Ways to Ferment and Age Wine

There are several ways to ferment and age wine, and while you don’t need to know how every wine you drink was aged or fermented to enjoy them, having an understanding connects you with the wine and gives you an appreciation you wouldn’t have had before.

Here are a few of my favorites I found at Cakebread Cellars a few months back:

1) Ceramic Eggs: Concrete eggs increase contact with the solids from the harvest and can really solidify the flavors and textures of wine to make it come into its own without any outside help. It works great for wines that a winemaker may want to increase the body of the wine. It works great on whites that need a little more intensity, while not adding extra flavors or characteristics you might get from oak. Using a concrete egg may seem new, but the concept isn’t. Ancient winemakers were known to have used clay pots to ferment in the country of Georgia, which is where some would argue was the birthplace of wine.

2) Oak Barrels: The classic standard. Wood barrels, and more specifically the use of oak, in winemaking has been around for a couple millennia. The fun part with oak barrels is the ability to create drastically different flavors than already presenting in the wine. With an oak, or wood barrel, you can decide what type of oak, where its from, if its old or new, if its been used in winemaking or other spirit making before, and can control the inside through charring or toasting. This opens up a whole world of possibilities.

3) Stainless Steel: A lot of winemakers will use stainless steel to simply ferment first, then move their wines to another medium like oak or pots to continue to age their wine because stainless steel is easier to work with, produces more consistency, and is scalable. But it also has been used in aging and allows for the wine to not take on additional tones or flavors, depending on what the winemaker is looking to do. . You don’t always have to know how your wine was made to know it tastes good or doesn’t. . But the real magic happens when you can start to pick out the difference and see the interplay of various techniques and how they have shaped the wine in your glass.

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Focusing on the Small Things

This is a trail by my house that I hit everyday, either on a run, a ruck, or just a walk. Sometimes twice a day.

What’s fun to see is how this landscape looks different every day, and at different times of the day.

Also it’s fun to see how the weather changes this view. I was reading somewhere that to make it through an isolation like this, it helps if you track something, something you see constantly, and can notice the small nuances of change.

This trail has shown me those small nuances, and has served as a daily reminder that life goes on, and change is a part of that. I don’t know what changes are coming next, but I do know this view right here is not going to fundamentally change, at least not in my lifetime.

Sometimes it’s hard to keep perspective while inside the four walls. Having a place to physically go to keep a grip on reality has helped me immensely and kept me grounded. I hope it does the same for you.

Safe adventures this week to all.

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Captain’s Log, Day 19 in Isolation: An unlikely pairing

The family unit challenged me to bring my A-game to the digital communal dinner tonight, so naturally I emptied the fridge on the counter and just tried to make sense of what I had.

By sheer luck, I had recently watched a Tiger King episode discussing the particulars of using salvageable ingredients to make craft pizza.

Luckily, I had some leftover Trader Joe’s pizza dough that made for a solid foundation.

I searched for the right vintage to pair with this mighty pie adorned with aged swine meat products, and alas this Bernardus 2017 Sauvignon Blanc was the one that could balance out the savagery of the pizza that emerged from my oven like a phoenix emerging from the flames of destruction.

While no end in sight appears on the horizon, we have bountiful wine stores, and are taking new protective measures to protect the crew from further paradise lost.

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Champagne...

"Remember, gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for, it's champagne." -Winston Churchill | Gyé Sur Seine, Champagne, France |

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Sandy Beaches and Ocean Breezes

Day dreaming right now about sandy beaches and ocean breezes.

While adventures outside of the house have to be curtailed right now, our sense of adventure does not have to change.

Maybe the paths we are on right now look a little different than what we expected, but we are still on our paths and that is adventure in its purest form.

Maybe our adventures are finding novelty in our current situation.

Its not easy, but what great adventures are ever easy?

I will still long for the day to come where I get to explore this great world once more, but until then I will relentlessly find ways to continue on my path.

I can't give you what you think your adventures should look like right now, all I can say is there still is a path in front of you, and the choice to continue along it is up to you.

Safe adventures this week and every week.

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Quarantine Survival Wines

Are you ready to survive? Do you have the wines you need for the next few weeks? Don’t fret, with my Quarantine Wine Survival Guide, all your questions about which wine to drink on which days and how you’ll be feeling are demystified. Check out my Instagram stories if you’re ready to delve deep into the inner recesses of wine for the next few days you’ll be spending at home.

Cheers!

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Wine and Travel: Napa

Good thing I only drink wine on days that end in “y”…

Friday afternoons in Cali are my kind of afternoons

I’ve been beyond blessed to visit some amazing places and do some neat things, but by far the best times I have are with the best people. Alex and Jess came in for the week, minus little Daniel, and we had such a fun time having an adult getaway in Napa this past week checking out Cakebread Cellars, St. Supery Estate and Black Stallion Estate Winery So grateful to have a best friend like Alex and his amazing wife, Jess. Cheers to this amazing couple!

P.S. Spend less time planning the perfect trip, picking the perfect wineries or making the perfect itinerary. Instead travel with the right people and you’ll never go to a wrong place.

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Wednesday Wine Wisdom...

My favorite question I get asked about wine is how to find the best wineries.

This can be a relative question, but I'm going to break the mold and give you a straight forward answer.

In wine producing areas, these little appellations or regions are built around communities.

Sure, there are at time rivalries between wineries, or families that own different wineries and vineyards, and sometimes there are rivalries inside the winery.

But most of the time, from the planting vines through the harvest and crushing grapes, wineries and vineyards ban together to help each other because they know they each can't do it alone.

It is during these times that relationships are built, basic human nature, resistance and hard work builds camaraderie.

It also gives outsiders opportunities to see the subtle and nuanced differences in how different viticulturists and winemakers differentiate their brands.

That's why when you walk into a winery or tasting room, you can get some amazing recommendations from the winery staff.

The best way to find the best wineries is just picking a place on the map to start, and making sure to charm the socks off of the winery staff so when you ask them "Where to next?" they give you their best recommendations.

Now go forth and find the best wineries, and let us all know what you find! ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

Photo credit: Lauren Davis⠀⠀

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Local Travel Ideas

Beyond thankful for a fantastic week long visit from the man, the myth, the legend himself, UK (Uncle Kevin). Somehow we always find ways to keep ourselves entertained. More importantly, you can thank him for not having to sleep on cardboard boxes for sheets in the guest room when you come to visit in Monterey, because the man knows how to put his touch (just a pinch of southern charm) on a new place.

Oh and did I say we both love wine?

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Small Change/Big Impact

Yesterday afternoon I wasn’t able to focus.

I couldn’t put the creator hat on and start grinding towards my finished product I have In my mind for a couple projects.

So instead of sitting there and not keep falling into a cycle of not getting things done, I made a change.

I got outside, and went watched the sunset.

It gave me everything I needed yesterday afternoon to revitalize me.

When you’re not getting the results you want, just make a small commitment to change something, anything.

That little change could be a cup of coffee or a quick walk.

The speed of your results are directly related to the speed of your ability to make changes and innovate yourself as much as you’re innovating your product.

What small change do you need to make right now to get the results you need tomorrow?

Now it’s time to get back to work, because the sun may have set again here, but today isn’t over.

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How I Ran a Sub-40 Min 5 Mile

Running has always not been my strongest physical attribute. I would run endlessly right when I first joined the army, and do miles on miles.

40 Minutes has always been the gold standard to me as far as a 5 mile run time that I felt like once I achieved it, would boost my confidence make me feel like a true runner.

While going through my training pipeline for my job, We would do 5 mile time trials or "Gates" as we called it periodically once a month.

These gates would stress me out.

I could feel the anxiety building up in me.

I would think about how if I failed I would be dropped from the program, or if I didn't run fast enough I wouldn't be considered good enough.

So I made a decision to get help.

I got a coach.

We initially sat down and came up with a game plan.

He showed how I needed to breakdown the 5 miles into little half mile increments, little chunks that I could chew on and crush before hitting the next half mile.

We developed a self check system where every time I would cross a half mile check point.

I would run through my checks and assess things like my pace, how much fatigue I felt, how many miles left, and make a decision to either run faster or slower based of our overall strategy.

This process of checking in enabled me to go run a 39:44 five mile on test day that to this day I am super proud of, not because of the fact it was a sub 40 minute 5 mile run, but because I did the physical and mental prep work to crush that goal.

No matter what your goal is, you need three things to be successful:

1. Game Plan

2. Someone to hold you accountable guide you along the way

3. Timeline

Sometimes these three things interfere with each other, and aren't in balance.

So you need to do an honest assessment and ask yourself is all three of those things nested and supporting you in achieving your goal.

Sure you could try and hit your goal with out a plan, by just "working hard"every day, but how will you know what you're doing is getting you closer to your goal?

And you might say "I don't need a support from someone else".

But having someone who can be honest with you about your progress when you may have hard time being honest with yourself helps you stay focused.

And while not setting a timeline may be tempting so you don't feel pressured, its only going to delay you from taking action.

Let me know in the comments what else you think is necessary this year to achieve your goal! ⚔️♠️

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Wine: Weekly Download (from Napa County!)

This week's weekly wine download comes from one of the most eminent wine regions of California, Napa County!

Had a fantastic weekend camping out and hoppin' and poppin' along the Silverado Trail and tasting some outstanding wines!

Over the course of the weekend I got to hit:

• Black Stallion Estate Winery

• Monticello - Corley Family Vineyards

• Pine Ridge Vineyards

• And last but certainly not least Chimney Rock Winery

All of these estates were fascinating to taste, and even more so to visit as you move through the valley and see how microclimates affect the different growing conditions of the wine.

Napa is one of those places you have to do at some point if you want to understand the historical context of wine making in California, and really the United States.

The thing I really enjoyed about this weekend was learning more about Cabernet Sauvignons that I normally don't drink a lot.

Napa put Cabernet Sauvignon on the map, and to be able to taste in one of the top Cabernet producing regions in the world was magical.

Cheers to a good weekend of enjoying the beauty of California, its rich bounty of wonderful wines!

Safe travels to all this week!

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Wine: Weekly Download

Just catching up with last weekend, and dropping a weekly wine download.

Found THE spot at The Cheese Shop in Carmel!

Three wines and some cheese for $16? Let’s just say, I’ll be spending a lot time in Carmel...

Also checked out Scheid Vineyards’ tasting room in Carmel, which was a blast.

Quick tip from Kris’s Wine Sense:

A lot of tasting rooms in the US (will have to cover tasting rooms in Europe in a separate post) have a standard tasting menu and an estate or reserve tasting menu.

I personally don’t do an estate or reserve tasting menu until I’ve tried the standard tasting menu, because if the wines on the standard tasting menu don’t grab my attention or are something I enjoy, I don’t see myself spending the money on the reserve.

On the flip side, sometimes tasting rooms will have wines and wine styles on the reserve menu that you might not be able to taste on the standard menu, so take those opportunities to try the things that you enjoy!

Be intentional with your palate and your pocket book, and try stuff that you’re interested in and drawn too. . Also, don’t be afraid to push the limits, and try something that is outside your comfort zone!

Cheers

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Here's to Adventure in 2020

Favorite photo of the new year, and officially my new iPhone background.

Last year, I tried to constantly one up my morning views, so that each place was a completely different view than the last.

This year, I'm really looking forward to seeing the local beauty you can find in your own neighborhood.

You don't have to go far to find the views that are make you take a step back and just say "Whoa".

But sometimes you do have to work at it, and even go back to the same place over and over again until you see a place in a way that connects with you.

This photo represents the awesome adventures that are to be had this year, not too far from my new home!

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Move to Get To a Place That Will Move You

Last night's sunset on the beach was amazing.

And I didn't get to see it!

Looking at this photo this morning (and doing some light* editing) allowed me to appreciate how far I've come. . I think early last year, I had a little bit of a mantra "Do things that excite you".

If I could go back in time and give myself an updated mantra last year it would be "Don't just do things that excite you; do things that move you."

Sometimes you have to move to get a place that will move you.

All I could think about yesterday, literally all day, was hitting the beach in my new locale.

I got home late yesterday, and I felt discouraged because the sun had literally just set as I got home.

But I didn't want to lose an opportunity, so I threw on my running shoes and got out to the beach.

Would this photo have been better if I had gotten to the beach right before sunset?

Maybe.

But the point is I didn't, and enjoyed these views just as much if not more because I chose to go for that run.

Move to places that move you, and do it imperfectly, because it's those imperfections that make life way more interesting.

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A Journey is a Person in Itself

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." - John Steinbeck || Seaside, CA ||

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Travel and Measuring Up

If there's anything I've learned about travel, never fall into the trap of legalism. It's never about how many stamps you have on your passport, or what you think you have to do based on what your friends told you they did, what matters is how you travel, and the process you go through during your travels.

Travel speaks to all of us in different ways.

It shows us things about ourselves that we've buried deep, and other things that we never knew were there.

So If we keep focusing on our so called "metrics" of how much we travel, instead of the process of how we lived during our travels, then we become victims to our own devices.

Next time you travel, try focusing on how you spend your time with yourself, I mean really dig deep there and see what's inside.

Then have faith, because the rest will work itself out.

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Looking Forward to Monday...?

Monday Mornings aren't about looking back at what happened last week.

It's about what you have to look forward to this week.

There's something beautiful in the grind, knowing that we are building something brick by brick, and that each week gets us to a new level.

But getting to the next level doesn't take massive plans, endless hours of grinding, or new gear.

It takes one step, or one decision.

It's that moment before everything begins for the week, that moment where we choose to get better.

It's that moment right after when everything that's going to happen this week and everything that you think you have to do floods your mind and starts pulling away from your focus, you wipe the slate clean and choose that one thing, that one priority, that one step that is going to get you closer to your next level.

Taking a moment to feel the overwhelm is fine, it keeps you grounded, and makes you feel like a human, and reminds you that you have real responsibilities to your people and your self.

But when let it all go and burn that one next step in your mind, let yourself rise to the next level for the week, that's when you become superhuman.

People take notice when you have a singular mind, and that one next objective clearing in view.

Some will say you’re distant, cold even.

Others will say they feel inspired.

But other's views don't matter to you.

Because they aren't apart of the one thing, the one step, the one choice that only matters right now.

Clear your mind, make the decision, find the next step on your path, and get to the next level this week.

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Hiking at Sunrise...

Got up early today to get some miles in!

Sunrise hikes are the best way to reconnect with yourself, get in touch with nature, and refine your focus.

Here's to more hikes like this one in 2020 in this magnificent place.

Saying hello from my new home, Monterey, CA!

Now let's get that bread this week!

P.S. RIP beard.

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It Takes Work (but You Got This!)

No matter where you’re at, no matter what dark hole you find yourself at the bottom of, no matter what corner of the planet or galaxy you find you yourself in, you can get back, you can get home, you can pull yourself out.

It takes work. It takes doing a shit ton of things that don’t make sense at the time. Knowing that they’ll pay off down the road. It takes looking into yourself and seeing what’s there, doing an assessment and working with what you got.⠀

I can’t promise you you’ll end up where you think you’re suppose to be, but if you do the work, and let him work, you’ll end up where you’re meant to be. Because it’s something greater than your journey, or your path. It’s your destiny. And your time is now, because you’re alive right now, so go out and seize it.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ .⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

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