This is an image of the Pinot Noir vine we have been following since the beginning of the growth cycle. Last week there was a great deal more foliage. Workers have gone through to ‘clean the head’ – remove excess foliage and shoots to better expose the fruit and reduce the canopy.
Later they will train the vine so that it grows vertically between the pairs of supporting wires. Vertical training permits more leaf exposure. Leaves shadowed by other leaves do not provide the photosynthesis necessary for the vine to mature.
And later still they will return to remove leaves that shade the maturing grapes. Night and early morning fog dampens the grapes, and although the cooling is beneficial the moisture is not.
To see the growth cycle from the beginning:
Click image to enlarge:
When you’re not in the mood for wine at the Bistro Restaurant’s Thursday Grilled Cheese Night, order the Irish Porter Cheddar melted on toasted sourdough to accompany your dark rich beer. Cahill’s Irish Porter is a full flavored and tangy cheddar that is marbled throughout with Guiness. Its firm texture is made from pastuerized cow’s milk. The marbled porter gives the mild Irish cheese an extremely unique and interesting mosaic patterned appearance as well as a distinctly rich sweetness. Putting this cheese on a party platter is sure to provoke a number of comments from your guests.
Porter is a dark brown ale, which is produced by Cahills from an old Limerick recipe. Layers upon layers of sweetness, nuttiness, and meatiness make this cheese one of the most interesting cheeses I have ever tasted. You can’t miss it served grilled between artisan sourdough (as is).
Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager Santa Barbara Winery
Rose Moradian writes in the Bistro Restaurant and Wine Bar Blog…
This is a VERY exciting time for the Lafond Vegetable Garden! We’ve harvested our first batch of lettuces and kohlrabi! The Bistro currently has Blush Butter and Magenta Loose Leaf lettuces as part of the mixed salads. You can purchase some of our very own Lafond Produce from the Montecito location. Very soon, like next week we will have peas as well! I chose some unusual peas for the Bistro, for beauty and flavor. Specifically, Golden India Peas.
These are a rare heirloom from India that I’ve heard so much about, I decided to grow it for the Bistro. Rare, beautiful and delicious, this unique, yellow, edible pod pea has tasty, flat pods that are sweet and crunchy.They have enchanting, two-toned purple flowers followed by their striking lemon-yellow pods. Originally from India, this heirloom is just fabulous in stir-fries. To be sure, I’m growing the usual varieties as well, like Precoville Petit Pois…
To read the total article:
One of the most interesting sandwiches on the Bistro’s Thursday evening Grilled Cheese menu is made using Humboldt Fog and pear. These two ingredients melt together between a crispy sourdough bread casing. Humboldt Fog is an American ripened (as opposed to fresh) goat’s milk cheese supposedly named for the local ocean fog which rolls in from Humboldt Bay, California (where it is produced by only one farm, Cypress Grove Chevre). My favorite thing about this cheese is its distinctive layer cake-like appearance. Its bright white color is split in half by a thin vein of black 
ash (not mold) and blanketed by a pillowy white mold rind. It has a creamy, light, mildly acidic flavor and its contrasting moist texture is denser towards the center, gooier right beneath the rind. A nicely balanced hint of saltiness and lemon kick goes great with the pear. Click image on the right for menu and hours.
The suggested wine pairing is a 1.7% residual sugar Riesling (2007 Santa Barbara Winery 1.7 Riesling), which translates as off-dry. The high acidity of the wine cleanses and refreshes the palate between each bite while the sweetness contrasts nicely with the salty character of the soft cheese. Pear’s grainy texture and stone fruit sweetness fits in perfectly to the mix.
Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery
Santa Barbara Winery Santa Ynez Valley 2006 Syrah
Winemaker Bruce McGuire is an early pioneer in blending Syrah grown throughout the west-east traverse of the Santa Ynez Valley. Because Syrah is proving to be the rare example of a varietal that can be grown in all the temperature zones found in our valley, blending vineyards becomes an intriguing endeavor.
The year after Bruce grafted the first Syrah in the Santa Rita Hills (1993) into our Lafond Vineyard, he noted the cool climate character of white pepper and complex lavender aromas were quite a bit more pronounced than even he had anticipated. Since these components are forward flavors, Bruce sought out Syrah grown in the warmer eastern end of the valley where the grape exhibits the jammy fruit and black pepper character experienced in the back of the mouth.
In 2006, Bruce crafted a blend of about two-thirds cool climate Lafond Vineyard and neighboring Hill Top Ranch in the Santa Rita Hills with one-third warm climate Joughin Vineyard near Los Olivos. Most of the wine aged in small 60 gallon barrels as Syrah benefits from ample barrel aging. “Our yields were below average this vintage, but flavor concentration is above average…really a great year for quality” notes Bruce. In the bottle, we will guess that 2010 will see full flavor development but 2012 could be the real target. Pair with rustic fare, grilled meats, and washed rind cheeses.
Price: 18.00/750ml
To Order:
The photo below was taken today, Friday March 23, 2008. The Pinot Noir is definitely flowering, maybe a little later than usual because of a cool April, and the weather is still not co-operating. Today has been cool, in the low 50s, and we are even having a little rain.
A little rain is OK, it is more like heavy mist, but heavy rain or even mildly heavy rain can damage the flowering. So far it has remained misty. This is a critical time in the development of the vine. We never know what the harvest is going to be like until the flowering is over. Once over we can better count the number of clusters and determine how they have ’set’.
This year we know the crop is going to be light — the frost took care of that – but with a decent ’set’ the vine may compensate somewhat. Wind and heavy rain can affect the result and what we need, right now, is mild sunny weather with moderate winds.
For a more detailed view click image to enlarge: 
Heads up… The Bistro Restaurant & Wine Bar will hold another wine pairing dinner to celebrate Summer Solstice on June 17. Here’s another chance to hear the winemakers and chef discuss food pairing in great depth, and to taste the successful marriage of flavors that will appear on the prix fixed menu. This will be a great way to kick off summer and engage with some local food, wine, and personality.
I got a preview yesterday afternoon of what will appear on the menu and I can’t wait to see how it evolves. A few of us from the winery met with Josh (head chef) yesterday to discuss the pairings. 
Josh is coming up with some fantastic ideas that are going to be perfect for summer. Every dish was extremely colorful and he has executed each one with precision - from seasoning, to presentation, to aesthetics.
You can read about our Winemaker Earth Day Pairing dinner by clicking on the Summer Solstice image on the right… Make your reservations now!
Joanie Hudson, Assistant Tasting Room Manager, Santa Barbara Winery
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