NEWS FROM HOMEWOOD
Fall 2011
HOLIDAY IN CARNEROS: We hope you can join us the 19th and 20th of November, as about 20 wineries welcome you to our annual fall open house.
This year we are introducing six new wines. We will also be pairing our wines with appetizers created by Steve and Susan Stone of Yucatan Sunset Catering. There will be local artisans to peruse and perhaps do some holiday shopping.
The price for this two day event is $39 pre-paid (Carneros wineries.org) or $45 at any of the participating wineries.
HARVEST 2011: This is going to sound a lot like last years report. I usually write this letter at the end of harvest to give you an idea of how the vintage went. The extended rainy season and cool spring temperatures were followed by one of the coolest summers on record (hard to believe if you were anywhere else) just like last year except wetter. Harvest was at least three weeks late as a result of our cool Spring and Summer and now the Fall rains have started. All of the early ripening varietals, which had three weeks extra hang time, seem to have good fruit. The zinfandel, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc, and petite sirah all developed mold and mildew problems and did not ripen. As a side note, I located some barbera and hope to produce this varietal for the first time in ten years. All in all it will be a year of highs and lows (again) because a lot of good fruit came in early, but a lot of late fruit being picked shouldn't be. My rule of thumb has always been "if I wouldn't eat it I wouldn't drink it".
FALL SPECIALS: As always, we try to make it attractive to take some Homewood Wine to holiday parties or to present as gifts to friends and family. This year we have four different wines you can mix and match at $80/ half case, or $144/ a case. These would be the smiley faces on our price list and we hope they bring a smile to your face also. They are really nice wines and will make you, and us, look good this holiday season. Three of these wines are also on sale for $80 a case for unbroken cases
NEW RELEASES: SIX, count'em SIX. The 2009 Odmann Vineyard Carneros chardonnay has pear, with hints of cantaloupe and pineapple and a crisp finish. The 2009 McHugh Vineyard pinot noir has creamy cherry with hints of almonds on the finish. The 2009 Hoskins Vineyard Dry Creek Zin is packed with ripe berries with hints of clove spice on the finish. The 2009 John Albini Vineyard Carneros Cabernet Franc has dark black cherries with aromas of red berries and spice. The 2009 Shaste Vineyard Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon has dried fruits and vanilla and spice with well integrated tannins on the long finish. The 2009 El Dorado Petite Sirah has currants, rhubarb and black cherries with notes of white peppercorn.
Continuing our tradition of port is the 2008 Zinfandel Port. It has flavors of dried cherries and black currants, with hints of orange spice, vanilla and toasted almond on the finish.
We have three liter bottles for sale. Proceeds benefit Friends In Sonoma Helping.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO YOU AND YOURS from the Homewood Winery crew.
