Message from Walt:
I have approx. 2000 lbs of Syrah available. Eight year old vines. At 26 Brix price is $0.50/lb U-pick and haul. As of 8/17 Brix measured 21.5, expect harvest about Sept 8 plus/minus.

The AWA is trying to put together a program plan for the next two years and we need your input to the plan in order for the club to fulfill its Vision and Objectives. Please read the following and provide inputs by e-mail or mail or bring you inputs to the next general meeting. E-mail inputs should be sent to Larry Nutter at lnutter@volcano.net or mail at 14551 Surrey Pl Sutter Creek, Ca. 95685. E-mail and mail inputs should be received by Larry by 12 February. Our Program Plan will be updated yearly!

To the Members of Amador Winemakers

Barbara and I would like to thank everybody for making the 2006 AWA Christmas Party a big success. We have had a big number of written / phone responses that were really terrific. We counted as well as we could and were astounded to see that over 80 were in attendance. "THANK YOU ALL" !! Special thanks should go to the fine folks that donated many fine gifts for raffle / door prizes. Taste restaurant in Plymouth donated a $100.00 gift certificate, Patty Schultz donated a wonderful stained glass piece from her store in Drytown, Andrae’s Bakery, Montevina Winery $125.00 worth of items, Story, Villa Toscana, Villa Piazza, The Nutters chipped in some wonderful Champagne.

When we returned from a quick grocery shopping expedition in San Felipe there was a note tucked in the screen door of our casita. The note was a little tough to decipher but we finally concluded that the folks who take care of our watering when we are away wanted to see us. Their names are Wili (short for Guillermina) and Victor. The parents of four children, they are tiny Indians, hard working and incredibly happy, smiling people. Their children are all in school, which is a tremendous sacrifice to these nearly destitute folks. They had obviously watered all the cacti and other growing things and had even raked the sand around the plants so the place looked very neat and tidy. Now they wanted us to come by their house. We had not seen them for three months, had intended to touch bases with them as soon as we settled in for the season. We had arrived in San Felipe the day before. Wili and Victor obviously knew we had returned because our gate was open and the truck was parked beside our patio wall.

Hello All!

My wife (Deirdre) and I enjoyed meeting many of you at the Christmas party on Saturday.

Though I don't currently make wine, I do intend to plant a small vineyard (2-3 acres) over the next couple of years. We live in Fiddletown at about the 2000 foot level. At this point I'm thinking I'll plant half an acre each of four varietals.