First Pop of Popcorn

       Birth, childhood, adulthood, death – the annual circle of life commences as winter’s water, nutrients, and life-force surge from the earth through the trunk to the dead-ends of cordon arms, against the dead-ends of cul-de-sac buds, and probe for an escape; and like a volcano with rising lava, pressure builds, soft lava pressing, pushing, and after pruning, there are no long canes, no branches for that flow to go and buds start to swell, imitating a pussy willow’s furry catkins, the rising dome of a sleep-walking volcano – Marine helicopters from Camp Pendleton circle above reconnoitering the growing dome – will Mount St. Helens explode again? – until the inevitable happens: one pops – the first pop of popcorn – pop, pop-pop – second and third rounds of popping as corn warms over the fire – and soon there is machine-gun popping, chainsaw weed-whacker-sputtering-engine of popping – pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop.

       Welcome to budbreak in the vineyard. The first shoot emerges – a lonely shoot – a pioneer – sparking a celebration among the vintners at the first sign of spring. (Beware the grasshoppers – they’re celebrating too.) The first shoots of spring– the first pops of popcorn– will give way to summer when small shoots grow into a forest.

       A new spring. A new year. A new vintage. Opening day. April Fools! This could become the best wine ever. All contained within a tiny bud of a dormant vine.

Business Pruning

On the either side of the hill, as Joe the Wino cut canes, he thought of pruning his company. Too much dead wood. Weed out the lower-performing 10% to make the company more vigorous. Off with their heads! If only cutting staff was as easy as vines – thank goodness I’ve got HR for that. Snip. Cut. Prune. Bend. Shape the vine. Strengthen the organization. Joe was a builder of businesses, a job creator. But the goddamned President has been a job killer bad for the country. Thank goodness his time is up next year.

Of Oranges and Tangelos

"Each morning, Bluey walks with me up the hill where I pick an orange and peel it, his mouth salivating. He takes a slice from my hand. He loves oranges. He eats everything I hand him. Paul says you’re not supposed to have citrus trees in a vineyard, because sharpshooters roost there in winter and kill the vines. When I saw him walking up the hill with a chainsaw I shouted, “What are you doing?”  He was going to cut down our orange trees! I told him to leave the orange trees alone. They’re here for a reason. They’re tangelos, actually – a hybrid of grapefruit and tangerine – and the fruit is delicious. In winter, young tangelos taste tart, sour as lemons. But the fruit that hangs until summer is very sweet. I’ll squeeze fresh juice for breakfast and after a day in the vineyard, I’ll squeeze one into a glass then pour in a shot of our home-made tequila – it’s grape moonshine – and walk to the gazebo with Bluey and watch the sun set. The juice is so sweet, there’s no need to add triple sec and it’s a perfect home-grown Blueyrita."

- Excerpt from "Soliloquy of the Queen" from the forthcoming novel About That Wine I Gave You

Strange Fruit

“... he speedily cut down an entire row with loppers, without pausing to pull down canes dangling from the wires, left blowing in the wind, swinging like chimes, sounding dull thuds when colliding. He looked down the row, reflecting on Billie Holiday’s melancholy:

California vines bear strange fruit
Sap on the wood and sap at the root
Gophers swinging in the ocean breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the vineyard trees.”

Our Wines as of December 2018

Dear Friends,

Here's a list of our wines available as of the Winter Solstice, 2018, with tasting notes by yours truly, the wine maker.  The list is organized by varietal, and with each varietal the year. My palette doesn't appreciate higher acid wines, preferring fruit forward wines with lower acidity. You, however, may favor higher acid and or earthy wines - and there are several of those to choose from. Underlined wines suit the winemaker's personal tastes (note, your taste may be different!)  A general note about pricing - the wines are generally priced at $25 per bottle with the purchase of a case or more. Prices are subject to change, as quality improves and supply dwindles.  Exceptions are made for our "rare" wines - those that we love of which there are just a few bottles left.  All wines are made with "Estate" grapes unless noted, usually in lots of one barrel (about 23 cases) unless noted.  The 2017 wines all came out good.  If you wish to discuss the wines in further detail, please email us at bluemerlewinery@gmail.com  I'd love to chat with you about the wines. Cheers!

Aglianico 2009 (Guadeloupe Valley) - $25 very earthy, minerality. It has aged very well. If you like earthy wines, this is for you.

Aglianico 2011 - A 1/4 blend of 2009 Guadeloupe Aglianico, 1/4 estate 2010 Aglianico, 1/2 2011 Aglianico - this is a very interesting, complex wine, combining some earthiness with fruit. When Lum Eisenman tasted it a few years ago, he kept coming back for more, because he liked it, and was trying to figure it out. $25

Aglianico 2013 (Estate) - Bold dark fruit and high acidity. If you like high acid wines with rich meals, this is for you. It should age well, with a low pH.

Blush - 2018 - Made from Tempranillo. No added sulfites. Fermented to dryness. Crisp acidity - very characteristic of a French rose, blush wine. Only 6 cases produced.

Grenache 2010 blend (Grenache 50%, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah) - this wine came out well and has aged well. Shows signs of an "aged" mature wine. For sale only locally, in case its corked (so we can provide spare bottles).

Grenache 2011 blend (Grenache 60%, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah) - one of our best wines ever. Just a few bottles left. $49 each limit one per customer while supplies last.

Grenache 2012 blend (Grenache 60%, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah) - very high acid and very dry mouth feel. Very old style French.

Grenache 2013 blend - high acid and dry - a bit more fruit than the 2012.

Grenache 2014 blend - combines strong, bold fruit with crisp acidity aged 18 months in a new oak barrel. I would recommend this one of the Grenache blends (but only if you like high acidity).

Grenache 2016 blend - good balance of fruit and acidity, it drinks like a European, old world wine if you like that style.

Grenache 2017 blend (25% Grenache, 35% Petit Sirah, 40% Tempranillo) - this wine was bottled in November, 2018 and it's very promising - good fruit (cherries, currants)  moderate acidity. New oak barrel. Very promising indeed! (Be sure to check out the 2017 Tempranillo, and also the 2017 Petit Sirah - those are all good.)

Montepulciano 2009 (Guadeloupe) - Cherry flavors, minerality -It has aged well. Some people love this wine.

Nebbiolo 2006 (Guadeloupe) $99 per bottle limit one per customer if we can find one.

Petit Verdot - 2007  $99 (just a few bottles left). Grapes from Bonsall, CA. Fragrance in a bottle.

Petit Verdot 80% - Nebbiolo 20% blend 2007 $49 if we can find any bottles. Very good. PV from Bonsall, CA.  Nebbiolo from Guadeloupe.

Petit Verdot 2008 (Bonsall, CA) - $99 (Magnum Size Bottle - Local Only). There are a few 750 ml bottles available. $49. Limit 1 per customer. More fragrance, with structure, in a bottle.

Petit Verdot 2008 "Merleatage" Blend (Petit Verdot over 50%, Malbec, Petit Sirah) this was one of our best wines. New french oak barrel.  Just a few bottles left. $99 per bottle.  Petit Verdot and Malbec from Bonsall.

Petit Verdot 2009 (Paso Robles Grapes) - this is a "lighter" Petit Verdot - it is a characteristically aged wine.

Petit Verdot 2009 Merleatage Blend was made by combining a barrel of Petit Verdot (Bonsall), a barrel of Cab Franc (Paso Robles), a barrel of Petit Sirah (Valley Center, San Diego), with 1/4 barrel of Cabernet Sauvignon (Bonsall)  and 1/4 barrel of Estate Tempranillo - this wine has come together as it has aged, sometimes showing hints of tobacco. I tasted this recently after having a $400 Chateau Lafite, and the local wine reminded me of the $400 wine. This wine is for someone who likes aged, old world wines.

Petite Sirah 2013 - New oak barrel, aged almost 2 years in the barrel. One of our best Petite Sirahs ever. This is a very good wine, in its prime.

Petite Sirah 2017 - Bottled December 23, 2018.  As promising as the 2013 mentioned above! Really excited about this wine!

Petit Sirah/Tempranillo Blend 2014 - Bold fruit, aged about 20 months in a new oak barrel. Good balance of fruit and acidity.

Pinotage 2010 (Bonsall) - light fruit with minerality ....some people LOVE this wine.

"Port" Style Dessert Late Harvest Fortified Wines - 2010 "Tawney" Nebbiolo grapes with low sugar. 2012 Tawney also with relatively low sugar aged outside pretty much until earlier this year when we bottled some of it.   There's also a rich, more ruby style made from Estate Zinfandel, combining production over several years, still in a barrel, and by special request a bottle may be pulled from it. (This is really, really, really good and sweet and rich - it's going to cost more.)  There's also a 2014 Zinfandel/Aglianico late harvest wine still in its barrel.

Syrah 2010 (San Marcos, San Diego, CA) - this wine has aged well ... the grapes were a little on the higher acid side when they arrived, but it's aged pretty well.

Tempranillo 2010 - a few bottles left ... an example of aged Tempranillo in a neutral barrel (not much oak flavors). Prefer to sell it locally in case it is "corked".

Tempranillo 2017 - good fruit (cherries, currants, berries) , well balanced, fun. Love this wine! New oak barrel. Bottled early to preserve freshness. Made to drink young. Enjoy it! (Compare to the 2017 Grenache, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah blend - also fun and good.)

Tempranillo 2018 Blush - fermented to dryness, crisp acidity, in style of a French blush wine.

Zinfandel 2013 - This is a very good expression of our estate Zin. Rich wine, yet not over the top. Good balanced acids. This wine is at its prime.

Zinfandel, Carignan, Nebbiolo Blend -Called Bluey's Cuvee -  this was a blend of 2010 high acid Zin with low acidity Carignan (from San Diego) spiced with some Nebbiolo - it all blended together pretty well. A fun red wine.

Zinfandel / Tempranillo Blend 2011 - the "Stephanie Stomp" - earthy ... it seems to have come together with age.

Psalm of Bootlegger

The Psalm of Dog

Dog is my shepherd; I shall not want.

            He lies down in shade under the trees; He leads me down rows of vines.

            He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

            Even though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death,

            I fear no evil; for Dog is with me; He comforts me.

            I prepare a feast for him; I brush him, and he anoints my head with licks;

            My cup overflows with wine;

            Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

            And I shall dwell with the Dog forever.


The Psalm of Bootlegger

Dog is my shepherd; I shall not want.

            He lies down in shade under the trees; He leads me down rows of vines.

            He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

            Even though I walk through the shadow of the valley of death,

            I fear no evil; for Dog is with me; He comforts me.

            I prepare a feast for him; I brush him, and he anoints my head with licks;

            My tanks overflow with wine;

            Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

            And I shall dwell in the doghouse forever.

The Spirit of E.B. White Visits the Vineyard

He inspected the bucket of slop expecting to find Templeton floating, preferably belly up. The rat was clever enough to evade the mouse traps set for him on the ledge, his favorite spot for emptying the contents of his colon. The problem was it was also the ledge of the vintner's picture window, which brought panoramic views of the surrounding mountains inside the house, ideally without rat turds sprinkled on the ledge.

Paul knew from experience mice could not resist a water bucket in summer, as he had found a pair the day before baptised with extreme prejudice. Fortunately he found them before his wife who might have been shocked into cardiac arrest had she come across the twin corpses.  It was an aha moment for Paul who devised a plan to catch Templeton, tempting him with water, coffee grounds and kitchen scraps. He set his trap that evening. As the first light of predawn appeared at 5 a.m. Paul woke, pulled on the clothes he wore the day before and stepped outside to peer into the bucket. No swimmer. Disappointed,  he took the bucket to the vineyard to quench the thirst of a vine before emptying the coffee grounds and scraps into the compost pile.

He almost walked through the web, his eyes focused on the ground for a lingering snake, his nose stopped an inch from the sticky string.  A perfect web, glistening with dew drops, he half expected to see the words "Some Dog!" sewn by the spider.....

Happy Birthday E.B. White!

Take My Hand

And the two vines joined hands walking down the aisle of the vineyard together.

Exodus

On the seventh day of creation the Lord God rested and looked upon all he had created and it was good. As the Lord rested he became bored because he was too young to retire and when you retire you die and it was too early for man to declare God is dead. So the Lord thought of creating a new creature in his own image, neither man nor beast, a creature to reflect the radiance of God and to be God’s companion. And God thought about this for a few minutes, which became hours, then thought on it some more.

Now in those days a minute for the Lord in heaven was a century on earth and as the Lord pondered this new creation the grapevines enslaved Adam and Eve and all their descendants and the people groaned under their bondage and cried out for help and their cries rose up to the Kingdom of Heaven. And God heard their groaning and took pity and remembered the good times he had had with the man and the woman before all that monkey business with the apple and the serpent and the Vine. The Lord pitied the man as he spent all his time in the vineyard and none with his wife. Man needed companionship, so the Lord took the bone from the leg of lamb the priests had sacrificed at the alter because the aroma of grilled lamb was most pleasing to the Lord.  So he took the bone of the lamb and molded it into a new creature and breathed upon it saying “I give you the Holy Spirit.” And the Lord breathed life into the creature which had four legs, fur and a damp nose and said, “Since you are made by God and contain the spirit of God, you are the mirror image of God and I shall call you Dog. Go forth and be a faithful companion to man.” And God released the dog into the field where shepherds kept watch over their flocks by night. The dog rounded up the sheep and brought them to the man and the man was amazed and when the man went to sleep that night the dog lay next to him and warmed him and guarded both the man and the sheep from wolves.  And the man and the dog formed a bond that would never be broken and man’s companionship with Dog liberated man from his enslavement to the Vine.  And to his wife.

Copyright (C) 2015, All Rights Reserved.  Craig Justice from the forthcoming novel  "About That Wine I Gave You"

There Will Always Be Paris

In my lifetime in 1980 there was an explosion on Rue Copernic not far from the Place Victor Hugo which features a vigorous fountain of pulsating water a short walk from our apartment. The synagogue had been bombed and Parisians knew that an attack on some of us is an attack on all of us and there was outrage and stepped up vigilance. Two years later there was an attack in Le Marais - the heart and guts of the old city - at Chez Jo Goldenberg's restaurant where I used to go whenever I had a cold to get a penicillin dose of matzah ball soup. It was a horrific, bloody assault - the terrorists tossed in a grenade then entered with automatic rifles and shot at survivors. The site was chosen because it was associated with a certain tribe from the Middle East - but an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us and once again there was much outrage and vigilance. In the fullness of time those troubling times passed and things settled down.

Today we say je suis Parisian and I'm really not French, but anyone who has been to Paris feels the soul and enchantment of the city and the city is in us and we all dream of going back. At least most of the people I have met in my life.

Neither am I a New Yorker so I can't say what it feels like to be a New Yorker but more than a dozen years after the attack on our great national city I can't drive by on the New Jersey Turnpike or cross the George Washington Bridge or step foot in Manhattan without thinking about  the missing towers and what happened on September 11th and the last desperate act of hopelessness for the jumpers and the people buried alive then crushed by the falling towers. In the same way I can't walk by the fountain at Victor Hugo without thinking about the bomb at the synagogue nor walk through Le Marais without thinking about the spot I sat where a grenade went off. There is only a plaque there now and a retail store but I remember and so do the people.

I was in New York a couple of weeks ago and it was a perfect day and life doesn't get better than that and I was thinking how good it would be for us to meet again in Paris and the education technology exposition I was dreaming to attend is next week.

New York is resilient and so is Paris. In my youth, there were terror attacks. And to think that just 15 years before my birth Paris was occupied by a terrorist, warring state run by Nazis. She survived and good times returned. This too shall pass. And as sure as the sun will rise there will occasionally be stormy days.

France is the oldest ally of the United States and we'd still be part of Great Britain's commonwealth  if it weren't for the French and the aid they provided to General Washington at Yorktown, Virginia. Like all old couples there have been our share of lover's quarrels and conjugal spats. I see President Chirac's warnings to President Bush 43 about the dangers of invading Iraq as one of those disagreements between friends. The French - who had had colonies in the Arab world - knew what a hornets' nest the place could be for armies from the West and urged caution before invading. We could agree to disagree - but we will not be divided from our notres chers amis francais.

We will always remember.  And there will always be Paris.