Post March 26 Frost: Day 1

It is perfectly normal early spring weather - 29 degrees, a little frost on the ground, sun coming up. 

BUT, we've just "enjoyed" those ten days of early warm weather - so warm that everything has bloomed, is in bloom, or is certainly in bud.  You name it:  apricots first, then peaches, cherries, even apples and blueberries.  And yes, the grapes are budding, with some varieties, like the Ives, even showing green and secondary buds.  Even the old timers have never seen anything as bad as this will likely be.

The news is bad.  As low as 24-26 degrees last night.  The cup of water on the bench in the garden had a solid one inch layer of ice this morning.  Fred's sample test of apple buds - crunchy.  Not good.

It is too early to tell how bad and (luckily) each of our grape varieties is at a different stage of development, so perhaps a few have weathered the freeze.

Mother Nature Threatens, March 26, 2012

You know those lovely spring days we've been enjoying.  They are a double-edged sword for farmers and winery owners - for that warm spell was long enough to make everything bloom and bud out - apricots, peaches, cherries, and yes, our grapes. 

If that frost that is now forecasted for Monday arrives and stays as long as we think it will, it will mean devastation for all of these fruit crops for this year...

More soon as we follow the weather reports!

An Artic Blast Quells the Owner's and Winemaker's Jitters

It does come to that - when the weather is as mild as it has been this winter of 2011-2012 - you begin to wonder whether you wasted your time and money netting those vines for ice wine.  If Mother Nature doesn't cooperate, you can end up with a lot of mushy, wasted grapes, and the only salvage possibility is something that is not ice wine.

So, it was with some relief that Fred and Jeff Murphy, winemaker at Johnson Estate, watched the weather forecasts and realized that the artic blast that blew in just after the New Year, might just be the needed window for harvest.  The appointed day January 3rd, arrived with temperatures contuning to drop and the skies gray - in the world of harvesting ice wine, that is good - you don't want those little marbles to thaw any, if you can help it.  We were blessed with plenty of hands from two additional farms which made the work go quickly.  Fred was very pleased with the decision to air-stack the Chambourcins, which then froze more solidly as the temperatures dropped to 7 degrees by evening.

More later - how you harvest and then what do you do with the grapes?

Johnson Estate 50th Anniversary Dinner Pairings

In the New Tasting Room to Benefit the Grape Discovery Center, September 30, 2011

Welcome:
Johnson Estate Freelings Creek 2010 Golden Sparkles, the Anniversary Wine

Platters of Cheese and Fruit and Bruschetta

Hors D’Oeuvres for Red Wines:
Johnson Estate Chambourcin & Marechal Foch

   Ratatouille Stacks

   Tomato Petals with Oregano Pesto

   Duck Prosciutto Chips with Caramelized Plums

Hors D’Oeuvres for White Wines:
Freelings Creek Sparkling Traminette & Semi-Sweet Riesling

   Grilled Pears with Arugula & Prosciutto Crisps with Concord Grape Viniagrette

   Season’s Foccacia with Damson Plums and Smoked Blue Cheese

   Roasted Beet Salad with Candied Walnuts & Goat Cheese

Soup Course: Johnson Estate 2009 Seyval Blanc, Butternut Squash Soup & Sage Butter

Main Courses:
Johnson Estate Freelings Creek 2007 Merlot

   Angus Hill Farms Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Wholegrain RollsJohnson Estate Freelings Creek 2010 Chardonnay

   Herb-Encrusted Pork Tenderloin with Cornmeal Muffins

Desserts

   Poached Bosc & Barlett Pear Tart paired with Johnson Estate Red Ipocras

   Mini-Carrot Cakes with Johnson Estate Red Ipocras

   Peanut Butter and Concord Grape Cake paired with Johnson Estate Concord Wine

Cheese Platters, Soup & Main Courses prepared by Robert and Karen Cross, 3C’s Catering.

Hors D’Oeuvres and Desserts by Athenauem Hotel Chefs Ross Warhol, Alex Gray, and Marisa Love.

Wines selected by Jeff Murphy, Winemaker, Johnson Estate Winery.

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Art in the Vineyards, June 4th, 2011 - Here's the Artists

For Drawing:  Lilla Johnson (daughter of the founder of Johnson Estate), www.lillart.com

Using the Entire Value Scale in Drawing, A Fresh Approach
I will be demonstrating an easy method for looking and drawing using the entire value scale. With nature as out model, we will start with a toned paper and use erasers, soft charcoal, and hard charcoal pencils to create bright lights and deep shadows. An emphasis will be placed on basic shapes and how they are lit. This is an easy technique for creating a complete drawing, that produces great results for both the beginner and the experienced drawer.  Participants are encouraged to try this technique but may go on to use their own methods and materials as they so choose.

 

For Painting:  Thomas Annear, www.ThomasAnnear.com

Artist and former Executive Director of the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Art Trail, is a prolific painter of landscapes with much experience in the vineyards, including our own.  Thomas has an easygoing personality, a love of the outdoors, and much experience in plein aire painting.  His enthusiasm is contagious which bodes an afternoon of learning and enjoyment.  Here he is, doing just that.  

For Photography:  James Hoggard,  www.JamesHoggardPhotography.com

People interested in photography should bring their own camera “so that we can find ways to improve everyone's photography with the equipment they already have.   I will bring my various camera systems so that:  a) they can find out about something different, b) I can be using something similar to what they own, if I have something like it, and c) because people love to find out about my older film cameras such as the large-format view camera I use for most of my work. This will be a fun, casual, hands-on photo experience that will take the form of whatever the participants want to learn.  With a class size this small, I will be able to customize to fit everyone's needs and interests quite well (I hope)”.

   

Cameras I will have on hand for anyone who wants to discuss them:
    Large format view camera (4 x 5") system
    Hasselblad 500C medium format system
    Nikon digital SLR system
    Panasonic digital point and shoot

Other camera accessories that people might be interested in:
    Hand-held light meters
    Filters for black and white and color photography
    Tripods
    Backpacks for lugging all this crap around

Topics to be discussed
    Basic composition of landscapes and scenics
    Exposure
    Light, and time of day
    The Zone System for exposing and developing black and white film
    Absolutely anything anyone WANTS to discuss!

For Watercolor:  Robert Holland, www.robertjohnholland.com
While the medium Bob has selected for instruction on June 4th is watercolors, his art encompasses many different media including sculpture, drawing, and painting.  In fact, his work and inspirations and his many interests defy easy description.  A visit to his website will provide additional information on this talented artist. 

2011: A Late Spring?

Iris lane in bloom in late May 2010

Well, compared to last year, it does indeed feel like a late spring.  But in fact, the season is only about a week or so behind other years.  The apple trees have begun to bloom and the grape vines are starting to bud.  It does remove the perennial spring worry of an early, killing frost.  Rain, abundant this year, can also make life difficult in the spring - think mud and tractors and bogged down.   Jeff Murphy, our winemaker, has just left for the spring London International Wine Fair and will be showing our ice wines, Seyval Blanc (popular in the UK apparently), and our sparkling Traminette.  Lucky boy.

Tasting Room renovations have keep us hopping since the end of January and we are glad that they are complete.  We will need the rest of the month to prepare for the activities that will consume us in June! 

• Like iris season.  I'm trying to find those galvanized French flower buckets so that we can display and perhaps even sell iris in the winery.  
• Like the Westfield Farmer's Market.  We're going to try to be a regular vendor and offer baked goods to go along with a small selection of wine each week. 
• And like the "Chautauqua in June Learning Festival", for which I raised my hand, brainstormed about, wrestled with class descriptions, dates, and collaborative partners, and am now praying that some will find them interesting enough to entice them to register. Go to the Calendar to see What's Happening in June.  There's a "Winemaker's Dinner", "Sunday Morning Vineyard Walks" and three special classes - "Art in the Vineyards, Plein Air Painting/Drawing/Photography", "A Day in the Garden, Propagating Daylilies and Iris", and "Learn to Make Oregano Pesto".

In addition, we seem to have so much to say that we've increased our eNewsletter to a monthly publication - see the latest here:  http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs095/1103337379073/archive/1105419437315.html

Tasting Room Renovations, Finally Complete

Yes, the renovations are finally complete.  The long-planned renovations which began in late January were finished in early May, thanks to the hard work of a dedicated group of tradesmen and the patience of all of our staff.  We are hopeful that the expansion and renovations will make tastings more enjoyable and that we have been successful in highlighting the best of our historic building. 

Johnson Estate Winery - Jacketed Stainless Steel Tanks Visible from Tasting Room

The Tasting Room Renovation
The spring renovations in our retail tasting room reflect the answers to and our consideration for the following questions.  

1.  How do we maintain respect for the historic apple cold storage facility built by Fred's grandfather in about 1920?  

2.  How do we expand the tasting room to give more space to our visitors and maintain this respect?

3.  How do we portray our dedication to quality in both our products and the visitor experience?  

Johnson Estate - South East Bar & Wine Racks

Johnson Estate - South West Bar & Cucumber Barn Beam

We began with the premise - especially in the old tasting room where the ceiling is low due to a second story - that the additions and changes should reflect what would have been possible during the 1920's.  We decided to maintain the use of bead and board for the bar fronts - a frequently used material and one that permitted us to recycle our existing bars.  We kept the old wooden windows and their simple moldings.  We kept the hemlock rafters and elected not to cover or paint them.  We decided to keep the old insulation, essential for a cold storage building, and painted it black.  We found some antique goose neck barn light fixtures and they are now attached to the old beams and we made sure that the new ones were appropriate for an agricultural processing facility of the 1920's.  And we did a lot of recycling, as best we could, using the old bars, wine racks, and shelving in the new tasting room.  And yet, we think we have succeeded in also providing an inviting and comfortable location for tastings and one which provides a view of some of the winery's productive activities.