Sharing homemade touches has always been one of my favorite parts of the Holiday Season, especially when our whole family is gathered together. This year, I’m delighted to share a simple DIY project we love: watercolor gift tags that add a personal touch to any present or bottle of wine. I hope this little tradition of ours brings a bit of cheer and creativity to your own Holiday preparations.
Sarah Hafner shares the inspiration behind her two new watercolors - a kestrel and quail. Originally painted for her granddaughter Marie's room, we shared those two illustrations on notepads that we included in the Fall Release of our Annual Tasting Program patrons. Watercolors can be challenging because you can’t hide your mistakes, so Sarah shares more about the difficulties with the two birds.
For us, the hardest part of producing Rosé is the color. It seems like every year the color is slightly different than the last. That is because the color comes from the skins. When we began making Rosé in 2011, it was made following the French technique called "saignée". The color of the saignée juice is typically dark pink because the grapes are being picked for red wine…the grapes are riper, the skins are thinner, and they release color more readily. As production grew, we incorporated another technique "direct to press". Blending the saignée and direct to press wines allowed us to produce a crisper, brighter flavored Rosé similar to Provencal Rosés that was also lighter in color.
Curious about wine storage, aging, or serving tips? Sarah Hafner answers the top 5 wine questions she hears on our vineyard tours at Hafner Vineyard in Alexander Valley. From how long wine lasts once opened to the ideal temperature to serve it, this guide offers practical advice straight from our family-run winery. Whether you're a wine enthusiast or just starting to learn about wine, we hope you'll find useful tips to enhance your wine experience.
One question I always seem to get when giving a tour is: how do you store an open bottle of wine? For Parke and me, the answer is quite simple. We put the cork back in the bottle and leave it on the counter to save it for the next dinner. Typically, an open bottle of wine will last a couple days on the counter, even longer in the fridge for white wines and Rosé.
