Archives
Humble Beginnings: Paraiso Vineyards
These days, sustainability is a hot-hot-hot buzz word in winegrowing, and the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA is a exceptionally coveted real estate tagline for a wine label. But it wasn’t always thus, especially back in 1973 when Rich and Claudia Smith began planting what would become their 400-acre Paraiso Vineyards. [Read more...]
Carmel Road Winery Celebrates Their SIP
We spend a lot of time on educating on sustainable farming practices but once in a while we just like to have fun. That is how the Earth Day Food & Wine Festival got started. It is a great event celebrating the very best of the Central Coast. Over 200 growers, vintners, and chefs come together to serve out-of-this-world pairings and our guests get a chance to talk with the farmers who grew that tasty morsel. Come on down April 20, 2013 and chat with the people that make Carmel Road. Read more on the... [Read more...]
Earth Day Food and Wine Festival: The Players
[caption id="attachment_4363" align="alignleft" width="300"] EDFW2013[/caption] Earth Day Food and Wine Festival you ask? Yes, it’s coming up on April 20th and will be at Pomar Junction Vineyard and Winery. Call me biased, but it is one of my most favorite events because of what it stands for. The focus is sustainability and the participants in the event all stand for and believe in this; everything from low to no waste, local products, sustainability in farming, and so much more. I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to all those that come and... [Read more...]
SIP Certified: De Tierra Vineyards
[caption id="attachment_4332" align="alignleft" width="300"] DeTierra[/caption] On my recent trip to the Monterey area, I had the opportunity to stop in and chat with the folks from De Tierra Vineyards. They set up an awesome food and wine pairing for my wife and I while we chatted about De Tierra Vineyards and SIP Certification and sustainability. Below you will find a few questions I asked of Anna Russell, who is in charge of Sales and Marketing for this family business. Her father, Tom Russell, is the owner of the operation. Matt: Anna, is farming in your... [Read more...]
Steve McIntyre: SIP Farmer and 2012 Grower of the Year
[caption id="attachment_4308" align="alignleft" width="201"] Steve McIntyre[/caption] After brainstorming with Kris Beal, Executive Director of the Central Coast Vineyard Team and the SIP Certification program, we agreed that it would be good for me to get out into the vineyards with some of the SIP farmers. The goal is to start a raw conversation about SIP and the importance of this program. My plan is to meet with these people throughout the year to cover current topics, current activities in the vineyards, and the stories that make up the SIP program. We hope to bring these... [Read more...]
Owl-boxs for CCVT Members
[caption id="attachment_4291" align="alignright" width="300"] Owl Box Production[/caption] A $10,000 charitable grant from Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is helping grape growers in the Central Coast maintain sustainable pest control and also keep birds safe around power lines. The charitable grant funded the construction and purchase of “owl nest boxes” to be distributed to Central Coast Vineyard Team (CCVT) Members. These boxes, installed in vineyards, can help attract barn owls, the natural predator for pesky rodents. The nest boxes - built on the Central Coast with a portion of funds to benefit a local high... [Read more...]
Cashew and Pumpkin Curry with Riverbench Rose of Pinot Noir
I love sharing recipes from Riverbench and this recipe feels like a touch of summer paired with a glass of rose. Cashew and Pumpkin Curry with Rose of Pinot Noir • 3 lbs. pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks • 1 tbsp. grapeseed oil • 1 onion, sliced • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 green chile, minced • 2 cinnamon sticks • 20 curry leaves, dried • 1 tsp. turmeric • ½ tsp. cumin seeds • ½ tsp. salt • 1 14.5 ounce can coconut milk • 1 cup cashews • 1 cup green bell peppers, sliced • 1 tbsp. lemon juice In... [Read more...]
Twitter #Winechat on Wednesday
[caption id="attachment_4265" align="alignleft" width="224"] #winechat[/caption] This Wednesday, February 6, SIP (Sustainability in Practice) will be the topic on Twitter’s #winechat from 6 – 7pm PST. If you’ve never partaken in a Twitter chat it’s quite simple, all you have to do is follow the #winechat hashtag and jump into the conversation. It wouldn’t hurt to have a bottle of SIP Certified wine with you as the conversation is happening although that is not a requirement. These chats are a great way to meet new people, learn about a new topic, and the coolest thing is... [Read more...]
Tractors, Tailgates, and Tri Tip – Oh My!
Even though the vines are dormant and vineyard work is relatively slow (aside from that little task known as pruning), this marks a busy time for us in the Vineyard Team office as we prepare for our core outreach and education activities. Yes, it's time for tractors, tailgates, and tritips. Sure, our Sustinable Ag Expo, Earth Day Food and Wine Festival, and SIP Certification program receive a lot of attention. But underneath all of that, is our core outreach and education programs that connect growers, technical advisors, and researchers to share information on bugs, irrigation,... [Read more...]
EcoFarm Conference and Unified Symposium
[caption id="attachment_4213" align="alignright" width="221"] Eco Farm Conference[/caption] These are two great events that are literally right around the corner. So we wanted to remind you of both. The EcoFarm Conference: their “Mission Statement” – “The Ecological Association, nurtures healthy, just food systems and communities by bringing people together for education, alliance building, and celebration.” This event takes place at the Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, CA. from January 23 -26 2013. Be sure to check out the link and see what this great event is all about. Unified Wine & Grape Symposium: Built with... [Read more...]