year
to put together a grafting workshop for us. The timing has to be just right
for the vines, and they are ready. Burrell School is grafting and has been
terrific to allow us to do the workshop there. David Gates will take us
through the process, and you will have a chance for some hands on practice.
You will find out how to prepare your vines for grafting, how to determine the
best time to graft, and how to do it. Leather gloves might be helpful to
bring. Note: This is a workshop, not a regular meeting.
Thank you to Dave Moulton, Mark Seifert, David Gates and John Rogers.
Burrell School, 24060 Summit Road, Los Gatos
Directions: take Highway 17 to Summit Road and go 3.5 miles east/south from
the intersection of Hwy 17 and Summit Rd.
Recent
- General Meeting and New Year Mini-Party, Feb. 12, 3pm at Thomas
Fogarty Winery (link to
http://www.fogartywinery.com/): "Vineyard Practices to Produce 90+ Points
Wines". At least seven Thomas Fogarty estate wines rated 90 points and above
in Wine Enthusiast in 2006. Good wine starts with good grapes and the
vineyard practices to grow them. Michael Martella will give us a tour of the
vineyards and share with us his vineyard practices to get us on the right
track for the year.
- Sustainability Case Study: 6 September, 3:00pm at
Bargetto's Regan Vineyards
in Corralitos (directions
here). John Bargetto will host this meeting, give us a tour of the
40 acre Regan Vineyard, and share their vineyard practices, including
sustainable solutions such as solar power and biodiesel.
- 11 July 2007 Meeting, at Hunter Hill Vineyards & Winery, 3:00pm.
Our speaker: Thomas Wittman,
gopher expert extraordinaire - on the secret life of gophers, and how to
effectively rid your vineyard of them Plus, the latest on the light brown
apple moth. And a business meeting.
- 27 June, 1:00pm: Sustainability Self-Assessment Workshop, held by the Wine Institute. Seacliff
Inn, Aptos. No charge. RSVP required at least 7 days in advance
online
or call 415-512-0151. This workshop is for:
- all those who have already done the self-assessment – there are new
topics & it may be time to update your assessment, and
- those who have not done the self-assessment.
Click here for more information on the value of the Self-Assessment to
your vineyard operations, and the format of the program.
Note: The
morning program addresses issues of interest to winery operations: Maximizing
Tasting Room Opportunities; New Regulations and Laws; New Direct Shipping
Laws.
- 2 May 2007 Meeting, 3:30 - 5:30pm,
Zayante Vineyards.
Spring Program in the Vineyard with a focus on the Spring regimen and looking
forward to the coming few months, including nutrient sprays and disease
management. Local vineyardists will share their programs and advice:
Mark Edgemon, Rick Anzalone, Ron Mosley and Prudy Foxx. Zayante
Vineyards, 420 Old Mountain Road, Felton. Take Highway 17 to Bear Creek
Road. Turn left on Summit Road, then right on Upper Zayante Road and
travel about 4.5 miles. Turn right on Old Mountain Road and follow the
VASCM signs. NOTE: Membership renewals are due for 2007.
- Pinot Paradise, 17-18 March 2007: featuring this divine wine made from
the grapes we grow in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
- Saturday, 17 March: Pinot Pathways. Area wineries are open and pouring
their Pinots, including barrel tastings, etc.
- Sunday, 18 March: The Pinot Paradise Grand Cruz Tasting and optional
Technical Sessions at Villa Ragusa in Campbell.
- More information.
- Tickets are available from the SCMWA at 831-685-8463.
- 14 September
2006 Meeting: 3-6pm: "Hillside Farming", including erosion
control and cover cropping. With speakers Jim Howard and Rich Casale from the
NRCS. At Clos de la Tech, Woodside. Rex Geitner, vineyard manager will tell
us the story of this amazing vineyard. Bring a bottle of wine to share.
Meeting details and
directions.
Vineyard Tour at Clos de la Tech
Rex, vineyard manager, addressing group
- Santa Cruz County Fair
(12-17 September 2006): Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds, Watsonville.
VASCM will have a display booth in the agricultural Harvest Building. This is
the 3rd year the VASCM is exhibiting at the Fair. We need volunteers to
help at the booth. For more information and to sign up,
click here.
- September is California Wine Month!
Celebrate harvest in the Santa Cruz Mountains at the
Santa Cruz County Fair.
Week-long educational exhibits and displays by the
SCMWA and
VASCM, judging results of the amateur and commercial wine competitions,
and wine tasting on Saturday and Sunday, 9/16-17. Santa Cruz County
Fairgrounds, 2601 East Lake Ave, Watsonville. Tues.- Fri. noon - 11pm; Sat.
10am-11pm, Sun. 10am - 10pm. Note: Various wineries and vineyards in the
Santa Cruz Mountains are planning special harvest events for California Wine
Month. For a list click here.
- 28 June Meeting:
"Growing Organically", Silver Mountain Vineyards. 2:00pm - tour Silver
Mountains' organic vineyard with Jerold O'Brien. 3:00pm - meeting with
guest speaker Derek Dahlen, vineyard manager for Frey Vineyards in Mendocino.
Frey is the first certified organic vineyard and winery in the U.S. (since
1980), and the largest as well. Derek will speak about organic
viticulture, its benefits and how to make it work in your vineyard.
Meeting flyer with directions
to Silver Mountain Vineyards.
- Pinot Days (23-25
June): Fort Mason, San Francisco, Pinot Noir tasting, winemaker dinners,
appellation tours, etc. A dozen Santa Cruz Mountains wineries will
represent our appellation at this major Pinot tasting in San Francisco,
pouring appellation wines in a regional VIP tasting preceding the general
afternoon event: Alfaro Family Vineyards, Beauregard Vineyards, Burrell
School, Thomas Fogarty, Hunter Hill, Pelican Ranch, Rhys, Savannah-Chanelle,
Silver Mountain, Sonnet, Testarossa, Windy Oaks.
Pouring Santa Cruz Mts. Pinot at Pinot Days' regional tasting, June 2006.
VASCM
display showcases our appellation wines.
- Energy Efficiency
Workshop for Vineyards & Wineries, 1 June, sponsored by the
Sustainability Alliance and PG&E; at Cooper-Garrod Winery, 8:30-2:00pm. Space
limited, so
RSVP is required.
- 27 April Meeting: 3:00pm “Mildew Control”, with a
presentation by Larry Bettiga, UC Extension Farm Advisor. At Alfaro Family
Vineyards, Corralitos 1:30: Walking tour of the vineyard with Richard
Alfaro.
- Pinot Paradise
(26
March): was a huge success.
SJMN article by Laurie Daniels.
- The morning technical sessions organized by Jim Schultze of Windy Oaks
Estate featuring
- Randall Grahm's latest thoughts on Pinot Noir in the Santa Cruz
Mountains plus a tasting of his "Transfusion" (Pinot Gris
juice fermented on Pinot Noir skins!),
- a panel discussion on Pinot Noir with Michael Martella of Thomas
Fogarty Winery, Jeff Emery of Santa Cruz Mountains Winery, Prudy Foxx
of Foxx Viticulture and Jim Schultze of Windy Oaks Estate, and
- an overview of Burgundy winegrowing with a horizontal and vertical
tasting of three red Burgundies along with two Santa Cruz Mountain
Pinot Noirs: a 2002 Mount Eden and a 2003 Windy Oaks.
- In the afternoon
two vineyard vignettes
organized by Prudy Foxx:
- John Schumacher of Hallcrest discussed and tasted four of his
award-winning Pinot Noirs from VASCM member vineyards: Veranda
(Frank & Nancy Remde), Terra Serena (Pete & Barb Woodruff),
Belle Farms (Steve &Marguerite Remde) and Vista del Mare.
- Tony Craig of Sonnet Wine Cellars and Ed Muns of Muns Vineyard
presented
a Pinot Noir clonal review, vineyard description and barrel tasting
of four Dijon clones from the 2005 harvest.
- In the tasting tent, Mary Lindsay and Prudy Foxx set up the new VASCM
display booth describing winegrowing in our AVA.
- Sustainability workshop on Ecosystem Management (23 March):
Habitat
(cover cropping, vegetation); Beneficial insects; Water quality/watershed
management. At Cooper-Garrod
Vineyards, Saratoga. 8am-12noon, with lunch following. FREE.
1:00-3:00pm - optional
Sustainability Self-Assessment Workshop (if you have
not already done it).
- 24 February Meeting: "History of Santa Cruz
Mountains Vineyards" at Mountain Winery, Saratoga. 3:00pm
vineyard tour with Jeffrey Patterson; 4:00pm presentation by Charles
Sullivan, historian and author, "Like Modern Edens".
- VASCM Holiday Party, Sunday, 18 December, 4-6pm
- "Farm Water Quality Short Course", November, Santa Cruz
- Meet the Compliance Requirements.
Registration
form, other
class sessions, and
general
information.
- 19 October 2005 (3:00pm) Meeting at Lester Family Vineyards at Deer
Park Ranch: Post
Harvest Crop Management, including cover crop, weed control, etc.
Presentation by Richard Smith, UCCE/Salinas.
- 9 August 2005 (3:00pm) Meeting at Byington Winery.
Hangtime presentation by Stan
Grant.
- 1 June 2005 (3:00pm): meeting at La Rusticana d'Orsa Vineyards in
Los Gatos. Pruning, thinning, hedging, terracing, trellising.
BRING YOUR MEALY BUG TRAPS!!
-
"Pinot Paradise - First
Pinot Noir Tasting of the Santa Cruz Mountains!" April 10, 2005:
24+ local wineries pouring heaven in a glass, 1:00-5:00pm at
Testarossa Vineyards in Los Gatos. Advance tickets only.
-
April 5, 2005
(3:00pm):
meeting at Vine Hill Vineyard, "Grapes Into Wine - Wine Distribution & Sales".
The ultimate goal for our grapes is to produce wine that sells. Hear
about wine distribution and sales from the professionals. Also: Free
Vine Mealy Bug traps distributed the County Ag Commissioner.
- January 19, 2005 (3:00pm): Meeting,
New
State Water Control Requirements - Do They Apply to You? and How to
Meet Them; Mary-Ellen Dick, Region 3 Farm Bureau, Clos la Chance Winery, San
Martin; also includes Vine Talk on winter pruning and weed control.
- January 25-27, 2005:
United
Wine & Grape Symposium, Sacramento (informal VASCM dinner TBA)
- December 5, 2004: Holiday Party, Lorenzini's, Watsonville
- November 18, 2004: Special Meeting,
Workshop
on Integrated Pest Management, The Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance,
9am-12pm, lunch included, Cooper-Garrod Winery, Saratoga
- November 10, 2004: CAWG
meeting, Los Gatos. Local
growers invited to dinner with the Board of the California Assn. of
Winegrape Growers. Invitations
mailed out in early October.
- October 14, 2004: "Post-Harvest Nutrition", Pete
Christensen - Professor Emeritus, Fresno State University, Cinnabar Winery, Saratoga
- September 14-19, 2004: Santa Cruz County Fair, Watsonville
- August 3, 2004: "If I Grow It, Will They Come?", local winemaker
panel, Branciforte Ridge Vineyard
- July, 29 2004: BBQ with SCMWA
- June 16, 2004: "Canopy Management Workshop", Savannah-Chanelle
Vineyards
- April 20, 2004: "Enhancing and Promoting the Reputation of Santa Cruz
Mountains winegrapes and Appellation", Mark Chandler - Executive
Director of the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, Burrell School
Vineyards
- February 24, 2004: "Sustainability Workshop",
Wine
Institute, Bargetto Winery
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Viticulture Association of the Santa Cruz Mountains
