Dear Friends,
Good morning from Cambria, CA. January 17th is a special day for our family. My husband, David, and my son, Ryan, share the same birthday! They will be surprised when they get up to see that the Streamer Fairy, who puts streamers on the door of the bedroom, has found her way to Cambria too. Ha! The boys are getting just what they want for dinner: Eagle Rock Ranch beef franks on brioche buns, ranch beans and vanilla ice cream. We will go hiking or bikeriding for a bit and then come back and settle in to play cards, Catan or Ticket to Ride.
I have some exciting things to share with you today. Happy Sunday!
SUCH AN HONOR
We are extremely honored to be included in the Top 150 Real Leaders in the world. It looks like there are just two of us from the wine world on the list, Brooks and Fetzer Vineyards.
We take our role of using Brooks as a force for good very seriously. Good for our team, our customers, our club members, our suppliers, our community and our environment.
I look forward to networking with the other companies on this list during the virtual awards celebration later this month. There is so much to learn from others outside the wine industry who share a common philosophy of using business to have a positive impact! We are very honored to receive this award amongst so many amazing companies like Patagonia, Ben & Jerry’s, and Tesla just to name a few!
None of it would be possible without all of your amazing support! Congratulations to our entire community!
WINE OF THE WEEK IN THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
On Wednesday, January 6th, we were very honored to have our 2018 Willamette Valley Riesling selected as the Wine of the Week in the San Francisco Chronicle. “This stunning Riesling proves that a little sugar can be a good thing in a wine” begins wine writer Esther Mobley. And while the Willamette Valley Riesling is always “dry” in style, it is all about balancing sugar and acid to get to the desired style of wine. And that, my friends is the secret talent of Chris Willians, our winemaker, and his winemaking team! Read the entire article here.
COMFORT FOOD AT HOME
Each month, Chef Norma creates a seasonal pairing. For January, she has crafted mussels with spiced tomato coulis, lemon, garlic, capers, wine, onion and crisp bacon served with garlic toast. Chef Norma has selected the 2017 Janus Pinot Noir as the perfect wine to pair with it. Watch and learn as she crafts this incredible dish!
I am headed to Oregon soon and will make sure my dates include January and cross over into February. This will ensure I get to try all of Chef Norma’s deliciousness for both months! Check out more cooking videos by Norma here.
A GREAT ESCAPE
Our Beyond Brooks series is one of my absolute favorite ways to spend time since the onset of COVID. It is definitely one of the most unique wine events in existence! We escape for 75 minutes to discover new people, companies and products. Yesterday was no exception with fellow Certified B Corporation and Member of 1% For The Planet, Matt Thomas, Founder of Brew Dr. Kombucha. The event ended with another 45 minutes hanging in the lounge with myself, Matt, and Bree Boskov, Master of Wine, and many of our guests. A great way for one on one conversation and to spend a Saturday afternoon.
I cannot wait for February where we take a deep dive into holistic health and learning about the most effective and easily implemented tools for busy lifestyles. We will be sharing essential oils and delicious wines with guest Diana Blank, founder of Work Life Essentials. Join us!
BEYOND BROOKS IN FEBRUARY
I wish you all a safe and healthy week. Feel free to be in touch. [email protected] and cell 831-238-4828.
Cheers,
Janie