notes

Mondays

a dinner in the vines

sep 2023

Our first dinner celebrating estate wines and homegrown summer bounty set amongst the vines at our estate vineyard - Stonemarker.

At our recent Estate Winemaker's dinner I was able to cook for our guests predominately using produce grown in our garden at Stonemarker. End of season bounty brings us beautiful fruit and vegetables, allowing for simple, fresh food. Like dolmas wrapped in the grape leaves from our vines; fresh and rich potato salad grown in our soil; our peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and zucchini cooked down into a savory ratatouille and more.⁠

⁠I try to extend our approach in the vineyard to the land we farm and to the food I cook- embodying simplicity. Taking care to showcase quality, freshness, and seasonality. It's a lovely feeling to be so well fed, as harvest begins - we are feeling extra grateful for the healthy land these goodies grew in, and are reminding ourselves of the the care required to keep things growing well⁠.

We were also able to pour a sneak peek of our new Estate Rosé pét-nat alongside Foundry Vineyards ⁠estate grown selections. ⁠Stay tuned for the release later this Fall.

Cheers to harvest, and to many more dinners to come!⁠⁠

a dinner in the vines

stories

Mondays

natural vineyard sprays

jun 2023

While there are many certified organic vineyard sprays, we opt to make our own- going far beyond the organic standards to minimize chemical inputs at our estate vineyard. Brewing up compost teas, and holistic sprays is not only a fun exercise in fermentation, but it is also a great tool for maintaining healthy vines and soils.

I have been using holistic sprays in the vineyard over the last few years. We combine these teas into our spray program, along with neem oil, liquid kelp, and compost tea to promote soil health and reduce chemical usage in the vineyard. Personally, I think that less additives in the vineyard produces fruit that is healthier with a truer flavor. Because of the natural processes that we use in the cellar, this is a better place to start from when fermenting naturally. I want the fruit to be as natural as possible for it to have good nutrient content to kick start fermentation off strong. It's pretty normal for conventional winemakers to add nutrients artificially during the fermentations, but for organic/biodynamic farming this is really a priority if you want to try and have healthy fermentations that are less likely to have issues with microbial spoilage.

Two examples of fermented teas I’ve brewed up and used in our spray program at Stonemarker are a horsetail herb tea and a stinging nettle tea. The horsetail herb was foraged in Eastern WA, while the stinging nettles are found and collected on our property at the base of the vineyard, along Coldwell Creek.⁠ These plants are rich in bioavailable silica, calcium and other beneficial micro-nutrients that help to fortify the plant’s immune system. ⁠

Using natural methods for maintaining soil health, controlling vine pests and diseases, and combating weeds and mildew creates visible changes at the Stonemarker. Ultimately, we feel that responsible farming is not only important for protecting our environment, but results in healthier soil and better quality fruit.

natural vineyard sprays

vines

Mondays

pear + riesling co-ferment

april 2023

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Juicy and aromatic D'Anjou pears meet bright and complex Riesling. Not too tart or too sweet, this blend is a treat, just in time for Spring.⁠

I was excited to introduce a co-ferment of fruits grown at Pear Ridge Vineyards in the Columbia Gorge. As their name suggests, they grow Organic grapes in addition to several pear varieties, and this combination of Riesling grapes and D’Anjou pears is a unique expression of place done in a sparkling format. D’Anjou pears are juicy and aromatic, which compliments the Riesling beautifully by highlighting the pomme fruit notes indicative of the varietal.

Pear Ridge is beautifully situated along the Columbia River. They are a Certified Organic site that focuses on growing cool climate wine grapes and heirloom pears. They incorporate regenerative practices into their holistic growing approach, and also benefit from increased rainfall, requiring no additional irrigation.

The milled pears were pressed with the whole-cluster Riesling to allow for maximum extraction of juice and flavor. From the press pan, the juice was moved into a stainless steel tank, where it settled for a few days before being racked into a new tank and underwent a cold fermentation. When the wine reached 2 brix it was racked into a stainless steel pressure tank and locked down to allow CO2 to build pressure. We refer to this as the “Char-nat Method.” The wine was counter pressure bottled in house without any disgorgement.

This wine has a fresh, clean profile. Not too tart or too sweet, although a small bit of residual sugar remains. Refreshing floral aromas of jasmine and peony fill the glass, with the wine dancing across the palate. It’s undeniably juicy. The pear-ness is complimented by a subtle wildflower honey finish. Pairs well with park picnics, tender green salads, and delicate cheeses.

pear + riesling co-ferment

wines

Mondays

inaugural cider

mar 2023

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Made from 100% golden russet apples from Iron Root Orchard in Omak, WA. Golden Russet is an heirloom American apple dating back to 1800. A beloved apple, so well-suited for sparkling cider that it was often referred to as the “champagne apple”. A fresh, clean, naturally fermented traditional method cider - the cider to our ciderkin.

Crafting an heirloom cider has been a desire of mine since I began researching organically grown apple varieties in Washington state. Very few growers in Washington focus on heirloom cider varieties since the majority of orchards are planted with popular dessert and fresh eating apples. For our inaugural cider, I was able to purchase exclusively Golden Russet apples, an heirloom American variety that at one point in time was referred to as the “champagne of apples” for its ability to produce sparkling ciders of extremely high quality. Iron Root Orchard was happy to sell some of their Golden Russets to me, and I’m excited to feature fruit grown in such a different climate, expanding our reach into the northernmost part of the state.

Made with a wild fermentation, and a traditional cider method, this is a varietal cider to treat more like a champagne, than a typical american cider. It is complex and savory, perfect for opening up on your rustic french picnic this summer. Or hold onto it for the fall for when the leaves start to turn.

When the apples were harvested at the end of October and brought to the cellar, they remained in the harvest bins outside under tarp for two weeks. In this sweating process, the apples soften up, easing the crushing and pressing process, giving better juice yields. After that, the process for making cider is not much different from winemaking. The apples were milled by hand before pressing, and once pressed, the juice began its natural fermentation pretty quickly, without the need to add any additional yeasts or a pied de cuve. The pressed juice remained in the cold room through primary fermentation and was racked 2 times to help clear up the juice prior to bottling. The Cider was bottled with a small amount of residual sugar in order to create a gentle natural carbonation.

After the apples were pressed for cider the pomace was placed in a stainless fermenter and rehydrated with water. This liquid was soaked overnight before being pressed and then fermented in stainless steel tanks to make the 2021 Ciderkin, a lighter, and lower ABV sibling to this cider.

Iron Root Orchard is a certified organic orchard and nursery situated on a one hundred year old homestead in the foothills of the Okanogan Highlands in north-central Washington. While the bulk of the apples grown there are intended for fresh eating and desserts, they also grow a large number of heirloom cider varieties. Most of the trees in the orchard are not high yield, many are wild uncultivated apple varieties- not even named.