September 2019

Reminiscing…..  I find myself thinking about the morning Bryan and I along with friends and family anxiously awaiting the arrival of our first 3 varietals of grapes, Sangiovese, Vermentino and Tempranillo.  It seemed as though we had waited an eternity for the ground to be ready for the vines to be planted.  It truly took a village to set every end post, anchor, rebar, t-post and 20 miles of wire.  As the truck pulled in the overwhelming feeling of “this is really happening” came over us.   As the vines were coming off the truck we were elated by how much greenery was on each vine.  The look on Bryans’

Inoculation; The process in which a winemaker introduces yeast to the must to kick-start fermentation. The grapes were harvested at Bloomfield Vineyards at 23 brix with a PH of 3.4. 75%. The fermentation will take place in a French Oak barrel and 25% in Stainless steel. Then blended and aged on French Oak with no secondary fermentation. Giving us a fruit forward crisp Chardonnay with a hint of Oak. 

Bryans Grandma Flower used to can everything she grew.  One of my favorite memories is visiting her and bringing home what she would call her starter which was a mixture of tomatoes, bellpeppers and whatever else she threw in there.  She would use it to make pasta sauce, chili and whatever else came to mind that she felt would be tasty.  I’ve only been canning a few years now, but really enjoy being able to pull something yummy from the cabinet whether it be apple pie filling, pepper jelly or spaghetti sauce.  I strive to be as creative as she was in canning little bits of goodness. Follow the

Fall/Harvest is and has always been one of my families most favorite times of the year.  We have pear, apple and pomegranate trees that produce nice hearty tasty fruits.  So baking with them is such a treat.  I’m a big fan of apple anything!  I love the sweet and tangy flavors apples bring to a dish and of course the touch of cinnamon enhances the yumminess. Preheat your oven to 350   You will need these ingredients: 1 stick of butter (I use unsalted when I am baking and then I add in the desired amount) 1 ½ c granulated sugar 3 eggs 1 ½ tsp cinnamon for the batter and then additional for sprinkling

Such a glorious morning to harvest the succulent and juicy fruit grown by Tom and Becky Bloomfield. This is the 4th year we have purchased grapes from Bloomfield Vineyards. Bloomfield produces such amazing fruit and Bryan has made such award winning wines that he has received a Gold Medal and Best of Show at Alameda County and a Gold Medal and Best of Class at the Lodi Bottle Shock competitions over the past 4 years.. Always so grateful for the family and friends that show up to help us harvest, crush and press. Excited for what this harvest of Chardonnay will come to be in a bottle…. Cheers!   (Pictured below:

Bryan and I joined this group of very talented wine makers/growers a few years back. Not only are they a very welcoming group of people who make very good wines, they are also doing their best to get Contra Costa County on the map as a destination to come taste wine. A select few are working diligently at obtaining the AVA. Making this a wine region would be a win win for all existing and upcoming wineries and growers. There is always something fun and exciting happening with this group.: Follow the group on Facebook to see all the dates for the upcoming events: https://www.facebook.com/contracostawinegrowersassociation/?ref=br_tf&epa=SEARCH_BOX

Its hard to believe the link to the article below was written back on December 15, 2013. Our dream to plant a vineyard and open a winery seemed so far away. Although we still have some hurdles to jump we are getting there. We are currently waiting for Public Works and County to respond stating all items they have requested have been completed. Fingers crossed we get our permit soon. Once the conditional use permit is approved then we need to submit for approval to the building department. Lots of positive thoughts, patience, deep breaths and a good bottle of wine is needed. https://eastcountytoday.net/brentwood-contractor-finds-passion-in-winemaking/

SERENDIPITY CELLARS  I’ve already shared with you how we came about our passion for wine making.  Back in 2005, Bryan and I had made a decision to create a flyer to send out to 2500 recipients to promote our artistic concrete side of the business. The morning the Ceja family received our flyer but hadn’t realized it yet, they had just finished a meeting and decided to try and find an artist which could engrave their beautiful timeless logo in the concrete of their tasting area. As the story unfolded, the opportunity to engrave the tasteful and unique 8’ in diameter logo in the center of their exterior

Bryan and I haven't always been passionate about wine, as a matter of fact 2 of our dogs were named Cabo and Wabo after Sammy Hagars tequila.  We loved a margarita with good tequila.  It wasn't until after we were blessed in meeting the Ceja Family we gained an appreciation for not only the taste of a good wine, but the passion and true artistry that goes into making wine.  I clearly remember shortly after Bryan and I arrived at Ceja Family Vineyards to begin working, Pedro Ceja came out and introduced himself.  He was as kind and loving then as we know him to be now.  It was

I’m so excited to share with you our journey.  We still have quite a long road in front of us but its all very exciting.  Our passion for wine making, growing of grapes, yummy food and the love we have for making memories with people is what drives us.  In addition to posting about the progress, I will be sharing some of our families favorite recipes.  Some meant to pair with wine and some just meant to make and indulge.  Hoping you enjoy reading the blog as much as I’ve enjoyed blogging……..   Cheers, Michele