2011 Robby’s Blend and a Calzone

After making jam, plum sauce and chutney this week I still have plenty more fruit left from my trip up north. I did make a second batch of chutney because it was so yummy.  I ended up making calzones stuffed with ricotta, Chutney, shredded chicken and Cabernet cheddar.  Also, when I went up north there’s this little dairy that makes fresh cheese and milk.  And of course, I brought some cheese.  How could I not….

I mentioned last week how I enjoy Robby’s Blend with plum dishes. Well, now I am craving a…

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Wine of the Week – 2014 Quinn’s Zin

Wine of the Week – 2014 Quinn’s Zin

 

For this week’s Wine of the Week, I have chosen a wine that hasn’t made that many appearances yet. It still hasn’t officially been released. I thought it would be fun for another preview of this favorite, 2014 Quinn’s Zin. We sourced the grapes for this vintage locally, from Lake Los Angeles.

A few weeks ago, we were saddened by the news that Efren Chavez from High…

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Our Newest Rose Wine, 2017 Grenache Syrah Rose

This past weekend, we bottled our newest vintages of wine. Now I’m back in isolation at home, deciding what new wine we’re going to have for dinner tonight. There are so many delicious choices.
I must say, we have a brand new rosé that I would love to share with everyone. It is our new 2017 Grenache Syrah rosé. The grapes were locally sourced from the Vineyard about 45 minutes from here. This wine What is fermented in French oak barrels for 14 months. This is a delicate, yet…

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Reyes 2014 Julia’s Blend Cherry Jam

Reyes 2014 Julia’s Blend Cherry Jam

By Beth Heiserman

I’m sure everybody has seen at the market how abundant and beautiful the cherries are this year. This week I decided to buy some cherries and make some jam. And of course, like always I always infuse wine into everything, Jams and jellies are no different. When I think of cherries there are a couple wines that come to mind, but the one that made me think the most this week because I haven’t used it in any recipe recently was 2014 Reyes Julia’s Blend. It is a…

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Port-style Wine Tasting Event

Port-style Wine Tasting Event

by Beth Heiserman

This coming Saturday, June 1, is our Port-style tasting.  We will be releasing our 12-year-old Aqua Dulce Delight. We have released two other Agua Dulce Delights. The first time was in 2011 and the second was in 2013. This is one remarkable dessert wine that is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah from the vintages of 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The first Release of the Aqua Dulce Delight was in 2011 and sold out over two years ago. I did save…

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2019 March Quarterly Shipment

2019 March Quarterly Shipment

by Beth Heiserman

Its that time again for our members to have their quarterly choices and a lunch. Our wine club consists of four shipments are year. They are march, June, September and December. There is no fee to become a member, only a commitment that you will remain a member for at least four shipments. Every shipment you have an option of either having it shipped to you or picking it up at the winery. For instance, next weekend is our member pick up…

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All Wines get a holiday…February 16th is International Syrah Day!

All Wines get a holiday…February 16th is International Syrah Day!

By Beth Heiserman

February 14 is celebrated as St. Valentine’s Day in various parts of the world. We have combined International Syrah Day and Valentines Day by having a winemaker dinner on the 15th & 16th of February. Come Celebrate Valentine’s Day at Reyes Winery.

What could be a more romantic way to celebrate your Valentine’s day than by bringing your loved one to Reyes Winery for a specially prepared wine pairing dinner? Every year, we have had a pink,…

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2013 Ryan’s Blend Food Pairing

2013 Ryan’s Blend Food Pairing

by Beth Heiserman

This past weekend someone asked me about why do wineries blend wine. Last July, I wrote an article about wine blends and I mentioned about combining two or more wines makes each one better than they would be on their own. Sometimes wine varietals need other wines to help them have the complexity that a wine needs. Sometimes a wine can be flat and if you blend an acidic wine, it will create a blend that is balanced. By blending you…

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2015 Oso’s Blend and the Red Blend Tasting Event

2015 Oso’s Blend and the Red Blend Tasting Event

by Beth Heiserman

 

Coming February 2nd, I am doing the first “Red Blend Tasting Event”. I have done many wine pairing events, but not a blend event. I have chosen specific Reyes Winery Blends for this educational yet fun food and wine pairing. Every wine has a story, and I love sharing each one of them with you. Its $15 per person and it includes a Reyes Winery 12oz glass to take home. Please make your reservations in our tasting room or online at https://squareup.com/store/reyes-winery/.

Annual Bottling Party

Annual Bottling Party

by Beth Heiserman

 

Someone asked me last week on a tour, its December, what are doing? There is always something happening at the vineyard all year long. Right now, we are preparing to bottle our 2016 & 2017 vintages. Every year we have an event at the vineyard for guests to see the bottling process. It will be January 5th from 12pm-4pm. Its $49 per person and it includes lunch, a glass of wine, a tour of the bottling line and you get to take home…

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2018 December Quarterly Choices

Just the other day, someone mentioned to me of all the things that I’ve written about I’ve never actually shared a little bit about Reyes Winery‘s wine club. It consists of four shipments are year. They are march, June, September and December. There is no fee to become a member, only a commitment that you will remain a member for at least four shipments. Every shipment you have an option of either having it shipped to you or picking it up at the winery. For instance, this weekend is…

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What is a blended wine?

What is a blended wine?

A mix of two or more wines…. not blended in a blender!

By Beth Heiserman

 

I was reading an article the other day about wine blends are their origins then I came across an article about blending wine in a blender.  Combining two or more wines makes each one better than they would be on their own. Sometimes wine varietals need other wines to help them have the complexity that a wine needs. Sometimes a wine can be flat and if you blend…

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Petite Sirah, Syrah….are they the same or different?

Petite Sirah, Syrah….are they the same or different?

By Beth Heiserman

 

This past weekend, we had many people ask about Petite Sirah. Why are they spelled different? Is Petite Sirah a smaller grape, lighter on flavor? Many people had so many questions, that I thought I would elaborate about Petite Sirah. A few months ago, I mentioned a little about one of my learning experiences of wine and Petite Sirah.

It’s really called Durif. It’s grown mainly in Australia, California and France. In the past 30 years, its popularity has…

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Viognier… the Other White Wine!

Viognier… the Other White Wine!

by Beth Heiserman

Viognier is white wine varietal from the Rhône Valley in France. Officially, it is the only white grape allowed in the region. It is also grown around the world, such as Australia, North and South America. We brought in our 2016 Viognier from Lake LA. That is approximately 50 miles north east of Santa Clarita. It is my favorite white varietal.

Viognier is a full bodied white wine that is full of aromatics like peaches, tangerines, violets and minerality. Generally, it is not aged in oak because the exposure to…

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Why do we use Oak Barrels for wine?

Why do we use Oak Barrels for wine?

By Beth Heiserman
Over 2000 years ago, a Greek historian, documented that wood barrels were used for wine in ancient Mesopotamia.  I have mentioned before, in my article about “Orange Wines” that approximately 6000 years ago, wine was aged and stored in clay pots called Qvevri.  Then eventually besides the clay, people started to use wood. Wood was lighter than clay when traveling. As the Romans were expanding their empire, they brought wine with them.

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The Myth Behind the Title of a ‘Reserve Wine’

The Myth Behind the Title of a ‘Reserve Wine’

by Beth Heiserman

Many people think that there are certain descriptive words that people look for on a winery’s label, like reserve, estate grown, single vineyard, old vine, etc. This past week, I had someone ask what our “reserve wines” were.

In the U.S., “reserve” doesn’t theoretically mean anything. When applying for label approval from the TTB (Tax and Trade Bureau) in our country, reserve is nothing more than a brand…

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Tasting Room Etiquette

any years ago, I went to Concannon Winery in Livermore, CA. They are known for their Petite Sirah. My father knew Jim Concannon. I stayed up there for two weeks to learn more about wine. He taught me from Wine Tasting Etiquette to wine pairing. I enjoyed my trip so much; it is something I will never forget. I remember walking through a courtyard with him, asking him what do Petite Sirah grapes taste like compared to the actual wine. He reached up above up on an…

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What is Port Wine?

What is Port Wine?

by Beth P Heiserman

Port is a Portuguese fortified wine which must be made in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal. It is generally consumed as a dessert wine, since it can be very sweet and decadent. There are several types of Port; red, white, rosé and an aged style called Tawny Port. Plus there are dry and semi-dry varieties. Fortified wines may be produced anywhere in the world, but only can be labeled “Port” from Portugal.

Ruby port is the inexpensive and most widely produced type of port. After…

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San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition “Double Gold” Tour Part 2

San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition “Double Gold” Tour

Part 2

By Beth Heiserman

Last week, was the second leg of a 6 six-city tour for the “Double Gold” medal tour with the San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition.  Last Tuesday, I went to Manhattan to Quality Italian Steakhouse on 57th street to the “Double Gold” Tasting event. I am excited to meet the media from New York.  I love to share that we are the only winery here from Los Angeles County especially because we…

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SF International Wine and Spirits “Double Gold” Tour

SF International Wine and Spirits “Double Gold” Tour

by Beth Heiserman

 

Last week, was the first leg of a 6 six-city tour for the “Double Gold” medal tour with the San Francisco International Wine & Spirits Competition.  I will be traveling to New York, Las Vegas and Los Angeles in the next few weeks. Plus the wine will travel on to Portland and Chicago without me.  I was in San Francisco pouring our 2012 Syrah. This was our second Double Gold Medal. The 2011 Syrah won two years ago…

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Table Grapes vs Wine Grapes

Table Grapes vs Wine Grapes

Is there a difference?

By Beth Heiserman

Many people have asked me in the tasting room or during a tour the difference between wine grapes and table grapes…Is there a difference? I have even heard is there a chemical reaction that converts grapes into a varietal of wine. At first I didn’t understand the question. I actually had that question twice in one day. I asked them to elaborate; they thought all grapes were the same and that we add some chemicals to crate the varietal of wine. No, we don’t….

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2017 Wine Education at the LA County Fair

2017 Wine Education at the LA County Fair

By Beth Heiserman

Last week, I attended a wine education class at the LA County Fair in Pomona for Award Winning Wines of Southern California. They presented our 2013 Syrah which won a silver award. I was so excited to be there and experience a class which I attend every year that had one of our wines. This was the first time we were included in this class or for that matter any class. As I waited in line, people kept…

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50 Shades of pink!

50 Shades of pink!

What is a Rosé Wine?

From pink to fuchsia…and all the shades in between like blush, crepe, rouge,salmon or coral.

By Beth P. Heiserman
Published February 1, 2017

 

 

Rose wines, often called blush wines are wines normally made with red grapes but that have a much lighter color than red wine based upon the way the wine is created. It can be created a number of ways. There are three ways to make a rose; skin-contact, Saignée or blending.Read More

The perfect pairing for turkey dinner

The perfect pairing for turkey dinner

Ever wondered what should you serve with turkey?  Here are some ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner this year.

By Beth P. Heiserman

Published November 16, 2016

thanksgiving

 

 

Ever wondered what should you serve with turkey?  Here are some ideas for your Thanksgiving dinner this year. There are plenty of white and red choices for everyone to love. Every dish can pair with a different wine. Here are some choices to choose from, from a dry Sauvignon Blanc to a sweet dessert wine…

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Veraison, is the ripening stage before we harvest

Veraison

It is the ripening stage before we harvest

The grape cycle begins with bud break, generally in March or April. Flowering, and fruit set happens shortly after. Then followed in the summer by veraison which leads into harvesting. By Thanksgiving, we have the beautiful colors of fall. The leaves start to fall, which leads into dormancy in the month of December and January. We then prune in January.

IMG_5556Currently, we are in the veraison stage. This is the stage before harvest. After “fruit set”, the red grapes varietals…

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Evaluating Wine by Sight

 

 

IMG_1046Evaluating Wine by Sight                                                             

I previously discussed wine tasting surroundings and avoiding unwanted smells.  Your next step is to visually examine the wine; your glass should be about one-quarter full.

Look straight down into the glass, then hold the glass to the light, and finally, tilt the glass so the wine rolls toward the edge. This will allow you to see the wine’s complete color range.  I recommend you do this by placing your glass in front of a piece of white paper so you can see it more clearly, this will…

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How to taste and evaluate wine

 

syrah double gold

How to taste and evaluate wine

 

IMG_1046This is the first in a series of short informative articles about wine tasting and wine evaluation. I will be offering some simple suggestions to help you enjoy and evaluate wine. These are suggestions you can immediately use in your wine tasting journey. I want to simplify the process and make it a fun learning experience rather than giving you a rigid set of rules to abide by. After all, wine is to be enjoyed…

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Holiday Dinner Wine Pairings

Thanksgiving

The holidays are a time for family, friends, food, & laughter. Choosing the perfect wines to serve during your special gatherings can be nerve-racking. This year, relax, set the worries aside and follow these recommendations for these sure-to-please Holiday Food & Wine Pairings. Let these fine wine recommendations help you plan your holidays stress free.

What to Pour First?

Whether you are the host or a holiday guest selecting a bottle to bring to the party, there is no better way to jump-start the evening than with a bottle of a lighter wine! No need to be uneasy about which wine…

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