Madroña Vineyards Blog

Back in 2013, Maggie and I had an idea. A 21-acre defunct Christmas tree farm on Carson Road sat on the market. With its shallow soils and copious amounts of frontage along the road, we were fearful that someone would purchase the property with little interest in doing agriculture and instead just put more crafter stands out for the busy season (more Disneyland in Apple Hill).

Our thought was to plant vineyards, build a small winery, and continue the traditions of family farming in the area. And thus the inception of Rucksack Cellars with our outdoor tastings starting in the fall of 2015...

I think it's interesting how the conversation about the currant lull in the wine industry focuses on the younger generation not drinking. Polls, though, show that they are drinking, however the beverage industry is a crowded field (and now more than just beer, wine and spirits). No doubt I'll be talking about this more in the upcoming months and would rather talk more now about why we drink wine at all.

OK, yes, drinking wine is a centuries-old tradition; a natural product that in a lot of places was safer to drink than the water. However I'm not here to profess that wine is some elixir of...

So "organic" farming is kind of a crappy job. Wait, wait, let me rephrase that. So "organic" farming is a composty job. Yep, that has a different meaning entirely. But let's step back just a little bit to give a frame of reference.

The basic aspect of farming is that growing crops takes nutrients, and grapes are no different. Much of those nutrients are in the soil where cover crops and incorporating in the biomass (and not using herbicides) can achieve a balance for your vineyard. But from time to time, especially as the vines get older, there may be a need to add a bit more nutrients for a...

It has come to our attention recently that VinePair (the only professional east coast tasting panel now existing) surveyed 17 wine "Pros" (sommeliers and writers) as to the which wine regions were the most underrated in the United States. And at the top of the list (we weren't surprised) was the Sierra Foothills!

First of all, congratulations to the Sierra Foothills as we continue to get noticed by more and more wine professionals. Secondly, this isn't a surprise to us (and probably you either) as the value of the wines up here have made our region a destination for years. (We just thought...

As you read this (and previous Shrub Reports), you are hopefully getting a glimpse of the wine industry that maybe is more enlightening (or even factual) than we've seen in the Hallmark Christmas Winery "Documentaries". Now I'm not saying that the love story in those movies isn't possible (look at Maggie and me!), but most of the other aspects are purely fantasy.

Now that harvest season is over for us and the crush is finished, perhaps understanding one of the seasonal jobs will help you steer clear of owning a winery. As you all know, we ferment the juice and musts (grapes and juice) in our...