Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: April 2021, Tilling and Drilling

Hello and Welcome, 

The April Pink Super Moon (on National HEMI Day 4/26) was quite a sight to see all up close and personal. Not that it was actually pink in color, but instead it derives its pink moniker from Phlox subulata—commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox—which also went by the name “moss pink” which blooms in the northern HEMIsphere this time of year. And as you would imagine, the blooms are pink. 

 

A FLOG communication (Farming bLOG) by Dena & Ernie from Amalie Robert Estate. Oregon Willamette Valley Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Have a look and see what we see on Instagram @AmalieRobert Estate. We are ramping up on FaceBook! (If you don’t like us, we don’t wanna know…)

In 1964, Chrysler’s new technology took the internal combustion engine world by force. The highly innovative and new design proved worthy on the racetracks, dragstrips and backstreet grudge matches. While several HEMI displacements were engineered from the early Red Ram 241, to the 331 “Baby HEMI”, the 354 and dual 4 barrel carbureted 392 in your Dad’s Chrysler Imperial, the final factory displacement of 426 cubic inches just made the 7.0 liter cut off for sanctioned racing. And that is why the BIG 3 auto manufacturers of the day each had 426, 427, 428 or 429 cubic inch racing engines. Their goal was to put them into the lightest cars possible in hopes of winning races at racetracks and dragstrips across the country to promotion their brands. The HEMI engine was a mechanical marvel that was so successful it was banned from NASCAR after its first year. And then along came the Pink Elephants.

 

Not to be outdone, Mother’s Day is THIS weekend. With these series of events occurring so close together, who can doubt it means Rosé Season is in full bloom?!

 

While there is no vintage 2020 Rosé due to the potential for smoke tainted wine, we do have a little bit of the sublime 2019 and a few bottles of the highly perfumed (think Wadenswil) 2018 barrel aged Pinot in Pink vintage Rosé to offer. You can read our FLOG posting on the smoke impacted vintage 2020 here.

 

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Tilling and Drilling – Preparing the Vineyard Floor for Vintage 2021

 

The vineyard floor is what we refer to as the top foot of soil. This area is where we as winegrowers can impact the nutrients and soil moisture that will be available throughout the growing season. And like everything else in farming, there is a specific and limited window of opportunity available.

 

The vineyard floor is really 2 vineyards in one. Every other row is planted to a permanent cover whose only treatment is mowing. In our case, permanent grass means Tall Fawn Fescue – it’s a bunch grass also known as Festuca.

 

Viticulturally speaking, mowing this permanent cover can significantly impact the amount of soil moisture available to the vines. A short cut means the grass uses less water, leaving more available to the vines. Letting the grass grow takes more water out of the soil profile. This can be useful in areas that have deep moist soils.

 

Canes before and after mowing.

And we mow up last years canes in the permanent cover crop rows. The browns and greens are what keeps our soil microbes busy digesting and then releasing all of these nutrients for our vines. The permanent cover crop rows also provide our beneficial insects (think lady bugs, ear wigs and all kinds of spiders) a place to call home.

 

Ernie drilling in cover crop.

The cover crop rows are where we till the soil and incorporate the cover crops to naturally supply nutrients to our vines. Last fall, Ernie drilled in a winter cover crop of Austrian winter Peas and Barley. These two plants help to hold the soil onto the hill during the winter rains and provide nutrients when tilled into the soil the following spring.

 

Opening up the soil with the chisel plow and the open air crawler.

But first we open up the soil with a chisel plow. This tool has a fairly simple job. It breaks up any tire compaction, trims off shallow vine roots and helps to aerate the soil. And it is hooked up to the open air crawler, so Ernie gets a refreshing springtime ride. It’s kinda like driving around in a top down 911 Porsche. Kinda…

 

Mixing in the cover crop with the rototiller to feed the vines.

Next up is the rototiller. This tool mixes the green cover crops with the soil and places it right below the surface. We consider the soil to be the plant’s stomach, and dinner is served!

 

Buckwheat and vetch starting the growing season.

Planning ahead, Ernie then drills in the summer cover crop of Buckwheat and Common Vetch. Just like Pommard and Wadenswil, they were made to go together. Both of these plants are easy on the water budget, but at 20+ years of vine age our roots have gone deep. And it is kinda funny to see the quail lined up in each of the furrows scratching out a few of the Common Vetch seeds for themselves. They are not big fans of Buckwheat, you see.

 

Buckwheat is a fantastic little plant with Superpowers! First off, it can start to bloom about 3 weeks after it germinates. Pollen is protein and a good dietary supplement when our army of carnivorous predatory insects can’t find any mites or other hapless victims to feast upon.

 

It is also a great soil conditioner and enhances the activity of mycorrhiza fungi. Mycorrhiza fungi function as a symbiotic extension of the vines root system. The plant makes organic molecules such as sugars by photosynthesis and supplies them to the fungus, and the fungus in kind supplies the vine water and mineral nutrients, such as phosphorus, taken from the soil.

 

Common Vetch (and Austrian winter Peas) adds to the mix by fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere to its root system. Both the Buckwheat and Common Vetch survive in our dry farmed vineyard from the morning dew of an “on-shore flow”, meaning moisture and humidity riding the jet stream in from the coast. Once these cover crop plants are tilled into the soil, the soil microbes convert the green plant material into nutrients the vine can use. Spring or fall, we till it all!

 

Spring growth in the Chardonnay block.

The numbers. April 2021 was a bipolar month if ever there was such a thing. Our high temperature blazed 90.9 degrees on April 18th at 3:30 pm, while our cold temperature was a frosty 27.9 degrees on April 5th at 6:30 am.

 

Our Degree Days reflected the warm temperatures later in April logging a total of 236.8 Degree Days. The first half of April contributing 89.8 and the second half with the remaining 147.0 Degree Days. Quite a respectable start to the vintage and it certainly explains the rate of growth in the vines and the grass. Ill-fated vintage 2020 began the growing season with 133.5 Degree Days.

 

Rain showers totaled 1.01 inches and came in two tranches, both at the end of the month. The first recording 0.43 inches and the second 0.58 inches. These showers are exactly what our cover crop seeds needed for germination and establishment. So far, so good!

 

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate Culinary Inclinations Series Part III: Roasted Whole Duck and Pinot Noir

Hello and Welcome, 

  

This is the third segment in our Culinary Inclinations Series: Roasted Whole Duck and Pinot Noir. A FLOG communication (Farming bLOG) from Dena & Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate. Willamette Valley Oregon Pinot Noir. If you are anxiously awaiting the “Syrah and Lamb Love Chops” segment, it won’t be much longer. 

 

Before we begin, we would like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving! The year 2020 has shown itself to be a very “interesting” year, and yet there is so much to be thankful for. Sometimes it is hard to see the vines through the dense fog that covers the vineyard. But we know that they are there, lying in wait ready to spring forth in vintage 2021 with a full arsenal of agrarian vagaries.

 

We are very much looking forward to a new year - a new growing season, and we hope you too are excited about the new opportunities that await us all. Or said another way, the unforeseen challenges we will most assuredly be forced to endure. Two sides of the same coin, it just comes down to your perspective. As farmers, we are always mindful that if anything can go wrong, it will, at the most inopportune time causing the most amount of trouble and expense. And yes, it is true, Murphy was a farming optimist.

 

For at least the next few minutes, we know what you will be doing. We don’t know where you will be doing it - Google has that covered. We appreciate you sharing some eyeball time with us. Kind of like looking into a window, us from this side and you from that side.

 

 

The holidays are upon us! We begin with Thanksgiving which is conveniently scheduled on the fourth Thursday of November. But it wasn’t always that way. You can read the full story at the National Archives. Or just follow along with the cliff notes here:

 

It all started back in the summer of ‘89 when the Federal Congress passed a resolution asking that the President of the United States recommend to the nation a day of thanksgiving. George Washington then proclaimed Thursday, November 26, 1789 as a "Day of Publick Thanksgivin". It wasn't until President Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Proclamation that Thanksgiving was regularly commemorated each year on the last Thursday of November.

 

In 1939, however, the last Thursday in November fell on the last day of the month. Concerned that the shortened Christmas shopping season might dampen the economic recovery, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued a Presidential Proclamation moving Thanksgiving to the second to last Thursday of November. As a result of the proclamation, 32 states issued similar proclamations while 16 states refused to accept the change and proclaimed Thanksgiving to be the last Thursday in November. Dysfunction, it seems, was an inherent “feature” in our young republic and continues unabated to this very day.

 

Fixed it for you: To end the confusion, Congress decided to set a fixed-date for the holiday. On October 6, 1941, the House passed a joint resolution declaring the last Thursday in November to be the legal Thanksgiving Day. The Senate, however, amended the resolution establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday, which would take into account those years when November has five Thursdays. The House agreed to the amendment, and President Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, thus establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday. And if it works, stop fixing it.

 

Note that the very first government mandated Thanksgiving was on the 26^th day of the month, just like this year. And similar to this year, the 1775–1782 North American smallpox epidemic was most likely still imparting a sense of caution. That was 7 years’ worth, and we are just now rounding the corner on our first year. Social distancing, quarantines and masks were tried then as now, the significant difference being in the quality of the masks. For our post-modern pandemic, we have both red wine AND white wine masks. The rosé mask is an easy farming work around.

 

 

 

So, there it is. Now lets’ get to the bird! Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday. And while there are just a handful of countries that do celebrate their own interpretations of Thanksgiving, EVERYBODY is on the Black Friday sales!

 

Ben Franklin, it is rumored, had originally wanted the Turkey to be the national symbol. He was “cancelled”, and the Bald Eagle became our national symbol. But in that defeat, there was a Thanksgiving victory. No one would have feasted upon the national bird at Thanksgiving.

 

Now there are all kinds of birds in our great land that can be the centerpiece of our Thanksgiving Day celebration. Let’s break them down into upland game birds and waterfowl. Upland game birds can be as small as Bobwhite quail weighing in at about 6 ounces. They get their name from their distinct call, which you can hear here.

 

Then we have partridge, guineafowl, all manner of grouse including the Ptarmigan, several variants of pheasant, and the varied species of turkey. There are several heritage breeds to choose from including the Auburn, Buff, Black, Bourbon Red, Narragansett, Royal Palm, Slate, Standard Bronze, and Midget White. Heritage turkeys represent about 25,000 birds raised each year, where there are close to 200 MILLION industry raised Broad-Breasted turkey. Check your local (or UPS serviced) terroir for availability.

 

There are about 7 million wild turkeys roaming our United States each year. Turkeys are not native to Oregon, but two species, the Merriam and Rio Grande were introduced in the 1960’s. And yes they can fly, in fact they roost in trees to avoid the ground based predators that are looking for their own Thanksgiving feast.

 

And we get them in the vineyard from time to time. They are tall enough to pluck off a wine berry or two. As you can see the turkey on the right has not had any Pinot Noir, but the turkey on the left has had quite enough to boldly display his full mating plumage! It’s the same old story, just a different species… And she is having none of it.

When it comes to fowl, and we mean waterfowl, the White Pekin duck reigns supreme for a Thanksgiving celebration. But there are also the Moulard and Muscovy farm raised ducks. A goose is another option, however it is more attuned to the Christmas holiday.

 

The origins of the phrase “You are full of it” is in fact attributed to the Christmas goose. Dressing is a dried bread-based concoction that includes all manner of vegetables, spices and quite often an egg or two to bind everything together. This mixture is then placed into a baking dish and put into a 350 degree oven for about an hour. When this mixture is stuffed into the cavity of a bird, such as a goose, it is known as stuffing. The full, olde English phrase is “You are as full of $#it as a Christmas goose!”

 

Penguinos range from the wee little Fairly Penguins of Australia and New Zealand that may grow to reach 12 inches tall to the imposing Emperor Penguins of Antarctica who tower at 4 feet or more. They are flightless water birds that are always dapper and dashing, however not included in the following preparatory guidelines. And then there is Opus T. Penguin…

 

 

Once you have decided upon the appropriate fowl for your Thanksgiving Day celebration, the next task before you is acquisition. There are several avenues available including instore shopping, curbside pick-up, UPS shipping and the tried and mostly true, full immersion duck hunting experience.

 

Unlike fishing, duck hunting is a serious endeavor that may, or may not yield results. Wild ducks are typically harvested when they are in flight. Not so different from fishing, as fish are usually harvested when swimming in the water. Same theory, just a different medium. The duck hunter's job is to encourage any given duck to land upon the Earth, or in a waterway that may or may not be frozen over. This requires the duck hunter to co-locate at least somewhat close to the in-flight duck, while fully enjoying all of the inclement wind, rain, snow, sleet and potentially freezing temperatures. Nice day today, not too hot…

 

There are several ways a duck hunter may encourage a flock of ducks to interrupt their migratory prerogative to land. Food is always a good encouragement as is an open waterway when their feet begin to freeze. Note: it is not uncommon for a duck hunter to lose feeling in their toes and fingertips. Duck calls are another inducement to land, especially if there are decoys in the near vicinity. Hey, is that a corn field? It looks like a party!

 

When these methods fail, there is the old school fallback of an ounce and a quarter of number 5 pellets with a muzzle velocity of approximately 1,350 feet per second. This form of encouragement can result in a single member of the flock to lose altitude rather suddenly. This is when the savvy duck hunter has a well-trained dog or has invited along a fellow sportsman with a well-trained dog. The lesson here is do not go duck hunting without a proper duck retrieval strategy. Or maybe you find a mid-November swim to be just a prelude to the annual Polar Bear plunge… And then there is the gestalt of ice fishing, but that is a misery best left for another time.

 

The other, more sane acquisition method involves the internet and an online visit to the Maple Leaf Farms website where you can arrange for your freshly harvested duck to land on your doorstep pre-plucked, disemboweled and ready to go. That maneuver just bought you enough time to enjoy a glass of wine by the crackling fire. A nice WARM crackling fire with the dog curled up at your feet. Toasty!

 

 

Culinary Inclination Series III: Roasted Whole Duck and Pinot Noir.

 

Are you a home chef, an involuntarily semi-retired chef or a chef waiting to re-open your restaurant? Not to worry, this easy step by step preparation and a little Pinot Noir will see you through in full plumage!

 

Prepare your roasting rack and preheat the oven: Line the bottom of the roasting pan with aluminum foil. Do not put foil over the top of the roasting rack as it will fill with very hot duck fat. This is a temporary or “fluid” situation, as liquified duck fat is subject to the laws of gravity and will, in short order, be on the floor. Or you, whichever it encounters first.

 

Besides, you are going to want to “harvest” that duck fat so you can scramble up some eggs for breakfast. Duck fat was Julia Child’s secret ingredient for all things savory. Sauté with olive oil during the week but live a little on the weekends and use duck fat.

 

Set the upper oven rack so that the duck when placed breastbone up will be below the upper element by about 2 to 3 inches. Preheat oven to 350 and sample the Pinot Noir to ensure proper temperature. For this portion of the preparation, a suitable Pinot in Pink Rosé or Heirloom Cameo BFC (Barrel Fermented Chardonnay) may be substituted with no loss of etiquette.

 

Note: The first step in this process will be to crisp the skin. This step will produce some smoke. We usually have a few windows open in the kitchen to keep us vented and eat in the dining room. Or, if wildfires are still raging in your area, you may not notice the smoke. Either way, you cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Nice shoes, by the way.

 

Preparing your duck and proofing the Pinot Noir: Remove the whole duck from its store (or natural) packaging as the case may be. Empty the body cavity and rinse thoroughly. If you plan to fill this cavity with stuffing, then a visual inspection is in order. Take a moment now to swirl your stem gently, but deliberately to observe how the wine catches the afternoon sunlight. Nice day today, not too hot...

 

Place the duck on a solid surface or cutting board, again breastbone up. Using a medium length, straight blade, score the skin on each side of the breast. Begin at the center of the breastbone and score diagonally upward toward the wing. Repeat with a parallel cut every 1 inch or so. Perform the same procedure on the other side. Be careful to not cut too deeply into the meat under the skin. Clip off the wing tips at the first joint.

 

The thighs are the fattiest portion of the duck and you will also score those. Turn the duck on its side and score vertically through the fatty portion of the thigh where it meets the back with 2 or 3 cuts. Again, do not cut so deeply that you cut into the meat. Repeat on the other side.

 

Finally, cut the skin and tendons at the end of the leg joint in a circular fashion. This will allow the skin and meat to rise up the leg bone toward the thigh and remain moist. This completes the knife skill portion of the preparation. Perform a standard finger count. The count should be 10, and if the count is in fact 10, then well done, it is time for a congratulatory sip!

 

Roasting with a convection oven: Place your scored duck on the roasting rack breastbone up. Spritz or brush with a light coating of sesame oil and season the scored breast with Hungarian paprika, Chinese 5 spice and finely cracked black pepper. Black sesame seeds are also an interesting textural addition.

 

Place the duck on the prepositioned upper-most rack in the preheated oven. Set the oven to BROIL and let this cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Put down the Pinot and keep an eye on things here as you will have duck fat and high heat in very close proximity.

 

The objective is to render the fat from the duck skin. This usually results in a deep golden-brown hue on the breast, but if you feel it is too much, take it out sooner. Remember there is a profound difference between a little char and burnt. Verify the remaining Pinot Noir bouquet is commensurate with the Duck. Secure a second bottle if necessary.

 

After you have crisped the skin to your satisfaction, remove the roasting rack from the oven and place it on a heat resistant surface. BE CAREFUL as the roasting pan will now have enough hot duck fat in it to give you a first hand impression of entering a medieval castle uninvited.

 

Set the oven to Convection Roast at 350 and move the rack to the center of the oven. Using appropriate tongs, turn the duck over so that the breastbone is now facing down and return the roasting rack to the oven. Toast your accomplishment with a sip of Pinot Noir, even if you must open that second bottle to do so.

 

Roast for about 45 minutes. The leg joint should move fairly freely when done. Remember that the breast meat is at its best medium to medium rare. Hmm, this second bottle is quite lovely. Ah, it is from the 2010 vintage, of course!

 

For the last 5 minutes of roasting, turn the duck once more so that the breastbone is facing upward. This will allow the fat to drain from the scored skin. Prepare your carvery area with the following tools: A large cutting board with a recessed fat drain, duck pliers (aka poultry shears), a very sharp boning knife and a hand towel. This will be your last chance for a sip of Pinot Noir for a little while, so make the most of it.

 

Presentation: Remove the duck from the oven and place it on the cutting board. Let stand, or sit, for about 5 (or maybe 10) minutes to allow the juices to cool. Keep an eye on the dog, retrieval skills are a natural instinct, and he has picked up the scent. Before the dismemberment begins, this is YOUR chance to shine. The kitchen is full of the most wonderful aromas of roast duck, sizzling duck fat and Pinot Noir. Your guests pass the carvery station and adorn you with accolades. With this high praise rolling in, now is NOT the time to run out of Pinot Noir.

 

Carving is the art of separating the meat from the supporting structure, known as the carcass. Legs and thighs are typically richer in texture. The breast meat, sliced thinly, glistens. Duck wing lollipops are the “Scooby-Doo snacks” that never seem to make it out of the kitchen. When everything is plated up, it is time to “Get the Duck Outta here!”

 

Duck is a very rich meat, so we enjoy a slightly bitter green vegetable such as garlic braised broccolini or Brussels sprouts in duck fat. Winter squash will pair with the sweetness of the meat. Of course, sautéed wild chanterelle or morel mushrooms are obligatory. The cheese course varies widely, however we recommend Fourme d’Ambert with whatever Pinot Noir is left after the meal, whether it IS open or IS YET TO BE open!

Please contact Dena by email at Cuvee@AmalieRobert.com or by phone at 503.88.CUVEE (28833) for pricing and availability of Amalie Robert Pinot Noirs, Heirloom Cameo Chardonnay and Pinot in Pink Rosé.

Happy Thanksgiving,

 

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate Culinary Inclinations: Rosé

Hello and Welcome,  

This is an Amalie Robert Estate Culinary Inclinations: Rosé. A FLOG Communication (Farming bLOG) from Dena & Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate. Oregon Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. 

We are introducing our Culinary Inclinations Series with one of the most versatile wine categories of all time - Rosé. We took a stroll back though our past releases to share our culinary inclinations. As our national pandemic rolls on, the time spent in our own kitchen increases and we thought a little culinary voyeurism might be a welcome thing.

Sadly, we mark this first communication with the passing of Sir Thomas Sean Connery. Our favorite 007 James Bond departed on a rare October Blue Moon, All-Hallows Eve 2020. Diamonds are forever and timeless style never goes out of fashion.

 

Speaking of style, how did this iconic 6’2” Scotsman manage to fit into the most iconic of sports cars, the Aston Martin DB5? The steering wheel may be on the wrong side, but the Champagne was always chilled. We imagine it was a fine vintage Rosé.

 

 
 

Consider this, there is no Rosé variety. Virtually any wine berry with a hued skin can be coaxed into a Rosé wine. Stylistically these wines can be fermented dry or left with a little sweetness, fermented in stainless steel, concrete or oak barrels. Not unlike our former selves running loose in the candy store, you just want to try them all!

 

Rosé is the “right up until” wine in the kitchen at Amalie Robert Estate. A glass of Rosé is just right as we transition from winegrower or winemaker to culinary genius. Offering more than an elegant white wine, but not overly so, Rosé can offer the right balance right up until it is time for the main course. Or with a little pre-planning the main course is ideally paired with Rosé.

 

Pinot in Pink is our Rosé of Pinot Noir fermented in stainless steel after limited juice exposure to the skins. The result is a light bodied and refreshing wine with purity of fruit, a rich mid-palate due to neutral oak aging and a lingering finish. After all, this is Pinot Noir!

 

Pinot in Pink Pinot Noir Rosé is about as alluring as a wine can be. It answers the question “Who are you?” with the most welcoming of responses, “Who would you like me to be?” Equally at ease in public for a carefree rendezvous at a local café, or a more private setting on the back patio as the sun eases below the ridgeline. A charcuterie board? I thought you would never ask!

 

Break out from the daily routine. Finished with the work routine and need a little inspiration transitioning into your culinary genius role for the evening meal? Pinot in Pink is there for you. And if it is a nice fillet of Pacific Northwest salmon or Norwegian steelhead that has captured your fancy, well then, a quick stemware change is all that is needed to go from casual to elegant. From pretty in pink to strawberry blonde in the blink of an eye, providing the collars and cuffs match. What’s it to be tonight?

 

Culinary Inclinations from Amalie Robert Estate: Rosé. Here is a look at our culinary inclinations hoping to pique your culinary curiosity.

 

Pinot in Pink is about that special place that takes you back to simpler times. Tangy cheeses, cured meats and crusty bread from the hamper set out on a grassy bank complement a burbling stream and the wispy clouds ever changing upon an eternal blue canvas. This is your chance to be released from the daily burden of reality, if only for a short time.

 

Picnic pack this – Goat cheese brie, golden raspberries and rosemary garlic baguette. Poached white king salmon topped with black sesame seeds and dusted with smoked paprika. Grilled vegetables and pickled Cipollini onions accompanied by balsamic vinaigrette dipping jus. Don’t forget the corkscrew…

 

The picnic hamper essentials of fresh apples, Gruyere cheese and crusty bread can be augmented with a charcuterie board of cured meats, pâtés, and terrines with a few red cents’ worth of caramelized sweet onion jam. For the white linen picnic gathering bring Copper River smoked salmon palmiers and grilled vegetables drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

 

Once you move past the obligatory cured meats and fragrant cheeses with fresh strawberries and Asian pear, check out the smoked duck breast salad with crumbled goat cheese and dried cranberries. Smoked black cod with mild blue cheese and tangerine segments is a fine substitution. And yes, it is 5:00 somewhere.

 

It’s 5:00 right farmin’ now! Simply think of that special place and put yourself in the picture with your toes in the sand. This wine’s potential is only limited by the breadth and depth of your imagination. But recall the wise words of Alexander Pope from 1711, “Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.” And that is why, we have virtual reality.

 

Bring on the cheese board adorned with cow, goat and sheep’s milk cheeses, set aside a spot for some pâtés, Parma ham and pistachios. So many to try and imagine all the possible combinations! If you have some time on your hands and the opportunity to impress, try your hand at a summer paella featuring rabbit, andouille sausage, and fresh mussels. But be careful, they will be back…

 

Chairman of the Nosh Board. Imagine a painter’s palette and substitute the brilliant colors with your favorite nibbles. Brilliant red peppadew peppers, duck prosciutto, tangy jalapeño red onion jam, triple cream bleu cheese, garlic confit in duck fat, rosemary olive oil crostini, smoked golden trout, olive oil and salt grilled summer squash, 12-month Manchego cheese and the ever abundant olive bowl filled with jewels from all over the world – pitted or not, but don’t comingle.

 

If there were ever to be a definitive paella wine, it would have to be Rosé. And from the great Pacific Northwest, it most certainly would showcase the charms and elegance of Pinot Noir. Surely the traditional paella preparation must be respected, however adding in local, fresh ingredients makes it your own. Our secret substitutions are duck stock and pecorino cheese (Manchego also works well, quite well). A year-round dish that celebrates food, friends, and Rosé. Note: No one has ever said, “Wow, you made too much!”

 

And we saved the most intriguing wine for last, the 2018 Bellpine Pearl Blanc de Noir. Made from nearly equal parts of whole cluster pressed wings of Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir, “The Pearl” is a still white wine from these noble red varieties.

 

While the color of Rosé wines is of personal preference, so are the seemingly endless nosh possibilities. We like smoked duck breast and Manchego cheese with fresh ripe raspberries and tart apple alongside a sourdough baguette. A freshly snipped rose completes the ensemble – but of what color?

 

White King Salmon sashimi, spot prawn sushi with roe or seared ahi tuna in sesame oil provide Blanc de Noir contrasts commensurate with the wine’s hidden charms.

 

An aperitif wine served with oysters on the half, caviar and the standard accoutrements, or smoked black cod accompanied by julienned sundried tomatoes, basil pesto, 6-month Manchego and herbed goat cheese crisps.

 

As November leads to December we will close out 2020 and may face the specter of a contested election. From Russia with love...

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie 

Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: July 2020 and Wadenswil Extravaganza Weekend!

Hello and Welcome,
 
This is an Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: July 2020 and Wadenswil Extravaganza Weekend! A FLOG communication from @AmalieRobert Dena and Ernie. Amalie Robert Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
 


Make the journey to see Dena and Ernie Saturday & Sunday, August 8 & 9 from 10 am to 3 pm by appointment. We are tasting Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir! Join us outside with a commanding view of the vines and soaring red-tailed hawks under the protective cover of our swanky new shade canopy. We have hand sanitizer available and will be starting off with 2018 Pinot in Pink lip sanitizer that has a very high percentage of Wadenswil Clone. And while we are outside, masks are optional. You just never know who (or what) you might see.
 

When two worlds collide.

The red-tailed hawks have been screeching and racing through the afternoon skies. They have been surveying our handiwork in the vines and performing a vital vineyard task. They are helping to control the fur bearing rodent population. Here we see the “intended”. The California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi) in the erect posture. So, if we happen to not see any soaring red-tailed hawks this weekend, it could be because these two species have had their worlds collide. Wouldn’t that be something to see?
 
And Dena has rounded up twice the number of usual yellow jacket suspects. She loaded the traps (packed them full of salmon scraps) and let Nature take its course. Along with the care and feeding of our red-tailed hawks, this is another example of a biological control in the vineyard.
 
We got the hint, delivered somewhat delicately and in other cases not so much. Maybe it’s because Ernie is always on about sedimentary soils and Wadenswil Clone 2A. Maybe because there are few places in the Willamette Valley that can bring the best out of this Swiss clone of Pinot Noir. Maybe it’s because his socks are too tight.
 
Whatever the reason, this weekend is your opportunity to taste select vintages of Amalie Robert Estate Grown Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir. These wines are typically 2 barrel selections each vintage that produce about 48 cases. With our Wadenswil Clone program we are very much trying to show you something that is “True to soil and true to the vintage”.
 
If you need to brush up on your Wadenswil, you can check out our feature page and read the “Interview with a Clone: Wadenswil 2A” right here. Accept no substitutes.
http://www.amalierobert.com/wadenswil-clone.html
 
Our Wadenswil Extravaganza tasting will be the following selections:
2018 Pinot in Pink Rosé
2011 Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir
2012 Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir
2013 Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir
2016 Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir
2015 Heirloom Cameo Chardonnay
 
The tasting fee is $15 with a new Riedel tasting glass and $10 is refundable on any two bottle purchase per person. You may also opt for a new Riedel Burgundy glass for $25 and $10 is refundable on any two bottle purchase per person. The now christened Amalie Robert Riedel glass is yours to keep. You may also opt to bring your own glasses and the glass purchase will be waived.
 
We also recognize it may not be possible to co-locate with us this weekend. Perhaps a phobia is responsible. Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. Acute anxiety caused by flying is called aerophobia. Combine these two phobias with mysophobia, the pathological fear of contamination and germs and we have the trifecta that is disabling the air travel industry. Fortunately, wine can co-locate to you.
 
You can reach Dena by email at Cuvee@amalierobert.com and by phone at 503-88-CUVEE (503-882-8833) to schedule your appointment, or to place an order if you cannot join us.
 
Click on the Big Blue Button to make a selection from Amalie Robert Direct and we can hold your order until a temperature appropriate shipping window opens. Please note, we can also schedule delivery to a UPS or FedEx pick up location. Pretty handy if you have Vestiphobia, and do not want people dressed in uniforms coming to your door and interacting with your own individual environment.
 

 
July was one for the record books with the following footnote: We recorded a low temperature of 45.1 degrees and a high temperature of 102.7 degrees and made all the stops along the way. But overall July was pretty kind to the Willamette Valley winegrower.
 
The winegrower’s equipment however, manifested its inherent agrarian vagaries. In fact, Ernie had to perform Tractor Bypass Surgery on one machine. The machine can now maintain cooling fluid integrity and that allows Ernie to pivot his attention to the hedger. Here we see the main “lift cylinder” with a freshly corrupted seal, which is just weeping tractor fluid. Remember these words: Unfortunate, but not uncommon.
 

 
The main lift cylinder allows Ernie to dial in the height of the canopy to maximize the ripening potential from each vintage. Remember those leaves are really just a great big solar array. The taller it is, the more energy for the vines to ripen their seeds. And develop aroma and flavor, which is what we really care about. Hot vintages get short canopies, where it is important to not trim off the tops of the posts. If we ever have another cool vintage, we will hedge a tall canopy.
 
Do you want to take the top or the bottom? As we can see from this Accuweather graphic, there was a considerable amount of variation in the high temperatures for the month of July represented by the top trend line. The low temperatures were fairly well centered around the average as we see from the bottom trend line. Sometimes they have a rhythm and move in unison, sometimes not.
 

 
When we calculate Degree Days we break the month down into 12 minute intervals, or 3,600 data points per 30 day period. Any data point above 50 degrees adds to the Degree Day accumulation. Anything below, does not. As Yoda once said, “You do, or you do not”. He could have been a galactic winegrower. Maybe he was on Mars, probably Riesling or Gewurztraminer. We will see what the latest mission reveals. The Perseverance is cruising at 24,600 MPH on its 300 million mile mission to Mars. That’s about a 12,000-hour trip (1.4 years), one way. Hope they greased all the zerks before they left. https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
 
So logically, if we have the top raging out of control with 100+ degree temperatures and the bottom dropping below 50 degrees every night, this would seem to be a moderate vintage from a Degree Day point of view. The vines of course would be scorched and tell a dramatically different story. Conversely, if most of the growing season saw temperatures top out in the mid 90’s with low temperatures covering the 40 to 60 degree territory, with a cooling breeze in the evening, that would be a sublime vintage. One quite worthy of our best effort in the vineyard and stewardship in the winery. And it is most definitely about time we had one of those vintages come around.
 
Well, the vineyard is all hedged up with two passes completed. The first pass trims the growing tips off of the dominate shoot. That allows the rest of the shoots to start growing like crazy. And that is when the second pass starts to get everyone’s attention. Our goal is to get the vines to stop growing more leaves and re-direct their energy to ripening their seeds. And in the process building aroma and flavor.
 

Growing like crazy again after the 1^st pass of hedging!

 

Trimmed and now we have their attention after the 2^nd pass of hedging.

 

Speaking of aroma and flavor, we are also shaping the texture of our wines. We do this by pulling leaves out of the fruit zone to expose our wine berries to the sun. But not too much. That silky seductive midpalate sensation we love in our Pinot Noirs comes from leaving a little more shade on our fruit. That was the field work for July. So far so good. August brings with it little pink berries and we start “thinning the herd”.

 

As they say, the Devil is in the details. So, let’s have a look at him.

 

As previously reported, the high for the month was 102.7 degrees recorded on July 26, at 5:36 pm, with the low temperature registering 45.1 degrees recorded on July 3, at 5:00 am. Degree Days for the month of July totaled 505.4. This brings the vintage 2020 growing Degree Day total to 1,237.5.

 

 

There were clouds, but no rain. Also, we did have Comet NEOWISE whiz by during the second half of the month. On July 23^rd, they say the comet was a scant 64 million miles from Earth. Hell, harvest is closer than that and coming up quick!

 

The outlook for the remainder of Vintage 2020 is coming into view. And our view is that the weather will continue to moderate and provide a nice bit of hang time for our mid to low-yield vintage. That is direct from the farming farmer that farms our farm. You can take that to the bank, and for an additional $2 supplement, you can get a cup of farming coffee. Not great coffee, but it will get the job done. But the cup might leak on your new shoes. Unfortunate, but not uncommon.

 

You can reach Dena by email at Cuvee@amalierobert.com and by phone at 503-88-CUVEE (503-882-8833) to schedule your appointment, or to place an order if you cannot join us.

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: April 2020 & Library Pinot Noirs

Hello and Welcome, 

 

This is the Amalie Robert Estate Climate Update: April 2020. A FLOG Communication from Dena and Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate. 

  

It has just been a lovely Willamette Valley start to the growing season. Wind, rain, sun and clouds provide an ever-changing landscape of environmental conditions that afford us the opportunity to conquer the agrarian challenges of getting the vineyard ready to bear fruit. And of course, it would not be springtime in wine country without a visit to the shop for some equipment maintenance. Then just wait until you see the numbers! They are just one sig-fig this year, but they are stunning.

First off, we have a little housekeeping to attend to. We have begun using Evite to help us manage in the times of COVID-19. https://www.evite.com/ Evite allows us to send invitations to help manage visits to the winery, so that we can comply with social distancing requirements, while not being socially distant. We have yet to figure out how to schedule specific times, so if you RSVP please indicate your preferred time. We also send an Evite to announce new releases. Note: We are not shipping any wine without your approval.

When you receive an Evite invitation, please notice there are often multiple pages to the invitation. The cover card is just the first page of the invitation (and notice the Pinot Noir stamp on the envelope). The second and third pages will contain details about releases or visits to the winery. Label images or other artwork are sometimes included. From time to time Ernie may insert a coded message, such as the timeless “Be Sure to Drink Your Ovaltine”. Also, we are introducing The Big Blue Button.

And while we are on the topic of cards and wine, we would like to point out that Mother’s Day is Sunday May 10th. Most of the country is still under lockdown and that means someone has to figure out how to make brunch for Mom. We suggest cinnamon spiced waffles with fresh strawberries and homemade whipped cream. Super easy and a very colorful presentation with purple lilacs for the table or a dozen pink roses - like Pinot in Pink Rosé, the perfect brunch wine.

There is still time to up your waffle making game before Sunday, and we are confident in your corkscrew abilities. You’ve got this! But if you need some Rosés, we are here to help. Pinot in Pink Rosé 6 packs are still $100, shipping included. Just press the Big Blue Button.

Digging in the dirt. That is springtime in wine country. The vineyard floor has been recycled to release the nutrients from last fall’s post harvest cover crops. Then Ernie prepped the soil and drilled the new spring cover crop. And the rain played right into Ernie’s plan to germinate the new seeds. Rain in April doesn’t actually require a lot of planning, just being ready to go when the sun peeks out is usually good enough. And so now we have about 18 acres of vineyard floor that is growing fertilizer for the vines. Once their above ground usefulness is at an end, these cover crops will be tilled under and the natural nutrient recycling lives on.

We recorded bud break on April 13th. The vines are starting to wake up and they have their pre-programmed plan. They know exactly what they are going to do and when they are going to do it. We have our plan as well. We know what we are going to do, we just don’t know when we are going to do it. We are in the driver’s seat, but we are certainly not in control.

Next on the vines’ agenda is flowering. We usually have to wait until Dena’s birthday in June, but sometimes we have to wait longer, and sometimes we don’t. That’s farming where we remember fondly, the words of Yogi Berra who once said, “You can observe a lot by just watching”. We will know it when we see it, and we will let you know when we see it.

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Why yes, we have a little equipment maintenance to do. Of Ernie’s 3 Italian tractors, two of them have sequestration stations, aka cabs. And both of these tractors are equipped with air conditioning. (You would think the glass would offer UV protection like your vehicle’s windshield does, but hey this is agriculture.)

And it just so happens that both of the cab tractors need their air conditioning compressors replaced this year. These things usually run in three’s, but the third machine is an open station crawler, so the air conditioning is “au naturel”.

The alternative to not restoring the air conditioning function is to operate the tractor as a full-size convection oven. The heat is from the tractor engine and drive train, and the sunlight is unfiltered and magnified through the glass. The fan, while not providing any cooling, does distribute the heat evenly throughout the cooking space. Replace SPF 15 sunscreen with olive oil, salt, pepper and a dash of paprika and you end up with braised winegrower by mid-August.

And wouldn’t you know it. One tractor has a hydraulic pump attached to the crankshaft pulley. There is no way to just slip on a new belt. That means to change the belt that runs the air conditioning compressor, the entire front end of this machine has to be disassembled. And then reassembled. Correctly. While this is unfortunate, it is not uncommon in farm equipment.

The first thing to cover for the Vintage 2020 numbers is that 2020 is a leap year. If you were born on February 29th or have a wedding anniversary, this is your Special Year! Enjoy it now, as 2024 is a long ways off, and “the future ain’t what it used to be”. On February 29th we recorded a high temperature of 45.3 degrees and a low temperature of 29.7 degrees. We hope you made the most of it.

For the first month of the growing season, April 2020, we logged 133.5 Degree Days. The high temperature for the 30 day period was 79.3 degrees and the low temperature was 30.7 degrees. The first half of the month was cooler registering 41.6 Degree Days and recorded the low temperature. The second half of the month registered 91.9 Degree Days and recorded the high temperature.

And it seems Ernie’s prior vintage rain dances have a half-life. April rain slogged in at 1.33 inches. Note: The rainfall will continue to be expressed in 2 sig-figs. There is no reason for it, it just seems like the right thing to do. Kinda like some lockdown regimes.

Cleaning up the cellar. The COVID-19 SIP regulations have given us an opportunity to raid our cellar and we imagine you may have too. We have tucked into a little Spanish wine from the 1980’s which is sublime, and Ernie’s favorite Northern Rhône Côte Rôties from the 1990’s and somehow we found a bottle of Bordeaux from 1982. We tucked that one back away as it seems it has another 100 or more years to go.

And then we found this. From the very corner, bottom shelf of our library racks we uncovered a cache of our very early vintages. Only a few bottles of some blends and just a handful of cases in total of 2006-2007-2008-2009 vintages. There is an odd magnum or two to be had as well. Of course, we immediately performed the necessary Quality Control measures and are able to report that these wines are just singing!

The first vintage in our estate winery was 2006. That was the year, trial by fire. But it worked out pretty well. We made our first vintage of The Reserve in 2006 – just about 24 cases worth. So, we sent our first vintage of The Reserve, Amalie’s Cuvée and Estate Pinot Noirs off for review. And we sent them to the toughest critic of them all – Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar. The best review and highest score awarded from the 2006 vintage was a 93. And we were very, very pleased to see that our inaugural vintage of The Reserve earned that score. Our individual wines, Amalie’s Cuvée and Estate both came in at 92 points. As far as inspiration goes, 2006 was a very significant year for Dena and Ernie at Amalie Robert Estate. And then there was Ernie’s favorite vintage, 2007 where The Reserve once again earned the top score from the vintage from not only Stephen Tanzer, but also Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Just sayin’.

Please have a look at the following availability. We are offering these wines first come, first serve. If you see something you like, just press the Big Blue Button and an E-mail window to Dena will open where you can indicate your selections. Please specify 750 ml or 1.5 liter format. Dena will confirm back with pricing and availability. Happy Hunting!

And here is a Vintage Scorecard to help you in your quest. You can also check out the Vintage Vestibule to review past vintages.

http://www.amalierobert.com/vintage-vestibule.html

We have all SIP’d and pulled together to flatten the curve. Well done one and all! However, there could be another curve to pay attention to later this year. And that will be in the form of increased maternity ward activity just about 9 months after your local SIP order was issued. Time to find the waffle maker and get busy in the kitchen. Somebody put the kettle on.

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie