Hello hello!

First off, everyone here at Palmeri Wines hopes you had a wonderful holiday season and entrance into the New Year! Especially if they were filled to the brim with fermented grape juice!

2013 is undoubtedly going to be an incredible year for Palmeri Wines. Harvest was exceptional, we are gaining more recognition as a boutique winery, and our personable wine club community is honestly too enjoyable. There are some exciting changes as well, which will only increase our guaranteed “yummy factor” and have you beg for some more of our delicious red wines.

This post, however, is my last post. Hopefully there comes a time in every internship where the intern moves on from that enjoyable entry position of getting the coffee, filing the paperwork, cleaning up after the office dogs, and becoming wow-ed by the endless possibilities in the evolving and passionate field, such as the wine industry.

I had such a great time composing informative and intriguing pieces weekly through a unique perspective on the perceived (and sometimes rightfully perceived) pompous wine world. A little wine 101 from an intern provided a basic background for everything people want to know about wine – a bit of a “wine-telligence.” This blog hopefully provided a more approachable perspective on the sometimes intimidating industry through the teachings of varietals, fermentation process, appropriate stemware, and cellaring, for instance. One does not need to be a wine connoisseur (AKA snob) to woo their first date with exquisite varietal and food pairings. And one mustn’t fear looking like a fool in front of their mother-in-law with improper wine stain clean up technique. This blog hopefully helped give insight where insight was needed to embark on that delicious journey down the wine-dy road.

So whenever you get thirsty, think of Palmeri Wines, because we are certainly thinking of you (and will think about you more and more with each additional bottle you purchase…)! Drink up, you amazing person, drink up!

All right faithful readers, it is that time of the year where you are either willingly or forcefully thrown into holiday cheer. It is an exciting time of the year because we are still recovering from Thanksgiving and have to marathon our enjoyment for holiday-themed everything until the New Year. There is no escaping the spirit so I guess we might as well join it!

As everyone knows by now, a bottle of Palmeri Wine is the perfect gift for any and all occasions, especially if they involve holiday festivities. Friends invite you over for dinner? Say thank you with a delicious wine that will undoubtedly complement the meal.  You invite friends over for dinner? Serve them some of Palmeri’s good stuff and wow them with our guaranteed yummy factor.

But since you are now in that holiday cheer, maybe “spice” up that routine dinner party! Obviously alcohol must be served to enhance any gathering, but this time provide some spiced wine to pour that holiday cheer into guest’s glasses. Let’s be honest, eggnog is a little funky. And although Goldschlager tastes like Christmas, as a liqueur it is a bit aggressive for even the worst dinner parties. Therefore promote the holiday cheer beverage-style with spiced wine! Spiced wine may be served either warm or cold. If you’re in the east coast – definitely warm. If you’re in Arizona, served cool might be refreshing. The ingredients and process are simple, but the most important thing to note is the base wine in which the delicious creation begins. This wine must have a strong structure to stand with the herbs. Preferably this wine is a bit fruit forward, but must have some tannins to allow a full-body taste. These requirements bring you directly to Palmeri Wines. If you serve Palmeri Wine straight from the bottle or if you supplement it with a little holiday cheer, you are sure to have some jolly guests!

Everyone here at Palmeri Wines wishes you wonderful holidays!

So today is Friday and your mantra is TGIF. Lunch is right around the corner and your thinking of slipping into the weekend a little early. The lunch you assembled this morning, before the sun was even up, is looking a bit depressing, and you know a nice glass of wine would make this sustenance much more appetizing.

Now I am not supporting alcoholism, but sometimes a sweet glass of vino can make that fifth workday in a row a little more enjoyable. Call it a salute to your mental health. Or, a mini celebration that this workweek did not make you insane. A little ode to your greatness.

It’s now decided that you are going to treat yourself to some R and R and enjoy tasty sips of that delicious fermented grape juice this lunch break. The next step is far more difficult than the one deciding the consumption of alcohol was on your lunchtime agenda. This step involves choosing the varietal.

Lunch is typically a lighter meal than, say, your pot roast dinner or Irish coffee breakfast. White wine is therefore the obvious go-to. It is simpler on the palate, crisp, and often refreshing. With a salad, perfect combination. However, white wine often carries fewer percentage points in the more crucial category – alcohol. White wine, on average, has lower alcohol percentages, which contributes to the lighter taste sensations. One glass of the white stuff might be enjoyable as a complement to the meal, but since you’re in celebration of the great ol’ TGIF, you don’t want the wine to simply complement the meal, it must be the highlight. This is where red wine makes its entrance. With higher alcohol levels, red wine typically embodies a more complex structure that allows it to enhance all lunchtime delicacies, including that smushed peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Red wine affords the consumer (i.e. you at approximately high noon today), the opportunity to relax a little and reboot the senses to crush your afternoon work and start the weekend off appropriately. Palmeri Wines offer delicious red wines for all situations, including that midday break to promote insanity. So grab some of that good stuff and bring a little of the guaranteed yummy factor into your TGIF celebrations.

Wine stains — making a great party miserable.

Now this is a post for the general public. Persons spanning across every socio-economic status and age, for instance, can appreciate the absolute hatred of wine stains. Let’s just say wine stains do not discriminate and everyone can agree that they are the death of a party.

No matter the cost of your possession, a wine stain effectively ruins the aesthetics of said purchase. Unless the stain is on a disgusting rug that your older brother gave you as a “gift,” (when really he had to get rid of it quickly because his wife would not allow it in their place due to its sheer ugliness) then a giant red out-of-place blotch is never visually enjoyable for the resident or guest. The unintentional hue reeks “cheap” and although it may have occurred during an incredible party, your fiancé’s parents do not pick up on that emotional connection when they come over for dinner to judge your character.

So here is a little get-rid-of-that-stain-and-put-your-life-back-in-order 101. It should be noted that all of these tips refer to red wine. White wine can cause stains, but not nearly as devastating as those delicious red vinos.

So you (or more accurately, that annoying guest that tagged along) just spilt red wine on your new sky blue Ikea rug. The first thing to do? NOT wait until the morning to clean it up! It is tempting to leave it alone, but wine stain removal is much more effective immediately after the catastrophe occurs. Secondly, NEVER rub the wine further into the rug, carpet, pillow, clothing… This may sound obvious, but you’d be surprised with the varying home remedy techniques circulating around. It is important to keep the stain wet and continually blot up with a clean cloth or paper towel. Frequently dilute the stain with water or club soda and blot up as you go. Also, this may sound radical, but if this is a large party and you have excess white wine bottles open, you may gently pour some of that onto the stain and continue the blotting process. This does work, but in my opinion the white wine might be more effective for drinking in response to this devastating event instead of as a resource for recovery. Some different techniques involve vinegar or salt, but once you get the majority of the stain removed, it is best to turn to the powerful chemicals. There are many brands available specializing in these party causalities. My absolute favorite is Wine Away. This product seems to work on just about everything including those major uh-oh’s when you spill on your boss from excitement after hearing that you are not fired. One bottle of Wine Away is usually under $10 and can be found on line or at many wineries and supermarkets. Other traditional products will also be effective, such as OxyClean or Tide to Go. Just play with your chemical preferences and see what works best for you!

In my opinion, all wine should be consumed via sippy cups. The actuality of this trend occurring is minimal to none, so until then I guess we just have to understand that red wine is going to spill and stain. I think that’s actually a Newton law or something. So be prepared. Purchase some chemical removers in advance, maybe plastic wrap your prized-positions as a precaution to your clumsy uncle, and simply hope for the best. Good luck out there! Also I’m pretty sure Palmeri red wine doesn’t stain…

Thanksgiving is an incredible holiday. The “Greatest Thursday Ever” as I like to call it, is filled with football, brisk autumn weather, high spirits, incredible food, and that lovely anticipation for Black Friday. And of course, fabulous wine rightly supplements this festive atmosphere.

Historically speaking, wine has been a part of Thanksgiving from the beginning. In 1621 (as well as today!) wine was considered a finer beverage than beer and therefore earned its spot in the first Thanksgiving meal. Wine is no longer just an alcoholic drink of choice, but yet perfectly fits the ritualistic components so many of us cherish and adore. Red wine, in particular, pairs perfectly with the traditional delicious food of Thanksgiving. Red wine with turkey, red wine with stuffing, red wine with mashed potatoes, red wine with pumpkin pie, red wine while your cooking… You just can’t loose with red wine and this magnificent November holiday!

There is a science to the perfect union of red wine and turkey dinner. You do not want to purchase a red wine meant for lighter meals or conversely a red meant for heavier meals such as steak or stews. Palmeri reds are incredible because we have already aged the wine ourselves and therefore reduced the overpowering tannins and initial fruity taste that many younger wines might feature. Our reds therefore do not overpower the bird, and yet stand up well to the yams. Our guaranteed “yummy” factor continually complements the chef’s splendid creations.

Palmeri Wines will help bring the family together around the table to celebrate this brilliant American holiday. So put aside feuds and quit nagging your favorite niece about what she is doing with her life after college, and open up a bottle of Palmeri. Everyone will enjoy it and we just about promise that it will help your oh-god-get-me-out-of-here situations with those family members that you just can’t shake.

So have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Everyone at Palmeri is most certainly thankful for you, our gorgeous consumer! Now, go enjoy that Palmeri red wine, but don’t enjoy it too much to miss Black Friday…

You might want to pour yourself a glass of wine before you read this post because I have some devastating news – the world is officially experiencing a wine shortage. So enjoy that glass of wine to its fullest while you still can!

The international Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) recently released a statement saying that in 2012, “global wine production will slump to the lowest in 37 years.” This unfortunate event is a product of poor weather conditions in multiple wine regions worldwide. Due to either aggressive waves of heat or lasting winters of frigid temperatures, the vines did not love 2012 and showed their displeasure through minimal fruit production or through high not-so-yummy fruit production.

Here are the numbers produced by OIV: people, on average, consume around 235.7 to 249.4 million hectoliters, or 6.2 billion to 6.6 billion gallons a year. Last year’s crops, 2011, yielded 264.2 million hectoliters (almost 7 billion gallons) and this year the total wine output is estimated at 248.2 million hectoliters (6.56 billion gallons). That means there might be people out there wanting to consume wine, vintage 2012, but don’t have the ability due to the “wine drought.”

This is definitely sad news for the wine world. It’s ironic because when I’m sad I drown my sorrows in wine (I know, healthy coping mechanism), but now that that there is less wine, what will accompany my fallen tears?

Don’t worry! I have already determined a silver lining (a patriotic silver lining at that) to this horrific wine-world ordeal. The majority of the weather damage that has caused this low crop yield is in Europe and South America. So that means start donning your American flag and drink locally! Palmeri Wines is as local as local gets in this great nation. We are Californian, born and raised, and with the current finales to this harvest season, it looks like 2012 was quite generous to our production of delicious North American grapes.

Patriotisms aside, the “wine drought” will hit the wine market hard. I’m thinking the appropriate actions to this worldwide catastrophe are similar to that of a predicted apocalypse – store as much wine as possible (remember, only the cork wine because screw tops don’t age well), buy bottle after bottle of 2012 vintage (limited releases are always more valuable with age!), and pray to your weather gods (or weather channel) that next year’s yield will be fruitful (or for Palmeri Wines, just as fruitful as this year). If all those actions fail, do what I do and drink your sorrows away with an incredible glass of Palmeri Wine.

So I know (technically) Halloween is over, but if you have a job or are student, like me, then you had little to no time to celebrate on that great October day. You were most likely bored at home and occasionally handing out candy to adorable costumed kids. Well I was at home too if that makes you feel any better. I was at “home,” which consists of college housing, and was doing work. I had no trick-or-treaters. Honestly I do not understand why no candy-oriented youngsters came to my place. I could have given them a piece of paper, or a pencil, or better yet, a textbook (because I sure don’t want them).

Oh well. For a national holiday that is not really considered a holiday because we all have work and school, when it lands mid-week it is extremely anti-climatic. But that is why we have the weekend! The weekend following Halloween (this weekend!) is the time to get in that true Halloween spirit! As you begin the preparations for a scary-good time, here is a little wine-knowledge to make Halloween deadly delicious:

1. Fruit punch. Everyone needs a bowl of fruit punch that looks borderline identical to blood. We don’t necessarily recommend drinking Palmeri wine punch-style, but a giant bowl is almost like a decanter. Our Syrahs and Cabernet Sauvignons are so dark with hints of burgundy and garnet that any vampire will mistake it for blood. And a mighty fine blood at that.

2. Candy is fun when you are sub twelve years old, but now that we have to personally pay for our cavities, candy is not the best sweet-tooth option. Palmeri Wines makes incredible reds that stand well on their own, but also supplement after dinner delights. For instance, deadly dark chocolate or scary shortbread cookies or even terrifying triple berry pie with a glass of red wine can only call for a frighteningly scrumptious combination.

3. Cheap wine is too scary for Halloween. That stuff can be a real horror, so only bring it out if all of your other zombies, ghosts, and eerie noises don’t work to frighten the guests.

Enjoy your wine-themed Halloween! Make it a deliciously spooky event that will surely liven up those half-dead spirits!

Orange October!! No, this is not in reference to the beautiful fall foliage or the early Halloween spirit, but instead for the San Francisco Giants’ winning season! As you all know by now, the San Francisco Giants are in the World Series against the Detroit Tigers. Last night’s triumph marked the Giants’ series lead 2-0, for the best in seven games.

You may beg the question: “what is a wine blog doing talking about baseball?” Well, my friend, obvious answer of pure national pride aside, we are a quaint winery focused on the community and any excuse to celebrate. With AT&T Park just an hour south of our winemaking headquarters, it would be hard not to get excited for their local success. The San Francisco Giants’ legacy is rooted in the bay area like our vines and has sprouted victories just like our award winning wine. Let’s just say we love wine region baseball. It is America’s favorite pastime combined with some lovely American wine.

I don’t know about you, but there is nothing more I want to do when I see Pablo “Panda” Sandoval hit a home run then to raise my glass of wine up high and toast to greatness. I’m no certified sommelier, but I’m pretty positive that a Giants game pairs perfectly with Palmeri Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. So I am here to tell you to put away that warm beer and actually enjoy your alcoholic beverage as the Giants (hopefully) make their way to national victory!

So, cheers to the Gaints! And I sure do hope I didn’t just jinx the series…!

Go Giants!

You just can’t escape it! Wine is everywhere! At least for those living in California…

It is harvest time, which means wineries are picking those delicious wine grapes and stomping them into some wonderful pulp to begin the crucial fermentation process. With well over 3,000 wineries in California alone, all participating in these exciting harvest procedures to produce over 700 million gallons this year, wine is in the air. Literally! With harvest in full force, the wine crushing and fermentation process are releasing some incredible red wine dominate odors across the Golden State.

Harvest is a winery’s busiest time of the year. The entire harvest period typically spans for multiple months in the fall. Each varietal, and each specific rootstock to each varietal, ripens at different rates calling for varied yielding periods. Wines aimed at maintaining lower sugar levels are often picked first. These therefore typically include whites and sparkling. Reds tend to wait it out in their easy vine living until late in the picking season. Many red varietals are picked in October.

The picking process is also known as “this may look like fun, but you’re actually quite wrong.” There are two picking methods of choice – mechanical harvesters and hand-pickers. Mechanical harvesters are the go-to for enormous vineyards that aim at quantity of grapes over quality. Hand-pickers are obviously a much more labor-intensive process. This involves discriminating against the bruised or unripe and solely grabbing the finest of the fine grapes. At Palmeri Wines, we handpick our grapes each harvest to ensure the most delicious juice for our signature high mountain fruit vinos. You could say we pay attention to the little things (boarder line OCD-like) and invariably achieve the “yummy factor” time after time. So stick to the guaranteed good stuff and enjoy harvest the right way, Palmeri-style.

Wine is in the air. So go out there and smell it! And while you’re out there, why not pick up some delicious Palmeri Wines along the way?

So it is about that time in this blog-writing job of mine where I shamelessly brag about how great my boss is as a winemaker! I am just giddy with pride to announce that my boss, Kerry Damskey, the brain and palate behind Terroirs Inc. and Palmeri Wines, is a consulting winemaker for over a dozen wineries that are just raking in gold (and double gold!) left and right.

So just how many golds did Kerry Damskey as a consulting winemaker for his numerous award-winning wineries win? Lets just say that if Kerry were a country and winemaking was a Olympic event, he would have come in fifth place on the gold medal count in the 2012 London Olympics. Yes, I am counting his numerous double golds as TWO golds, because come on, a double gold is clearly twice as much as a regular gold. Sorry we are not sorry Republic of Korea, but you are officially bumped down to sixth place on the gold medal count standings.

You may ask, just exactly which wineries that Kerry consults for won what awards? Well, my friend, here is the list of victories:

Dutcher Crossing

2009 Taylor Reserve Cabernet GOLD

2009 Stuhlmuller Chardonnay GOLD

Fritz Underground Winery

2009 Zinfandel Estate Reserve DOUBLE GOLD

Hahn Family Wines-Huntington Winery

2010 Huntington Wines Merlot, Cooney Vineyard GOLD

Lost Canyon Winery

2010 Lost Canyon Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Saralee’s Vineyard GOLD

2010 Lost Canyon Winery Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Morelli Lane Vineyard GOLD

Martin Ray Winery

2011 Angelline Sauvignon Blanc (3 awards) DOUBLE-GOLD-Best of Class and Sweepstakes

2011 Martin Ray Rose of Pinot Noir Russian River Valley DOUBLE GOLD and Best of Class

2011 Martin Ray Chardonnay, Russian River Pinot Noir GOLD

Trattore Wines

2009 Tattore Wines Zinfandel Dry Creek GOLD

Williamson Wines

2011 Williamson Wines Chardonnay Dry Creek Chardonnay DOUBLE GOLD

2009 Williamson Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek GOLD

They were all awarded through blind-tastings at the Sonoma County Harvest Fair, meaning no kicks backs or nepotism was involved in their selection. So go out there and purchase some of these incredible bottles of wine! Honestly, they are just delicious. And I would even say that if I were not being paid to say that!

Go get them. Wow your friends with these wines’ proven “yummy” factor!