Chestnuts Roasting - In Summer?

Christmas time is here. Well for us at least. For all the department stores, it started right after Halloween. But we choose to ignore that. Did you? 

It's kind of a big deal at our home and was kind of a big deal growing up. Just like most families, we had our traditions. It started on black Friday. Dad was off and instead of joining the crazies at the stores, we took the next two days to decorate. We lived in a small apartment, but that didn't stop mom from decorating the place like a gingerbread house. 

I admit it was over the top. I mean she wrapped all the picture frames to look like presents. She even wrapped the front door. She sprayed artificial snow on the windows and tree. Garland and lights were everywhere. Christmas shower curtains, rugs, and even salt and pepper shakers. You're probably chuckling right now because you know someone just like that. 

I loved it and decorating was always accompanied by traditional Christmas tunes. On vinyl of course. We had them all:   Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby, and Brenda Lee. Although these songs are now played 24 hours a day on your local radio station, they still send me back in time. 

It was one song that I never seem to tire from, and surprise - it involves food. Yes, I mentioned Nat King Cole above. It represented everything I thought of about Christmas, though the Chestnuts never entered our kitchen, nor did we have a fireplace. That's not true. Mom had a cardboard cutout of a Christmas fireplace, how else would Santa get into our apartment? Duh.

"Chestnuts roasting by an open fire"

 "Jack Frost nipping at your nose"

When I get into a blog post, I typically find myself deeply buried beneath the layers of the web. This time I stumbled upon some interesting history of the origins of The Christmas Song.

First, it wasn't originally called A Christmas Song, but was originally titled Merry Christmas To You. It was written by Bob Wells and Mel Torme wrote the music and some of the lyrics.  Now here is what you probably don't know. It was written in the summer-say what? 

"Yuletide carols being sung by the fire"

"And folks dressed like Eskimos"

You see, Bob Wells was sitting at the piano playing on a hot summer day and to mentally cool himself off, he wrote down the phrases Chestnuts Roasting..... Jack Frost Nipping...... Yuletide Carols.... Folks Dressed Like Eskimos. Though it may not have cooled Bob off, it surely led to one of the most celebrated Christmas songs of all time and Nat King Cole mastered it. 

Since we are talking about Chestnuts roasting, I would like to share a few Chestnut inspired recipes. The truth is that chestnuts are much more popular in Europe than the U.S. There are venders on the street corners of France selling hot fire roasted chestnuts. Chestnuts are found in many Italian culinary treats such as bread, cakes, and even beer. Below are three recipes I have located and also pair well with Paradocx wine. Try cooking the nuts with our award winning wine.


Here is a recipe that you can try out for your Holiday feast. Goose is typically served along side this traditional stuffing. Try our 2015 Merlot.

Chestnut Stuffing

The earthy starch character of fresh chestnuts balance perfectly with the tartness of this braised cabbage dish. Use our Barn Red to add a touch of sweetness to this classic European dish. 

Braised Red Cabbage With Red Wine And Chestnuts

   
Finally a creamy chestnut soup. For easier results, find peeled chestnuts in cans or jars. I recommend serving this with our award winning 2016 Yield.
Creamy Chestnut Soup

One Final Thought

A New Holiday Tradition

We all know the Holiday season can be stressful. Not can be, but always is. It's our fought after all. We buy into the craziness. Wait in long lines on black Friday for that hot toy. We decorate our house like a museum, stay up till 4 in the morning playing Santa, entering a Cookie baking marathon, and sending cards out to our long lost cousin that my not be living any longer. 

But those things don't nearly stress me out as much as that damn Elf On A Shelf. Since this Pinocchio looking creepy one-way staring elf entered our home, my nights and early mornings have become a pain in my ask me later..... 

Don't get me wrong, it was fun the first 2 months but then our patience and creativity went into overdrive and the creepy factor sky rocketed. The Elf, aka Heart, found her way into the cookies, she wrote on the bathroom mirror and she wrecked a Barbie's hot rod. She was telling ghost stories to woody and Jessie. Heart even once cut herself with a knife. Do you know how strange it was taking her to the emergency room. She cried like a baby. 

Then there were the days the lazy elf forgot to hide and broke the kiddies heart. The good news is the girls got up earlier than usual but that damn elf needs to go, like soon. 

It is now mid December and Heart hasn't arrived from the North Pole yet. She probably got fired. Maybe she's at the winery. Hopefully the girls won't notice, keeping my fingers crossed......

Insert Elf on Can of Barn Red?

Two Wines - Two Dishes - PDX Style

People often ask me, including my daughter, what is my favorite food. Well the truth is, when you are a foodie (A person who loves almost all food and seeks out new culinary treats) like I am, it tends to be, well, everything.

However,  there has been a couple dishes that really stand out and since this is a wine blog, it only makes sense I share two classic dishes that are made with wine.

I just came across a post titled 8 of the best Julia Child Recipes and of those 8, three were cooked with wine. Not to my surprise, one of those recipes holds fond food memories for me.

Perhaps you remember one of my older post titled At The Market - A little Taste Of  France. In that post I shared one of my many "Did That Just Happen? Stories".  Let me share one of my fondest, not so absurd, French memories with you.

The trip was part of a culinary weekly excursion, and to say the food was amazing is an understatement. I remember a few incredible dinners we had, but the one that stood out the most was the classic Boeuf Bourguignon or simply Beef Burgundy.

Boeuf Bourguignon is such a simple dish but to make it a great dish, as opposed to an average one, boils down to the quality of ingredients and technique. Oh and yes, this was one of Julia's favorites. I almost feel embarrassed to say it but it is really just a beef stew with red wine.

A true Beef Burgundy is made with good quality red wine from the Burgundy region of France. Mushroom, pearl onions, and potatoes are almost always served in or along with this tender and succulent dish.

You can also concoct a great Beef Burgundy using American wines.  I suggest our PDX Cabernet Sauvignon.  This wine is a perfect choice for an exceptional Beef Burgundy!  

Here is a link to a wow your guests Beef Burgandy recipe I found on The Spruce. Use our PDX Cabernet Sauvignon for the red wine. 

Beef Burgundy

I am not sure how Julia Child felt about mussels, though I do remember my first steamed mussels dish. It was actually in Culinary Art school many moons ago. I got a chance to try many new dishes those two exciting years. I try to forget the calves brain I sampled, though it was not all that bad. 

One of my favorite classes was the seafood course. I learned how to put a lobster to sleep, how to filet a fish, and how simple it was to steam mussels. Although I didn't make it myself, I certainly enjoyed it.

I enjoyed it so much, it often appears on my restaurant plate and of course my Holiday party platter. Steamed mussels tend to be a cook's blank canvas.

The technique is simple enough and can be made with so many different ingredients. Start with sausage or bacon, add onions, leeks and garlic. For the steaming liquid, wine, beer, or stock acts as the base. Consider tossing in fresh herbs or scallions. The options are endless. 

Please, DO NOT forget the bread. You will need that to sop up the aromatic juices. Believe it or not, this is a pretty inexpensive and quick meal to make. 

Here is a simple recipe I found on my favorite site Savuer. For the white wine, an excellent choice is our PDX 2015 Vidal Blanc. 

Mussels With White Wine, Garlic, And Parsley

One Final Thought


Can I have a ride? 

The life of mussels appears to be quite boring. Just sayin. They 

typically just sit there, eating, and hanging out at the bottom of the 

water. No music, no cell phones, and certainly no bar. Like, get a 

job or something.

But they make up for their mediocre life with their cool 

reproductive style. The lazy male just sits still, and releases his 

sperm. The sperm follows the current and locates the lazy female. 

The female mussels do that thing female mussels do and produce 

mussel larvae. 


The larvae hangs out at the fish stop and waits for a very specific 

fish to stop by. It then hops on and takes a three week joy ride. 

When able to make it out on its own, it hops off the unharmed fish 

and starts its own boring life. I guess after all that excitement, it 

needs to rest until the next available ride comes along. 


"Hey Mr. Fish, so what do you do for a living?"

 "I work at the mussel delivery center." "I deliver mussel larvae" 

"Yeah right, like that's a thing."  

Paradocx Spiced Red - Same Wine, Many Names

How do we know fall time is coming to Paradocx without asking Alexa  "What time of the year is it?" That's what I do. Well first, it's grape harvest time, and second, it's the release of our seasonal Spiced Red Wine. It's funny how the weather influences our food and wine choices. 

Customers have already started inquiring whether we have the spiced red yet. Just because the weather is cooler and pumpkins are out, and my Dr. Who costume is in my closet, we tend to think fall.

This will be my fourth fall season here at Paradocx Vineyard, and I love comparing the spiced wine to previous years. They all taste great and we especially love to heat it like a traditional mulled wine. No need to add spices or oranges, our wine maker did that for you.

It seems every year a few Germans trickle in and are always surprised to see we that sell the same spiced wine they serve durring the holidays. In Germany, it goes by a different name, Glühwein. 

As cool as it is to say "Glühwein", it's basically the same hot sweet wine and spiced libation found all over Europe, and some in South America. We like to brag because every German we have spoken to agrees it taste just like home.

My wife and I once talked about, or shall I say hopefully wished, for a vacation along the Rhine river.  On a boat of course as we don't swim well. We'd stop in all the small villages and enjoy the holiday festivities at the many Christmas markets called Christkindlmärkte. 

This is where you will find your fresh Glühwein and probably all your crafty Christmas presents. If you are there and are thinking of me, one of those fancy steins would be a lovely gift. 


We Americans and Germans have no monopoly on spiced wine. It seems practically every European country has its own version. The Russians call it Glintwein and in Romania,  it is known as Vin Fiert. 


Most spiced wines translate as "boiled wine or hot wine" Glögg and other close spellings are versions of spiced wines served in the Nordic and Scandinavian countries. 

In Bulgaria, it is called greyano vino, and consists of red wine, honey, and peppercorn. Apples and citrus fruits are also sometimes added. 

In Southern Chile it is called candola.

Mulled wine in the Czech Republic is called svařené vino.

In France, vin chaud  typically consists of red wine mixed with honey, cinnamon, and orange. 

A popular red blend called Egri Bikavér laced with cinnamon, sugar, and cloves, and sometimes Amaretto is the spiced drink of Hungary.

In Italy, you can find mulled wine in the northern part of the country, and is called vin brulé. 

Madeira or Port wine is typically used as the base of vino quente.

Light That Baby Up

Feuerzangenbowle


The Germans take spiced wine to a whole new level. It's mulled wine meets fondue pot.  A fireproof bowl is filled with heated dry red wine, spiced with cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and orange peel. 

The bowl is suspended over a small burner. Think fondue pot or those scented oils my wife loves so much. I mean seriously, does my house have to smell like coconut custard pie? 


Anyway, a specifically designed metal grate is placed over the bowl and holds a seven inch sugar cone soaked with rum. The rum soaked sugar is torched and slowly melts into the mulled wine. More rum is ladled as the sugar keeps melting. 

"Wow" that is the coolest thing I have heard. "Sorry mom", this year the family will be in Germany for Christmas. Gemütlichkeit!

The Pairings

One of the many secrets to pairing wine and food is to pair it by region. What's in season? What do they normally eat in that area? "What grows together goes together".  No matter what you call it, spiced wine, mulled wine, or Glogg, the following foods are commonly served along side.

In Denmark, gløgg pairings typically include æbleskiver, sphere shaped pancake puffs sprinkled with powdered sugar and accompanied with strawberry marmalade.


In Norway, the sweet wine is paired with rice pudding.

Ginger bread and lussebullar which is a type of sweet bun with saffron and raisins, are typically served in Sweden.  

Other great and traditional pairings include mince pies, blue cheese, pickled fish, stuffed fig, and roasted chestnuts.

One Final Thought

Speaking of Fall, did you know how the "jack-o'lantern" originated? According to an old Irish myth, a bloke named Stingy Jack was out with his drinking partner, the devil. The two apparently got pretty slammed so Jacked talked Satan into turning himself into a coin to pay for the drinks.

Jack put the Devil coin into his pocket along with a cross that kept the Devil from transforming back. 

Stingy Jack promised the Devil he would free him as long as the devil didn't bother him for a year. Again, Jack bought himself 10 more years by tricking the Devil into picking an apple from a tree then carving a cross into the bark, while the Devil was lurking in the branches. 

God was unkind to Jack when he died and did not allow him into heaven. So Jack's soul was forced to roam the earth with only a burning coal for light. Jack put his coal into a turnip and became "Jack of the lantern" or "Jack-o lantern."

The Irish began carving scary faces into turnips, potatoes and beets to scare off Stingy Jack and other spirits? 

And you thought the Devil was tricky? That must have been one hell (no pun intended) of a coin to pay for all the ales they drank. I wish I knew that trick. There would be no one left in the bar by the time I got my bill.

Wine Flights - A PDX History

Wine Flights - A PDX History

Uncork. Relax. Unwind

The first time I heard the term flight, besides a flight of stairs, and that France flight that made me as white as a ghost, was in Michigan about 22 years ago. This was craft beer at its infancy. At that time I knew nothing of wine or beer.

In a very small and quaint town, we stopped into a brew pub for lunch and I ordered my first flight of beer. It was presented on an attractive paper mat, which had the name of the beer and a brief description. I was intrigued.

For the first couple years I ordered a flight at every brew pub I could find. This allowed me to figure out which styles I loved the most. It was Pale Ale then. I have evolved. 

To be quite honest, a wine flight is just a fancy term for a tasting of several different wines. The best ones really showcase the wine in a format that is unpretentious and informational. You know, like Paradocx- Shameless plug.





In the early years, we were located at Shoppes at Longwood Village in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, our tastings were a bit different. It was pretty much a quick sample of the taster's choice for a small fee. Paradocx too has evolved.


The old flight books

When we first started offering wine flights, we presented many options in a flight book, like on of those never ending menus you get from The Cheesecake Factory. Customers had many choices. We named the flights White Flight A or Sweet Flight B or Mixed Fight C.

We realized this created some stress and overwhelmed the customers and we really just wanted them to have a fun and relaxing experience. This coincided with our mission. Uncork, Relax, Unwind. 

We finally streamlined the tasting and created a flight board to display our flights:   White, Red, Sweet and Beer. This made choosing significantly less stressful. But don't worry, we also allow patrons to customize their tasting for a small additional fee.

The perks of our flights is to allow customers to sit and relax while enjoying  a sample of their selected Paradocx wine with family and friends. Our patrons enjoy a variety of seating options to best enhance their Paradocx experience.

Instead of standing at a bar and listening to the staff describe the wine, just to forget what they drank in the first place, they now receive attractive tasting cards for each of the four wines.  Never feel you have to follow the cards, which are a suggestion, it is most important that you enjoy the wine and your Paradocx experience.

Have fun with the tastings and come up with your own notes. Now that you're finished you can have a glass of your favorite wine and take a bottle home, or two! 

Creative Wine Flights

I came across these cool and attractive wine flight holders. Take a look below. 

One Final Thought

Glass Clinking

I love rituals. Tailgating, Trick Or Treating, Stocking Stuffing (Yes, we still do this) and Candle Blowing, but as we continue to participate in these long-lived rituals and customs, we seldom ask where they came from. Where do they come from?

Drinking, especially wine drinking has rituals as well. Take the clinking of the glass for toasting,  I love a good clink and love a good toast, especially with cinnamon and sugar, though one day I am sure I will be covered in PDX Barn Red if I continue clinking so hard.

Ok, so why do we clink the glasses? There are a couple of theories. One is a bit dark. Apparently poisoning was a big issue way back when. The folk lore says that the host and guest would clink the glasses together to intentionally spill the wine into the other glass so that if it were poisoned they both would end up on the floor. 

The other claims people would make some noise by clinking glasses to ward off evil spirits. Apparently, as cool as these are, they are not true. 

In the beginning, most groups drank from the same vessel. This brought a sense of trust and camaraderie. To drink from ones own cup would have sent a message of distrust. "Hey what's up with the bloke with and his fancy goblet. You don't trust us?" 

So when glasses and fancy drinking goblets came around, people realized they were using all their senses but one: Hearing. To experience this they would clink their glass and feel a part of the trusting community again. 

My wife killed us all

Ok, so there's always a non drinker at the table. Perhaps they just don't drink or they are the DD. Anyway, what do they do when everyone is toasting and clinking? Raise there water glass and toast as well?

According to Greek mythology, toasting with water means you just wished us dead and insulted the gods. Thanks a lot hun. 

Apparently drinking from the River Lethe while spending eternity in the underworld, the Greeks could forget their past mortal lives. As a result, the Greeks would toast the dead with water filled glasses to symbolize their voyage to the underworld. 

Talk about morbid. And to toast your host with water is an insult as well, and is said to cause harm or even death. And by no means  never toast to the gods with an inferior drink such as water. You may be taking that river to the underworld earlier than you expected. 

Here is the solution, fill your glass with our Spiced Red and pass it to me. I will trust you and our lives will be spared. 

The Season Changes - So Does The Beer

Have you ever notice how our food and drink choices are affected by the seasons and holidays?  Take summer for example; hot, humid, and full of outdoor fun. For my family it means swimming, camping, and cookouts. You have Fourth of July and Labor Day. 

I think of burgers, sausage, hot dogs and BBQ. To drink, we tend to choose lighter beers, white wines, sangria, and tea. Oh, did you know we have a tea flavored wine?

But summer is over and the weather is cooler.  Food and drink choices change. And for my girls so does their fashion, but I digress.   By this time we see an increase in Red wine and the beers that were so popular in the summer, such as Levante's Kolsch and Bianco Wit are now being replaced by autumn style beers such as Drachenstadt Oktoberfest and Clockwise Porter from Levante.

Sadly, as I am writing this, The Oktoberfest beer is no longer available, however.... they have Pumpkin beer! Coming soon to a Paradocx location near you.

I am not typically a creature of old habits and I get bored quickly, so I wanted to bring in something new and challenge our Paradocx beer drinkers.

While hanging out on Levante's web page. (I know, get a life and hang out at the brewery instead), I noticed a new beer, a colonial style beer called Earl Of Newlin. That made me think of British Royalty, but the name is much more clever than that. I have noticed the naming of their beers are almost as much fun as drinking it. Well maybe not quite.

Take their Drachenstadt Oktoberfest. Drachensdadt means Dragon City, and Crusts Cut Off, which is a peanut butter and jelly beer. Does that count as lunch?

Earl of Newlin is a brew from Levante, which Earl Grey Tea was added during the secondary fermentation. Levante partnered with Newlin Grist Mill and Deer Creek Malthouse. 

Deer Creek is the first commercial Malthouse in Pennsylvania since Prohibition. Yippee for the 21st Amendment! And Newlin Grist Mill is a historic working mill located in Glenn Mills, PA. That's keeping it local folks.

So let's embrace the change and try something new at Paradocx Vineyard. The Earl of Newlin is currently offered at The Market at Liberty Place in Kennett Square. 

One Final Thought

Allow me to share another one of my strange travel stories. Before I time travel, let me tell you about the visits to Grandmom's house. I spent many weekends at Grandmom's and it was usually the kitchen where we hung out. Gramdmom was the best. 

She was always making things for me, poached eggs on toast, the best ham sandwiches (she buttered the toast before she mayo-ed it) and a fresh cup of tea. I grew to love tea, especially at Grandmom's. 

But it was a simple thing, a no fuss cup of tea. Grandmom put a kettle on until it whistled, then put a tea bag in a plain coffee cup, poured the hot water and let it steep, added sugar and milk and stirred. It just soothed the soul.

Fast forward 30 years to England, the self proclaimed authority on tea.  I experienced one of the most stressful cups of tea of my life. 

I think It was the second day we were there and our friend and her mother took us to the mall. Why is everybody so proud of their mall?  One of the department stores had a restaurant, so we sat down for my first English afternoon tea. They purchased a pot and we shared our tea with some sweet treats.... simple? Not quite. 

Apparently, the way one serves and drinks their tea is up for judging. As I was about to pour my first cup, they immediately stared at me with curiosity and enthusiasm. Why are they staring and what's the big deal? So I did what Grandmom and I always did, poured the tea, added milk and sugar and stirred. You would have thought I insulted the Queen. 

Their jaws dropped and they looked shocked. I said "what?" Caroline's mum said. "you poured your milk on top of your tea? "Oops." "Patrick, you always pour your tea on top of the milk"  "Say what?"  Damn, what a first impression I gave. How can they ever trust a man who can't make a proper cup of tea.

They scared me off of tea for life, but to add salt to the wound, they ask you every freakin 10 minutes if you would like a cup of tea. (Insert British language "Hell to the No!" 

What's New at Paradocx Vineyard?

With the change of the seasons and the new projects Paradocx has going on, I think I should keep you in the know.

The New Stage


Just in time for our last official and highly anticipated Love Seed Mama Jump concert, we pulled down the old pavilion and built a new stage.  If you missed the concert but want to to see our killer new stage, don't worry, we will be having other live music as well in October. 

I wouldn't be surprised if we don't use the stage in some creative way for our annual tree lighting party. Just keep the bonfire away. Wood is flammable you know. 

If you think our wine magically appears in each bottle and leaps into your mouth, then you may not be aware that we are knee deep in harvest time. This is when the 2017 grapes are picked, sorted through, and crushed, all part of the wine making process, though when it is finally bottled, it does seem like magic. Like a Genie in a bottle.

You may or may not be aware but Paradocx actually has four locations

• The Vineyard in Landenberg, PA
• The bar and retail store at The Market at Liberty Place in Kennett Square, PA
• Our shop at Booths Corner Farmers Market in Garnet Valley, PA
• Our shop at Westtown Amish Market in West Chester, PA

Each of our locations has it's own personality and charm. 

Westtown Amish Market

Located on the corner of 202 and 926 in West Chester, PA Westtown Amish Market is heading on its second year. The 17 friendly merchants fill the spacious market and boy is the food fresh. 

You can pretty much achieve all your shopping needs in one trip, but first you must follow the scent of Beilers Bakery. The donuts and sticky buns are made fresh all day. I am known for the Cookies and Cream donuts. 

What's an Amish market without fresh baked pretzels?! My favorite are the pretzel rolls filled with ingredients such as sausage and eggs. 

For the fresh meats, seafood, and cheeses, there is no short supply, and the sizes are massive. Look out for the cheese they call Rattlesnake, it has a big bite. Don't forget, mom always said eat your vegetables. The produce at Kings Garden is beautiful, fresh and local. 

Other vendors include smoked seafood, candy apples and of course Paradocx Vineyard wine shop, plus everything your pet could need, fresh flowers, and all your usual Amish fixings. 

Booths Corner Farmers Market

Booths Corners Market in Garnett Valley, PA started off on a 13 acre open farm used by local Amish and other local Merchants as a friendly place to sell their goods. 

Booths Corner Farmers Market would grow and expand through the years, but in 1973, the original barn and outbuildings were destroyed in a fire. 

Under the direction of the current owner, the market was rebuilt and still thrives today. Booths Corner consists of a whopping 100 merchants, so needless to say customers can find everything their heart desires plus more. 

Forget the mall, this market has over 100 merchants and the often returning faces are friendly and laid back. 

Of course you can find all the Amish specialties such as fresh produce, meat, pretzels, and sausage, but this market has much more. We are located by Gate 7 next to Tilly's kitchen and the barber shop. 

I can't list them all but some of the many cool and unusual merchandise includes fireworks, a barber shop, samurai swords, and of course cute puppies. You can get your shoes fixed, eat Kettle corn or buy that old Mike Schmidt baseball card. 

Booths Corner Farmers Market is open Fri, 9pm to 9pm and Sat, 9pm to 8pm. 

The Market at Liberty Place

This location is quite different from the farmers markets and is located in the charming town of Kennett Square, PA. The market itself is much smaller, but just as diverse, like taking a culinary trip around the world. 

You have Yo'r So Sweet, making fresh French style crepes, Squeeze Juice Bar offering fresh juice and smoothies. Kaboburritos fusing Southwest and Middle Eastern cuisine and Mezze by Del Fresco cooking up tapas inspired fresh bites. 

You can also find fresh burgers, pizza, ice cream and wings. And let's not forget about us, where you can relax at the bar with a glass of Paradocx wine or a pint of local beer. Plus you can take your favorite bottle, pouch, or can to several of the BYOB restaurants nearby. 

The hours are 
Tues through Thurs, 12pm to 8pm
Fri 12pm-10pm &
Sun 12pm to 8pm

Paradocx Vineyard

You may be familiar with the winery located in Landenberg, or perhaps you have yet to visit our 100 acre property of which 30 acres are designated to 14 varieties of grapes. 

Much like the shop at The Market at Liberty Place, you can purchase any of our 20 plus varieties of wine, share a bottle, pouch or paint can, or enjoy a glass of your favorite Paradocx wine or a pint of local craft beer. 

Unlike the Market at Liberty Place, Paradocx lovers can share a bottle on the property while sitting out in the meadow near the vines. 

The winery is open year round and we have two fireplaces and two fire pits outside. You can order a tasting flight and share a block of Ayr Back Farm cheese with Rip Rap crackers. 

The vineyard plays host to a large variety of events from summer concerts, yoga in the vineyard. and paint and sip workshops. 

One Fine Thought

Sometimes I have no idea where I will end up on the web. This is the case for my current thought. I knew grape stomping once was a necessary way to extract juice and some fairs and wineries allow guest to stomp on grapes just for fun. 

During the Harvest Fest in Sonoma County, CA, they take grape stomping to a new level. Every year, teams of two compete in a grape stomping race for the world champion grape stomper. That's a thing?

Team costumes and team 
t-shirts are encouraged and the winners receive 1,500 grape stained bucks. As a disclaimer, they insist no actual grapes go into the wine. 

This is strictly for fun and of course bragging rights as the worlds best grape stomper. 

Here is how it works. One teammate stomps on the grapes inside a metal bucket and the other teammate called a swabby collects as much juice into a jug as possible. The team who collects the most juice wins. 

Hmmm....... How's that for an excuse to wear a toga? 1,500 dollars? I am so doing this, whenever I happened to be in Sonoma County during Harvest Fest. 

Forget your pedicure ladies, try this out. Your feet will never be the same, or will never look the same. Does grape juice stain feet?