AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – SEPTEMBER 2010 – Immigration Part 3

Posted on September 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

Immigration – Part 3. Again, I am talking from a farmer’s point of view and my main theme is that we need a regulated system for temporary workers to come and work in our fields and have the freedom to go home and back when needed. This could work in non-ag businesses also. Most of the people I have known in the field, especially the young men, want to be able to go home with a hefty bank account awaiting them at their local town bank that they have been regularly been funding from their efforts here. With the ease now of sending money to Mexico, many are not “walking ATMs” (on both sides of the border) anymore because before they had to rat-hole or carry their money on them. They hate leaving their families and friends behind knowing that they might not be able to see them for years which is why they try to bring in their families to the USA with them.

   I have visited many small Mexican towns that are devoid of men who left for the chance to make some money for their families leaving behind mostly women, children, and old people. This is not good for the family fabric or community. After working here for just six months at $10/hour is $12,000 gross, less living and tax expenses, adds up to $6,000 sent home to a village where people are making $1/hour if they have work. That is huge amount of money in these small towns with a low cost of living. After a few years at that rate, they have enough to create their own businesses which, as I have said previously, is just what Mexico needs – native entrepreneurs with cash. This also sets up a revolving door of workers who do not, nor wanted by many of them, become permanent residents. Wouldn’t you rather be a big man in your hometown than a small man in a barrio here in the States?

  Amnesty is defined as a governmental pardon for violating immigration policies to include using false documentation to include Social Security cards, Green Cards, driver licenses and other ID cards all of which you can buy for $50/each in Santa Maria. The pardon allows for permanent residency in the USA. Of course, Amnesty is the big buzz word that gets everybody worked up on both ends of the debate but it is nothing new.

  We have had seven major amnesties for illegal immigrants. First big one being the Immigration and Reform Control Act (Reagan Adm.) in 1986 that provided a “one time only” blanket amnesty for 2.8 million illegal aliens with the provision that the border would be secure – didn’t happen! In 1994 (Sec.245(i)) allowed in another 578,000 in a temporary rolling amnesty which had an extension in 1997 for more. The Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act Amnesty in 1997 let in 1,000,000 from Central America. Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act Amnesty in 1998 allowed for 125,000 illegal aliens from Haiti. The Late Amnesty in 2,000 was for those who claimed they should have been allowed in under the 1986 Act accounted for another 400,000. Finally, the LIFE Act Amnesty in 2,000 was a reinstatement of the Sec. 245(i) was good for another 900,000 for total of close to 6,000,000 in 14 years. The eighth would have been under the Bush administration but was squashed. There was the needed guest worker program (McCain, Feinstein, and others) in the Senate version.

  So we have a recent history of allowing in those who have entered illegally. Because of these continuing amnesties and no secure borders, we now have 12 million here waiting for their turn. What to do? Well, we can’t physically or economically send them all back. Certainly we can trim the number down by having a cutoff date of perhaps a minimum of 5 to 10 years, whatever number works, of in-country employment. Those who would be granted Amnesty should have steady jobs and have a sponsor to vouch for them along with no criminal record (false IDs excluded), pay back taxes and fees, and start the process of obtaining a “Green Card” (US Permanent Resident Card). The rest could be part of the temporary workers pool because the need for workers would still be there and in time they might be able to apply for a Green Card. Of course, those with children born here would probably get on the list just because of the litigation that it would probably incur if left off (14th Amendment).

     Green cards. (now light pink) allow permanent residency and after 5 years the holder can apply for citizenship. The whole process is around 10 years. Until they are citizens, they can’t vote, be elected to office, have the right to bring in family members (although this is usually ignored because of the long delays for approval), nor have a federal job. They must consistently pay taxes, have a residence, bank account, driver’s license with insurance, and be able to speak basic English to pass the citizenship test. Males between 18 and 26 have to sign up for the draft which is a quick path to citizenship for many if they sign up in the Armed Forces and are honorably discharged. Of course, none of this will work without a secure border and enforcement of immigration laws on the books – attrition through enforcement.

   The need for a card brings up another thorny issue. Is it time for a tamper proof national ID card with a photo? I can argue both sides of this one. Perhaps one card that only has name, rank, serial number, date of birth, address (?), maybe volunteered emergency contact number and medical information in the case of an accident and no GPS chip! I know many worry about “Big Brother” having too much information but by watching just one segment of “NCIS” or “24”, it is plain they have it all anyway especially if you are a regular citizen. Right now there are so many different documents out there, legal or forged, it is tough to know what is correct anymore.

  You are classified (Class A, B, C, etc.) on your driver’s license by which kind of vehicle you drive – car, truck, motorcycle, bus, etc. Why not something similarly uniform, maybe in different colors, for residency status or work permit? If you don’t have your ID on you when asked by an authorized authority, you could just give your number if needed and be cleared by a computer.  What especially galls me is that you have to show a bunch of information just to pay by check at the grocery store, but not when voting. Showing this card at the polling place would be another good use of a national ID card.

  Part 4 next month – 14th Amendment, Arizona, and food safety. We have fixed  our blog above so you can leave comments which before did not work with the site. Please send your thoughts and ideas there and also to check out the previous articles. If this is not the coldest summer on record, it has to be darn close. The resulting late harvest is going to be interesting trying to crush the bulk of the statewide crop in half the time before the rains,

    “The best use of bad wine is to drive away poor relations”. -French Proverb.

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – August 2010: Illegal Immigration, Part II

Posted on July 19, 2010 by John Salisbury

Thanks for your comments on my last column discussing this pressing problem from a farmer’s point of view – it can be read and rehashed on the blog above. My main point last time was that a lot of illegal border crossings can be stopped if we had a system to allow a temporary legal workforce to cross the border back and forth. The bloody battles on the borders are due to the drug cartels fighting for the lucrative crossing routes for smuggling people, drugs, and firearms. There were 40 illegal immigrants that died trying to cross the Arizona desert in just the first two weeks of July alone. How many others were raped, beaten, and forced to be burros smuggling in drugs and other contraband?

  Dry up the illegal crossings with permitted crossings and you help to secure the border simply by significantly cutting down the numbers, which would be a severe blow to the cartel’s racket. Keep in mind, that in reality most of the people (95%) coming in illegally are not working in agri-business; however, the ag workers are the most visible. Most are working in restaurants, landscaping, construction and other non-ag jobs so that complicates the situation. Perhaps many of these jobs should be available to those ending their 99+ weeks of unemployment. Most of my thoughts are centered on the agricultural workers.

  Why are these immigrants risking their lives to come here anyway? Very simply, it is economics. For three years in the early 1990’s, I took to Los Mochis, Mexico a processing tomato harvester that I personally converted into an in-the-field vine-ripe Roma tomato packing machine – still a one of a kind. I, the only “Gringo” within 75 miles, would rent a field from a grower when it was about to mature.  Around 100 pickers would bring tomatoes, with any amount of color, to the machine where we would wash, dry, sort for defects and color, and then pack into a 25# box. The boxes would then be conveyed directly into a refer truck and when loaded would immediately take off for the border at Nogales. Great concept but about 10 years before its time because even though the tomatoes where so much better tasting they couldn’t compete for looks against the gassed-green tomatoes you are still buying today. I still have the machine here in Avila if anyone wants it, that is unless I get the itch to try it again.

  Because the wages were controlled by a local labor association, I had no choice but to pay the pickers only $8 total per 8 hour day. The wage now is $12/day – big deal. All I could do to increase benefits was to sneak down loads of clothes and shoes, that Maridel rounded up, to my crew because if I paid more I would have been found floating face down in the canal. Even with this ridiculously low rate, I had staked flatbed trucks loaded with people coming to the field everyday looking for work even after we started picking with a full crew.

  I don’t know of anyone in the wine business in this County who isn’t paying a minimum of $10/hour. Our top men who have been with me 15 years get $15/hour for a 40 hour week all year – plus paid vacations, holidays, and gas money. So just do the numbers. In Mexico if you can even get a job, you can make maybe $72 per six day week seasonally; whereas, here you make that in one short day. If you had a family to feed, wouldn’t you come?

  Why not have domestics do the hard work in the fields to replace the immigrant workforce of an estimated 500,000 people? The United Farm Workers Union has challenged Americans nationwide to take their labor intensive farm jobs with a campaign called “Take Our Jobs”. They had at least 4,000 replies, some serious and others hate mail, and only a few dozen followed through with the process. So despite the lousy job market with close to 10% unemployed (we forget 90% are employed) and 14 million out of work, there have been few takers. Our work is rurally-based with much of it seasonal, intermittent, and by nature even migrant in all types of weather. The problem getting labor for our crops to be planted, cultivated, and harvested is also complicated because we are not near major unemployment areas.

  Now there are some who say if we go back and institute a new Bracero program, we are setting up a second tier working class akin to slavery. Well, there is a big difference because these workers can go home anytime they want, most make better wages than our domestics at the local hamburger joint, and if we can regulate them we will have their taxes withheld from their paychecks to offset the social costs of having them here. We will know who they are, who is responsible for them, and where they live.

  Depending on where you get your information, around a quarter of the prison population incarcerated for serious crimes in California and Federal detention centers are Mexican nationals here illegally. The Maricopa county jail in Arizona alone has 1,100 such inmates incarcerated for major crimes. My idea is to contract with Mexico to manage a prison for these felons, built by the taxpayers of California, on their side of the border run by their standards (“Tijuana Jail”) – not our coddling rules. Because it would be a quasi California operation, probably even “anchor babies” convicts could be sent there. Believe me, it would be a major incentive to these kids not to get into trouble. The jail would be much cheaper to run and just by not having prison guard pensions to pay down the road will alone pay for the jail.

  Put in a new special border crossing leading directly into the prison just west of Calexico in my old asparagus field. It would be great for the local economy in Mexico and in the Imperial Valley which has 25% unemployment. Of course, the prison service unions would have a fit and our legislators don’t have the backbone for something so innovative, so it would have to be approved by the Initiative process. Anyone ready to take it on? More on immigration next month.

  In the vineyard: We had the start of Veraison, the coloring and softening of the berries, in the Pinot Noir in mid-July so it looks like we are at least 2 weeks late. Our crop still looks a little better than average (State crop estimate is down 10%) with a great growing season so far except for a little dose of powdery mildew in the Pinot Noir near the creek and in some of the Chardonnay. I drenched the vines with a big shot (5 pounds in 100 gallons of water per acre) of organic Kaligreen which you know and love as – basically a form of baking soda. Sometimes the old cures are still the best. We have a big outbreak on the Central Coast this year because of the extended “June Gloom”.

“There is not the hundredth part of wine consumed in this Kingdom that there ought to be. Our foggy climate wants help!” Jane Austen in “Northhanger Abbey”.

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – JULY 2010: Illegal Immigration Part 1

Posted on July 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

   Well, here I go and touch a “Third Rail of Government” – Illegal Immigration. Except for 3 years in the Army Armor Corps, I have been farming on my own for over 45 years throughout the State in the Sacramento, San Joaquin, and Imperial Valleys plus a stint northeast of Los Mochis, Mexico and for the last 15 years here on the Central Coast. Add to that, our family has been doing this farming gig for 160 years straight in California and a few generations before that back east. Therefore, I believe I have a unique farmer’s insight and views on illegal immigration and some these are my thoughts (too much tractor seat time!). Please blog me your comments at inthevines.com.

   First, a little history. While growing up on the farm, I worked alongside Braceros (from the Spanish word brazo meaning “arm”). This was a program installed in 1942 between Mexico and the USA for the importation of temporary laborers during World War II. The big reason for the program was that during the 1930s and the Great Depression over 500,000 Mexican Americans were pressured or deported during the Mexican Repatriation. This was done to make room for the influx of American workers fleeing the Dust Bowl. Later this resulted in a vacuum of workers to do the manual labor needed for the war effort because these Americans were either working in the military buildup or serving in the Armed Forces.

  This program was then continued for agricultural laborers after the initial agreement ended in 1947 and lasted through various agreements and laws until 1964 (year I graduated from Cal Poly). The program allowed young men from Mexico to be sponsored by growers to work in the fields. Most of the men I worked alongside with were in this program and we became great friends. However, not for long because after a few years of working on the ranch and legally being able to go back and forth home for Christmas for a month or two, they had enough money to buy a small ranch, grocery store, shoe shop, or whatever back in Mexico. Exactly what Mexico needs now – native entrepreneurs with cash.

  The program was brought to a halt because frankly that was the time the United Farm Workers and the labor unions set their aims on agricultural labor. They couldn’t organize the Braceros because they were a moving target so they sought legislation to cancel the program. The need was still there for labor so that brought the unregulated influx of young men but this time they brought their families because they could no longer legally go back and forth across the border. So they set up residence and, as nature takes its course, started producing “anchor babies”

   Although I know of many success stories, unfortunately too many of these naturalized young people do not have the work ethic of their parents and grandparents, do not assimilate, become school dropouts (25%), and have a tough road ahead succeeding in making a decent living for their families. They definitely do not want to work in the fields and I can’t really blame them because it is tough work. Because of child labor laws and regulations, we can’t hire them in agriculture anyway, legal or illegal, which means little hands-on work experience of any kind. We put ourselves in great jeopardy with OSHA if we hire minors and they get hurt by sharp objects (sheers, etc.), ladders, moving parts and equipment (tractors, etc.), which we use all the time.  More disturbing and on the other side of the picture, we see an alarming amount of Cal Poly kids who apply for jobs with us who also have no work experience – hence,  they also have no work ethic but some sure come with a strong entitlement attitude. But I digress!

  The immigration problem needs to be taken in small steps on pressing things that most citizens (and hopefully most politicians) will agree on like what should have happened with the Health Care Bill. A comprehensive plan does not work because a small part can cause such anguish and dissent, it kills the whole project. First, I am sure we all can agree that we need to secure our borders. The porous border is a travesty not only for the people who live along it but especially for the immigrants trying to cross it. Murder, rape, extortion, physical hardships, and other mayhem are par for the course.  Add the drug trafficking and probable entry point for armed terrorist, it needs to be stopped. I can tell you horrid tale after horrid tale about some of the abuses I have heard over the years in the fields from first hand victims.

  Secondly, we need to invoke something like the AgJobs program that was almost instigated when the last attempt to have an immigration bill failed. What it would do is very similar to the old Bracero Program with better transparency (I am getting a bit tired of the word) to correct some of the problems that occurred with the old program. Upon acceptance into this program, a farm worker could legally work in agriculture plus travel back and forth across the border.   

  In short it allows a farm worker with a long tract record of working here in agriculture, no criminal record, pays fines and fees, and continues to work in agribusiness after the bill is enacted for 3 to 5 years then they can receive a green card (ID for person in process of being a permanent resident). This process could take up to 10 years. Even though it had broad support, it failed.  

  I think for now, because immigration isn’t going to be fixed in an election year, something temporary like the old Emergency Agricultural Relief Act should be implemented to guarantee a work force. It requires a payment of a fine, background check, requires substantial worker history in agri-business, no green card, and no path to permanent legal residence status. This will allow a farmer to hire and sponsor farm workers giving them a chance to make some money to send to their families back home and also legally cross the border.

  We start first with the workers who are already here. Each one of these workers will have a special card that can’t be tampered with and their wages will be subject to tax withholding to offset medical and other social costs for which many now do not contribute. The worker must have a place of residency and if they change jobs they must have papers with their new sponsor. I know there will be criticism that we are setting up a second tier working class something like the days of slavery. An answer to that and what to do with the illegals in prison, National ID cards, deportation of those who are here illegally, amnesty, food safety, importation of our food supply, getting legal residents to work in the fields, etc. coming up. Darn, I wish I had more space. I am just getting warmed up!

“Up to the age of 40, eating is beneficial. After 40, drinking”. The Talmud 200BC

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – JUNE 2010, Bad Bug & Spring Vineyard Chores

Posted on June 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

We have a new nasty bug that has shown up in the USA for the first time that started raising heck up in Napa and Sonoma last year. It has spread up the North Coast to Mendocino County and down to east Fresno. A female moth was found in Merced and also one in Soledad on May 10th. So it is definitely rapidly on the move. This particularly devastating critter is the European Grapevine Moth that also eats olives, pomegranates, nectarines, stone fruits, and really, really likes grapes. Quarantines are in place wherever they are found and fruit in those districts are restricted to within the area and might not be let out for the fear of spreading the moths. This could be real tough for Central Coast growers if it gets here who, as a group, ship out over 60% of the wine grapes grown here to wineries outside the area.

  It is found throughout Europe, North and West Africa, the Middle East, and eastern Russia. It has also just shown up in Japan and Chile. It might have arrived here on some grafting material smuggled in a suitcase which has been the cause of many of our pest problems especially in the old days.

  The first generation larvae (worms) feed on the flower clusters. Right now, the second group is feeding on green berries. The third generation is the worst as it feeds on ripe berries and within bunches which become contaminated with frass (crap) plus extensive webbing all of which opens up the vineyard to mold problems. It over-winters in the bark so it is hard to get at and control in the winter. The mature moth is around a half inch long so at least it can be easily seen. None have shown up in SLO or Santa Barbara Counties yet but our supper Agricultural Commissioner’s office is not waiting around and placed traps in vineyards throughout the County in April. We have three traps in our vineyard which we check daily and by the County weekly. 

   We had a great bloom season and it looks like a great crop again. After talking to my buddies up North, they are way behind because of constant rains and cool weather and are getting concerned. Thanks to El Nino we have only applied a little irrigation and so far have eliminated one organic mineral oil spray for Powdery Mildew because of the cool weather in April and May. We need several hours of warm weather to activate the mildew spores. We start counting on a points system when we have three consecutive days with at least 6 hours between 70 and 85 degrees – the optimum temperatures for mildew. If we have a day with at least 6 hours/day at those temperatures, we add 20 points. Less than 6 hours/day, we decrease the score by 10 points and the same for days with maximum temperatures above 95 degrees (too hot for mildew).

  When our risk index is 60 to 100 points, we spray on short intervals of 14 days or less. At 40 to 60 we spread it out maybe another week and under 30 points maybe a little longer. You can use this system for your roses and other plants susceptible to mildew. Usually here in Avila we rarely go much more than three to four weeks without putting on the organic mineral oil spray which is a great multi-use product. Not only does this very safe product kill and prevent mildew, it also kills soft shelled bugs like our two biggest pests, aphid and mealy bugs, by suffocating them because they take in oxygen through their skin. The oil spray will not work on the moth so it would be a shame to have to apply a heavy duty insecticide to kill it especially since we have never applied a bug-killer on the ranch to date (since 1999). Hopefully, DiPel which is approved for organic farmers will kill it and not harm beneficial insects as advertised.

   We chopped our annual grasses (mostly natives) when they dried out and the seeds matured. These native grasses are a great ecological resource when managed correctly in the vineyard because they are Equinox triggered. In the Fall, when the days are shorter and the nights are longer, the seeds wake up and with a little water they begin sprouting at the same time the vineyard starts dormancy. The Spring Equinox is when the days are longer and the grasses dry out and the vines wake up. Even if we applied water to the seeds in the middle of the summer, they will not sprout. As a result of encouraging these native grasses, we haven’t used an herbicide (weed killer) anywhere on the ranch for seven years. This off-on relationship between the grasses and the vines allows for good bugs to move back and forth between the vines and the ground, propagate, and do their job of controlling bad bugs with plenty of cover year around. The key is to work with what Mother Nature gives you instead of fighting her with chemicals.

  For spring cleanup the first thing we do, and we are probably the only ones in the State to do so, is run the ring roller through the vineyard laying the 3 to 4 foot grasses flat. Then we follow with the chopper which tops any grasses still standing. This chopper has two spring loaded wings which chop grasses under the vine. The benefits are that we have a thick straw mat on the vineyard floor which disperses the weight of the tractor tires cutting down on compaction. It also holds the moisture better, cools and protects the ground from the direct sun, and is cover for the mature seeds working their way into the ground for future years grass production. The mat also gives protection for lizards and good bugs from predators and prevents runoff. Many summer broadleaf weeds are suffocated and being dry, the dead grasses do not compete with the vines for water.

  The straw mat also adds rich organic matter to the soil and because of it, even with our minimal soil depth of only 6 to 12 inches over rock-hard sandstone; we have not needed to add any fertilizers for two years now. Now that we have this time gap, we will finish converting to all-organic fertilizers when needed. We may have a messy looking vineyard as compared to the manicured vineyards you see along the freeway with their monoculture systems, but it works for us. Really think all those layers of herbicides under the vine and just above the roots over the years is a good thing?

  Our Prospectus for shares in the wine business, vineyard, and Schoolhouse companies is available for those of you who have shown interest.  Give us a call.

  “What contemptible scoundrel stole the cork from my lunch?” Larson E. Whipsnade (W.C. Fields) in “You can’t Cheat an Honest Man” (1939).

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Avila Valley Grapevine, May 2010: More Closure Studies & the Avila Wine Trail

Posted on May 10, 2010 by John Salisbury

“To Screw or not to Screw, That is the Question”. Of course, I am talking about screw caps versus corks – what were some of you thinking? Some real interesting facts came out of an article in Science News. In a survey that focused on the chemistry and flavor of two of our main varietals, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, consumers couldn’t tell the differences between bottles capped with screw caps or natural corks. The study suggests how you plug up the bottle with the two closures has little, if any, effect on a wine’s flavor especially in the short term.
Michael Qian of Oregon State University who led the research said, “The right kind of screw cap is just as good as a cork, or even better, because it is more consistent’” In a test, Qian and his group closed 150 bottles each with neutral corks, synthetic corks, and three screw caps with different linings. Every 6 months for two years they uncorked bottles from each group and checked dissolved oxygen and the chemical profile. The group will continue to check the bottles for the next several years. They also brought in tasters to check the samples for flavor and aroma.
The results of the five seals was that the synthetic cork and the screw cap lined with low-density polyethylene let in too much oxygen which in turn may cause the thiols and esters (flavorful compounds) to be oxidized and knocking out the wonderful fruity flavors. Another screw cap, Saran-tin, let in the least amount of oxygen but not so low as to leave the wine heavy with sulfur compounds that could give it an “off” quality. The natural corks were inconsistent depending on quality. The Saranex had similar chemical and taste profiles to that of good natural corks. The point is that by using different screwcaps, the winemaker can control the minute amount of oxygen into the wine bottle. Of course, there is the common phrase “Show me a wine that breathes and I will show you a bottle of vinegar”.
Granted opening a screw capped bottle doesn’t have quite the same tradition or romance as pulling a cork but it is a better all around closure for uniformity of the wine, ease of opening (anywhere without a cork screw), and the cost (about 75% less than cork). This is especially important when you consider cork failures range between 5% and 10%. That makes for an awful lot of lost wine just for aesthetics. With Australia, New Zealand, and other new world countries selling the bulk of their wines in screw caps, you can be sure it is not a fad. Especially since probably 75% of the wines sold in the USA are consumed within 24 hours. I know most of the wine sold here in the Valley hardly makes it out of the weekend.
Speaking of Avila Valley, our seven local wineries to include the Per Bacco winery have banded together in an alliance to promote our newly established Avila Wine Trail. We will market our unique wine region throughout California and beyond. In a day’s outing, you can visit each of the tasting rooms easily all of which are located within a few minutes of each other by bicycle, car or on foot. Seven wineries are plenty for a wine tasting foray especially in arguably one of the most scenic wine areas in the State. Look for our brochures and maps and spread the word.
Sometimes you really have to think about our State’s initiative process that allows for groups to promote an agenda that sounds good but could be so disastrous in the long run. It also gives our representatives in Sacramento too much cover by not pressuring them to do their job. A recent example is this crazy petition that is being circulated that would raise the tax on alcohol. It would increase the excise tax from 4 cents to $5.11 for a bottle of wine (up 12,675%). This would mean no more 2 Buck Chuck! A six pack of beer would go up from 11 cents to $6.08 more (up 8,255%), and booze from 65 cents to $17.57 extra for a bottle (up 2,703%).
The idea is to increase state tax income by $7 to $9 billion a year and the proceeds will go to support alcohol related programs and services. Yeah, like the Legislature would let that much money get away from them. The Secretary of State accurately points out, of course, that the tax revenue will drop by several million dollars a year because of an obvious decline in consumption. As several in the industry have posted in their blogs, the people behind this initiative sound like they might have an ulterior motive. Does it strike anyone as odd that the project calls for 15% of the money to go towards naturopathic (not even in the dictionary but definitely touchy/feely) treatment programs and 5% into awareness programs to prevent the use of alcohol?
Well, the folks pushing this initiative are reported to be confirmed neo-prohibitionist and could be using this process to fund their “wellness” programs in the San Diego area and bring back Prohibition via the back door. So with this possible personal money grab, we lose millions of tax revenue, businesses will close casting out thousands of workers in all levels of the industry, a history of food and wine culture lost. So if someone hits you up in front of the grocery store to sign up for this obscene tax increase, please tell them you know someone in the wine business that will have to close up shop thanks to them.

“The true measure of a civilization is not the census, nor the size of its cities or its crops, but the quality and quantity of the wine, women, and song that the country turns out”. Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882). Amen to that!!

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – APRIL 2010 Reorganization & Reality Show

Posted on April 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

   Halleluiah!  “All’s well that ends well”. On March 19th, Federal Judge Robin Riblett approved our plan to pay 100% to our creditors on the reorganization of our vineyard (which one of our four companies). This is the 113 acre property surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates, with 30 acres of vineyards, which we planted 10 years ago. We were happily leasing it long term but because the previous owner needed to sell the ranch early last year, we had to exercise our Option to Buy to save our sizeable investment, water supply and our main source of winegrapes.

   We were blindsided at a time that wasn’t the best to go out and raise a million and half bucks overnight. Even though we got a good bank appraisal that was a half of a million over the sale price, we just ran out of time getting our financing (especially slow last summer) before some tight deadlines which led to our reorganization of just the vineyard under a special chapter for farmers and fishermen.

  The final agreement is that we have to pay 5 ½%, interest only, until October 2011 and then a balloon payment at that time on the balance. That gives us plenty of time to raise the money which is all we asked for in the first place. We had great legal representation, a feasible payment schedule, and great cooperation and faith from the creditors especially those who were out the most actual cash.

   It was a “miserable-joy” experience. Miserable because we had to be dragged through the process but it was joyful because we own the land without question.  Other than the health and welfare of our family, employees, and friends, nothing matters more to a true farmer than owning and passing on the dirt to future generations. If someone in the family had broken our ongoing string of farming in California since 1850, I probably wouldn’t be here with the best job in the world. The process was kind of an “In N Out” drive-thru experience because the process didn’t take that long although at times it seem it was going on for ever.   

   We will now concentrate on selling our wines outside the tasting room because for the first time we have the inventory to do so. Up until now, we have always sold out of many of our main varietals by the end of the year. Also, we are now presenting our Prospectus, which is part of the Plan, to interested investors who want to be in the wine business. We are selling shares in three companies that own the following: the historic Schoolhouse property, the Avila Valley vineyard, and the sales and winery operation.

  An investor will own equal shares in each organization with the idea that their investment will be protected by the equity in the two high value Avila Valley real estate companies and profit from wine selling company. We are stressing to any new investors that this is a multi-generational business for all the partners to profit and joy with their families, not to be built up and sold.

   The income from the sales of shares will go to pay down the debt especially the vineyard, expand the tasting room property to allow for more special events (especially weddings) and plant the remaining acres on the ranch. We have another 7 to 10 acres for vineyards, miles of deer fencing to hang organic blueberries, and u-cut Christmas trees in the areas too rough for vineyards. Got to farm every possible nook and cranny now!

  As if the week of the 19th wasn’t exciting enough, we had a film crew from the New York Film Academy (Universal Studios) follow us around, to include our court date, to record a crazy week in the life of a wine producing family. They are making a pilot that they plan to pitch to a network for an ongoing reality show. If they can sell their idea, we could have a full-on production crew following us around through harvest and beyond. Now wouldn’t that put Avila wine region on the map a’la “Sideways”!  They picked us out of several coastal wine producing families to feature in their presentation. I guess we have enough drama and a cast of characters, including all of you, around us to be interesting. 

   Our one other experience with a reality production was when we hosted “The “Girls Next Door” gang for a full day here in Avila last spring. Alas, we ended up on the cutting room floor. So we will wait and see and perhaps by the next “Grapevine” we will know if anything comes of it.

  The Valley vineyards had a great bud break thanks to the warm weather in the middle of March. It looks to be fairly uniform which bodes well for harvest because the maturity level should be even throughout the year and not erratic with different bud break dates on different vines within each block. We are also getting great separation of the timing of bud break between the different main blocks depending on which way they are facing, clones, and whether they are planted on the hillsides or the flats. This uniformity and spacing per block is critical at harvest because it lets us pick each block when they are ready and not have the pressure of having to pick them all at once.

  FYI – All of the local Avila Valley wine companies are collaborating and their marketing efforts will soon be known as the “Avila Wine Trail” – details on this next month.

“Never use money when measuring wealth, Son”!  Robert Duval in Broken Trail”

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Avila Valley Grapevine – March 25, 2010: Successful Plan & Reality TV

Posted on March 10, 2010 by John Salisbury

Halleluiah! “All’s well that ends well”. On March 19th, Federal Judge Robin Riblett approved our plan to pay 100% to our creditors on the reorganization of our vineyard (one of our four companies). This is the 113 acre property surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates, with 30 acres of vineyards, which we planted 10 years ago. We were happily leasing it long term but because the previous owner needed to sell the ranch early last year, we had to exercise our Option to Buy to save our sizeable investment, water supply and our main source of winegrapes.
We were blindsided at a time that wasn’t the best to go out and raise a million and half bucks overnight. Even though we got a good bank appraisal that was a half of a million over the sale price, we just ran out of time getting our financing (especially slow last summer) before some tight deadlines which led to our reorganization of just the vineyard under a special chapter for farmers and fishermen.
The final agreement is that we have to pay 5.5%, interest only, until October 2011 and then a balloon payment at that time on the balance. That gives us plenty of time to raise the money which is all we asked for in the first place. We had great legal representation, a feasible payment schedule, and great cooperation and faith from the creditors especially those who were out the most actual cash.
It was a “miserable-joy” experience. Miserable because we had to be dragged through the process but it was joyful because we own the land without question. Other than the health and welfare of our family, employees, and friends, nothing matters more to a true farmer than owning and passing on the dirt to future generations. If someone in the family had broken our ongoing string of farming in California since 1850, I probably wouldn’t be here with the best job in the world. The process was kind of an “In N Out” drive-thru experience because the process didn’t take that long although at times it seem it was going on for ever.
We will now concentrate on selling our wines outside the tasting room because for the first time we have the inventory to do so. Up until now, we have always sold out of many of our main varietals by the end of the year. Also, we are now presenting our Prospectus, which is part of the Plan, to interested investors who want to be in the wine business.
As if the week of the 19th wasn’t exciting enough, we had a film crew from the New York Film Academy (Universal Studios) follow us around, to include our court date, to record a crazy week in the life of a wine producing family. They are making a pilot that they plan to pitch to a network for an ongoing reality show. If they can sell their idea, we could have a full-on production crew following us around through harvest and beyond. Now wouldn’t that put Avila wine region on the map a’la “Sideways”! They picked us out of several coastal wine producing families to feature in their presentation. I guess we have enough drama and a cast of characters, including all of you, around us to be interesting.
Our other experience with a reality production was when we hosted the cast and crew of Hef’s “Girls Next Door” for a full day in May of 2008. Alas, we ended up on the cutting room floor. So we will wait and see and perhaps by the next “Grapevine” we will know if anything comes of it.
The valley vineyards had a great bud break thanks to the warm weather in the middle of March. It looks to be fairly uniform which bodes well for harvest because the maturity level should be even throughout the year and not erratic with different bud break dates on different vines within each block. We are also getting great separation of the timing of bud break between the different main blocks depending on which way they are facing, clones, and whether they are planted on the hillsides or the flats. This uniformity and spacing per block is critical at harvest because it lets us pick each block when they are ready and not have the pressure of having to pick them all at once.
FYI – All of the local Avila Valley wine companies are collaborating and their marketing efforts will soon be known as the “Avila Wine Trail” – details on this next month.

“Never use money when measuring wealth, Son!” Robert Duval in “Broken Trail

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – MARCH 2010 Varietals & Bud Break

Posted on March 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

   I’ve been telling you that we just had the perfect growing year and that is now confirmed with 2009 being the second biggest year on record. The wineries of California processed nearly 3,700,000 tons just short of the record of 3,760,000 in 2005.  We were up by 24% from last year’s short crop. San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties together were up a whopping 37%. Compared with 2008, red wine statewide was up 24%, whites up 21%, raisins down 38%, and concentrate (grape juice) made up 12% of total grapes crushed.

  Here is a breakdown by variety:

Chardonnay – Large crop all over the State just when it was coming back into balance. An added problem was that a bunch of cheap Chardonnay was shipped in bulk from Australia and bottled here making the situation worse.

Cabernet Sauvignon – Normal yields and because the previous two years were so light especially up North, it should be alright and fill in shortages. Because there is a shortage, the bulk market is hot. We sold all our excess bulk Cab and wish we had more.

Merlot – Merlot is making a comeback after the unwarranted disastrous hit it got in “Sideways”. It should be in balance with more finding its way into blends. Up to 25% can be added to other varietals without being noted on the bottle and it is a main additive to Cab to smooth it out.

Pinot Noir – Almost a 50% increase with much of it coming from the huge plantings in the San Joaquin Valley which I have been complaining about for a few years now. Talk about a wrong grape in a wrong place – greed reigns!  Monterey also planted a bunch and now has replaced Sonoma as the number one Pinot Noir producing region in California. There still is a big and growing demand for Pinot Noir in the country and maybe room for both low and high quality. I can’t help but to think the lower quality will tarnish Pinot Noir’s fine reputation that many of us have been building up over the years. Time will tell.

Pinot Grigio – Up 61%, again as a result of large Central Valley plantings. It has come out of nowhere to become our second biggest produced white varietal in the State.

  So what do these numbers mean? At first glance, looking at the large crop numbers, one would think we are back into an out of balance situation like in 2005. However, you have to consider that the bulk of this wine won’t hit the market for two years. By that time the economy should be better shape or more things than the wine market will in trouble! Also, half of our growing crop of new wine buyers who have made wine their alcohol of choice, the Millennials, aren’t even 21 yet! It took a couple of years to get the 2005 glut under control but we went into that with already a fairly good inventory. It was also just when wine was really gaining in popularity.

   With 06 to 08 being very light, recession aside, the gross sales still were up 3 to 4% each year from the previous year. As I have also been telling you, no one is planting any big acreage because of the cost/ac (minimum $25,000/acre w/o land cost) and water worries. Even if large plantings were to go in now, it would be 4-5 years until they are fully mature. A silver lining with last year’s large crop, especially for some of the Valley grapes, may be that the extra tonnage may buffer imports (32%) that were brought in because of shortages and lower prices in foreign growing areas. This could reduce some of the inventory plus keep that money in the State.

  So the wine industry is in fair shape; however, the high end wines will continually see pricing pressures because buyers have definitely dropped down in what they are willing to pay for wine. Our Avila Valley winery’s $18 to $35 bottle price segment is still growing thanks to the previous high-end wine buyers looking for an equivalent quality wine at a lower price. What we don’t need is a big year in 2010, all other growers of course, so that we can just coast along until the economy is in better shape without a huge statewide inventory on our back. Traditionally, we follow a big crop with at least 3 much smaller years. That has been the case statewide since 1996 when I started growing grapes here on the Central Coast. Hope it holds!

  February was the mid-point of the pruning season. Warm weather mid-month in the South County has us worried about an early bud break bringing on frost damage concerns. Paso Robles was pretty cool during that period with the heavy tule fog pushed over from the Valley and seems to be on schedule.  Our Flowering Plum at the Schoolhouse blossomed about two weeks early and the willows in the creeks also seem to have pushed early which has me a bit nervous. Traditional bud-break for Pinot Noir is St. Patrick’s Day here in Avila Valley so we are hoping for that to happen and not come early.

  “I would like to make a toast to lying, stealing, cheating, and drinking. If you are going to lie, lie for a friend. If you are going to steal, steal a heart. If you are going to cheat, cheat death. And if you are going to drink, drink with me”. Anonymous

 

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – February 2010 Weather & Taxes

Posted on February 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

It looks like we are finally getting blessed with a little more rain. Bring it on! We need it to clean accumulated salts out of the root zone that were deposited with our irrigation water that, like most water in the Valley, is high in iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfates.  Also, it is obviously important to refresh our aquifers, lakes, and creeks after several years of drought. If El Nino comes through as expected, we can delay our first irrigations by several weeks as compared to the last few years.

  With El Nino, we get a warmer winter which can cut down on needed cold hours for complete dormancy but it appears we had enough cold weather in November and December to satisfy that requirement. We do not, however, want a warm February and March that could bring on an early bud-break because that could set us up for frost damage.

  We began pruning just after New Year’s Day weekend. Starting last year, we are now pruning back to two buds instead of one bud as we have done in years past. Going on 11 years old, the vines are now fully mature and can handle the extra demands of an another cluster of grapes per spur. With an average of 16 spurs per vine, this results in another ton per acre. This past harvest proved the extra tonnage did not affect quality and I predict 2009 will go down as one of the great vintages of the decade for most of us. We prune the Pinot Noir first because it is the first to enter bud-break in mid-March. We next prune the Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Avila Syrah, Albarino, and finish up in Paso Robles with the later breaking Cabernet Sauvignon and warm-weather Syrah. We prune the frost prone fields last because pruning late can delay bud break.

   The problem of frost is a big deal up north in the Sonoma and Mendocino wine grape areas which are under great pressure to cut back on water for frost control and save fish at the same time. Growers use great amounts of water, held in large reservoirs, that is sprayed on the vines. The resulting ice protects the foliage and grapes by holding the temperature on the vine at 32 degrees. When grapes are subjected to temperatures below freezing, it can ruin an entire year’s crop of grapes and even kill the vines as well. With the potential for a warm winter and early frost, northern farmers and others are justifiably concerned if they rely on a mixed use of water. Particularly so if water use is going to be strictly regulated. Hopefully, all this rain will solve the problem.

  Our frost protection is minimal at best. Clear nights and low humidity are what we dread. On the low lying flat field near the creek in Avila and our Paso Robles vineyards, we disc the rows and the resulting dark soil absorbs heat from the sun during the day and releases it at night. Often this is all the difference we need because it can give us an extra 2 degrees of protection. Because cold flows downhill like water, our hillside vineyards are usually out of danger. And for the rest? All we can do is cross our fingers because we could never stockpile enough water for frost control.

   Once again many States are trying increase control and raise alcohol taxes. We were again able to beat back a 10 cent per drink “sin” tax here in California. It might not sound like much but in addition to all the alcohol related taxes, fees, and licenses we pay now, it could have cost us as a winery another $40,000 a year. That would mean perhaps laying off a salaried employee (if we had one). Imagine that scenario played out throughout the industry!          

    Amazon.com wanted to get into the wine business but the horrors of trying to navigate the three tier system and the myriad of different State rules and taxation chased them out. Pennsylvania is rolling out kiosks in 100 supermarkets that are locked so that you can’t touch the wine. After looking for your wine behind glass, walking to end of the counter, and if you can remember the wine and providing the line is not too long, you need to swipe your credit card in the machine. After picking your wine on screen, you need to pass a machine provided Breathalyzer Test and pass with a 0.03 BAC which is their “impairment” statute! This information and camera shot is beamed to someone in a government cubicle. If you pass, you then swipe your government ID which finishes up the process proving you aren’t drunk and/or underage. Then I suppose the bottle rolls out a chute like some kind of soda pop. If you go to PA, smuggle in your wine!

   Maine just passed a law requiring wine shops and specialty stores to put up curtains on windows (like porn shops) so children can’t see folks tasting wine. I guess otherwise they think the poor little darlings will be scarred for life. They have also legislated a new annual cap of 50,000 gallons of wine per winery. This disincentive resulted in only 36,000 total gallons produced statewide in 2008. By comparison, we have that much ourselves in bulk or bottle. Their wineries cannot charge for wine tasting nor rent out their facilities for special events if alcohol is going to be served. There are a bunch more loony laws that I will discuss in later columns.

   “That government is best which governs least, because people discipline themselves” Thomas Jefferson     

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AVILA VALLEY GRAPEVINE – 1 – 10 – Flek Tanks & Vineyard Purchase

Posted on January 1, 2010 by John Salisbury

   Happy New Year.  We are sure glad to get out of the last one; we were battered but not beaten – not by a long shot. On the agricultural end, it couldn’t have been a better one. Thanks to a great growing season, we had a rare combination of an extremely bountiful winegrape harvest coupled with great quality. Our early tasting of the 2009 vintage is promising some of the best wines we have ever produced. Probably the same is true for other local wineries. It is also helpful that we finally have a permanent wine-making home at the old Corbett Canyon winery. They do all the up front equipment-intensive processing then Harold Osborne, our winemaker, takes over crafting our special Avila Valley style wines that are fruit forward with little if any oak.

  We are very excited about how our 324 gallon (5 barrels) Flex Tanks are working out. These special food grade polyethylene (HDPE) tanks allow natural air permeation which passively micro-oxygenates the wine, and the effect on the quality is – outstanding. More details on this process can be found in our past October 2008 issue at the above blog site. These tanks are keeping the wine fresh and fruity (flavors that can be lost in oak barrels) even after 16 months in storage. Not as romantic as oak barrels, but it sure works. We will be doing a big bottling this month. We have doubled our production to 10,000 cases because the past few summers we have run out of many of our main varietals. Now we will be able to keep the tasting room fully stocked and, for the first time, have some wine to sell to restaurants as well.

  It was Mark Twain who penned “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”  when news of his dying cousin, James Ross Clemens, was somehow misconstrued to mean that Mark Twain himself was at death’s door. Know how you felt, Sam! The Trib’s Biz Buzz article last month gave the impression that our entire operation was in trouble. Nothing could be farther than the truth.  We reported to you about our real estate situation over two months ago in this column and it appears we need to clarify it once again. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc  is our successful core business. It does all of the winemaking, wine sales, and farms 65% (3 of 4) of the vineyards that we either own or lease.

   Salisbury Vineyards, LLC is a different company from the other three entities – i.e. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc, The Schoolhouse, and the Fine Art Gallery which are all doing well even in this tough economy.  Salisbury Vineyards, LLC owns the 113 acres surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates in Avila Valley and a small interest in the vacant lot south of the Schoolhouse. Last January the then owner wanted to sell the vineyard to his partner. To protect our sizeable cash investment and water rights, we reluctantly invoked “Right of First Refusal” in our lease, which we happily had another 22 years to go.

   We bought the property, to include absorbing the owner’s debt on the property, with short-term financing. The seller received 80% of his sale price in a two day escrow. While setting up our long-term financing (slow nowadays) and helped by getting an appraisal for a half million dollars over the selling price , it was apparent we needed just a little bit more time to finish it up. Running into some hard deadlines, and not getting a short extension from the previous owner, we found it necessary to file for reorganization for Salisbury Vineyards, LLC only under a special statute solely for family farmers and fishermen. We have a good plan to pay off the property creditors within a relatively short time. As our family has been farming in California for 160 years, we felt that we had to take steps to protect this special piece of land for future generations.  Maybe Shakespeare’s quote in 1598 “Much ado about nothing” is more apropos.

   It was interesting that the Tribune offered to “revisit” (I guess that means retraction nowadays) the Biz Buzz piece but after talking to “others” they rescinded and said we could write a short 250 word Letter to the Editor. The first letter got sent back because they said we couldn’t write about the third parties involved. The second letter, which we thought was very bland, was also sent back with their corrections! Evidently they didn’t like us pointing out the errors in their article. You wonder about the state of journalism when the Editor censors public comment especially when it affects them.  I guess there is a reason why the paper now is hardly big enough to wrap a fish, let alone line the bottom of a bird cage or an under-the-sink garbage can.

  Anyway, I hope our 15 minutes of fame is over and we can get back to just farming and selling wine. The Schoolhouse is still in session and we are looking forward to a banner year not only for ourselves but for all the rest of the Avila Valley wineries. By the way, effective this month, we will all be able to legally sell our own wines by the glass in the tasting rooms. So come in and relax in our patios and sitting rooms with a glass of your favorite home-grown wine.

  Hey Trib – Muhammad Ali said “There are more pleasant things to do that beat up people” – Try drinking wine!

   Happy New Year.  We are sure glad to get out of the last one; we were battered but not beaten – not by a long shot. On the agricultural end, it couldn’t have been a better one. Thanks to a great growing season, we had a rare combination of an extremely bountiful winegrape harvest coupled with great quality. Our early tasting of the 2009 vintage is promising some of the best wines we have ever produced. Probably the same is true for other local wineries. It is also helpful that we finally have a permanent wine-making home at the old Corbett Canyon winery. They do all the up front equipment-intensive processing then Harold Osborne, our winemaker, takes over crafting our special Avila Valley style wines that are fruit forward with little if any oak.

  We are very excited about how our 324 gallon (5 barrels) Flex Tanks are working out. These special food grade polyethylene (HDPE) tanks allow natural air permeation which passively micro-oxygenates the wine, and the effect on the quality is – outstanding. More details on this process can be found in our past October 2008 issue at the above blog site. These tanks are keeping the wine fresh and fruity (flavors that can be lost in oak barrels) even after 16 months in storage. Not as romantic as oak barrels, but it sure works. We will be doing a big bottling this month. We have doubled our production to 10,000 cases because the past few summers we have run out of many of our main varietals. Now we will be able to keep the tasting room fully stocked and, for the first time, have some wine to sell to restaurants as well.

  It was Mark Twain who penned “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”  when news of his dying cousin, James Ross Clemens, was somehow misconstrued to mean that Mark Twain himself was at death’s door. Know how you felt, Sam! The Trib’s Biz Buzz article last month gave the impression that our entire operation was in trouble. Nothing could be farther than the truth.  We reported to you about our real estate situation over two months ago in this column and it appears we need to clarify it once again. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc  is our successful core business. It does all of the winemaking, wine sales, and farms 65% (3 of 4) of the vineyards that we either own or lease.

   Salisbury Vineyards, LLC is a different company from the other three entities – i.e. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc, The Schoolhouse, and the Fine Art Gallery which are all doing well even in this tough economy.  Salisbury Vineyards, LLC owns the 113 acres surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates in Avila Valley and a small interest in the vacant lot south of the Schoolhouse. Last January the then owner wanted to sell the vineyard to his partner. To protect our sizeable cash investment and water rights, we reluctantly invoked “Right of First Refusal” in our lease, which we happily had another 22 years to go.

   We bought the property, to include absorbing the owner’s debt on the property, with short-term financing. The seller received 80% of his sale price in a two day escrow. While setting up our long-term financing (slow nowadays) and helped by getting an appraisal for a half million dollars over the selling price , it was apparent we needed just a little bit more time to finish it up. Running into some hard deadlines, and not getting a short extension from the previous owner, we found it necessary to file for reorganization for Salisbury Vineyards, LLC only under a special statute solely for family farmers and fishermen. We have a good plan to pay off the property creditors within a relatively short time. As our family has been farming in California for 160 years, we felt that we had to take steps to protect this special piece of land for future generations.  Maybe Shakespeare’s quote in 1598 “Much ado about nothing” is more apropos.

   It was interesting that the Tribune offered to “revisit” (I guess that means retraction nowadays) the Biz Buzz piece but after talking to “others” they rescinded and said we could write a short 250 word Letter to the Editor. The first letter got sent back because they said we couldn’t write about the third parties involved. The second letter, which we thought was very bland, was also sent back with their corrections! Evidently they didn’t like us pointing out the errors in their article. You wonder about the state of journalism when the Editor censors public comment especially when it affects them.  I guess there is a reason why the paper now is hardly big enough to wrap a fish, let alone line the bottom of a bird cage or an under-the-sink garbage can.

  Anyway, I hope our 15 minutes of fame is over and we can get back to just farming and selling wine. The Schoolhouse is still in session and we are looking forward to a banner year not only for ourselves but for all the rest of the Avila Valley wineries. By the way, effective this month, we will all be able to legally sell our own wines by the glass in the tasting rooms. So come in and relax in our patios and sitting rooms with a glass of your favorite home-grown wine.

  Hey Trib – Muhammad Ali said “There are more pleasant things to do that beat up people” – Try drinking wine!

   Happy New Year.  We are sure glad to get out of the last one; we were battered but not beaten – not by a long shot. On the agricultural end, it couldn’t have been a better one. Thanks to a great growing season, we had a rare combination of an extremely bountiful winegrape harvest coupled with great quality. Our early tasting of the 2009 vintage is promising some of the best wines we have ever produced. Probably the same is true for other local wineries. It is also helpful that we finally have a permanent wine-making home at the old Corbett Canyon winery. They do all the up front equipment-intensive processing then Harold Osborne, our winemaker, takes over crafting our special Avila Valley style wines that are fruit forward with little if any oak.

  We are very excited about how our 324 gallon (5 barrels) Flex Tanks are working out. These special food grade polyethylene (HDPE) tanks allow natural air permeation which passively micro-oxygenates the wine, and the effect on the quality is – outstanding. More details on this process can be found in our past October 2008 issue at the above blog site. These tanks are keeping the wine fresh and fruity (flavors that can be lost in oak barrels) even after 16 months in storage. Not as romantic as oak barrels, but it sure works. We will be doing a big bottling this month. We have doubled our production to 10,000 cases because the past few summers we have run out of many of our main varietals. Now we will be able to keep the tasting room fully stocked and, for the first time, have some wine to sell to restaurants as well.

  It was Mark Twain who penned “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”  when news of his dying cousin, James Ross Clemens, was somehow misconstrued to mean that Mark Twain himself was at death’s door. Know how you felt, Sam! The Trib’s Biz Buzz article last month gave the impression that our entire operation was in trouble. Nothing could be farther than the truth.  We reported to you about our real estate situation over two months ago in this column and it appears we need to clarify it once again. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc  is our successful core business. It does all of the winemaking, wine sales, and farms 65% (3 of 4) of the vineyards that we either own or lease.

   Salisbury Vineyards, LLC is a different company from the other three entities – i.e. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc, The Schoolhouse, and the Fine Art Gallery which are all doing well even in this tough economy.  Salisbury Vineyards, LLC owns the 113 acres surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates in Avila Valley and a small interest in the vacant lot south of the Schoolhouse. Last January the then owner wanted to sell the vineyard to his partner. To protect our sizeable cash investment and water rights, we reluctantly invoked “Right of First Refusal” in our lease, which we happily had another 22 years to go.

   We bought the property, to include absorbing the owner’s debt on the property, with short-term financing. The seller received 80% of his sale price in a two day escrow. While setting up our long-term financing (slow nowadays) and helped by getting an appraisal for a half million dollars over the selling price , it was apparent we needed just a little bit more time to finish it up. Running into some hard deadlines, and not getting a short extension from the previous owner, we found it necessary to file for reorganization for Salisbury Vineyards, LLC only under a special statute solely for family farmers and fishermen. We have a good plan to pay off the property creditors within a relatively short time. As our family has been farming in California for 160 years, we felt that we had to take steps to protect this special piece of land for future generations.  Maybe Shakespeare’s quote in 1598 “Much ado about nothing” is more apropos.

   It was interesting that the Tribune offered to “revisit” (I guess that means retraction nowadays) the Biz Buzz piece but after talking to “others” they rescinded and said we could write a short 250 word Letter to the Editor. The first letter got sent back because they said we couldn’t write about the third parties involved. The second letter, which we thought was very bland, was also sent back with their corrections! Evidently they didn’t like us pointing out the errors in their article. You wonder about the state of journalism when the Editor censors public comment especially when it affects them.  I guess there is a reason why the paper now is hardly big enough to wrap a fish, let alone line the bottom of a bird cage or an under-the-sink garbage can.

  Anyway, I hope our 15 minutes of fame is over and we can get back to just farming and selling wine. The Schoolhouse is still in session and we are looking forward to a banner year not only for ourselves but for all the rest of the Avila Valley wineries. By the way, effective this month, we will all be able to legally sell our own wines by the glass in the tasting rooms. So come in and relax in our patios and sitting rooms with a glass of your favorite home-grown wine.

  Hey Trib – Muhammad Ali said “There are more pleasant things to do that beat up people” – Try drinking wine!

   Happy New Year.  We are sure glad to get out of the last one; we were battered but not beaten – not by a long shot. On the agricultural end, it couldn’t have been a better one. Thanks to a great growing season, we had a rare combination of an extremely bountiful winegrape harvest coupled with great quality. Our early tasting of the 2009 vintage is promising some of the best wines we have ever produced. Probably the same is true for other local wineries. It is also helpful that we finally have a permanent wine-making home at the old Corbett Canyon winery. They do all the up front equipment-intensive processing then Harold Osborne, our winemaker, takes over crafting our special Avila Valley style wines that are fruit forward with little if any oak.

  We are very excited about how our 324 gallon (5 barrels) Flex Tanks are working out. These special food grade polyethylene (HDPE) tanks allow natural air permeation which passively micro-oxygenates the wine, and the effect on the quality is – outstanding. More details on this process can be found in our past October 2008 issue at the above blog site. These tanks are keeping the wine fresh and fruity (flavors that can be lost in oak barrels) even after 16 months in storage. Not as romantic as oak barrels, but it sure works. We will be doing a big bottling this month. We have doubled our production to 10,000 cases because the past few summers we have run out of many of our main varietals. Now we will be able to keep the tasting room fully stocked and, for the first time, have some wine to sell to restaurants as well.

  It was Mark Twain who penned “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”  when news of his dying cousin, James Ross Clemens, was somehow misconstrued to mean that Mark Twain himself was at death’s door. Know how you felt, Sam! The Trib’s Biz Buzz article last month gave the impression that our entire operation was in trouble. Nothing could be farther than the truth.  We reported to you about our real estate situation over two months ago in this column and it appears we need to clarify it once again. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc  is our successful core business. It does all of the winemaking, wine sales, and farms 65% (3 of 4) of the vineyards that we either own or lease.

   Salisbury Vineyards, LLC is a different company from the other three entities – i.e. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc, The Schoolhouse, and the Fine Art Gallery which are all doing well even in this tough economy.  Salisbury Vineyards, LLC owns the 113 acres surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates in Avila Valley and a small interest in the vacant lot south of the Schoolhouse. Last January the then owner wanted to sell the vineyard to his partner. To protect our sizeable cash investment and water rights, we reluctantly invoked “Right of First Refusal” in our lease, which we happily had another 22 years to go.

   We bought the property, to include absorbing the owner’s debt on the property, with short-term financing. The seller received 80% of his sale price in a two day escrow. While setting up our long-term financing (slow nowadays) and helped by getting an appraisal for a half million dollars over the selling price , it was apparent we needed just a little bit more time to finish it up. Running into some hard deadlines, and not getting a short extension from the previous owner, we found it necessary to file for reorganization for Salisbury Vineyards, LLC only under a special statute solely for family farmers and fishermen. We have a good plan to pay off the property creditors within a relatively short time. As our family has been farming in California for 160 years, we felt that we had to take steps to protect this special piece of land for future generations.  Maybe Shakespeare’s quote in 1598 “Much ado about nothing” is more apropos.

   It was interesting that the Tribune offered to “revisit” (I guess that means retraction nowadays) the Biz Buzz piece but after talking to “others” they rescinded and said we could write a short 250 word Letter to the Editor. The first letter got sent back because they said we couldn’t write about the third parties involved. The second letter, which we thought was very bland, was also sent back with their corrections! Evidently they didn’t like us pointing out the errors in their article. You wonder about the state of journalism when the Editor censors public comment especially when it affects them.  I guess there is a reason why the paper now is hardly big enough to wrap a fish, let alone line the bottom of a bird cage or an under-the-sink garbage can.

  Anyway, I hope our 15 minutes of fame is over and we can get back to just farming and selling wine. The Schoolhouse is still in session and we are looking forward to a banner year not only for ourselves but for all the rest of the Avila Valley wineries. By the way, effective this month, we will all be able to legally sell our own wines by the glass in the tasting rooms. So come in and relax in our patios and sitting rooms with a glass of your favorite home-grown wine.

  Hey Trib – Muhammad Ali said “There are more pleasant things to do that beat up people” – Try drinking wine!

   Happy New Year.  We are sure glad to get out of the last one; we were battered but not beaten – not by a long shot. On the agricultural end, it couldn’t have been a better one. Thanks to a great growing season, we had a rare combination of an extremely bountiful winegrape harvest coupled with great quality. Our early tasting of the 2009 vintage is promising some of the best wines we have ever produced. Probably the same is true for other local wineries. It is also helpful that we finally have a permanent wine-making home at the old Corbett Canyon winery. They do all the up front equipment-intensive processing then Harold Osborne, our winemaker, takes over crafting our special Avila Valley style wines that are fruit forward with little if any oak.

  We are very excited about how our 324 gallon (5 barrels) Flex Tanks are working out. These special food grade polyethylene (HDPE) tanks allow natural air permeation which passively micro-oxygenates the wine, and the effect on the quality is – outstanding. More details on this process can be found in our past October 2008 issue at the above blog site. These tanks are keeping the wine fresh and fruity (flavors that can be lost in oak barrels) even after 16 months in storage. Not as romantic as oak barrels, but it sure works. We will be doing a big bottling this month. We have doubled our production to 10,000 cases because the past few summers we have run out of many of our main varietals. Now we will be able to keep the tasting room fully stocked and, for the first time, have some wine to sell to restaurants as well.

  It was Mark Twain who penned “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”  when news of his dying cousin, James Ross Clemens, was somehow misconstrued to mean that Mark Twain himself was at death’s door. Know how you felt, Sam! The Trib’s Biz Buzz article last month gave the impression that our entire operation was in trouble. Nothing could be farther than the truth.  We reported to you about our real estate situation over two months ago in this column and it appears we need to clarify it once again. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc  is our successful core business. It does all of the winemaking, wine sales, and farms 65% (3 of 4) of the vineyards that we either own or lease.

   Salisbury Vineyards, LLC is a different company from the other three entities – i.e. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc, The Schoolhouse, and the Fine Art Gallery which are all doing well even in this tough economy.  Salisbury Vineyards, LLC owns the 113 acres surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates in Avila Valley and a small interest in the vacant lot south of the Schoolhouse. Last January the then owner wanted to sell the vineyard to his partner. To protect our sizeable cash investment and water rights, we reluctantly invoked “Right of First Refusal” in our lease, which we happily had another 22 years to go.

   We bought the property, to include absorbing the owner’s debt on the property, with short-term financing. The seller received 80% of his sale price in a two day escrow. While setting up our long-term financing (slow nowadays) and helped by getting an appraisal for a half million dollars over the selling price , it was apparent we needed just a little bit more time to finish it up. Running into some hard deadlines, and not getting a short extension from the previous owner, we found it necessary to file for reorganization for Salisbury Vineyards, LLC only under a special statute solely for family farmers and fishermen. We have a good plan to pay off the property creditors within a relatively short time. As our family has been farming in California for 160 years, we felt that we had to take steps to protect this special piece of land for future generations.  Maybe Shakespeare’s quote in 1598 “Much ado about nothing” is more apropos.

   It was interesting that the Tribune offered to “revisit” (I guess that means retraction nowadays) the Biz Buzz piece but after talking to “others” they rescinded and said we could write a short 250 word Letter to the Editor. The first letter got sent back because they said we couldn’t write about the third parties involved. The second letter, which we thought was very bland, was also sent back with their corrections! Evidently they didn’t like us pointing out the errors in their article. You wonder about the state of journalism when the Editor censors public comment especially when it affects them.  I guess there is a reason why the paper now is hardly big enough to wrap a fish, let alone line the bottom of a bird cage or an under-the-sink garbage can.

  Anyway, I hope our 15 minutes of fame is over and we can get back to just farming and selling wine. The Schoolhouse is still in session and we are looking forward to a banner year not only for ourselves but for all the rest of the Avila Valley wineries. By the way, effective this month, we will all be able to legally sell our own wines by the glass in the tasting rooms. So come in and relax in our patios and sitting rooms with a glass of your favorite home-grown wine.

  Hey Trib – Muhammad Ali said “There are more pleasant things to do that beat up people” – Try drinking wine!

   Happy New Year.  We are sure glad to get out of the last one; we were battered but not beaten – not by a long shot. On the agricultural end, it couldn’t have been a better one. Thanks to a great growing season, we had a rare combination of an extremely bountiful winegrape harvest coupled with great quality. Our early tasting of the 2009 vintage is promising some of the best wines we have ever produced. Probably the same is true for other local wineries. It is also helpful that we finally have a permanent wine-making home at the old Corbett Canyon winery. They do all the up front equipment-intensive processing then Harold Osborne, our winemaker, takes over crafting our special Avila Valley style wines that are fruit forward with little if any oak.

  We are very excited about how our 324 gallon (5 barrels) Flex Tanks are working out. These special food grade polyethylene (HDPE) tanks allow natural air permeation which passively micro-oxygenates the wine, and the effect on the quality is – outstanding. More details on this process can be found in our past October 2008 issue at the above blog site. These tanks are keeping the wine fresh and fruity (flavors that can be lost in oak barrels) even after 16 months in storage. Not as romantic as oak barrels, but it sure works. We will be doing a big bottling this month. We have doubled our production to 10,000 cases because the past few summers we have run out of many of our main varietals. Now we will be able to keep the tasting room fully stocked and, for the first time, have some wine to sell to restaurants as well.

  It was Mark Twain who penned “Reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated”  when news of his dying cousin, James Ross Clemens, was somehow misconstrued to mean that Mark Twain himself was at death’s door. Know how you felt, Sam! The Trib’s Biz Buzz article last month gave the impression that our entire operation was in trouble. Nothing could be farther than the truth.  We reported to you about our real estate situation over two months ago in this column and it appears we need to clarify it once again. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc  is our successful core business. It does all of the winemaking, wine sales, and farms 65% (3 of 4) of the vineyards that we either own or lease.

   Salisbury Vineyards, LLC is a different company from the other three entities – i.e. Salisbury Vineyards, Inc, The Schoolhouse, and the Fine Art Gallery which are all doing well even in this tough economy.  Salisbury Vineyards, LLC owns the 113 acres surrounding the Bassi Ranch Estates in Avila Valley and a small interest in the vacant lot south of the Schoolhouse. Last January the then owner wanted to sell the vineyard to his partner. To protect our sizeable cash investment and water rights, we reluctantly invoked “Right of First Refusal” in our lease, which we happily had another 22 years to go.

   We bought the property, to include absorbing the owner’s debt on the property, with short-term financing. The seller received 80% of his sale price in a two day escrow. While setting up our long-term financing (slow nowadays) and helped by getting an appraisal for a half million dollars over the selling price , it was apparent we needed just a little bit more time to finish it up. Running into some hard deadlines, and not getting a short extension from the previous owner, we found it necessary to file for reorganization for Salisbury Vineyards, LLC only under a special statute solely for family farmers and fishermen. We have a good plan to pay off the property creditors within a relatively short time. As our family has been farming in California for 160 years, we felt that we had to take steps to protect this special piece of land for future generations.  Maybe Shakespeare’s quote in 1598 “Much ado about nothing” is more apropos.

   It was interesting that the Tribune offered to “revisit” (I guess that means retraction nowadays) the Biz Buzz piece but after talking to “others” they rescinded and said we could write a short 250 word Letter to the Editor. The first letter got sent back because they said we couldn’t write about the third parties involved. The second letter, which we thought was very bland, was also sent back with their corrections! Evidently they didn’t like us pointing out the errors in their article. You wonder about the state of journalism when the Editor censors public comment especially when it affects them.  I guess there is a reason why the paper now is hardly big enough to wrap a fish, let alone line the bottom of a bird cage or an under-the-sink garbage can.

  Anyway, I hope our 15 minutes of fame is over and we can get back to just farming and selling wine. The Schoolhouse is still in session and we are looking forward to a banner year not only for ourselves but for all the rest of the Avila Valley wineries. By the way, effective this month, we will all be able to legally sell our own wines by the glass in the tasting rooms. So come in and relax in our patios and sitting rooms with a glass of your favorite home-grown wine.

  Hey Trib – Muhammad Ali said “There are more pleasant things to do that beat up people” – Try drinking wine!

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