Above is the field where we will hold Rootstock11. On April 9th, we’ll gather with friends and family to plant two acres, one of Albarino and the other, Merlot. This particular acre holds great sentimental interest to me. The field was rented to the Raleys for rotational grain crop planting: corn (read my reflection on the plant, here), wheat, and barley. My favorite memory is the tender moment when my vineman and I stumbled across the fresh harvested barley field and it inspired my husband to sing “Among the Fields of Gold” —and we stopped a moment and captured a picture of how happy we were. This is the field my kids sledded down in winter and that I scolded them from running through once the field was sown. Then after the field was harvested, I can’t tell you how many times I carried boy2 up that hill—either on my shoulders or in my arms, because the poor little guy legs were just too worn. For these and many other reasons, planting these acres represents a major milestone. Our little Proof of Concept experiment is really gaining legs and traction. Every year, its another push of the flywheel towards our hedgehog concept of bringing you the perfect wine grape in a wine that keeps calling you back to the glass.

The reason why I believe Wine = Community is based upon times like these. I love the Rootstock planting event—there is nothing like seeing family and friends working together, laughing and talking and sharing the day. Rootstock09 had wonderful weather and was a glorious day—here is hoping that no matter rain or shine, we’ll have another event that people will feel happy they spent their day sharing in our adventure.