Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions that we have received from our customers and some we feel important to publish.
Where do You get your Grapes?
All our grapes are grown in our vineyard. So our wines are all Estate – meaning grown and produced on the same property.
How does Being ‘Off-Grid’ Affect your Winemaking?
Being off-the-grid means we don’t have access to inexhaustible power. That means we have to think about the equipment we can use and how to do things. For example we don’t pump our wines, rather we lift wine tanks with our propane powered forklift and let suction move wine from tank to tank or from tank to the bottling machine. We have a standby generator for when the Sun don’t shine.
The main power hungry periods are during crush – and that’s done during the day when the sun is at its highest, so the sun crushes our grapes.
Why did you choose Rhône Varietals?
Syrah and Mourvèdre have always been some of my favorite wines, and as everyone in Amador County grows Zinfandel, I decided to focus on Rhône wines. My other favorite – Cabernet Sauvignon – does not do well in our heat. Grenache happened to be an after thought, but has landed up being a very popular wine and does wonderful things to our blends.
If we don’t live near your Winery, can We buy Online and have it Shipped?
Yes, we have a shopping cart that you get to by clicking on the link: Our Wine Shop or you can email or call us to place your order. (During the ordering process we will let you know if we can ship to your state, as all states have their own shipping rules.
How many Cases do you Produce Annually?
We have been producing between 300-400 cases annually. We are hoping to get to 1000 cases in the near future.
Do you Irrigate your Vines?
Yes, we do deficit irrigation, which means watering only when the vines need the water. This causes the grapes to produce nice intense flavors.
Do You use Solar Power for Irrigation?
No, our wells are very deep, so we use a diesel generator to bring water to the surface to feed into our drip irrigation system. When we installed the wells, solar panel technology was not advanced enough to supply the power needed to pump water to the surface.