Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association Trade Tasting

SCMWA Trade Tasting

It has been a busy week for the team at the Martin Ranch Winery. Dan, Therese & Jackie attended the annual Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association trade tasting that was held in San Francisco on January 26th. Several wineries from the Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Valley appellation were present for the trade tasting. Their wines gathered fantastic scores and were well reviewed by David Tong.  Check out the blog written by David Tong, who writes about the Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley Wines and his observations and notes of his experience in tasting the Martin Ranch Wines. Thank you David! Please check the Martin Ranch Winery’s online store to purchase  these wines.

Unified Wine & Grape Symposium

The MRW team also attended the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium held in Sacramento this week. This symposium is the biggest venue for wine makers and anyone in the wine industry in the western hemisphere. A line-up of some of the industry’s top speakers were present to address current needs  for the wine industry in 2010. Over 550 vendors were on-site to display some of the newest and greatest of winemaking and wine related products. This is a great venue for everyone in the wine industry to connect and share insights into the new decade of the world of wine. Speaking with Dan Martin after the show, he was quite impressed with all of the new winemaking products and “gizmos,” and yet Dan’s main goal is to spend focused energy on enhancing  the Wine Club members experiences with the Martin Ranch Winery.

Bottle Your Own and Valentine’s Day Specials

Valentine’s Day is almost here! Check out the lovely four pack special designed for romance. Time slots are limited, sign up now for the Bottle Your Own event happening on Feb. 13th & 14th. Bottle your own wine -making the hard times easier… check out the video

Come out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

The Santa Cruz Mountains are Green

Winter Garden

What a wonderful week in the Santa Cruz Mountains! The rain has been watering the mountains and vineyard, and the hills are a brilliant green. The pond is nice and full, which is great for the Winery’s  water storage during the summer months. The winter garden is flourishing now. The rain and now sunny days are perfect for growing the crops. Planted in the garden are:  red and green cabbage, broccoli, onions, fennel and in many of the rows there are fava beans growing. The fava beans help bring nitrogen to the soil, and helps to build nutrients needed for an organic garden. Check out some of these recipes to see how you can cook with fava beans, as they are quite delicious to eat. Many delicious meals will be coming from the vegetables harvested!

Bottle Your Own

For more information and to sign up for  the Bottle Your Own event, Feb 13th & 14th. A romantic way to spend Valentine’s Day together! 408.842.9197

Watch the Bottle your Own video and see how much fun it is!

Come out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

Martin Ranch Winery Recent Awards

San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition Awards

The awards keep rolling in! The Martin Ranch Winery recently won several awards from the prestigious San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2010. The San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is the largest wine competition in America.

The Therese Vineyards label won several awards:

2003 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Nebbiolo;  2005 Santa Clara Valley Dos Rios Cabernet Sauvignon; 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate Cabernet Franc; 2006 Santa Clara Valley Sangiovese  all won Silver Medal and the Therese Vineyards 2007 Amador County Zinfandel  won a Bronze.

Awards under the J.D. Hurley label:

2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon  won a Silver Medal and the 2006 Santa Clara Valley Merlot  and  the 2007 Santa Clara Valley Zinfandel both won Bronze awards. Read all the awards from the Martin Ranch Winery on this Accolades page.

What does Terroir Mean?

The term terroir is word that we often hear  in the world of winemaking and wine. Terroir is a French term used in reference to what gives wine it’s distinct personality. A terroir is basically, a group of vineyards or even as specific as single vines, that come from the same region, that belong in a specific appellation that shares the same soil, weather conditions and micro-climates. So within the Martin Ranch Winery’s 16 acres of planted vineyards, there are several unique terroir’s within the property. The upper vineyards produce a fruit that is slightly different than fruit that may come from the lower vineyards. Each area has distinct minerals within that area and under certain vines. The micro-climate of the lower vineyard is a bit cooler than the upper vineyard, giving the fruit different ripening times, which can give the fruit a slightly different flavor. Some say that even a specific grapevine can have it’s own terroir. So, within each appellation, vineyard and area are unique terroir’s. This is one of the reasons that the Martin Ranch Wines are so unique from each other.

Come on out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

The Grape Vines are Sleeping

Dormancy in the Grape Vines

Winter is upon us now and it is time to take a look at what is going on with the grape vines in their post-harvest state. The weather at the Martin Ranch Winery had a really good cold snap right after harvest and right around Thanksgiving. The high temperatures for the day only hit between 39º and 40º F and the lows hit between 22º and 19º. It was very cold for us humans, however, the grape vines loved it and the freezing temperatures are an essential art of the future grape growing season. When the temperatures drop below 30º, the grape vines go to “sleep” or begin their dormant state. The motion of the fluid within the vines actually slows way down and the “juice” of the vine stays low in the vine. This means that the “juice does not rise up into the upper parts of the vines. This helps in the pruning process, as no active “juices are flowing which helps create a clean pruning break. The vines normally stay “asleep” until March or April when they begin to bud out. Next week we will talk about winter soil work around the vineyard.

Wine Club Shipment

The new 2010 wine club shipment is getting ready this week and will be available for pick up at the Winery this weekend. The 16th and 17th are Passport Weekend for the Santa Cruz Mountain Winegrowers Association. The Martin Ranch Winery is open, so stop on by and sample some new wines and pick up your shipment! We always look forward to seeing and speaking with our friends.

Come on out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

Winter Wine Work in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Welcome to 2010!

We all hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. The team at the Martin Ranch Winery is working in the barrel room and fermentation room as the winter work continues at the Winery.

Racking the Wine

One of the final steps in the winemaking process is racking the wine.  Racking the wine is the process of siphoning the wine from a barrel into another barrel to clarify the wine and remove it from the sediment that forms during the early stages of fermentation. This process is usually done 3-4 times or as needed before the wine goes into bottles. The sediment that forms in the bottom of the barrel is called “lees” and is the result of yeast cells and residual yeast breaking down after fermentation. As the wine continues it’s final fermentation process, more lees are produced and must be racked off. This is an important process in making wine that does not have a strong yeast flavor. With hundreds of barrels in the barrel room after harvest, the job of racking the wine is full time!

Come on out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

Happy New Year from the Martin Ranch Winery!

Happy New Year!

Dan, Therese and the team of the Martin Ranch Winery would like to wish everyone a Healthy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year! Many thanks to all of our loyal Wine Club Members and friends that have made the Martin Ranch Winery such a successful and fun venture. We always look forward to seeing your happy, smiling faces at the Winery, at the events and to be able to visit, talk  and share experiences with you. It is always a pleasure to see the kids at the Winery, and we feel like Aunts & Uncles watching them catch their first fish, play on the trampoline and see them growing up. We look forward to a great 2010 and to share many more experiences and bottles of wine with all of you!  Dan & Therese

Lucky Foods for New Years & Wine Pairings

For many of us, January 1st is a time to let go of the past, make a clean start and make vows to better health. Many cultures believe that eating certain foods on New Years Day (and avoiding some) can help to bring good fortune.

Cooked greens-kale, collards and chard, look like folded money and are symbolic of good fortune. From stewed kale with cinnamon to collared greens with pork, a glass of J.D. Hurley 2008 Sauvignon Blanc would be a great wine choice. The bright crispness of the wine complements the slight astringency of the cooked greens. Black-eyed peas and other legumes are a very common meal to have on New Year’s Day. Their small, seedlike appearance resembles coins that fill up when cooked, so they are eaten with financial rewards in mind. A bottle of Therese Vineyards 2005 Dos Rios Cabernet complements the rich, full flavors of cooked legumes. The custom of eating Pork on New Year’s Day is based on the ideas that pigs symbolize progress. Pigs push forward, rooting itself in the ground before moving.  It’s rich fat content signifies wealth and prosperity. The J.D. Hurley 2005 Merlot is a logical choice for this food pairing. The velvety middle finish and hint of chocolate work nicely with the richness of the pork.

Whatever ‘lucky” foods you choose to eat to usher in the  New Year, may your table be delicious, filled with wine and surrounded by friends and family!

Come on out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

Merry Christmas from the Martin Ranch Winery!

Merry Christmas!

The team at the Martin Ranch winery would like to wish everyone a Very Merry Christmas! May you find yourself with friends, family and loved ones during this special Holiday Season. To a Joyful and Happy Holiday!

The Legend of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Rudolph, “the most famous reindeer of all,” was born over a hundred years after his eight flying counterparts. The red-nosed wonder was the creation of Robert L. May, a copywriter at the Montgomery Ward department store. In 1939, May wrote a Christmas-themed story-poem to help bring holiday traffic into his store. Using a rhyme pattern to Moore’s “Twas the Night Before Christmas,”  May told the story of Rudolph, a young reindeer who was teased by the other reindeer because of his large, glowing red rose. But, when Christmas Eve turned foggy and Santa worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver gifts that night, Rudolph with his glowing nose saved Christmas be leading the sleigh with the light of his red nose. The story became very popular, and Montgomery Ward sold over two million copies of the story. Johnny Marks wrote a song based on the Rudolph story in 1949, Gene Autry recorded it and since then, the beloved story and song has been a classic Christmas tale. Burl Ives narrated an animated movie version that is still loved today.

Wine Club Members at the Martin Ranch Winery

The Winery had a fantastic turn out for all of the weekends that we have been opened for the Holiday Season. Thank you all for coming out, enjoying the Winery and enjoying all the Christmas wine specials. Everyone at the Winery appreciates the support and friends that are made. The Winery will be closed from December 23rd through Dec 29th so that we all can spend the Christmas Holiday celebrating with friends and family.

Come on out to the Martin Ranch Winery on the 3rd weekend of the Month, when the Winery is open to the public and wine club members. We always look forward to seeing you!

 

Christmas Wines

In the News

The Martin Ranch Winery has been in the news lately. The examiner.com’s online magazine wrote a nice article about Holiday gift shopping with Santa Cruz Mountains wines. In the article, the authors, June Smith & Jerry Starr, give ideas for 10, wine-gifts  based on the Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Association awards. Number 6 in the list is the Martin Ranch Winery’s Therese Vineyards ‘05 Dos Rios Cabernet, which won Double Gold at the San Francisco Wine Competition and Best Cabernet! Number 7 on the list is the J.D. Hurley ‘06 Merlot, a Gold medal winner and Best Merlot. Wow! It is wonderful to share this news with folks who may not be familiar with the Martin Ranch award winning wines. Other news—-winebusiness.com has picked the Martin Ranch Winery’s very own weekly blog as one of the editors top wine blog picks! It is fabulous to see so much internet coverage for the Martin Ranch Winery.

Christmas Dinner Wine Pairings

Christmas Dinner–visions of Prime Rib, Turkey, Ham or traditional Mexican Cuisine come to mind. Toasting good cheer with delicious wine is a lovely Christmas Tradition. Here are a few ideas of which Martin Ranch Wines would pair nicely with either of the meal choices for Christmas dinner.

The Winery is offering a lovely Winter Solstice Holiday Wine Special for $49.99. Therese Vineyards ‘07 Amador Zinfandel and J.D.Hurley ‘05 Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet Sauvignon are included in the special package. The Amador Zinfandel would pair wonderfully with a traditional Mexican dinner, with hints of spice. The Santa Cruz Mountains Cabernet is a perfect accompaniment to a Prime Rib dinner. Another fabulous Prime Rib dinner wine would be the Therese Vineyards ‘05 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. And for the Turkey or Ham dinner, the ‘05 J.D.Hurley Merlot would be perfect. All of these delicious Christmas dinner wine suggestions can be purchased at the Winery, which is open next weekend 12-4, or from the online store. Or call for further information. 408.842.9197 Bon Appetit!

Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce Women in Business

Therese Martin was the featured guest speaker at the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce’s Women in Business Luncheon. Therese shared stories of the winemaking process and some of the challenges and joys of being a woman winemaker. The business women were delighted by Theres’s presentation and fun personality.  Being involved with the local Chamber of Commerce is rewarding for the Martin Ranch Winery and  it is great for them to be part of the local community and to support other women business owners.

The Winery is open weekends 12-4 until Christmas. Look forward to seeing you there!

 

Martin Ranch Winery Holiday Specials

Santa’s Special

The Christmas Season is here and the Martin Ranch Winery is offering up several wonderful Holiday specials. The Martins are calling this lovely special, The Santa Special. Found in this delicious trio of red wines are Therese Vineyards 2004 Estate Cabernet; J.D. Hurley 2006 Zinfandel and J.D. Hurley 2005 Merlot. This Santa Special will make a wonderful gift and is offered for $59.00.

Purchase Holiday Specials online or call today 408.842.9197.

Martin Ranch Winery featured in “Wine Country This Week”

The Martin Ranch Winery was the featured Tasting Room of the Week in November’s “Wine Country This Week.” This is an important weekly wine industry magazine, both in paper and online versions, and the Martin Ranch Winery is very proud to be featured in this prestigious magazine. You can read the online article here.

The Martin Ranch Winery on Facebook & Twitter

The Martin Ranch Winery is excited to announce that they can now be followed on Twitter and they have a Page set up on Facebook. There will be lots of great information, photos, discussion, discounts, coupons and contests. Check out the links and begin to follow the Martin Ranch Winery on Twitter and become a fan of their Facebook page. There are lots of Holiday specials announced there, so follow along.

Winemaker’s Wednesday

Join  Dan & Therese at the Shadowbrook Restaurant Wednesday December 9th from 5-8 pm for Winemaker Wednesday. They will be there pouring a flight of select, award winning wines and be available for information about their Winery. Shadowbrook is offering a 50% discount off the regular price when you purchase a glass or bottle of the featured Martin Ranch Wines.  Dan & Therese hope to see you there!

The Martin Ranch Winery is open Saturday’s and Sunday’s, 12-4 pm, until Christmas. Look forward to seeing you there!

 

Part of the Wine Making Process

Malo-Lactic Fermantation

One of the reasons that the Martin Ranch Wines are so full and flavorful, with that silky “mouthfeel” attribute, is the process of malolactic fermentation. Malolactic fermentation is commonly referred to as “MLF” or in winemakers speak-malo. Malo usually occurs shortly after the end of the primary fermentation, when the juice has been free-run and pressed into tanks where final fermentation will occur. Lactic acid bacteria is then added to convert the remaining sugars into producing carbon dioxide, which is the final phase of wine fermentation. Therese has carefully and scientifically mixed up the appropriate ratio of “malo” to add to the tanks for this final fermentation process that creates such sophisticated and creamy tasting wines, that the Martin Ranch Winery is known for.

The Winter Garden

The Martin Ranch has a beautiful winter garden started! We are very excited to have one of our Wine Club members, Dave Stocks, here to help manage the garden. Onions, broccoli and cabbage have been planted and are growing nicely. Next week, Dave will be planting fava beans in the garden. According to Dave, the fava beans help to “fix” nitrogen in the soil. Nitrogen is a very necessary element for plant growth. What is great about the fava bean, is that all parts of the plant can be used. The upper part of the plant can be used as a “green manure” which helps improve soil fertility, and the beans themselves are delicious to eat! A big thank you to Dave for providing everyone with  good, local and organic vegetables to eat!

The Martin Ranch YouTube Channel.

Just a reminder to check out the great videos on the Martin Ranch’s very own You Tube Channel channel! Please comment and vote on them.

The Martin Ranch Winery will be open all weekends until Christmas for wine club members and the public, 12-4. We always look forward to seeing you!