The Rominger West Story: Part I

Mark, Rick, and Bruce outside of the winery, 2007

This is the first part in a series of stories about the winery, from its inception to the wines we are producing today. Stay tuned for how we ended up in a warehouse by the train tracks, what goes on in our vineyards, and Mark’s plans to one day produce a sparkling wine…

Bruce and Rick Rominger

The winery represents a partnership between our winemaker, Mark West, and the Rominger brothers—Rick, Charlie, and Bruce—fifth-generation farmers in Yolo County. This partnership began even before Mark and the Rominger brothers were born, when their parents all attended UC Davis together. Then, Mark’s father, George West, worked for the Rominger brothers’ father, Rich Rominger, when Rich was the California State Secretary of Agriculture in the 1980s. Lastly, Mark’s sister, Audrey, and Bruce Rominger swam together at UC Davis. So when Mark was sent to evaluate a new grape crop while working as interim winemaker in Napa, and he discovered that they were Charlie Rominger’s grapes, a natural friendship ensued.

Charlie Rominger

As the grape growing expert in his family, Charlie knew he was growing quality grapes in an area where quantity, not quality, was prized, and he was ready to take the next step and turn his grapes into quality wine. Mark, recognizing that Charlie’s grapes were something special, and hankering to get back to his hometown of Davis (and to ditch that dreaded 2 hour daily commute), began thinking about bringing a little wine to Davis.

Mark West

Mark grew up in Davis, played in the band at UC Berkeley during his undergraduate years, earned his PhD in biochemistry from Johns Hopkins University, and then moved to Napa to work in the wine industry. Thirteen years later, he brought his philosophy of minimal intervention, which highlights the quality of our local fruit, to Davis.

Mark and Charlie opened the doors of Rominger West Winery in January of 2004. Charlie’s love of grapes and commitment to sustainable agriculture, coupled with Mark’s expert winemaking knowledge and desire to contribute to his local community, created a successful and delicious enterprise.

Next blog post: How we ended up in a warehouse by the train tracks…

Elizabeth Caravati

A Few Important Updates

This is the season that I wait for all year: Christmas. For me, this festive time truly gets going in September, with a seemingly never-ending stream of birthdays and anniversaries, followed by Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the beginning of ski season (which for any real ski bunny is the most wonderful time of the year).

With how busy we have been here over the last few months, it seems as though everyone else who steps into our tasting room is in a similarly celebratory mood! As the event coordinator here, there is nothing that I love more than seeing the cellar full of friends enjoying some wine, live music, and friendly conversation. From our own weekly events like Happy Thursday and Friday Night Live to private parties like enormous fundraisers or quiet holiday gatherings, things have definitely been bustling around here.

Jack providing critical insight during a staff meeting

So, in the midst of the holiday hubbub, you will have to forgive us for a rather large administrative oversight: We have forgotten to update the staff directory on our website. As many of you know, someone has joined our regular events staff here at Rominger West. He is the first to greet you when you walk through the door and the last to say goodbye as you leave, having now been affectionately dubbed the “minister of mirth.” Although this is Jack’s first real job—at fourteen weeks old, it is the very definition of entry level—he is making a promising start to his career as a winery puppy. With an above and beyond aptitude for customer service and an impressively sharp head for business, Jack is certainly the one to beat for employee of the month.

Stop by one of these days and meet the little guy yourself—he won’t be little for long!

-Stephanie

Harvest 2011…Complete!

We received our last shipment of grapes last week, officially marking the end of Rominger West’s 2011 harvest season.  Facing the end of the busiest time of the winery season, I find myself with mixed feelings. Relief is certainly one way to describe how I feel. Relieved that my hands will finally start to lose that purple hue obtained from spending hours elbow deep in magenta-colored grape skins. Relieved I won’t go home with sore shoulders from a hard day of manual labor. Relived I will come home clean and refreshed instead of looking like I have fallen into a purple mud pit, as became my typical style during the harvest season.

But even more than relief I feel sadness. Harvest was a ton of fun and I am going to miss it! Although we were smelly and dirty while pressing red wine off its skins, de-stemming freshly harvested grapes, and transferring wine from tank to barrel, we were laughing and having a blast the whole time.

Let me note some of the particular highlights of the harvest season:

1.Fireman Hold Punch-Over: In order to mix up the skins in this giant vat of grapes, we have to get a little creative. So we pump wine out from the bottom of this bin, put it into a separate container and, using the pump, shoot the wine at full speed out over on top of the skins (hence “Punch-Over”).

2. Learning to drive the forklift: Driving the forklift is AWESOME. If you have ever seen Mark doing doughnuts around the cellar before a Happy Thursday you will understand what I mean. Forklift driving is a completely marketable skill which I intend to include on the next draft of my resume.

3. Using the power washer: There is something immensely satisfying about shooting pressurized water out of a giant wand to get things clean during harvest. Plus, I love wearing those stylish safety goggles.

 

 

 

 

4. Doing Punch Downs : Ah, punch downs… by far my favorite harvest task. When the grapes start fermenting, carbon dioxide gas (along with alcohol and other compounds) is produced by the friendly little yeasts fermenting the wine. This build-up of CO2 causes the grape skins to rise to the top of the bin, forming a “cap” of skins. In order to ensure proper fermentation we have to break this cap and mix around the skins with the wine. To achieve this we stand on top of planks stretched across the bins and punch down the skins with a metal punching device. Although it can take quite a bit of force to break this cap, I absolutely love climbing on top of the boxes and trying to balance on the tenuous planks. Clearly a great spot for a fierce photo-op!

In a few months you will be able to literally taste the fruits of our labor in the form of delicious wines including Malbec, Rosé, Gewürztraminer, Herren Vineyard Red, and others. I hope you enjoy drinking the wines as much as I enjoyed helping make them.

Best,

Kelsey

From Friday Night Live to Wine-Splattered Sneakers

From off-site events at Sierra Curtis Park, Davis’ T.S. Glide Ranch and Heritage Park in Natomas, to plenty of fun right here at the winery, like the Roots to Wine Passport weekend and our ever-popular Happy Thursdays, these last few weeks have been very lively at Rominger West.

We hosted our first Friday Night Live, and were so pleased to see many of you out enjoying it as well. With lovely, enchanting music from the amazingly accomplished quartet FluteSong, and a room packed full of warm, enthusiastic friends, the evening could not have been more of a success. We hope that these evenings continue to be something that everyone can enjoy, as they are the perfect place to spend a few hours before a nice meal out, or simply to meet with friends to converse, relax and celebrate the end of a work week. (Also, we will be holding private events for the last two Fridays in October, but Friday Night Live will return in November.)

And the fun hasn’t stopped there! With harvest in full swing, all of us have been getting our hands—and clothing, shoes and everything else—dirty pitching in. Even I, the occasionally clumsy event coordinator with far less than herculean muscle mass, have gotten to try my hand at a few of the brute strength tasks that are a part of winemaking, including everything from punch-downs (mixing the vats of grapes with a large, spatula-like instrument) to assisting with the destemmer. (Check out Kelsey mastering cellar work below!)

The best job, however, has been tasting (no surprise there, right?). Almost every day, Mark will call us out into the cellar to taste all of the wines as they progress through the fermentation process. We have been able to experience the day-to-day variations that occur as the grapes transform from mere juice into rich, delicious wine. Stop by one of these afternoons yourself to get a sneak peak at what goes into creating a bottle of Rominger West wine!

-Stephanie

The Wine Newbie

I have to admit, when I first began working at Rominger-West, I was a little bit intimidated. I felt like I knew nothing about wine, whereas everyone at the winery had a whole host of knowledge and experience so impossibly far beyond my own. I was no viticulture and enology student, and as someone who had only recently turned 21, I didn’t even have much of a history as a consumer to offer. I couldn’t tell a syrah from a cabernet or Grenache from sauvignon-blanc, and don’t get me started on my cluelessness when it can to describing the fruity characters of one wine from the oaky characters of another. Thankfully, the help and patience of Mark, Britney, Zaryna and all of the other amazing people at Rominger helped bring me up to speed (although I am still very aware that I am light-years behind).

However, I recently came across a quote that has completely changed my perspective. A sommelier from a famous local restaurant shared a beautiful tidbit of knowledge that he was told many years ago: He was told that “all that wine really comes down to is red and white, good and bad, all of which is depending on the friends, mood and conversation.” I feel that Rominger-West completely embodies this message: that with our delicious wine, pleasant company, and welcoming environment, everyone can enjoy their time at the winery. And for those of you who may feel similarly overwhelmed by the wine, or who simply want to know more, keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming lecture series to be hosted at the winery, where you will be able to hear knowledgeable experts discuss winemaking, sustainability, and so much more. Hope to see you there!

 

Stephanie

They’ve got gadgets and gizmos a-plenty…

..and I’m not talking about the Little Mermaid. Since I’ve made wine a part of my everyday life, I have realized how many wild and crazy wine tools, trivia games for winos, overly trendy designer accessories there are not to mention the packaging alone. Here are some unique wine related items I’ve seen recently.

 

While studying in Siena, Italy two years ago, I ran into boxed wine…. not the popular boxed wine we all are well aware of (do I dare to say the name?), but something cooler. The wine boxes I was fascinated by were fun sized. You know those juice boxes you used to drink as a kid, or the ones your kids drink now? Well us adults can join the straw-sippin’ club and feel undercover while drinking wine boxes. I brought some back from Italy to share with my friends here in Davis and let’s just say, they were a big hit.

 

 

If boxes make you feel too childish, you can always pack one of these pre-poured plastic wine glasses with your picnic to feel a tad “classier”.  Look at the options you have to choose from….oh boy.

 

Don’t have the time to mature that young wine you just bought? No need for patience in 2011. With the Clef du Vin Pocket Wine Tasting Tool, time is not an issue. This tool will soften the tannins and mature your wine similarly to natural aging as you dip it into your glass.

Hello 21st century.

 

 

 

 

Do you love wine so much (as much as me perhaps?) that you would love nothing more but to force your friends to play a wine trivia game with you? Well you can with Wine Wars: A Trivia Game for Wine Geeks and Wannabes.

Also check out wine-opoly

I have the game, and it is the most fun way to learn more about wine, as well as impress yourself and others, with the random facts you have acquired about everything wine related. Next time you are in the winery ask me about the game, and if you are nice I may let you borrow it for that dinner party you will be having soon.

 

Old fashioned wine glass markers have readily been replaced with hip and creative silicone markers by Vacu Vin. These ones were given to me for my birthday and everyone who comes over immediately receives their alter ego, in wine maker form, to place on his or her glass for the night. Each little suction cupped character has a word attached to it: choose the naughty one, the cool one, the devilish one…whatever mood you are feeling there’s a character for you!

 

Think you’re a tough guy? If not, you can open your wine and feel like one with these Brass Knuckle Wine Bottle Openers designed by Jonathan Sabine. I do not have one in my possession….yet…hint, hint.

 

 

If you have any interesting wine gadgets let me know next time you are in the tasting room.

Melissa

Paris Without Wine is … Still Wonderful!

First, thank you to everyone who has made me feel so welcome at Rominger West Winery, including the awesome staff and friendly customers. Second, although I very much enjoy writing, this is my first experience blogging, so here goes nothing!

 

Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Stephanie Towne, the new events coordinator, and I’m going to share a little secret with you: I love all things Parisian. It began while I was studying French in high school and college, and last summer I was lucky enough to spend some time studying abroad in Paris. I wandered the medieval streets, munched on croissants, and discovered the most glorious of creations—Nutella. However, there is one thing that is more French than the Eiffel Tower that I never actually experienced: wine!

Some of you might be shocked that a girl who now works at an artisan winery didn’t drink wine in Paris of all places. (Trust me, the French were equally amazed.) Allow me to explain myself: At the time, I was not yet 21, and had never had so much of as sip of alcohol. While the Parisian drinking age is practically nonexistent, I decided that it would be a good idea to avoid drinking while on my own in an unfamiliar city.

 

Although I was unable to sip “un peu de vin” myself, I drank in the French lifestyle, which truly embodies the phrase that we uphold here at Rominger West—to “live well, buy local, and enjoy life!” For the French, wine is like food, to be savored and enjoyed with pleasant company and delightful, unhindered conversation. What better lesson to learn, and what better place to learn it?

 

So if I haven’t met you yet, come by the winery and let’s swap a few stories over a glass or two of wine! And don’t worry, I promise I won’t bore you to death with nostalgic Parisian reveries.

 

 

 

 

-Stephanie Towne

Grapes: Can’t They Just be More Mature?

With harvest sneaking up around the corner, it’s important to understand the various stages of grape development as well as how one determines the exact date of harvest. There are three main stages in the growth of a grape cluster:

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Flowering

This stage occurs in May, about 40-80 days after bud break (when the tiny buds on the vine begin to swell) when the temperature is perfect for the vine.  This stage is vital for the pollination and fertilization of the flower in order for berries to be produced.

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Fruit set

This stage immediately follows flowering and is the result of a properly fertilized flower. The potential yield of the vine can be determined at this point. The picture provided shows a cluster that was successfully fertilized.

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Veraison

In California, veraison typically occurs during the end of July and into August. This stage is when the small, hard, green berries start to enlarge, soften and darken in color. Veraison is unique in that each individual berry ripens on its own as represented in the image provided. The acid levels decrease and the sugar levels increase as veraison progresses.

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Mature grapes

The winemaker and viticulturists will go to the field frequently to check on the progress of the grapes by taking readings of the sugar and acid levels as well as tasting the grapes. These levels depend on the variety, style of wine being made and the weather. If there is an expected heat wave in the forecast, viticulturists often have to make a decision to harvest early or risk damaging their fruit. When the grapes have the desired sugar and acid levels, it’s time to harvest!

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I hope this was informative and that you have the opportunity to witness some of these stages next time you find yourself frolicking around a vineyard!

Until next time,

Melissa

Lessons Learned by a Wine Newbie

Applying to work at the winery in June I was hopeful while simultaneously thinking my chances of landing the job were dismal. Let’s face it: I am a twenty-two year old who only went to her first tasting three months ago, and with a degree in Neurobiology, an education pretty unrelated to winemaking. Mark decided to take a chance with me, though, and surprisingly I knew more than I realized. 

 

Before working in the cellar, I had no idea how much science went into the art of winemaking. As Mark and Melissa started dropping words like acetic acid, pH, and volatile acidity, I admit I started having flashbacks to the dark days of my Organic Chemistry courses. But the chemistry in winemaking is nothing to break out in a cold sweat about. On the contrary, it is a fascinating application of science.

 

Making wine involves the simple chemical reaction of converting sugar found naturally in grapes into ethanol, giving wine its alcohol content. This reaction is performed by applying yeast, unicellular fungi which act as mini sugar-consuming powerhouses, to pressed grapes which over time create delicious wine. Simple as it seems, there is a lot more to the art of wine making than meets the eye. For example, wine must be fermented and stored in a completely anaerobic environment, meaning there must be no oxygen present to oxidize the free radicals in wine. This prevents that funky vinegar taste wine acquires when an opened bottle sits in the fridge too long. Keeping the oxygen out of barrels involves careful, detailed processes such as adding inert gases to the tops of the tanks and sulfur dioxide to stabilize the free radicals in the wine.

The reaction of converting sugar into ethanol

 

Not to go all science-y on you, but as an enthusiastic science nerd I find all of the intricacies of the science of winemaking, also known as enology, to be utterly fascinating. Although I am making progress in my quest to expand my enology knowledge, the several wine barrel geysers I’ve created and hoses full of water I’ve sprayed in my face reveal how long of journey I have ahead of me. Come into the winery and ask me what I’ve learned. I may be a mess, with my water-soaked jeans and wine-encrusted hair, but I am a happy mess to say the least and am always willing to share my love of learning.

Best,

Kelsey

How to Talk Like a Pro Cellar Hand

After working in the cellar at Rominger West Winery for almost a year now, I have just realized how much cellar vocabulary I have picked up AND how most people don’t know what the heck I mean when I say “After we bulldog these barrels we’ll take a thief and sample those barrels over there, but take out the bungs first.”  I came to this realization while showing Kelsey, our newly hired helping hand, a few things around the cellar. I found myself rambling on about what we were about to do,  then seconds later having her ask me to explain, more like translate, what I had just told her.

For those of you in the same boat, or for those of you who want to sound like a pro cellar hand while visiting your favorite winery, here are some commonly used and fairly odd sounding new cellar words for you to throw around!

Bulldog- A device used to transfer wine out of barrel either into another barrel or tank by using an inert gas to pressurize the inside of the barrel, forcing wine out into the wand and hose.

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Bunghole- The hole at the top of the barrel.

Bung- The Silicone stopper placed in the bunghole to prevent oxidation and rapid evaporation from the barrel during aging and storing.

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Barrel stirrer- Used to mix up the lees (yeast and sediment that has settled to the bottom of the barrel) to add more flavors to the wine during aging. The oval disk at the end acts as a propeller to create the perfect stirring throughout the wine.

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Sampling valve- The valve placed a few feet from the bottom of the tank where you can take a clean sample of wine to evaluate its progress throughout the wine making process.

Lees- The dead or residual yeast and proteins that precipitate to the bottom of the tank or barrel and can make the wine cloudy if disturbed.

“Racking off the lees”- This is the action of taking clear wine from the barrel or tank off of the lees and transferring it to a clean tank or barrel. This is typically done from a barrel by using a bulldog.

Reducer- This small stainless steel part is ESSENTIAL for most cellar tasks as it helps us use hoses and valves of different diameters at the same time.

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A thief- A glass device used to take barrel samples.

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Happy winemaking,

Me, using a valve!

Melissa