ON THE ROAD by Eric Glomski

Maynard and I have just wrapped up the first bottle signing event on our fall "tour". Whole Foods Markets is sponsoring us by hosting and marketing these events over the next few months.

It has been hard to get away for these couple days because so much is going on back at the wineries (Page Springs and AZ Stronghold). We have already brought in over 100 tons of grapes (primarily from our own vineyards in Arizona). In some ways, it has been a very difficult vintage: Our monsoon rains have lasted longer and have pounded us with more hail storms than any year I can recall (since the late 80's). This leads to damage in the vineyard and often breaks grape skins, which leaves them open to infection. Additionally, the rains themselves keep the environment moist thus creating ideal conditions for molds, mildews. fungus etc. Despite the fact that we have had challenges with all these things, we've continued to make great wines. Most notably, we have trained our grape pickers to identify borderline fruit, and have simply dropped it to the ground.

On a positive note, the TAZI, NACHISE and MANGUS are being received with rave reviews throughout the Southwest. Many of the top restaurants in Phoenix now carry it, and poeple in LA are going wild over the quality we're showing from Arizona.

Tomorrow we try our luck at Venice Beach for another bottle signing!