In addition, our 2013 Enfold Zinfandel took silver among Zinfandels in its category.

This year the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition had 7,164 entries from 28 states, more than ever in its three-decade history. During the first week of January, 65 judges from the trade, education, media, and other fields tasted over 100 wines per day in Sonoma County to select the best, most delicious wines in the USA. The judging panels rated entries as Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Double Gold.

The judges agree with our Wine Club members that Enfold is worth gold!

If you’d like to read more about the competition and the winners, go to Http://winejudging.com/medal-winners.

Salute La Famiglia!

Anita and Joseph

And Enfold Wines 2012 Johnâ€s Blend won a Bronze Medal at the same competition.

In his letter congratulating winners, Executive Director Anthony Dias Blue noted that the 2015 competition judged over 4,902 products from 29 states and 26 countries. If youâ€d like to learn more about the San Francisco International Wine Competition, check out https://sfwinecomp.com/results/overview.

We have only 12 cases left of 2012 Joseph’s Blend and just 10 cases of John’s Blend. Please let us know if you need some to tide you over until the release of our 2013 vintage in November.

Salute La Famiglia!

The vines are surprisingly lush this spring. I expected a less productive season after our dry winter and thought I would have less work at the  beginning of the growing period. Not so. I have been in the vineyard every day this month – Anita too. We are “shoot training,” removing unwanted shoots and clusters from the plants (see The Oxford Companion to Wine, p.628). Of course, it has been in the upper 90â€s. We start early and quit by lunchtime.

Our vines would produce up to twenty pounds per plant if we let them. We are removing at least one third of the fruit and shoots even though the clusters are only about thumb size. We wil cull again during the growing season and finally at harvest. We want between four and six pounds of fruit per plant so a lot of fruit must be “dropped.” In our case less means more …more flavor, color, depth and complexity.

After twenty-two months on the oak, our 2010 blends will go into the bottle in mid-August. Anitaâ€s Blend and our “Jazzinâ€â€ Zinfandel Blend will be our first estate produced wines and will be offered through our club, Salute La Famiglia. We will ship to members the first week of November. If you wish to become a member, please go to www.www.enfoldwines.com/wine-club/ and sign up.

We hope your spring is as beautiful and bountiful as ours has been. Please visit us this summer in Paso Robles or come to harvest in October and join in the “Lucy Stomp.” To read about the fun you can expect, go to www.www.enfoldwines.com/enfold-blog/.

Salute la Famiglia,