Its a Jeep Thing!

1st Annual Jeep & Jam Fundraiser!

All proceeds go to CS Music Foundation!

Come Jeep on down to the Wine Factory for a Jeep & Jam day during Wine & Fire Weekend!

Concert, Food Trucks, and JEEEEEPS!

You might be considering how to stop the fermentation process before it comes to a stop on its own.

Pairing Wine and cheese for parties is reliving its popularity from the seventies, although we are not sure they ever fell out of style!

Whether you are a beginning winemaker or you have been making wine for some time and have experienced some problems in winemaking, it is important to understand the most common mistakes made so you can learn how to avoid them.

Vine Training Tips

As springtime approaches, winemakers and vineyard experts turn their attention to the crucial task of training and pruning their vines. Proper training and pruning ensure the health and longevity of the vines and contribute to the quality of the grapes. This post explores types of vine training methods to help make informed decisions on how to train your vines.

A True California Wine AVA

The Sta Rita Hills AVA (American Viticultural Area) is a wine-growing region located in Santa Barbara County, California. The cool climate, marine influence, and diverse soil types create ideal growing conditions for a variety of grape varietals, including Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Tracking Winemaking Notes

Often home winemakers make a practice of keeping a winemaking journal to track likes, dislikes, or fails, & successful vintages & blends.. These kitchen journals made the process of running a home winemaking hobby far more efficient.

Winemaking Tips Introduction

Are winemaking tips needed?  The first thing you must do is research, to learn the basics of the art, as there are a few fundamental tasks you should perform if you want to stand a good chance of ending up with a fine-tasting product.

The Traditionally, Oak & Wine Forever Married!

Oak & Wine is like peanut butter & jelly! It is one of the biggest influences on the flavor of the wine. It simply affects the maturity, flavor, and subtle texture. Some people are prejudiced against oaked wine and complain of even the slightest hint of oak. It is common for experts to agree that if a wine is =carefully aged in oak it does not taste like wood, but has improved characteristics.

Finding Wine Deals is a skill!

Finding wine deals can leave you feeling discontent and agitated after getting a bad bottle of wine. In fact, there is an air of satisfaction just knowing that you have found true wine values in your purchases.

Tips for Making Wine with Fruits other than grapes

Most people commonly associate wines with grapes; however, it is entirely possible to make wines from fruits other than grapes. The production of wine using fruits other than grapes has become quite commonplace as the hobby of home winemaking has become more pronounced in just the last few years.

Testing your Wine

Two of the keys to making a great batch of wine are testing your wine so you can make adjustments based on those tests. There are two critical areas where you will need to perform tests and possibly make adjustments. Those are sugar and acid levels.

What type of wine you should make?

One of the most common questions you may have when you begin considering making homemade wine is what type of wine you should make. There are certainly plenty of different types of wines from which to choose.

Cabernet Sauvignon is KING when it comes to the world of winemaking grapes for wine production around the world. It shares the top position with Chardonnay which is a green-skinned grape species.

Home Wine Accessories

Wine can be a way of life! There are more home wine accessories available than you could even imagine. From the necessities like corkscrews and glasses to the not-so-necessary yet entertaining accessories like decanters, ice buckets, and pourers- there is more to wine than just drinking it.

Going to a wine tasting can be a very fun and enjoyable experience. However, many people do not attend for fear of not knowing exactly how to act or what to do. There is no great mystery to wine tastings, just a few things you should remember.

Racking Wine is a Timing Game

Racking wine is one of the most essential parts of making stellar wine. Generally, you will need to rack the wine at least two times and in some cases, you may need to rack it as many as four times. Making sure that you rack in a timely fashion will ensure the wine is properly clarified as well as prevent off-flavors.

Choose Wine Like a Pro!

Tonight’s the night. You’ve got that special dinner party with friends and you want it to be perfect. You’ve got the menu completed but the question is which wine will complement the meal best? Here are some tips for choosing a fine wine.

It’s National Cupcake Day!

Holidays are right upon us, which means lots of cooking & eating, so for National Cupcake day we felt it was fitting (Although our belts might not fit after today) to spend a day with Shante Norwood of Te `sTees Cupcakes and do a little wine & cupcake pairing!

Importance of Racking Wine

The process of racking involves siphoning the wine away from the sediment. Sediment is primarily comprised of inactive or dead yeast cells. While yeast is beneficial to the must in the beginning, over time it becomes multiplied many times over. As each new generation of yeast is

Introduction

Wines, like hotels, tend to get rated. And they get rated with stars. How do you know what a 5 or 6-star wine stands for? Now unlike hotels, wines do not necessarily have to be rated by an expert.

Dont forget Sauv Blanc!

Too many people, if you say you want a white wine, they think Chardonnay. And while the Chardonnays of many vineyards are delightful, many others are

Join us for a series of very special 20th anniversary celebrations at our Wine and Fire event scheduled for August 12th through the 15th.

Introduction to Beginning Winemaking

It’s important to do some homework and learn exactly what’s entailed before undertaking the hobby. It is not something that can be simply plunged into and then learned along the way if you really want to make a quality bottle of wine.

A little history about Chardonnay

Chardonnay is a thousand-year-old small village in Mâconnais in the southern portion of France’s Burgundy region. The famous wine Chardonnay most likely originated here and was then spread throughout France by the monks.

Introduction

Wine clubs have been sprouting up in recent years as a result of an increased interest in wine and greater wine consumption.  In fact, according to figures from the Wine Institute, sales of wine in the United States went up four percent in 2004.

Introduction

Most people have tried various red wines and white wines and they still have no idea what differentiates both. If you have no clue, then this article will give you the factors to look for; apart from the color which is obvious. Red and white wines can either be dry or sweet or anywhere in between.

What if you drop a glass of red wine on your tile floor?

Imagine that you are hosting a party for some of your best friends. The atmosphere is

Certain wines can certainly benefit from the addition of oaking with chips. Just a few of these wines include Chardonnays, Cabernets, Pinot Noir, Chianti, Merlots, Sauvignon Blanc, Burgundy, Pinot Blanc, and Fume Blanc.

2020 Wine for the Win!

While we are not a large traffic winery, I think everyone can agree, it has been one of those years for sure! I think the Google Wine Analytics screenshot speaks volumes for one of our more popular search results.

Winemaking can be an extremely satisfying hobby with a wonderful end result that can make for a wonderful gift idea! If you have ever experimented with brewing beers you may already be familiar with many similar steps with the process of winemaking.

Main flavors of wine

The four main flavors of wine are sweet, salty, sour, and bitter. While this is the four flavors your tongue is really capable of tasting, the long-lasting impression that wine leaves in your mouth is far more complex. When drinking or tasting wine,

Making wine at home is a fun hobby, & if you have given some thought to the idea, but just haven’t quite gotten around to it yet, there is no reason to delay any longer!

Almost everyone on the planet has heard of Chardonnay. In fact, it is so popular that some people even name their children after it. Chardonnay is commonly ordered as a type of wine from bars and restaurants. But it is, in fact, the name of the most popular and possibly the most versatile grape in the world.

Now that you have brought your favorite wine home, you need to know how to store it properly to make sure that you do not spoil it.

What is Sangria?

For years now a staple to my summertime diet has been to have a glass or two of sangria while sitting out on my patio on those warm summer evenings with friends. Sangria is a wine-based punch that originates from Portugal and Spain. The word “sangria” is derived from the Spanish word “sangre” which means blood. Sangria is usually made from red wine, sliced citrus fruit, sugar, and a spirit such as brandy or triple sec.

What is Wine Collecting?

Collecting wine can be a very fun and exciting hobby – especially when you try to

Wine clubs have been sprouting up in recent years as a result of an increased interest in wine and greater wine consumption.  In fact, according to figures from the Wine Institute, sales of wine in the United States went up

While wine can certainly be made from a variety of different vegetable matters, most wines are produced from grapes. Ironically, grapes commonly grow in areas where it is difficult if not impossible to grow other crops. Bordeaux, France is known for

Moderate wine consumption produces a better balance of these two. Additionally, wine has an anti coagulation effect which makes the blood less likely to clot. The health benefits of drinking alcohol can’t

Benefits of drinking wine

Longevity interests a lot of people who aren’t ready to give up their lives, just yet. Who look to healthy alternatives to culturally defined eating patterns and

ExploreLompoc has recently come out with a very cool interactive map. In Midtown Lompoc, just a few blocks from the Wine Ghetto.

When it comes to food and wine, most people are brought up with the rule stating “red goes with red, white goes with white”, which means red wine goes with red meat while white wine goes with fish and poultry. Then came the “postmodern” maxim which says that ‘if you like the taste, the match is perfect’.

Blending wine has become a highly respected part of the process of winemaking. Many winemakers in fact view blending as a highly evolved art form. The basic idea of blending is to mix different wines. In order to create a final wine that possesses a quality that is superior to that of each of the different components singularly.

For virtually any occasion, such as special moments and holidays, wine makes a great gift. From informal meetings to wedding celebrations and bashes, wine is a gift that is truly hard to beat.

Are you in the process of planning a trip to wine country?Whether your trip involves traveling an hour to the wine country region of California or if your trip requires a cross-country flight or drive, you are sure to be pleased with your experience.

Not sure what wines to buy? Always buy the same thing? Looking for a regular supply of wines direct to your door? If the answer is yes to any of the above, then you should consider

A selection of musings on the effervescent nectar from the great and the good…

“my only regret in life is that I didn’t drink enough Champagne”
John Maynard Keynes

Even for the avid wine drinker, deciding on a bottle of wine can be a daunting task with so many varieties of wine on the market today. Wine labels don’t help either with the various terms in foreign languages and the small print.