Fruit wine making tips from the pros. - Use high quality fruit!

Here are a few videos that we shot out at Bella Organic farm recently where I talk about some easy to recognize signs of ripeness that you should look for if you want to make your own fruit wine.

Picking Marionberries

Picking Blueberries

Just like with grapes, your fruit wine will only be as good as your fruit. There is also a misconception that quality fruit is cheap. Let me put that myth to rest right now, good high quality fruit is going to be at least the same price as wine grapes. In our case, organic blueberries are the same price as ultra-premium Pinot Noir grapes grown in Oregon's Willamette Valley! Something else people won't tell you is that a well made blueberry wine can be just as delicate and nuanced as a good Pinot Noir. Most wine snobs will tell you that what I just said is blasphemy, but most will also refuse to even taste the blueberry wine and give a fair comparison.

If you are in the Portland Oregon area, check out Bella Organic farm, you can pick your own berries, try our wines, and get some killer produce while you are out there. http://bellaorganic.com/

Wine and Music on Sauvie Island

What could be better than a beautiful summer night? Maybe a summer night with music? That sounds good. Maybe add some wine? Yes, please!

If that is what you are looking for well have I got news for you! We have partnered up with Bella Organic farm on Sauvie Island to bring you music and wine. Starting June 29th Bella Organic is starting their Saturday Harvest Concert Series. Eat some organic produce, listen to live music (starting at 6 pm), visit the farm animals, pick some berries in their U-pick berry fields or just have a glass of one of our delicious fruit wines and enjoy the evening.

For more information on the concert series you can check out their Harvest Festivals page at http://bellaorganic.com/saturday-harvest-concerts/

Beautiful days and Organic wines

I'm going to take a break from the daily hum-drum of paperwork to write this. And I think I'll go sit in the sunny tasting room to do so. AAAHHH much better. Well, as most of us in the Portland area have been seeing, the weather has taken an up-turn. That's right 80's and sunny. It's not even July yet! What does that mean for us at the winery? Bottling. Lots o' bottling. Besides that we are getting certified organic, so come spring of 2014 all of our Buddha Kat label fruit wines will (or should) be Organic! Hurray! Keep your eyes open for them. They will be much less sweet than the Wasson Brothers label as well. Less than 5% R.S. And because I'm excited about everything here is a sneak peek at the new Blackberry label that will be coming out. Keep your eyes open for the new labels and if you want info on our release parties get signed up for our newsletter.