VineBuzz

At the Raymond Vineyards and Winery, a jewel in the crown of the Boisset Family Estates, the company practices its' core values every day as they work toward converting more of their vineyards toward biodynamics. Several months ago, I had the pleasure of a long afternoon chat with Jean-Charles Boisset, the president of the company. He made it clear that their commitment to making wine biodynamically is the strongest pillar in their philosophical structure and an unassailable strategic principle.

Twenty-five retails stores in Calistoga, California opened their doors to "Cheers to Taste" on September 7, 2001 and hosted the pouring tables of wineries from all over Napa County.

Weeks often go by without a new favorite wine of the month(of any varietal) for me. Last month was exceptional in that so many presented themselves. The first week of every month gets its’ own favorite as long as I work diligently through the tasting proceedings in the monthly collaboration of wine makers at Cheers-to-Taste in Saint Helena, which I did a few days ago on February 2, 2011. It’s not fair to say that we all taste equally well from start to finish through a two-hour walking exam, but we all end up with a favorite of the evening, though probably not the favorite of the month.

With its' 1400 foot elevation, steep slopes, micro-climate, red volcanic soil, fog inversion layer, lower yields, mineral flavors, and smaller but more intense fruit, Howell Mountain earned the appellation designation for which its' growers and vintners collaborated so originally as well as effectively. It was the first sub-appellation of the Napa Valley AVA to gain certification, which is the form of classification that we can all rally around.

Is your inventory overhang exclusively the product of the recession? Has your brand lost ground in the never-ending battle for acceptance? Have your customer's tastes shifted? Are your brand's advocates as passionate and influential as ever, or have their followers drifted onto other paths? Has your percentage decline in sales outpaced the decline of your peer group or nearest competitor? Depending upon how this landscape is changing under your feet, your preoccupation with asking "How do I improve the ROI of my business?" may be leading you in the wrong direction.

On the afternoon of Thursday, October 14th, I delighted in visiting with the Yates family on their vineyard estate in the Mayacamas range near the Hess Collection in the Mount Veeder AVA at an elevation of between 1000 and 1200 feet.

encourage

discourage

discuss additional approaches and treatments on a case-by-case basis.

depends upon how interesting it is to the membership of the group.

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