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I recently went wine tasting in the Dry Creek AVA of Sonoma County. The Dry Creek Valley is beautiful and has a warm and welcoming country atmosphere. On our day of tasting we sampled numerous wines at many different wineries. As you might expect some parts of the day were more memorable than others. A few of the stand outs from my day of tasting included the wines from UNTI Vineyards, Preston of Dry Creek and the picnic provisions from the Dry Creek General Store.

In California, we are blessed with a climate that allows for nearly year round gardening. In most regions of the United States, however, you will need to moderate the winter climate to enjoy fresh harvests throughout the winter months. There are a variety of plants that are hardy enough to survive most any winter if properly protected.

It is hard to imagine a Mediterranean garden without the beautiful gray-green leaves of the olive tree. It seems they have become as synonymous with Wine Country as the grape vines themselves, and for good reason. If you have ever sat beneath a mature olive tree on a warm summer evening, enjoying the rich flavor of cured olives with a glass of a nice fruity Syrah you know what I mean.

If you tend to relegate Asian greens to the exotic category, only encountered as restaurant fare, take another look. More and more, crisp, tasty, and nutritious Asian vegetables are turning up at markets all over the country – and these cooler winter months are the perfect time to explore their bright flavors.

It starts in the Soil
Like so many things in the garden, good pest management practices start with the soil. Strong, healthy plants that haven’t been over or under fertilized can tolerate and out grow many pest outbreaks. In order to grow a healthy plant we work to have healthy, balanced soils. This traces back to the use of biodynamic compost, worm castings, rock dust, oyster shell flour and balanced organic fertilizers. When we transplant a healthy plant into healthy soils, at the right time well, you get the idea…

Rusic Tomato Trellis
We use this trellis style exclusively in our Italian Cultural Garden. We start with 2x2 wooden stakes (redwood or similar) about 6-8 feet long and pound them into the ground at least 2 feet deep. For the tomatoes we space two rows about 20 inches apart and then every 4 feet or so down the bed. We then attach the branches (we used willow) to the stakes with plastic zip-ties. The zip-ties make the job go much faster than tying with twine or wire. These are good options as well.

Standard Tomato Trellis

Better Together? No, I’m not referring to Jack Johnson’s song on his “In Between Dreams” album. I’m referring to the old saying that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. This is the magic that happens when two things come together to make something superior.

I hear people say “oh, I don’t drink pink wine.” As if there is something wrong with it or drinking it will make you unsophisticated. Then there are those that feel if they are seen drinking pink wine it somehow makes them look weak or wimpy (to use one of my dad’s choice words). Yes, Rośe does have a pink color and I think it’s beautiful. The color is just the beginning, a tease of what is to come on the nose and palate. If you blindly taste Rośes, you never know what you’re going to get, which is half the fun. No matter what style of wine you like there is a Rośe for you.

Tim Hanni MW
Director of Applied Psycho-Sensory Studies, Copia
CEO, Napa Seasoning Company

OK, let’s get this party started! I thought it would be fun to throw out a couple my passionate convictions on wine and food matching. My position is that virtually every aspect of wine and food matching as it is practiced today consists primarily of illusions and superstitions with virtually no basis in reality.

At COPIA The Wine Team have developed a revolutionary Budometer www.budometer.com. By answering a few simple questions around your taste preferences, you can get the direction you need to taste wines with confidence. This is a great way to find out your “preferred taste.”