This was not your typical winery event. In fact, it didn’t really seem like an “event” at all – more like a buncha really nice folks simply hanging out together, sipping amazing wine, wandering around on a beautiful day looking at birds and learning about steelhead trout and salmon and the creeks in which they spawn.

In short, our first annual Fish Day was a great way to kick off the 2010 Michel-Schlumberger Worms to Wine Nature Series. We were blessed with great weather, plenty of HUGE steelhead trout, and two outstanding human beings as tour guides — Ranger Michael Carroll and Elliott Doss of California Fish and Game.

For those who missed it, here’s what went down…

Ranger Michael greets guests at the hatchery.

Checking out massive steelhead trout heading upstream, feverish to spawn...

Our intrepid guide, Ranger Michael.

A good 12 pounder.

Inside the hatchery.

Fellow ranger takes some measurements and records the results.

Then it was back to the Estate for wine and sunshine.

Fish expert Elliott Doss assembling guests to walk Wine Creek.

Elliott showing off his restoration work on Wine Creek.

Looking for steelhead -- we found some little ones!

Finishing off the fine morning with snacks, conversation and a personal tasting of Mike Brunson's favorite wines.

There you have it — Fish Day 2010! A portion of the proceeds from this event is going to Friends of Lake Sonoma. NOW is a great time to visit the hatchery (and it’s perfect for kids, too).  Get out there and help out our piscine pals.

And mark those calendars for the next event in the Worms to Wine Nature Series. We will be hosting my very favorite winery event of the year, Bird Day, on Saturday April 17. Stay tuned for details…

Bass Wishes and Sanddabbly Yours,

tony

p.s.   And a special message for those of you who attended the event – the chicken is O.K.!!!

Devo, the Christmas whippet

Wishing you the very happiest of the holiday season.  See you in 2010!

tony

So I was chopping chard in the kitchen last week when my lovely wife, Lorraine, blurted out, “My favorite album cover of all time!”

Although her declaration came straight out of the blue I was not taken aback – she has a very endearing way of sometimes saying seemingly nonsensical things at weird times.

“So what is it?” I asked.

“Whipped Cream & Other Delights by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass. My mom played it all the time. As a little girl I thought the cover was so cool – that lady all covered with whipped cream. I loved to just stare at it.”

That, I thought, was a good answer. But the question was even better. What makes a truly great album cover? In the interest of thinking of something interesting to post I decided to find out.

I quizzed six friends and associates. Obviously, beauty is in the eye of the beholder so I had to choose my beholders carefully. The qualifications were fairly simple – trust worthy and creative types who were both passionate about music and old enough to remember the good ol’ days of vinyl and cardboard (sorry young bucks, a CD cover is not the same as an album cover).

By the way, what does this have to do with my usual organic farming and wine rants? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

O.K. — here we go…

Jay Kell. Founder, Verge Wine Cellars. Jay was born in Arkansas and plays outstanding acoustic guitar. The boy can sing, too.

“Freewheeling Bobby Dylan – it was the first Dylan album I bought. Like nearly every human being, I was dumped and identified with the song “Don’t Think Twice”, which I must have heard originally on some classic rock station. It was only later that I found I liked nearly every other song the man’s written.”

Mike Brunson. Winemaker, Michel-Schlumberger. The only guy in the world I’m certain really, really loves all sorts of music as much as myself.

“I’m going with Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti and it’s changing windows (when you slid the sleeve out) in the apartment complex. On top of that, it’s their best recording.”

Judd Wallenbrock. General Manager, Michel-Schlumberger. Judd’s not afraid to dress up in full bee-keeper gear (veil included) and play bad Dylan covers on a cheap guitar to bemused winery visitors. How cool is that?

“I like the Abbey Road cover. Why? Because I like stories — stories behind wine, stories behind labels, stories behind people…and this cover stirred up one of the most controversial and sensational ‘stories’ of all time. Paul is not dead.”

Wendy Rossiter. Human Resources, Michel-Schlumberger. I had to get at least one woman’s perspective on this. Besides, I love the fact that Wendy is an unabashedly HUGE Pat Benatar fan.

“The Chambers Brothers. This just popped up in my head when you asked me. In fact, I can’t even remember exactly what the album cover looks like.”

Blair Poynton. Winemaker, Jed Wines (Australia). O.K., Blair is actually a bit young to really appreciate the days of vinyl but I had to get a foreign perspective on this and the guy knows music…

“Not sure exactly but it would have to be something from the Corrs - because those three sisters are bloody hot!”

Randall Filbert. Senior Consultant, Long View Associates. Old school rocker. This guy could stand up to anybody in a 70’s/80’s rock trivia contest.

“London Calling – The cover is the quintessential rock ‘n’ roll image: the frenzied electric guitarist smashing his axe before a stoned and drunk audience. It’s all presence…no past and no damn future.”

And, finally, for me?

“I like Maggot Brain by Funkadelic because I’m not sure exactly what to make of it. But, amazingly, if you listen to the title track the album cover suddenly seems to make perfect sense.”

Peace and Silliness,

Tony

p.s.  What’s yours?

Alright folks, I’ve got some really good news this week. I’m very proud and excited to announce a brand-spanking new program at Michel-Schlumberger for 2010 – the Worms to Wine Nature Series. We’ll be hosting six fun and informative nature-related events that showcase various elements of our organic and sustainable farming practices at our Estate. We’re still working out details but in the meantime here’s a special sneak preview (remember – you heard it here first…):

MARCH: Fish Day at Schlumberger

Celebrating all things fishy, we’ll start the afternoon with a personal tour of the fish hatchery at Lake Sonoma with Ranger Michael Carroll. It’s a very cool place — we’ll meet spawning salmon and steelhead trout up close and personal. Following the tour we’ll head back to Michel-Schlumberger for a walk and talk with Winemaker Brunson along fish friendly and recently restored Wine Creek. Finally, we’ll cap it off with some really great wine and food around the fireplace inside the Estate.

APRIL: Bird Day at Schlumberger

This annual fundraiser for The Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County is one of my very favorite events of the year. We’ve moved the event to Spring in 2010 to take advantage of the migratory species that pass through our region. Expect bird walks led by local experts, spotting scopes and feeder demos, and Audubon Society displays. The event will culminate with a fun and educational show and tell of various big raptors by the folks from the Bird Rescue Center. And if we’re lucky we’ll get Brunson to cook up those incredible garden veggie topped pizzas again!

MAY: Critter Day at Schlumberger

It takes a lot of great animals to make great wine. Come out and meet the unsung heroes of Michel-Schlumberger – our English Babydoll sheep (with a shearing demonstration), heritage chickens and a brand new pair of goats! We’ll show you how we use these animals as part of our sustainable farming system. And it’s not just the furry and feathery critters that will be on display. We’ll tour the organic veggie garden and check out the bugs, both good and bad, and learn how we help them to help us. And Jacques Schlumberger will be on hand to show folks our honey bee garden and show off our hives. Heck, you can even meet our vineyard dogs, Marvin and Peanut.

JUNE: Bee Day at Schlumberger

With the recent and alarming decline in honey bees worldwide, NOW is the time to take action and show serious support for our buzzy buddies who do more for the health of the Earth than you can possibly imagine. Look forward to an afternoon of Bee and Veggie Garden tours, demonstration hives, an observation hive, a honey extraction demonstration, honey tasting, talks by local experts and practical information on what you can do to help the bees. I highly encourage you to bee there…

JULY: Oysterama

This event proves that learning can be healthy, fun and filling. This popular event features a Nature Walk around Tomales Bay followed by a picnic feast of fresh oysters (half shell and BBQ) paired with our outstanding wines. Need I say more?

AUGUST: Stargazer’s Dinner

We’ll spend an evening feasting and sipping to a spectacular slide show presentation by a local astronomer. Then we’ll wander on up to the lake to gaze out into the heavens through some seriously pro telescopes. Nighttime at Lake Schlumberger under a blanket of stars and planets is something you simply have to experience in your lifetime. Really.

So there you have it. I’ll post details and dates as they come available. In the meantime, drink good wine.

Naturally Yours,

Tony

Last night my lovely wife and I had a bottle of 2006 Michel-Schlumberger ‘Le Fou’ pinot noir. Wow — what an experience! Right off the bat the wine was showing luscious fruit, fine structure and acid for age-ability, and a hint of that nearly indescribable “forest floor” aroma that typically characterizes a fine Burgundy. After about 20 more minutes of swirling and sniffing, the finer complexities began to show – ripe pomegranate, red cherry and Christmas spices melding perfectly with silky smooth tannins. A half an hour later the wine had reached it’s full virtually indescribable glory. And later on when the pizza arrived (yes, we paired the pinot with a beautiful NY style pizza) we were quite happy with how the spice and fruit in the wine harmonized so well with each slice.

And now I’d like to compare last night’s wine tasting experience with a quick summary of what goes down at a wine competition. A “professional taster” sits at a table with a scorecard and a pencil. An assistant opens maybe 15 bottles of wine or more and pours the wine into a whole buncha glasses. The taster sniffs and sips and ponders for a moment and gives the wine a score or a medal (or not). That’s it. Done deal. And then the believers flock to the store to snap up the 94 point cabernet and the Gold Medal pinot.

O.K., I guess I’m being a bit snarky. But, at this point, I need to make a horrible confession. I used to be a Spectator believer. Young and naïve, I would dutifully take my monthly buying guide to the wine shop and snap up all the Best Buys and Cellar Selections I could afford (which wasn’t much, actually). But eventually I saw the light and realized what wine writer Dan Berger recently commented on – wines with subtle finesse and character don’t win medals, the monster oak and alcohol wines do. And monster wines don’t pair well with food and they don’t age well. These wines are like a bad pop song, designed to smack you in the face with immediate gratification but little else. Sure you may be tapping your toe the first time you hear “Achy Breaky Heart” but after two or three more listens you realize that you’ve been had.

These days I look at wine tasting not as a singular event but as an entire experience. It’s about the people you’re with, the food you’re serving, the occasion, the ambience, the weather, the music, the mood. It’s about a taster’s relationship with the winery and Winemaker. And it’s especially about the mystical way a wine opens up and evolves over time, to be sipped and savored over the course of an hour or two. It’s really that simple.

But even if one ignores the whole “experience” argument and really, really wants an expert to pave the way then who, exactly, can one turn to? A recent study looked at the results of several thousand wines entered in 13 major U.S. wine competitions and found little consistency in which wines won gold medals. Another study found judges often rated the same quite differently when they tasted it twice in the same blind flight of wines. Hmmm….

So the moral of this story is simple — learn for yourself. Discover your own palate, not Parker’s. Eat, drink, chat with friends, rock out and enjoy the experience. And leave the medals to Michael Phelps.

Happy Sipping,

Tony

Bird Rescue Center handler shows off a Great Horned Owl

Wow – talk about an OUTSTANDING event! I hope you were there because, if not, you missed the event of the season. This past Saturday we hosted Bird Day at Schlumberger – a fundraiser for the Bird Rescue Center of Sonoma County. With the super-human assistance of about 15 volunteers we were able to pull off something that was both educational and entertaining.

The action started at 9:00 AM when three local bird experts armed with binoculars, a vineyard map and coffee and breakfast treats (supplied by Downtown Bakery in Healdsburg) began leading walks around our spectacular bird-filled estate. Meanwhile, Wild Birds Unlimited of Santa Rosa had scopes set up to check out and chat about the multitude of birds on our feeders. As the birders returned they were quite pleased to find plates full of pizzas and bruschetta topped with goodies from the organic garden made by Winemaker (and chef) Mike Brunson. And, of course, there were some killer wines poured for all (and an old-school lemonade stand run by Mike’s kids, Taylor and Zack).

Red-Tailed Hawk

The highlight of the day was a presentation by the Bird Rescue Center. Four volunteer handlers busted out some incredible raptors for a fun and informative show & tell. These folks know their birds and were delighted to share their knowledge with the enthralled crowd. Who knew that the Western Screech Owl doesn’t actually screech? Or that a barn owl can actually hear the heartbeat of a mouse from a distance? Or that a turkey vulture is really an incredibly beautiful bird when you get to see one up close, eye to eye?

Some vital statistics for the day:

Total attendance: 147 (including a great turnout of kids!)

Total bird walks: 11

Total bird species identified: 25

Number of pizzas consumed: 48

Raptors displayed by Bird Rescue handlers: 6 (Kestrel, Merlin, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Western Screech Owl, Great-horned Owl, Barn Owl).

Percentage of happy and enlightened guests: 100

Total raised for the Bird Rescue Center: $605

Barn Owl. Very cool.

Those are some pretty impressive numbers. And in light of the success of Bird Day we have already started to plan a whole series of Nature-related activities for next year. Stay tuned for even more cool, fun, informative and thirst quenching events in 2010. In the meantime, check out the website for a list of what else is going down at Schlumberger for the remainder of the year.

Happy Harvest!

Tony

Folks who stop by Michel-Schlumberger during the Harvest season are almost always shocked to see the Cellar and Vineyard crews drinking beer instead of wine in the afternoon after a hard day’s work. And, believe me, it’s not just us – our local little store in Dry Creek Valley can barely keep the coolers stocked with the stuff come late August. If you don’t see the Winemaker or Cellar Master around the crush pad during Harvest there’s an awful good chance he (or she) is out making a quick beer run. And why are we not sipping a nice Pinot between press cycles? Well, I guess mainly it’s because we’re working with and tasting wine all the time, every day. It’s just simply nice to mix it up – give the brain and palate a break from all that is grape.

In that spirit, this blog post has virtually nothing to do with wine. No, I’m writing about salad. Or more specifically, I’m writing about the greatest salad in the world — Salade Niçoise And I have about 20 minutes (and half a can of beer) before the next press load to do it.

As suggested by the name, Salade Niçoise is a specialty of the Cote D’Azur region of France, originating in and named for the city of Nice. There are all sorts of variations on this classic but I’m going to focus on what I know and love – my wife Lorraine’s rendition. It’s quick, cheap, easy, healthy and oh so French. So here’s how Lo rolls:

Slice up some nice heirloom tomatoes from your garden or your local Farmer’s Market. Plop ‘em down on a plate or shallow bowl. Break up nice good canned tuna over the tomatoes. Yeah, you can be all hardcore and use a seared ahi steak but, to be honest, I’ve tried both and canned is actually better in this dish. Besides, Salade Niçoise supposed to be simple and quick.

Next, dice up some fresh bell peppers, green onions, and red onions. Sprinkle liberally. Toss on some very thin slices of radish. Toss in some green or black olives. Plop on a quartered soft-boiled egg.

O.K., now for the critical last touches. In my opinion there are two types of people in this world – folks who realize the indescribable brilliance of anchovies and folks who just don’t get it. Lay down a few choice anchovy fillets right on top of the heap. Don’t be bashful. And just before you serve up your masterpiece drizzle on some balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Add a sprinkle of kosher salt. Maybe some black pepper, too.

There you have it. Light a candle, put some fresh cut flowers on the table, call up some Miles Davis on the iPod and you’ve got more than a meal – you’ve got a Salade Niçoise.

And what to drink? Well, I guess technically you could pair it with a crisp Bandol rose but that would be too predictable. Instead, I go for a bone dry Tanqueray martini with Noilly Prat vermouth. Oh my gosh…

Peace and Salads,

Tony

We have taken a roller coaster ride here at the winery with the weather. The last few weeks we have seen temperatures over 100 degrees and today we woke up with showers and clouds. We certainly need the moisture, but those cooler temps are going to make the garden slow down its great start. Just as those seeds and plant starts were put in the ground, Spring jumped right back into the picture.

There are some things that I so look forward to….those great heirloom tomatoes for one, but while I cool my heels waiting for them to arrive, I grab what I can from the garden. Herbs are the quickest to grow and I love to just add them to the dinner I prepare at night for that “just picked” taste.

One of my favorites is sweet Basil. It’s one of those herbs that gives and gives as you cut it. I have to wait for those fresh sliced tomatoes to pair it with fresh mozzarella cheese slices, olive oil, s & p, and of course a few thinly sliced tendrils of basil. But tonight it’s grilled shrimp that has been marinated briefly in olive oil, lemon juice, s & p, slices of basil and just a splash of Michel-Schlumberger Pinot Blanc. Thread the shrimp on a skewer, find some fresh vegetables and rice to serve with it, and you’ve got a delicious and quick supper. Oh, and don’t forget to use the remainder of the Pinot Blanc to enjoy with your meal!

Cheers!

Carol

If you have any interest in gardening, and have gotten on a mailing list, you should have already received enticing catalogues that showcase vegetables and flowers to plant for Spring.  I put all the other materials aside, and spend my time reading the descriptions for these plants during the cold and rainy months of the year. 

Reading about the vegetables that you can grow in your own backyard, or in pots on your deck, and later use as fresh ingredients in your recipes is what gets me excited about the change of seasons.  This month in Sonoma County is prime time to get those seeds started so that they are ready for transplant after the danger of frost has passed in April.

Those fresh herbs such as sage, parsley, oregano, thyme, basil, and chives are always staples for the garden.  Cutting them fresh and using them in sauces and as garnish makes even the simplest recipes seem over the top. 

Sage is an evergreen shrub that we use here at the Estate year round.  It’s in the mint family and there are many varieties.  Sage can enhance pork, lamb, and sausages.  Chopped leaves flavor salads, pickles, and cheese.

Here’s an easy recipe using sage from the garden.

Pork Burgers with Sage

½ cup Michel-Schlumberger Maison Rouge

1 Tbl kosher salt

2 ½ lbs ground pork

3 Tbl minced fresh sage

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

½ tsp paprika

Michel-Schlumberger olive oil for brushing

8 hamburger buns

In a small saucepan, combine the Maison Rouge and salt and bring to a boil.  Simmer over moderate heat until reduced by one third.  Cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl gently mix pork with wine sauce, sage, pepper, and paprika until evenly seasoned.  Make meat into 8 thick burgers.

Before placing burgers on the grill for about 6 minutes per side, brush lightly with olive oil.

Gather everyone around a picnic table and enjoy wine and burgers!  Yum!

Author – Carol Feuerstein

Juliana just published it for her!

Open a bottle with comfort food

Years ago I learned about the Wall Street Journal’s Open That Bottle Night.  The concept is why wait to open that “special” bottle of wine for a “special” occasion.   Instead open it now – it could remind you of a past special occasion, it could make this occasion special just by opening it or…you may find out you opened your bottle just in time.  I loved this idea and often did just that – opened one of the bottles from my modest cellar to enjoy with extraordinary meals and ordinary meals.   I never wrote in about my experiences but I loved reading others.  
 
What made me think about it was a dinner I cooked the other night.  It reminded me of that column in the WSJ that I haven’t read since I left the Finance Industry to work in the Wine Industry in 2004.  A lot has changed since then.  When I worked in Finance the wine in my modest collection was “precious”.  Now that I work in the Wine business we have a lot more wine at home and I’d actually forgotten about the “precious” wine.  It’s stored in two small wine refrigerators in our laundry room.   There is so much delicious stuff that I bring home, or friends from other wineries bring over that we wind up drinking that.   So…back to what happened.   I was whipping up a cozy Shepherds Pie in response to the dark rainy day.   We were going to settle in to watch the Oscars with this comforting ground beef and mashed potato dish.  When I was sampling the pie as I assembled it I thought – this could pair great with a good red wine.   Down home everyday food doesn’t need to be paired with everyday wine does it?  Hmmm…it was time to get into the “precious” wine.   I was excited to enjoy one of these gems with this dish.   First I tried a Meritage from Napa -  turns out I had waited too long to try it – it was flat as could be – it’s taste could only be described as “blah”.  Next a Cabernet from Walla Walla, Washington.  Strike two.  The wine was tired.  Really tired.   Finally I spotted a bottle a bottle from Big Horn Cellars – it made me smile when I pulled it out remembering it had been a gift from a friend 7 or 8 years ago.   I popped it open poured it in the glass and took a sip.  It was delicious.   I couldn’t wait to have it with dinner.   When I tasted it with my Shepherd’s Pie I thought wow this is a great wine – but then I thought maybe it’s so great because I’m remembering my friends that gave it to me.   And this is why I thought of the WSJ column.   Two of my bottles of wine had passed and one brought back warm memories of how I got that bottle.  

Share your story with me.  I hope more than occasionally it’s a bottle of Michel-Schlumberger (we know those are gorgeous with a little age) but I’d like to hear about all of your experiences (good and bad) and memories of where the bottle came from or where you first enjoyed that wine.  You can post it to this blog as a comment.

In case you’re wondering we had our 2004 Michel-Schlumberger Merlot with the leftovers.  It rocked.

—— Juliana

I love to entertain. In my book there’s nothing better than having a group of friends over for some food and wine. When I throw a dinner party-I can’t help but want everything to be perfect. I’m more about the ambiance and comfort level than I am about minutia but I do like those extra touches like: fresh flowers, matching dishes, nice glassware, and aesthetically pleasing platters of food.

To achieve this-it can get expensive, especially when you’re a single gal in your twenties with a limited budget. How do I throw a dinner party on my budget that doesn’t appear or feel like it’s on a shoestring? I want to wine and dine my friends the way I like to be wined and dined so it takes some creativity……….

I do a few different things to ensure that the foods served are not only tasty but also wholesome, fresh, and wine friendly. Sure, it’s nice to calorically splurge at a dinner party but I don’t like to force folks who like to eat healthy into chowing down on nothing but butter soaked and carb loaded dishes (also cheap to make!) for the evening.

The staples of my dinner parties are always fresh seasonal veggies, good fresh chewy baguettes, and some really nice artisan cheese. The nice thing about savory or filling foods is that a little goes a long way. Here are some samples of appetizers from my last dinner party:

* asparagus spears (cold) with a garlic aoili for dipping ($3-4)
* bruschetta with a tomato, basil, garlic, and olive oil topping (baguette: $3, tomatoes: $3, basil $2)
* baked figs stuffed with goat cheese (2 figs per person $4; small package of high-end goat cheese $3-stick with the good stuff instead of buying a whole log of the cheaper stuff since you only need a little)

To the make the wine pairing simple and affordable I asked everyone to bring a bottle of an Italian red or sparkling wine to dinner (this makes it a wine dinner so it’s ok to ask for everyone to bring some wine-sort of like a Supper Club.  Plus remember-none of my friends are under the illusion that I’m rich.  They’re in the same boat). I almost always love to open a bottle of the Michel-Schlumberger Syrah - when my guests discover this wine, it makes the whole meal special.  And Italian reds pretty much go with anything thanks to their higher acidity and sparkling is always a nice starter or a good wine for cheeses or fruit dishes (ex: prosciutto and melon or slightly tangy cheese with an off-dry prosecco, yum). Plus there are plenty of options at $25 or under.

Main meal: Italian style risotto with wild mushrooms (mushrooms $8-10, rice $2, small piece of fresh parmigiana $3). I like risotto the way they do it in Italy-nice and light without too much butter, cream, and other heavy additives. The point is the ingredients-if they’re good they should be showcased, not masked with all of these things. leaving a little more moisture in the rice and skipping the mascarpone or heavy butter recipes gives you a nice creamy risotto that is ready to be topped with some freshly grated flavorful Italian cheese and some seasonal sauteed wild mushrooms. Buonissimo! A beautiful dish that is wine friendly and satiating.

I’m an advocate of serving one flavorful dish that can sit on warm for a bit on it’s own rather than trying to balance the many pots and pans and oven tempatures is takes for a meat and potatoes type meal and risking overcooking or drying out anything.

For dessert: a simple apple galette with a store bought pastry crust (apples $4, crust $3, cream $1) sitting in the refrigerator all ready to pop into the oven with a dollup of fresh whipped cream.

The total cost of this meal that served 4-6 people? About $45. This included some fresh flowers ($4)for the table. The wine was a $25 bottle that I contributed out of my own wine collection (but I didn’t have to buy it the same day-therefore it’s almost free!)  I didn’t need more vino than this due to the 4 other wonderful wines that were brought to dinner.

Times are tough out there for people right now-that’s what we keep being reminded of- but I can still throw a dinner party or two if it only costs me less than a dinner for 1 out on the town.

What strategies do you have for entertaining without going overboard with your budget?  Let’s share some ideas…and even have a party together!