Rancho Azul y Oro ~ Surviving the Dream

Rancho Azul y Oro's 2015-16 Olive Harvest As we near our 2016 olive harvest, we are often asked, what is olio nuovo and why is there the rush to get that oil? Olio nuovo, simply put, means new oil.  It is literally the oil which was just an olive a week or two before, pressed and bottled.  It is nearly a neon green/gold color and it will be much more grassy, zesty, pungent, and spicy. Customarily, the olives are picked, milled, and returned to the grower in large stainless steel tanks called fustis.  The olive oil will then rest for approximately a month (as will the grower and bottler), and then, the sediment, is filtered out, leaving a brilliantly clear, beautifully finished oil.   The olio nuovo should be enjoyed more quickly than the finished olive oils because it is unfiltered.  The up side of the unfiltered oil is that it is the most fresh and pungent, the down side is that the sediment that is still in the olio nuovo can reduce its shelf li...

As we near our 2016 olive harvest, we are often asked, what is olio nuovo and why is there the rush to get that oil? Olio nuovo, simply put, means new oil.  It is literally the oil which was just an olive a week or two before, pressed and bottled.  It is nearly a neon green/gold color and it will be much more grassy, zesty, pungent, and spicy. Customarily, the olives are picked, milled, and returned to the grower in large stainless steel tanks called fustis.  The olive oil will then rest for approximately a month (as will the grower and bottler), and then, the sediment, is filtered out, leaving a brilliantly clear, beautifully finished oil.   The olio nuovo should be enjoyed more quickly than the finished olive oils because it is unfiltered.  The up side of the unfiltered oil is that it is the most fresh and pungent, the down side is that the sediment that is still in the olio nuovo can reduce its shelf life, unlike the more polished, final version ...

H arvest is in full swing at the rancho.  It seems as if the heat has broken -- except on the days that the rancho worker bees decide to pick.  So, let's recap where we're at currently.  In our last episode, the Petite Sirah was picked, and since then, we made it and it's in the barrel.  The Cab was picked, and it was our largest Cab harvest ever -- and we still lost all of what we call Block 2, which is hilarious, if you actually saw the size of it.  Here are some photos from our 2016 Cabernet Harvest: 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet I know, they're all starting to look the same.  They were so beautiful, the photographer could not resist the urge to photograph nearly every cluster.  As with the 2013 Petite Sirah, the feeling about these particular grapes is that the wine promises amazing things.   So, even though the harvesters have olive harvest ...

H arvest is in full swing at the rancho.  It seems as if the heat has broken -- except on the days that the rancho worker bees decide to pick.  So, let's recap where we're at currently.  In our last episode, the Petite Sirah was picked, and since then, we made it and it's in the barrel.  The Cab was picked, and it was our largest Cab harvest ever -- and we still lost all of what we call Block 2, which is hilarious, if you actually saw the size of it.  Here are some photos from our 2016 Cabernet Harvest: 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet 2016 Cabernet I know, they're all starting to look the same.  They were so beautiful, the photographer could not resist the urge to photograph nearly every cluster.  As with the 2013 Petite Sirah, the feeling about these particular grapes is that the wine promises amazing things.   So, even though the harvesters have olive harvest ...

After a very hot, smokey month of August, our Petite Sirah decided it had it with this growing year and wanted to be wine more, so wine grape harvest began here on Wednesday, August 31st.  This harvest went much like August did, it was hot, it was long, and the two member crew both got stung by bees (at least it wasn't rattlesnakes), but we hope that one day, when we are sitting with a glass of the 2016 Petite Sirah, all we remember are these beautiful images: Rancho Azul y Oro's 2016 Petite Sirah Picking bin after picking bin after picking bin The last bin of the day Beautiful fruit -- our 2016 Petite Sirah The 2016 Petite Sirah, crushed and destemmed

What a month.  That's all one can say about the month from July 23rd to August 23rd.  Monterey County's problems started with the Soberanes Fire, which started back on July 23rd.  Due to prevailing winds, the smoke from Soberanes infiltrated our canyon and permeated every aspect of what we do.  While it is unlikely this fire would ever reach the rancho, its smoke certainly has.  It is now 83,000 acres, there are 2,421 fire personnel battling this fire, and it is 60% contained.  The expected containment date is September 30. Some time during the first week of August, with temperatures nearing 115 in our area, the Mineral Fire started, which was approximately 20 miles due north of us.  This fire did have the potential to reach us.  There was no big fire break between the rancho and the Mineral Fire, such as the 101, and our winds generally blow from north to south, so we were definitely on edge.  Thanks to the work of the amazing firefig...

Since July 23rd, life in Monterey County -- whether north or south -- has been dominated by the Soberanes Fire in North County.  For those in the northern part of the county who are having to evacuate, live in shelters, and who have lost their homes, there is little one can offer to console them and assure them that life will resume normalcy again some day.  For those of us in the southern part of the county, our lives have been dominated by smoke.   Due to an abnormal weather pattern, winds have been pushing the fire southward and the smoke has been funneling down the canyons toward this area, making it difficult to be outside for any period of time.  Eyes burn.  Breathing is hard.  Concern is mounting that smoke taint will ruin wine grape crops.  We are not certain if the olives will be affected. However, it is difficult to complain when we are reminded that this fire could just as easily have been down here.  There are 5,200 firefighter...