2018 Vineyard Grower’s Update

Elise StimacJuly 25, 2018Family, Growing, Vineyard, WildlifeLeave a Comment

Bloom on vines at Three Feathers Estate & Vineyard

2018 Vineyard Grower’s Update The 2018 season in the vineyard began with pruning in early February. The winter was cool and dry punctuated with rainy periods, but not characteristically wet. Even spring was not very wet despite lingering cool temps and Bud Break was a month later than last year, on May 2. Once the plants started growing it was … Read More

One New Year, two Full Moons and a Liver Pâté Recipe

Elise StimacJanuary 6, 2018Growing, Lunar lore, Pairing, Recipes

Photography of the Full Moon taken with an iphone and a telescope

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow Gave the luster of mid-day to objects below… – Twas the Night Before Christmas, by Clement Moore Celebrating the New Year and two Full Moons… We all know the poem. In this case it was not Christmas Eve and there was no snow in Oregon. It is midnight on … Read More

2017 Grape Harvest

Elise StimacOctober 17, 2017Growing, Vineyard

Rows of Grape Vines in Rolling Hills of Three Feathers Vineyard, Chehalem Mountain, Oregon, Morning Light in Fall Season

Three Feathers Estate 2017 Grape Harvest The year in the vineyard has come to a close. The grapes are picked, sorted, de-stemmed and nestled in their vats at Lady Hill Winery where they are on the road to becoming the 2017 Vintage Three Feathers Pinot Noir. It has been a year of difficult decisions and challenges, but in many ways … Read More

Smuggled!

Elise StimacSeptember 16, 2017Growing, Travel Stories, Wine making, Wine Tasting

Three Feathers Pinot Noir first vintage visits the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.

Smuggled! My adventure began on Saturday August 12 when I and my eleven case companions were taken from our distinguished labeled carton and stuffed into smelly suitcases full of human laundry. What was happening? Were we being bottle-napped? After some bouncing and jostling and many hours of silence I felt a strange sensation of lightness, very cold and noisy. I … Read More

Lines on the Vines

Elise StimacJuly 29, 2017Growing, Vineyard

Vines and tendrils reaching upwards on their trellis wires on Th

2017 Vineyard Season Update We have been frantically busy since our last post about the vineyard at bud break in May. I analogize the season in the vineyard to a horse race with us in a race to keep up with the pace of the vines as they grow. There’s weeding and mowing, fertilizing and disease control and the perpetual … Read More

New Buds on Pinot Noir Grapevines

Elise StimacApril 1, 2017Growing

Springtime buds on grape vines on Three Feathers Estate, Chehalem Mountain AVA, Yamhill County, Oregon, United States.

New Buds We go out frequently to see if the vines are coming to life. Today I could detect the tiniest little swelling on a new bud. We have had a record breaking winter of ice, snow, rain and mud with many slides in the valley. With the coming of spring it has warmed a bit and we have had … Read More