5-26-2007

Greetings

WIN A ONE NIGHT STAY AT THE COTTAGE

I NEED YOUR HELP!!!

Is there anyone receiving this missive who knows how to add stickiness to a message? Last Wednesday during my flight to San Diego for a winemaker dinner at The Bungalow I was rereading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell and found a section on stickiness. How to add that one element which encouraged the reader to look further in the message or search for the answer to a problem? If you don’t know yourself you may know some one who does know the answer to stickiness. Watch my e-mails and website for clues and attempts at adding Stickiness to my messages. To the  person or persons who present the best plan that is successful I will award a one night stay in the Guest Cottage. If you have a copy of The Tipping Point go to p 92.

FIRST STICKINESS ATTEMPT

Find all of the letter “f’s” in my News letter of 5/15/07 and win a place in a drawing for a free invitation, two night stay at the winery included, for our three day Wine Making Seminar in October. Dead line for entries 6/15/07.

5-15-2007

Greetings

FLASH I will be at The Bungalow for a winemakers dinner May 23rd. Sign up! 619 279 3096.

Two weeks ago I was in Tucson Arizona meeting with restaurants and wine shops to encourage them to carry Graeser Wine. I had great success; Tucson is going to be a good market for us. I did three tastings at different upscale events and spent three days doing market visits. At one event at a posh racket and tennis club we sold fifteen cases of wine to the forty people in attendance. At the same venue during a similar event with another winery they only sold two cases. I am going back in July to do two winemaker dinners and again in the fall to do a tasting for all of Finley Fine Wine Wineries. On Saturday in Tucson I had a free day so I wandered around Tucson first in  a taxi, until I realized that I was going to go broke with taxi fares, then on the city buses and finally on foot when there were no more buses going in my direction. I walked five miles back to my hotel on a warm afternoon. On my trek through the byways of Tucson I happened upon the grand opening of the first In n Out Burger franchise for Tucson where the wait for the take out window was at least three hours and the waiting line to get into the restaurant stretched as far as the eye could see. Can a burger be that good?

Talk about six degrees of separation, Dorothy Finley Chairman of the Board at Finley Distributing grew up in a cattle ranching family who had a ranch within thirty miles of my mother’s family cattle ranch in New Mexico.

“Success is remembering what you want.” Unknown

See you Soon

 
Richard

5-1-2025

Greetings

My E-Mail customers are receiving an exclusive offer this week; no one else will have the opportunity to buy these wines at these unprecedented prices. The chance of a life time! Well maybe not the chance of a Life time, but something very special. Don’t hesitate; you may be trampled by the crowd rushing to take advantage of this special.

Friday I am going to Tucson Arizona for a market visit with our new distributor, Finley Fine Wine Division. Friday night I am doing a fundraiser for the Southern Arizona Humane Society, Sunday I am pouring at another event, Monday Tuesday and Wednesday I am visiting restaurants and wine shops. There is a fancy dinner some where in the schedule. Wednesday night I fly home to get ready for our Open House Saturday and Sunday May 5th & 6th.

Jack, our black Lab/Great Dane cross, is searching for Jill and we are going to help him, he needs a friend to play with when he doesn’t have one of the staff or clients massaging him. Maybe a dog friend will calm him down, as if he needs calming down. I thought maybe a white dog would contrast well with Jack. Have any ideas? Let us know

May 23rd we are going to present a winemakers dinner at The Bungalow in San Diego 5Pm. If you happen to be in the area that day sign up and we will see you there.

4-15-2007

Greetings

Last Tuesday I traveled to Sacramento to do market visits with local wine shops and restaurants. I tasted at Il Forno Classico in Gold River, Dolce Vino in Cameron Park, Bidwell Street Bistro in Folsom, Sellands Wine Shop in Sacramento and The Wine Consultant in Citrus Heights. Eric at the Wine Consultant wasn’t very enthusiastic about tasting until he took the first sip of my Semillon, he really liked it. He enjoyed all the wines, but when he got to the Cabernet Sauvignon he told me that he didn’t have a single California Cabernet Sauvignon in his shop because of the prevalent style of high extraction fruit bombs. After tasting the 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon he commented that mine might be the first Cabernet from California in his Shop, because my style is traditional and food friendly. What about them potatoes?

Thursday, I tasted at Mirepoix in Windsor, where Bryan  told me she wasn’t buying anything until mid May. When she tasted the Late Harvest Semillon she ordered a case on the spot, all of the desert wines on her list were foreign since she couldn’t find a domestic wine that she enjoyed. If you ever get to downtown Windsor be sure to eat at Mirepoix, excellent fare.

The vineyard is looking better than it has in several years. I had been told that my vines were declining because of damage from Phyloxora, well I think that they were just undernourished. Bud break started about a month ago and the new growth has been growing very fast since then. We should see the first flowers in about two weeks.

Looking Forward to seeing you soon

Richard

4-1-2025

Greetings

Rebecca and I just returned from Southern California where we poured our wine at a benefit for Gov Bill Richardson, really a fine man. He has wider experience than any candidate who has surfaced so far. He is well educated, held many important positions and I like him. What more could you ask for? The Tipping Point at work.

Justin has been working on my 1946 Willy’s Jeep. The gears on the fly wheel are worn out and will not engage the starter, also the head gasket was blown out and leaking water into the oil. Many generations of Graeser teenagers have learned to drive a manual shift in that vehicle. My mother would adjust the gear boxes to the very slowest ratio and then the student could practice all the maneuvers in slow motion. What a concept.

I am going to be in Tucson Arizona from the 27th of April to the 2nd of May to visit with Finley Fine Wine Division my new distributor in Arizona. I will be pouring wine at the Southern Arizona Humane Society Fund Raiser on the 27th. Then we will be a part of The Calistoga Wineries Open House May 5th&6th. We are going to have a Winemakers Dinner at The Bungalow May 23rd. Then we will have an event for friends of the winery on May 19th. More details later.

The Secret to Success- Do the best you can with what you have where you are at.

 
Richard

3-19-2007

Greetings Oenophilists

The buds are bursting on the Cabernet Franc and the Merlot; spring is really here, I think. Let us hope and pray that there is not an unusual cold spring. I have never experienced a killing frost so we are most probably home free.

Monday I am off to Southern California again to do a Fund Raiser for Governor Richardson in the Laguna Beach area on Wednesday night, where my wine is being featured, and a winemaker’s dinner at Dakota Grill Thursday night in San Diego. Tuesday midday I am going to meet up with an old friend from Holtville, Joaquin Baro. I will also be arranging winemaker dinners at The Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado and The Bungalow in San Diego for latter in the year. The Hotel Del is a long shot, while The Bungalow is fairly likely. Noel at Julia’s Kitchen mentioned the possibility of doing a winemakers dinner there also. All of a sudden I am getting some attention, maybe I am near the tipping point.

Plans for the septic system additions have been submitted and should be on the fast track for approval. If all goes well I will be up and running with all the bells and whistles by May 1st. The next newsletter will contain the dates for some of our spring events

 
Carpe Diem!!

Richard

3-5-2025

Greetings from Calistoga

I started a news letter several days ago and we were having a light snow fall, with more predicted for the evening. Well the snow stayed away and sent the sun instead. Rebecca particularly is overjoyed, she hates rainy weather. What can you expect from a Floridian? Every once and a while I have to drive my car around scrunched down to simulate the individuals who can barely see over the steering wheel to make Rebecca feel at home.

We are gearing up for spring with plans for several events and a regular “library tasting and conversation time” on the patio towards the end of the day on Saturdays and Sundays. If you are in the area stop by and pontificate on what ever subject floats your boat and enjoy the sunset with some good Graeser wine.

Wine it's just not just for breakfast any more,

Richard

2-16-2007

Greetings

When I last wrote to you I was preparing for my trip to San Diego. I had a very profitable time, great events at the Wine Encounter, Proprietors Reserve and Tango Wine Company. Alex took my over to the Del Coronado Hotel in Coronado to reconnect with Jared who is now the sommelier at Ocean 1500 and may soon have responsibility for all the wine at the Del. I first met Jared when he worked in hospitality at Folie A Deux; they had some terrific parties for the other winery hospitality staffs. Jared allowed as how he would work some of our wines into their portfolio. Jeff Hoover, the sommelier at the Marine Room in La Jolla, is going to use some of our wine also.

The wind was tearing the roofing paper off of the Chicken House roof, so we are repairing it before we get another onslaught of bad weather. Please tell me that we are going to get more rain, the weather is just too nice right now. The weather makes me think of spring and I hope the vines don’t feel the same way, it is much too early for any bud activity. Watch your e-mails for announcement of our budding out BBQ.

Looking forward to seeing you soon

Richard


1-3-2025

Happy New Year
 

I remember when I was in College and had to read George Orwells 1984- the distant future. Now Fifty years later, how time flies when you are having fun. Just before Christmas, a crew for a sitcom came by to film the winery for an episode to be aired in March. We were sworn to secrecy so I can’t tell you any more. As soon has we have permission to spill the beans an e-mail will sent to you all.
 

All of you local friends come to Zap at Fort Mason either the good Eats on 1/25/07 or the regular zoo on1 /27/07. Phil, the owner of the The Magic Flute, will be providing Grilled Polenta with Forest Mushrooms & Asiago Cheese for the Good Eats. Come by our table early while you can still appreciate our wonderful 2003 Simba’s Sinful Zinfandel.

12-2--2006

Wine Lovers and other Nefarious Individuals
 

The rains have begun and the temperature has dropped into the forties and fifties in the day and thirties at night. We are putting the Two Dog Merlot to bed today, it has finished all the required fermentations and is ready to barrel age. The Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is being recalcitrant and does not wish to finish the malolactic fermentation so we are going to move it into a stainless tank where we can heat the wine. The Cabernet Franc is going to be a problem since there is not enough to fill a tank to the top. Oh well where there is a will there is a way.
 

My second cousin Gordon Amsbaugh was married in Colorado recently and naturally served Graeser wine to his reception guests. Here is his note of Thanks to me. “ Thank you for the great wine. It was a big, big hit. I had bragged to my wine-snob friends about my cousin’s great wine, pre-wedding. There was some scoffing. And then they tasted. Now they, too, believe
11-15-2006

On November 4th and 5th Justin and I were in Las Vegas doing a wine and food show which was for the most part mediocre. One of the pluses was that we only lost about five dollars between us gambling. We played poker on the nickel machines, not a whole whiz-bang but it kept us entertained for several hours and out of trouble. As if I could get into trouble. We sold two cases of wine, made many contacts, and may have found a distributor. Not too bad for two country boys right off the farm.
 We flew back on Monday morning and I left with Rebecca on Tuesday, to drive to San Diego for client contacts and a Food and Wine Show. We met with clients most of Wednesday and went over to Jim Fish’s house in the evening. Jim and his son have started a web wine marketing site called, “Open Market Wine.” He has a neat house and was such a great host. Thursday, we met with more clients, and met Alex Daniels who wants to represent our wines in the San Diego and the Orange County area. We signed with him to represent us. On Thursday night we hosted a wine dinner at the Dakota Grill in downtown San Diego. We sold two more cases of wine. Friday we attended more client meetings and we participated in a Wine Event at the Embarcadero Marriott. Saturday we did a tasting in the South Embarcadero Park for 3300 heavy drinkers and left at the earliest opportunity for Laguna Niguel. We stayed over night with Sherry Flores, Rebecca’s friend before leaving early Sunday morning for San Francisco. Once back to San Francisco where we had dinner with Larry and Elva White. The Whites are friends from Louisiana who house sat while we were in San Diego. Monday morning at 2:30 we arose to get Rebecca to SFO so that she could fly to Florida to watch her grandchildren for a week. After working all day Monday, I went to bed at 7:30. What a week!
 
Justin spent Friday, Saturday and Sunday at an event in San Mateo. Are we busy or what?
 
Don’t forget to buy enough Good Graeser Wine for the Holidays.

Oh and by the way, a Broker stopped by our booth in San Diego and told me that he represented a Cabernet Franc from Italy which Robert Parker had given a score of 98 points and he thought that ours was as good or better. So we have a 98 from Robert Parker by proxy. CHEERS !!!
 
Carpe Diem

11-3-2025
 
Last week when I was driving to Santa Rosa for supplies just after Mark West Springs Lodge I had to swerve to avoid a ladder in my lane. I continued on telling myself that the danger posed to following cars by the ladder was not my problem. As I drove on I thought how would I feel if on my return a bad accident happened caused by the ladder in the road. I turned around, went back, and removed the ladder from the road. The next day a person stopped his car to let a long string of cars pass. The same day I was struggling with my sign near the road when a passing pedestrian stopped to help me at a critical point. I haven’t seen more than a dozen pedestrians on Petrified Forest Rd. in the twenty years that I have lived here. How much better would our life be if everyone did just a little bit more than was required of them. The effect would be like throwing pebbles into a still pond, the ripples cross and cross again. Let us all do one extra deed every day to make the world more secure.
10-22-2006
 
Greetings from Diamond Mountain District
 
Well we have had our harvest rain, which mucked up everything; fortunately I finished picking my grapes three days before the rain. I have everything in except some grapes from Bob Dempel’s vineyard near Hopland, Mendocino County. The grapes from Bob will be the base for Black Jack Cab our new label celebrating Alex’s replacement in our dog division. In case you missed it Jack is a Black Lab-Great Dane cross. The harvest promises to produce some outstanding wines for your drinking pleasure.
 
Last weekend Rebecca and I traveled to the Tahoe environs to do some market visits and tasting events. I visited with my Reno Distributor on Friday while Rebecca called on restaurants and wine shops in Truckee and Tahoe City. Saturday I participated in a tasting at the Wine and Chocolate Shop in Incline Village while Rebecca did a tasting at Gallery Keoki Gallery in Olympic Village at Squaw Valley. Every thing went well and we made some great contacts. If you just happen to be passing the Christmas Shopping Center at Incline Village stop in and say “Hi” to Dan the proprietor or at Olympic Village stop at the Gallery Keoki and meet Robbin a most interesting lady. Now we have an excuse to visit the area for business and sking or would it be sking and business. On Thursday evening we visited with a Rabbi who is also a wine writer while we had dinner at Plump Jacks in the Olympic Village, they have our Two Dog Merlot on their wine list. He loved our wines and is going to write glowing reviews.
 
The road renovation is coming along nicely, the septic upgrade is still on the drawing board and we are working on painting the winery and storage buildings. When we finish these items we will be able to have tastings and tours by prior appointment. Keep watching the web site for the announcement of our grand opening. We will have several celebrations commemorating this auspicious event.
 
A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine
Carpe Diem
 
Richard

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 Heart Warming Story   

For Adam Smith the beauty and perfect scenery of the Napa Valley had always been the place he had in mind for popping the big question to his girlfriend. However the task ended up being a little more taxing then even he expected.

Every winery Adam visited along the way to Graeser seemed to be either to crowded or even to commercial for what he had in mind. Then by pure dumb luck, Adam turned up the drive to Graeser and decided he liked the serenity of the grounds right off.

Rebecca Ahl met Adam and BJ in the tasting room. As any guy (or woman for that matter) can tell you, it’s easy to spot the nervous and almost hard to miss anticipation, a man can give off when planning something as challenging as the perfect proposal. To ease his mind a bit Rebecca mentioned the top of our hill. Becoming a popular attraction of Graeser Winery, the hill features breathe taking panoramic views and the perfect seclusion for anyone looking to find a private moment. For Adam, it was the place he had been searching for.

Needless to say our hill provided the ideal setting Adam needed, and soon he and his fiancé ventured back down with more then content smiles on their faces. We hope the best and most happiness to the happy couple. And again toast our hill for a job well done.

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