THE STORIES WE TELL.
I recently ran into a former colleague and we had a nice chat about our personal evolutions. It’s been many […]
WELCOME TO THE FUTURE.
It is time. Time to announce the regenerative future of our wine endeavors. Time to anchor from the past, sail […]
YOU HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE…
This summer I was delighted to run into a kindred colleague and friend who had moved to Bend, Oregon a […]
LUCKY No. 21
ABOUT THE 2021 “CLOS ROGUE VALLEY” RESERVE “FUTURES” WINE Twenty one is something. It has been my lucky number ever […]
Tourbillon: cars. wine. life.
Legendary French car maker Bugatti just launched its latest masterpiece, Tourbillon, a super-coupé hybrid “hypercar”, under the new ownership of Croatian […]
The Science of Assessing Aging Potential
I had the urge to be playful about this topic – assessing aging potential. I’m contemplating both the experiences of […]
Time Travel: 2012
“FLAT TRACK” CABERNET FRANC Back in 2013, when I was getting ready to bottle my first 100% Cabernet Franc red […]
Q & A: WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON?!?
Photo: Leah Jorgensen recycles her wine boxes as part of her regenerative cardboard cover no-till garden. Last week, I had […]
RESTRUCTURING MY WAY.
In 2011 I came up with an idea. I had a vision for an Oregon wine beyond the state’s love […]
THE MOVEMENT: Regenerative Biz
This past year has been one of my best years in a long time. It feels ironic to write that […]
THE MOVEMENT: Regenerative Ag
I did not plan, initially, to write extensively about regenerative business here, in my Field Notes. My time spent on […]
HOW DO WE GROW?
I am not just thinking about the wine business anymore. I’m not. In some ways, that ship has sailed. There […]
THE GREAT WALL: What is happening to the wine business?
I don’t shy away from difficult conversations. I have been saying for years the wine industry is going to hit […]
WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH
“If you wished to know how civilized a culture is, look at how they treat its women.” – Bacha Khan […]
ALL ABOUT MY MOM: An Interview By My Five Year Old
Certainly one of the many interesting parts of my work is that every now and again I get interviewed for […]
PRO-TIP / AGING ROSÉ
Since I’ve studied herbalism and adapted to an herbalist’s lifestyle, I have enjoyed working with roses. From rosebuds, to mature […]
COOKBOOK NOOK / My Rice Bowl: Korean cooking outside the lines
I first met Chef Rachel Yang when we partnered for a winemaker dinner at her restaurant Joule in Seattle on […]
THE RESTORATION ERA.
Welcome, 2024. This is the official start of a new era for LJC Wine Co., the parent company of Leah […]
CAB FRANC FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Cabernet Franc Day lands on December 4th each year and we believe it’s the perfect occasion (and wine!) to kick […]
COOKBOOK NOOK / The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook: A Consuming Passion
Today is Thanksgiving Day and I have so much to be thankful for. I love this holiday because of what […]
CF & FOOD / What to Bring to Thanksgiving
As Thanksgiving nears, I am feeling nostalgic for so many wonderful Thanksgivings past. Growing up in Virginia, Thanksgiving was marked […]
REGENERATIVE BUSINESS vs SUSTAINABILITY
As I began my sabbatical year away from processing grapes to wine (yes, I’m still in business, and yes, I […]
AND SO BEGINS MY GAP YEAR…
According to Wikipedia: “A gap year, also known as a sabbatical year, is a period of time when students take […]
COOKBOOK NOOK / The Garden Chef
My greatest passions extend winemaking. Nourishment has been the cog in the purpose wheel for me for as long as […]
CF & FOOD / the ultimate pizza wine
Summertime brings me the best memories of chewy, bubbly, Neapolitan pizza – especially when reminiscing about my travels to Italy […]
2015: Vintage of Dreams
Photo: Me back in 2016 staging the 2015 red wine barrels to prepare blends for bottling. Every vintner has an […]
WE GET YOU / wine motivations
Some producers may never learn what truly motivates their customers. In our defense, we often get stuck in a loop […]
Geology: From the Stars to the Seas to Your Glass
Map of Limestone Deposits in Jackson County, Oregon from 1880 – Oregon Historical Society One of my hobbies is learning […]
PRO-TIP / how to determine a wine’s aging potential
The aging potential of a wine is influenced by several factors, and assessing it involves considering various aspects of the […]
A Whirlwind Story for the Ages
Let me share a once-in-a-lifetime story. As many of you probably already know, aside from being a winemaker, I am […]
TOOLS WE LOVE / for wine collectors
FEATURE: Üllo Wine Purifier After writing my last post on Decanting Older Wines, I promised to review a tool that […]
PRO-TIP / decanting older wines
HOW TO AVOID COMMON MISTAKES & DISASTERS There’s nothing worse than opening up a special, rare, older bottle of wine […]
Why You Should Join Our Collector’s List
(AND JUST SO YOU KNOW… A COLLECTOR’S LIST IS NOT A WINE CLUB) A wine club and a collector’s list […]
Happy World Malbec Day!
WORLD MALBEC DAY is on Monday, April 17th and this is our eighth year celebrating! While we are a Cabernet […]
PRO-TIP / for new wine collectors
THE COMMON STAGES OF WINE COLLECTING The journey from not drinking wine, to occasionally drinking wine, to obsessing over wine […]
TOOLS WE LOVE / for wine collectors
FEATURE: VinGardeValise® by FlyWithWine Image borrowed from FlyWithMe, Instagram, August 2022 One of the biggest challenges for wine consumers who […]
5 Mistakes All Wine Collectors Make
Wine collecting is a hobby enjoyed by many around the world. Whether it’s for personal consumption or investment purposes, collecting […]
Why I Never Enter Wine Competitions & Pulled the Plug on Submitting My Wines for Scores:
CULTIVATING A MARKETING PROGRAM THAT IGNORES THE “COMPETITION” OUT THERE I have never entered my wine in a wine competition. […]
PRO-TIP / for new wine collectors
HOW TO MAKE BETTER WINE PURCHASE DECISIONS One of the common complaints I hear from my customers and wine club […]
TOOLS WE LOVE / for wine collectors
FEATURE: THE DURAND® There’s nothing more disappointing than beginning the ceremony of cutting back the foil then twisting a traditional […]
10 Things Every Wine Collector Should Know
The world of wine can be confusing to navigate. Collecting wine had long been limited to a certain audience considering […]
Crushed Grape Chronicles
We were interviewed by Crushed Grape Chronicles at the Uncommon Wine Festival last July – our conversation was so engaging […]
Oral History Interview
This “Oral History” interview was filmed a year ago at Corkscrew Wine Bar in Portland, Oregon. It’s presented by the Oregon […]