2012 Vintage at Pisoni Vineyards. 30 Years of Farming Pinot Noir in California.Pisoni Vineyards & Winery
The Pisoni Family releases the 2012 Vintage of the wines from their Pisoni Vineyards. This vintage also commemorates the 30th year of farming grapes at this cool-climate mountain site in the Santa Lucia Highlands—initially planted by Gary Pisoni in 1982.
Identification guide of Grapevines Grown in a Cold Climate – Wine grapesRichard Grenier
As the first book to describe the main varieties of vines present in Québec, this guide is structured with practical and richly illustrated description sheets.
In addition, the reader is provided with a framework of morphological observation and description, which allows the identification of major grape varieties that are cultivated in Québec throughout the growing season.
This guide will also assist the beginner, as well as the experienced winemaker, in making a choice of varieties depending on cultivation and organoleptic criteria.
Finally, whether it is to know the origin and the susceptibility to diseases and pests of some varieties, or to stimulate further thoughts on the grape growing practices adapted to the different grape varieties, this book can provide answers to commercial winegrowers, consultants, nursery workers, as well as amateur winegrowers.
Facetag: nuova interfaccia per nuovi modi di esplorare le classificazioniLuca Mascaro
Facetag (http://www.facetag.org) è un progetto di ricerca sviluppato da Andrea Resmini, Emanuele Quintarelli, Luca Rosati che ha lo scopo di creare un sistema di bookmarking sociale che si fonda su diversi approcci di classificazione (faccette, tag, gerarchie) direttamente gestiti dagli utenti.
Questo nuovo approccio ibrido, gestito direttamente dagli utenti, ha richiesto la ricerca e lo sviluppo di un’ interfaccia utente che introduca paradigmi completamente nuovi fondendoli con alcuni assodati nel mondo delle faccette e dei tag.
Lo sviluppo di questa nuova interfaccia utente ha richiesto un approccio iterativo e di ricerca con degli utenti finali fino ad arrivare ad una versione finale che abilitasse al meglio le opportunità di navigare, esplorare e ritrovare i contenuti in un architettura informativa solo parzialmente predefinita.
Newspapers are dead, long live the contentLuca Mascaro
In the last 5 years the way in which we inform ourselves every day has radically changed. A progressive evolution of the experience of discovery, use, and sharing of content is being generated by an ever-expanding and specialized availability of contents, different points of view, news technologies and devices at affordable costs, largely available connectivity and, more generally, the advent of new global platforms of communication. Sketchin has invested three years in attempting to understand readers and their experiences, thus identifying 11 behavioral trends that are potentially decisive in implementing a more efficient publishing design. The speech will focus in these 11 behaviors and on the evolution of how the publishing industry can better devise and distribute content.
This presentation will delve into the emerging role of design as a game changer for big corporations in the challenge of business transformation and competition with the startups world.
Through a few principles, I will show how new design discipline such as service and strategic design can help even big corporations can evolve their organization, empower the human experience and embrace the nimbleness and fast paced innovation practices typical of the startup ecosystem.
Design management and agile world: fitting customer expectationsLuca Mascaro
In the Customer Age, Design has become the business most powerful ally in the challenge to create and offer products/services that can provide superior quality experiences. We are often invited to assume a partnership role with product managers/owners in most of our projects, bridging the requests coming from stakeholders and users and following the entire project life through an experience management approach. Experience Centered Design is thus becoming the new frontier that we, as designers, are called to cross.
So how design can assume the role of a strategic partner in the daily experience management? I will present some real cases regarding big and complex projects in which we have played this role and the agile methods, tools and best practices that can be used in such a delicate process.
2012 Vintage at Pisoni Vineyards. 30 Years of Farming Pinot Noir in California.Pisoni Vineyards & Winery
The Pisoni Family releases the 2012 Vintage of the wines from their Pisoni Vineyards. This vintage also commemorates the 30th year of farming grapes at this cool-climate mountain site in the Santa Lucia Highlands—initially planted by Gary Pisoni in 1982.
Identification guide of Grapevines Grown in a Cold Climate – Wine grapesRichard Grenier
As the first book to describe the main varieties of vines present in Québec, this guide is structured with practical and richly illustrated description sheets.
In addition, the reader is provided with a framework of morphological observation and description, which allows the identification of major grape varieties that are cultivated in Québec throughout the growing season.
This guide will also assist the beginner, as well as the experienced winemaker, in making a choice of varieties depending on cultivation and organoleptic criteria.
Finally, whether it is to know the origin and the susceptibility to diseases and pests of some varieties, or to stimulate further thoughts on the grape growing practices adapted to the different grape varieties, this book can provide answers to commercial winegrowers, consultants, nursery workers, as well as amateur winegrowers.
Facetag: nuova interfaccia per nuovi modi di esplorare le classificazioniLuca Mascaro
Facetag (http://www.facetag.org) è un progetto di ricerca sviluppato da Andrea Resmini, Emanuele Quintarelli, Luca Rosati che ha lo scopo di creare un sistema di bookmarking sociale che si fonda su diversi approcci di classificazione (faccette, tag, gerarchie) direttamente gestiti dagli utenti.
Questo nuovo approccio ibrido, gestito direttamente dagli utenti, ha richiesto la ricerca e lo sviluppo di un’ interfaccia utente che introduca paradigmi completamente nuovi fondendoli con alcuni assodati nel mondo delle faccette e dei tag.
Lo sviluppo di questa nuova interfaccia utente ha richiesto un approccio iterativo e di ricerca con degli utenti finali fino ad arrivare ad una versione finale che abilitasse al meglio le opportunità di navigare, esplorare e ritrovare i contenuti in un architettura informativa solo parzialmente predefinita.
Newspapers are dead, long live the contentLuca Mascaro
In the last 5 years the way in which we inform ourselves every day has radically changed. A progressive evolution of the experience of discovery, use, and sharing of content is being generated by an ever-expanding and specialized availability of contents, different points of view, news technologies and devices at affordable costs, largely available connectivity and, more generally, the advent of new global platforms of communication. Sketchin has invested three years in attempting to understand readers and their experiences, thus identifying 11 behavioral trends that are potentially decisive in implementing a more efficient publishing design. The speech will focus in these 11 behaviors and on the evolution of how the publishing industry can better devise and distribute content.
This presentation will delve into the emerging role of design as a game changer for big corporations in the challenge of business transformation and competition with the startups world.
Through a few principles, I will show how new design discipline such as service and strategic design can help even big corporations can evolve their organization, empower the human experience and embrace the nimbleness and fast paced innovation practices typical of the startup ecosystem.
Design management and agile world: fitting customer expectationsLuca Mascaro
In the Customer Age, Design has become the business most powerful ally in the challenge to create and offer products/services that can provide superior quality experiences. We are often invited to assume a partnership role with product managers/owners in most of our projects, bridging the requests coming from stakeholders and users and following the entire project life through an experience management approach. Experience Centered Design is thus becoming the new frontier that we, as designers, are called to cross.
So how design can assume the role of a strategic partner in the daily experience management? I will present some real cases regarding big and complex projects in which we have played this role and the agile methods, tools and best practices that can be used in such a delicate process.
With the spring and summer closely approaching, vineyard season will be beginning soon. Though California is one of the premier places for vineyards and wineries, New York City is slowly inching up to claim its place. Long Island holds some of the best soils for grape growing due to its sandy soil. Visit http://kevinbrunnock.net/best-vineyards-on-long-island/ to learn more.
Promoting winery, USP's and achievements by educating diverse clients with hospitality offering in three rings, Canterbury (Local), South Island (Regional) and rest of the country (New Zealand)
Writing Sample - Regina Sanz - 2014 Vintage Report, JVW Sonoma County
1. Page 1
Writing Sample – Published Work
2014 Harvest Report - Sonoma County - Jordan Vineyard & Winery
By: Regina Sanz
(Published: 10/7/14 – Jordan Vineyard & Winery Blog)
They say good things come to those who wait, but the 2014 growing season in Sonoma County was the exception to this adage, when great things came
early all year long. A moderate winter in January and February coupled with precision farming decisions, saw growth in the vineyards develop quickly,
leading to an early budbreak in March. Our Russian River Valley Chardonnay vines were the first buds to break on March 14, 2014, signaling the official
opening to our growing season. Our Alexander Valley Bordeaux varietals were quick to follow suit, showing their first signs of developing buds a week
later. A warm, relatively dry spring through April and May meant swift flowering, hindered by only a few days of wet weather and a cold snap which
momentarily put Winemaker Rob Davis on edge about the potential for frost. Already low water tables and severe water restrictions would have
prevented the use of sprinklers to protect against frost which could have been disastrous at this pivotal time during the crop’s development. Luckily,
warmer temperatures quickly returned, just in time for fruit set throughout May and early June. With a happy sigh of relief, Davis called it, “the most
even flowering and fruit set I’ve seen in my career.” Warm days followed during veraison in July with Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon growers
seeing the first signs of color as early as July 7, 2014. Extremely dry weather continued throughout July and August though consistent temperatures and
very few excessive heat spikes, yielded an even and well-developed crop. Two weeks of cool, foggy weather at the end of August temporarily slowed
down this rapid growth cycle, before a heat wave over Labor Day weekend kicked ripening back into gear. The result of this overall accelerated growing
season meant that harvest came early when we picked our first grapes on Tuesday, September 2, 2014, about 7 to 10 days earlier than in years past.
Amidst this excessively dry growing season, a new law passed in California on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, limiting underground aquifer water use by
both commercial and residential consumers.4 Despite the limited water consumption rate of premium wine grapes, at approximately 6 inches
of water per acre on an annual basis, this new legislation will have tremendous implications for our vineyards, our growers and the entire wine
agricultural community in Sonoma County. 5, 6 Restricted access to ground water will cause winegrowers to quickly face new irrigation challenges in
order to maintain progressively dryer vineyards, thanks to continued drought. As of Wednesday October 1, this year’s growing season marked the
fourth-driest in Sonoma county’s history with only 17.84 inches of rain, landing close behind the mere 9.3 inches recorded in 1977, the driest season to
date.1, 2, 3 In an effort to mitigate the long term effects of these continued dry conditions in our vineyards, we have been seeking new and innovative
2. Page 2
ways to best manage our water use. With the help of modern technology, Ranch Manager Brent Young, has installed small tracking devices amongst the
vines to monitor the natural rate of vine evapotranspiration, allowing us to track specific vineyards’ water consumption.
These ET devices are attached to irrigation drip-lines and record how much water the plants actually consume versus how much water is applied to
vineyard rows. Individual vineyard block data is then calculated and transmitted to Young, arming him with information on when and how often to
water. Throughout the vintage, this technology also allows us to track and understand changes from year to year in the vines’ water consumption rate,
yielding valuable data that allows us to truly pinpoint where best to utilize our precious water resources.
3. Page 3
Though drought challenges and concerns still dominate the conversation both on our property and amongst our growers, the unanimous sentiment for
the 2014 vintage was that our precise canopy management practices and overall uniform seasonal temperatures allowed our vines to stay healthy despite
Mother Nature’s lack of precipitation. The little rain that did fall came at precisely the right time, with 6 inches right before budbreak, bringing
cherished water to otherwise parched vines. Thanks to a blend of our pruning practices, meticulous farming decisions and consistent temperatures, we
managed to overcome one of the driest growing seasons on record relatively unscathed.
Under the watchful eye of Davis, superior fruit selection always means picking at exactly the time when all of the following elements are aligned:
integrated flavors, defined tannic structure, well developed skin color and perfectly balanced brix and acid levels. In order best decide a picking
schedule; Davis directs the fruit sampling from each vineyard to be evaluated under a series of rigorous protocols to determine optimal ripeness. Year
4. Page 4
after year, this focused attention to quality and timing ensures that each cluster that arrives at the winery is at its very best. Our 2014 harvest was no
exception to this rule and once individual vineyards were ready to pick, energy shifted into high gear as many of both our red and white vineyards hit
prime sugar levels at the same time. Consistently, Davis aims for slightly lower brix than many California winemakers, selecting to pick at approximately
24 brix for our Bordeaux varietals and 23 brix for our chardonnay grapes—ideal levels for our balanced, lower-alcohol house style as noted in last
week's harvest update.
By the beginning of September, the race to pick was on, and atypical of vintages past, this year the first clusters to christen our hopper were Alexander
Valley Merlot grapes, instead of our usual Russian River Valley Chardonnay first arrivals. This role reversal was the first time in 10 years that red grapes
were picked before white. Early ripening set the pace for the rest of harvest, as we saw transport gondola after transport gondola arrive with Alexander
5. Page 5
Valley Cabernet, and Merlot grapes just before our first night harvested Russian River Valley chardonnay grapes arrived on Sunday, September 4, 2014.
The weeks to follow proved fast and furious as our cellar team juggled the challenge of limited fermentation tank space explained Davis, “We have
more grapes to pick than we have tanks!” By mid September, cooler weather and light rain hit the forecast and slowed down the picking schedule a bit,
allowing the cellar team to open up tank space before the next wave of grapes arrived in late September. Fortunately the wet, humid weather was short
lived and interspersed with cool drying winds, mitigating potential flavor dilution and mold and mildew concerns. Clusters looked and tasted ideal with
the purity of clean fruit flavors and elevated intensity that make for a dream vintage. Flavors of rick blackberry and cassis stood out beautifully in
preliminary tank sample tastings, offering a sneak peak of delicious wines to come.
6. Page 6
Despite early season frost threats during budbreak, continued drought concerns, uncertain legislative ramifications, tank space challenges and rain
during September, our 2014 harvest in Alexander Valley came to a close last Friday on October 3, 2014 and we are once again ecstatic with the quality
of fruit from this season. Though perhaps a dry and challenging growing season, the payoff marked 2014 as a three-peat winner of exemplary fruit,
behind the back-to-back stellar vintages of both 2013 and 2012. As the leaves across the valley begin to turn and fall is officially upon us, we move our
attention inside the cellar and keep our fingers crossed that Mother Nature will give us 4-in-a-row for 2015.
Cheers!
Regina Sanz
Trade Marketing & Sales Manager
Jordan Vineyard & Winery
SEO: Check back in a few months to see how the 2014 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and 2014 Jordan Chardonnay are developing in the cellar, and track
previous vintages and current release wines at (Links.)
Sources:
1) http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/1859479-181/north-coasts-historically-dry-winter - page=1
2) http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2909680-181/north-coast-water-woes-reflected
3) http://cesonoma.ucanr.edu/about/weather/?station=83&weather=station
4) http://www.pressdemocrat.com/home/2678118-181/groundwater-laws-to-have-ripple
5) http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/ag101/cropmajor.html
6) http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/California/Publications/California_Ag_Statistics/Reports/2012cas-all.pdf