Deerfield Ranch Winery

December 13, 2007

You can read about this year's harvest in the Deerfield Chronicles.(click) In this space I want to introduce Abigail Ettinger, our newest member of the Deerfield family. She's a good writer. There's one of her stories in the Chronicles. (Aby's Chronicle's story). She's written another one here.

We first met Aby when she was 17 and came to Deerfield to spend a bonding weekend with her mother.

Robert in Vineyard

In those days we were a Bed and Breakfast Inn more than a winery. This was about 10 or 12 years ago. We were making about 500 cases of wine and selling it all to our B&B guests. Aby says that Deerfield imprinted on her, as it has on many people. It has a special energy that I've always felt came from the 400 year old California Valley Oak that dominates the back yard and underwhich PJ and I and many others over the years have gotten married.

Aby brought her husband, Peter, to Deerfield in September for a romantic weekend. Peter is a Hollywood movie director, producer and editor and just finished a five year movie project of his own. Well, Peter went home but Aby didn't. She joined the harvest crew, quit her job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena and now works for us full time,with weekends at home with Peter. She has passion for winemaking and this business. That is what it takes and I'm glad she's aboard.

Happy Holidays,

Aby, Peter and PJ the night Aby decided to join Deerfield

A couple of months ago I wrote about a lilac moon hanging heavy in the harvest sky. They called it a 'Harvest Moon" and that name has proved its truth. Already winemakers throughout the Valley have called the Crush of 2007 one of the best in 20 years. I don't know this crush from another, but it sure felt special. Different. If anything, embarking on a new season of winemaking holds a feeling of adventure and possibility.

We've been winding down the very end of harvest here at Deerfield. We've pressed out the very last grapes only 2 weeks ago thanks to a very odd winemaking method by one stubborn (and fun) custom crush client. We bottled 3 days straight this past week. Where a few months ago, I dreamt of grapes passing by, this weekend I dreamt of corked bottles flying past.

As you can probably surmise, my job (and a few other dedicated Deerfield employees -- and yes, we missed our old crush friends who've departed for the season) was to put the bottles in the case as fast as humanly possible. You do this in increments of six. Meaning, I grabbed a box and filled it with six. Obviously being artsy, it was only a matter of time before my 'six' bottles became patterns -- some more off-color than others. I mean come on! A girl's got to have some fun on a bottling line! ;-D Then I passed it to the guy next to me (in my case Ben) and he put six more in before taping the box shut and sliding it down the ramp to the boys below who then named it with a slick, pre-printed sticker and stacked them high on a pallette before wrapping them tight for ever more years of aging before sale and consumption. One thing Deerfield is known for is not selling wine before its ready! Hence my 2002 Chardonnay tonight whereas most other wineries are pouring readily fermented swill from a mere 1-2 years ago. But I digress from the importance of artisan winemaking...The bottling work was fast and repetitive. And I have the oddest pattern of mellowing blisters on both hands...

Bottling was a very cool experience -- especially since our crush pad overlooks the whole Valley of the Moon! This huge, million dollar truck pulls up and we begin hooking up all sorts of clean, sterilized hoses from the tank holding the wine to the truck. Matt and Mike rapidly brought out the bottles from storage in the caves. For you locals, I don't need to tell you how friggin' cold its been at dawn in recent weeks but we clocked 24 to 28 degrees on average those three bottling mornings. Brr!! Hot coffee did wonders for us all! Plus, we got to keep 2 bottles of whatever we bottled. So I am now the proud owner of 2 bottles of 2004 Merlot Cuvee, 2004 Red Rex, and a few shiners. Add that onto the two 2000 Sonoma Cab I bought two weeks ago (last ones from Robert's collection!) and I'm up to a cool collection. Seriously, if I ever open one of the Sonoma Cab's with any of you, you know its a special night! Its like....one of the most lovely, slow french kisses you've ever had. Totally passionate without being overpowering. No rough edges, all heart.

Bottling is over for the rest of the year. We're rapidly processing orders and preparing marketing for next year. We've got big plans and big ideas for 2008 already!

The weather is cooling and nights are cold and as of late, windy. Most of you who know me well, know I listen to the wind and you all might think I'm crazy (what else is new!) but this wind holds a few messages and probably some hugs too, hints of something right around the corner. Maybe Casey is sending a hug from the far off sands of Iraq or maybe its my impending trip to India and Thailand with Suparna next month or maybe its something less tangible, but things are afoot on the nights' breezes. Whatever it is, I like it.

Tonight, I raise a glass of the 2002 Deerfield Chardonnay to all of you and wish you a very special holiday season and happy new year!!

Contact Robert


December 13, 2007 You can read about this year's harvest in the Deerfield Chronicles.(click) In this space I want to introduce Abigail Ettinger, our newest member of the Deerfield family. She's a good writer. There's one of her stories in the Chronicles. (Aby's Chronicle's story). She's written another one here. We first met Aby when she was 17 and came to Deerfield to spend a bonding weekend with her mother.
In those days we were a Bed and Breakfast Inn more than a winery. This was about 10 or 12 years ago. We were making about 500 cases of wine and selling it all to our B&B guests. Aby says that Deerfield imprinted on her, as it has on many people. It has a special energy that I've always felt came from the 400 year old California Valley Oak that dominates the back yard and underwhich PJ and I and many others over the years have gotten married. Aby brought her husband, Peter, to Deerfield in September for a romantic weekend. Peter is a Hollywood movie director, producer and editor and just finished a five year movie project of his own. Well, Peter went home but Aby didn't. She joined the harvest crew, quit her job at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories in Pasadena and now works for us full time,with weekends at home with Peter. She has passion for winemaking and this business. That is what it takes and I'm glad she's aboard. Happy Holidays,
Aby, Peter and PJ the night Aby decided to join Deerfield	A couple of months ago I wrote about a lilac moon hanging heavy in the harvest sky. They called it a 'Harvest Moon" and that name has proved its truth. Already winemakers throughout the Valley have called the Crush of 2007 one of the best in 20 years. I don't know this crush from another, but it sure felt special. Different. If anything, embarking on a new season of winemaking holds a feeling of adventure and possibility. We've been winding down the very end of harvest here at Deerfield. We've pressed out the very last grapes only 2 weeks ago thanks to a very odd winemaking method by one stubborn (and fun) custom crush client. We bottled 3 days straight this past week. Where a few months ago, I dreamt of grapes passing by, this weekend I dreamt of corked bottles flying past.
As you can probably surmise, my job (and a few other dedicated Deerfield employees -- and yes, we missed our old crush friends who've departed for the season) was to put the bottles in the case as fast as humanly possible. You do this in increments of six. Meaning, I grabbed a box and filled it with six. Obviously being artsy, it was only a matter of time before my 'six' bottles became patterns -- some more off-color than others. I mean come on! A girl's got to have some fun on a bottling line! ;-D Then I passed it to the guy next to me (in my case Ben) and he put six more in before taping the box shut and sliding it down the ramp to the boys below who then named it with a slick, pre-printed sticker and stacked them high on a pallette before wrapping them tight for ever more years of aging before sale and consumption. One thing Deerfield is known for is not selling wine before its ready! Hence my 2002 Chardonnay tonight whereas most other wineries are pouring readily fermented swill from a mere 1-2 years ago. But I digress from the importance of artisan winemaking...The bottling work was fast and repetitive. And I have the oddest pattern of mellowing blisters on both hands... Bottling was a very cool experience -- especially since our crush pad overlooks the whole Valley of the Moon! This huge, million dollar truck pulls up and we begin hooking up all sorts of clean, sterilized hoses from the tank holding the wine to the truck. Matt and Mike rapidly brought out the bottles from storage in the caves. For you locals, I don't need to tell you how friggin' cold its been at dawn in recent weeks but we clocked 24 to 28 degrees on average those three bottling mornings. Brr!! Hot coffee did wonders for us all! Plus, we got to keep 2 bottles of whatever we bottled. So I am now the proud owner of 2 bottles of 2004 Merlot Cuvee, 2004 Red Rex, and a few shiners. Add that onto the two 2000 Sonoma Cab I bought two weeks ago (last ones from Robert's collection!) and I'm up to a cool collection. Seriously, if I ever open one of the Sonoma Cab's with any of you, you know its a special night! Its like....one of the most lovely, slow french kisses you've ever had. Totally passionate without being overpowering. No rough edges, all heart. Bottling is over for the rest of the year. We're rapidly processing orders and preparing marketing for next year. We've got big plans and big ideas for 2008 already! The weather is cooling and nights are cold and as of late, windy. Most of you who know me well, know I listen to the wind and you all might think I'm crazy (what else is new!) but this wind holds a few messages and probably some hugs too, hints of something right around the corner. Maybe Casey is sending a hug from the far off sands of Iraq or maybe its my impending trip to India and Thailand with Suparna next month or maybe its something less tangible, but things are afoot on the nights' breezes. Whatever it is, I like it. Tonight, I raise a glass of the 2002 Deerfield Chardonnay to all of you and wish you a very special holiday season and happy new year!!

Contact Robert