Escafeld Winewear
 Our stock of summer winewear is on its way! I'm so excited about this, as our pink ladies tees were such a huge hit with everyone last year. These are my all-time favorite t-shirts; and one of those rare items of clothing that always make you look terrific. The cut is so flattering and color so fresh and pretty with our pink Zinfandel label printed on the back (this is now the closest you can get to buying our 2002 Zin!) and our Escafeld Vineyards logo on the front. Spoil yourself and add something beautiful to your wardrobe this summer. These tees come in small, medium, large and extra large. We can special order other sizes too, so just drop us a line with your order.  We also have men's golf shirts and white t-shirts available. Visit our website at www.escafeld.com to see more items and to place your order. As always, if you have any questions at all, just drop us a line at info@escafeld.com. Elsbeth Escafeld Vineyards
Monterey County Vintners and Growers Association News
Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association (MCVGA) has announced its board of directors for 2006. Elected as officers were Steve Pessagno, Pessagno Winery, president; Michael Marcus, Marilyn Remark Winery, treasurer; Paula Getzelman, Chalk Ridge, secretary and Scott Storm, grape grower representative, past president. Newly elected to the board were Andy Mitchell of Hahn Estates and Sabrine Rodems of San Saba. Continuing members are Scott Scheid, Scheid Vineyards; Cindy Paup, J. Lohr; Phil Frasconi, Arroyo Seco Vineyards; Hugh Reimers, Blackstone; Mark Castaldi, Estancia Vineyards and Claude Hoover, San Bernabe/Monterra. Steve Pessagno stated that his goals include bringing even greater recognition to the superb wines produced by the membership of MCVGA. We're looking forward to another great year as members of MCVGA, which is a non profit organization, founded in 1974, and now representing over 85 vintners and growers in Monterey County. Escafeld Vineyards
Upcoming Events in Monterey County
Summertime means plenty of activities and events in and around Monterey County. Don't miss the Winemakers' Celebration (August 12), held annually at Monterey's Custom House Plaza, and take your pick from the other coming events listed below: 7th Annual Peddler's Faire & Street Rod Car ShowSaturday and Sunday, June 3&4 San Juan Bautista 831-623-2454 Red Bull U.S. Grand PrixFriday-Sunday, July 21-23 Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca, Monterey 831-327-SECA SBCWGA Golf ClassicFriday July 14 Ridgemark Golf Club, Hollister 831-637-8151 Californain Rodeo SalinasThurs-Sun, July 20-23 Salinas Sports Complex 800-771-8807 Monterey County Vintners & Growers Golf TournamentThursday July 13 Black Horse/Bayonet Golf Course 831-375-9400 Gilroy Garlic FestivalFri-Sun, July 28-30 Christmas Hill Park 408-277-6290 San Jose Grand PrixFri-Sun, July 28-30 Streets of San Jose 408-277-6290 Steinbeck Festival, 26th AnnualThurs-Sun, August 3-6 National Steinbeck Center, Salinas 831-775-4721 Monterey County Vintners & Growers Association Winemakers' Celebration, 14th AnnualSaturday August 12 Custom House Plaza, Monterey 831-375-9400 The Quail-A Motorsports GatheringFriday August 18 Quail Lodge, Carmel Valley 1-877-734-4628 Monterey Historic Auto Races, 33rd AnnualFri-Sun, Aug 18-20 Mazda Raceway, Laguna Seca, 1-800-SECA Monterey Pebble Beach Concours d'elegance, 56th AnnualSunday August 20 Pebble Beach 831-622-1700 While you're in the area, why not stop in at Star Market in Salinas and pick up a few bottles from their comprehensive list of local wines. Escafeld Vineyards
Performancing
Here's a quick test of the "Performancing" blog tool - it is a blog editor extension for the Firefox browser. Installation was smooth enough, although it was a little tricky to actually find the tool once installed. It did not appear on the toolbar (I couldn't see it there at least), but sure enough there was a menu option on the mouse right button context menu. The editor seems to work OK - let's see how the post looks on the site ... Performancing can be found in the extensions menu inside of Firefox.
Technorati ...
We're trying out the Technorati.com blog tagging and indexing system - check out our profile: Technorati Profile.
Are you on the map?
We always enjoy adding new and unique features to our website. Our latest offering is a worldwide map, powered by Frappr, where friends of Escafeld can add their location, picture, URL or message. Click the link below to add yourself to the map; we'd love to see you there! 
Escafeld Wines on eBay!
Have you ever purchased wine on eBay? It's a great way to taste wonderful new labels quite inexpensively. Many wines on eBay are sold well under retail price, and even with the shipping figured in, there are plenty of bargains to be had, as this section of eBay is still something of an undiscovered secret. With this idea in mind, Escafeld signed up with eBay a little while ago to participate in their wine sales program. As a participant in this new category, we had to be pre-approved by eBay prior to listing wine. Since then we've been listing a limited quantity of Escafeld wines, much to the delight of frugal wine buyers across the nation. If you haven't tried our award winning wines yet, this is a great opportunity to taste them inexpensively--we know you'll love them! We are also carrying a full price eBay inventory for those of you who prefer to purchase online using Paypal, a service not yet available at our website. So take a look at our current listings and have fun at the wine store! *All standard shipping and regulatory rules apply.
LA County Fair Wines of the World Competition
 The results of the LA County Fair Wines of the World Competition were announced today. This is one of the oldest and largest wine competitions in the world, so we're thrilled to have won a bronze medal for our 2002 Merlot! Again, we had only one wine available to enter, as our Zin, which won Gold at the Lone Star International, sold out--but our next release is coming very soon. Elsbeth Escafeld Vineyards
Wine Treasures
 Monterey County truly is a treasure chest of vineyards and wineries, and, with over 40,000 acres planted to winegrapes, is also one of the largest and most diverse wine regions in California, boasting some of the most gifted winemakers in the world. Adam LaZarre of, Hahn Estates/Smith & Hook, is an excellent case in point. Hahn Estates regularly takes top honors in the world's most prestigious wine competitions--just this weekend winning best of competition at the LA County Fair Wines of the World Competition with Cycles Gladiator, Syrah, 2004; and best Meritage with Hahn Estates, Santa Lucia Highlands, 2004. Monterey County is currently home to eight AVA's (American Viticultural Areas): Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, Hames Valley, Carmel Valley, San Bernabe and Chalone, with a ninth pending--you guessed it, our very own San Antonio Valley! Monterey County has long been famous for its cooler climate varietals, and is now gaining recognition for regions such as the San Antonio Valley, where a much warmer climate allows growers to produce outstanding Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. There are a number of excellent, practically undiscovered, award winning wines grown in the San Antonio Valley--a veritable treasure trove of discovery for the wine adventurer, and definitely a region to keep your eye on. More information about the San Antonio Valley can be found at www.escafeld.com and www.montereywines.org.
Trellising, Snakes and Wine Labels
The new trellising we've installed in the Twin Vines vineyard is a dream, and the vines are coming along very nicely. We'll continue to keep pictures coming, but, as Steve is away at the moment, and he's the resident photographer, we'll have to wait until next week to post another vineyard photo update. The critters seem to like the new vineyard system too; I had another near miss with a rattlesnake last night.  They're quick movers, so it can be a little hair-raising. We've seen plenty of other snakes around the ranch: king snakes, racers and gopher snakes, and they don't bother me one bit, but rattlers are a danger to Star The Dog, who was bitten on her hind leg last year. She hasn't learned her lesson though; if she sees a snake, she still can't resist going over for a good look. My friend sent me a link to a company that manufactures snake repellent, if it works, it might be worth a try--thanks Anne!  The kids have a few days off school for the Salinas Valley Fair, so I'm taking some time out today to play. The Fair hosts the annual Monterey Wine Competition, which we haven't entered yet, but I'm hoping to enter our 2003 Merlot and 2003 Zin next year. Our new labels have arrived and Georgie is busy designing wine labels of her own. She's asked me to pick a favorite. I need some help, so here are the four choices and we're welcoming votes. Elsbeth Escafeld Vineyards
San Antonio Valley Wildflowers
 Spring in the San Antonio Valley is stunningly beautiful. The vines are putting on growth and the trees are bustling with hawks, finches, red winged blackbirds, eagles, bluebirds, raven and quail. The other critters are making their presence known too: frogs, toads (two now live happily in the garage), snakes, bobcats, wild pigs, deer and coyotes can all be seen in abundance.  The wildflowers are also in full bloom. Here are a few pictures taken in and around Escafeld at the north end of the valley. If you're planning a visit to see the wildflowers, be sure to include a trip to the Hacienda and Mission San Antonio de Padua. The drive along Jolon Road is gorgeous in Spring. The road is lined with lupines and poppies, and the fields are painted with color. Elk and deer are often seen grazing, and keep an eye out for baby pigs!  Star the dog patrols among the starthistle, while the kids have fun on a nature walk.  For more information about Escafeld Vineyards and the San Antonio Valley, visit www.escafeld.com
Central Coast Wine Competition
The Central Coast Wine Competition results have been announced and we're thrilled to report that our 2002 Merlot won Bronze. We didn't have the opportunity to enter our Zinfandel, as it has been sold out for some time, but perhaps next year! This year's competition offered ten classes: Blended Red Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pink Wines, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, White Rhone Varieties and Zinfandel. A complete list of the results can be found at www.midstatefair.com We'll be sending out our newsletter very soon; it's packed with updates, discounts and events, so if you're not already an Escafeld Newsletter subscriber, click here to sign up. Cheers, Elsbeth Escafeld Vineyards
Las Estrellas Del Valle Women's 16th Annual Trail Ride
 May 5th was the kickoff of the Las Estrellas Del Valle Women's 16th Annual Trail Ride, a very special event that benefits the Salinas Valley Memorial Fund. This is the first year that the event has hosted a wine tasting; and an intimate group of four wineries were there to pour their best: Chateau Julien, Marin's Vineyard, Hahn/Smith & Hook and Escafeld. Thanks go to Brenda Wolgamott of Marin's Vineyard, who organized the tasting and did a fantastic job. Held at the Herbert Ranch, the weekend-long event includes meals, open bar, a commemorative gift, riding on guided trails, massage tents, calcutta, team penning, barrel racing, timed events, live and silent auctions and hiking and Jeep riding. I had a great time and met some amazing women. If I ever get around to learning how to ride a horse, I may even sign up to ride next year! All funds raised go to the Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. To learn more, and to donate to this great cause, click here. Happy trails, Elsbeth Wetherill Escafeld Vineyards
Build Your Castles in the Air...
A little while ago, I had the privilege of working with gifted author and speaker, Chuck Hansen, on the production of his new book " Build Your Castles in the Air: Thoreau's Inspiring Advice for Success in Business (and Life) in the 21st Century". You may be wondering how Henry David Thoreau's writing might apply to our hectic modern world, but one glance at Chuck's book and you'll be introduced to a timeless common sense wisdom, presented, thanks to Chuck's inimitable style, in a very accessible and easy to understand manner. The book is a collection of 120 quotes from Thoreau's masterpiece, Walden, to which Chuck has added an engaging commentary comprised of reflections from his own remarkable personal experiences--in the political arena, in the business world, and during a nine month voyage across the Atlantic Ocean--and quotes from some of history's greatest philosophical figures. The whole is a user-friendly means to achieve clarity, purpose and meaningful success in the workplace (and everywhere else). Nigel Morris, co-founder of Capital One has written the foreword, and the book has received endorsements for a number of industry, political and educational leaders. Intrigued? Pick up a copy of Build Your Castles in the Air at Amazon.com and soak in Thoreau's excellent wisdom. Elsbeth Wetherill Escafeld Vineyards
New labels, new releases ... soon!!
We're getting ready to release our Escafeld 2003 Monterey County Merlot, and our Escafeld 2003 Monterey County Zinfandel - good news for Zin lovers as we've been sold out of our 2002 Zinfandel for some time now.
Check back here for release dates coming soon (or sign up for our newsletter here, where you can also read previous editions). In the meantime, here are the 2003 labels:
 
Steve Wetherill
Escafeld Vineyards
Jolon CA
Small Green One
According to some sources, Petit Verdot (note correct spelling, despite spellings to the contrary on this very site) literally means "small green one" in the original French. Petit Verdot is one of the 5 official red "Bordeaux" varietals, and is usually only present in very small proportions in red Bordeaux wines (which can contain a blend of any of the 5 varietals - the others are Cab Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Malbec). The reason for this may be connected to the name given to this grape, which is variously described as tannic, musky, spicy, and acidic. In fact, in Bordeaux, the Petit Verdot grapes are the latest to ripen, and often do not ripen at all - it is said that they only ripen twice in 10 years. If this is the case, then indeed for 8 years out of every 10 the Petit Verdot grapes would indeed be "small green ones" - due to the lack of ripeness the grapes would probably be green and acidic, and perhaps small. Ripeness is not going to be a problem in California - we tasted some delicious 100% Petit Verdot wine made from a neighbor's Vineyard just a couple of miles along the dirt road from here. Around 5% of our Twin Vines block is planted to Petit Verdot. This varietal seems to push shoots sooner than Cab Sauvignon, so it will be interesting to compare and contrast its ripening characteristics compared to Cab S. Steve WetherillEscafeld VineyardsJolon, CA
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