As always, we are very happy to release our first set of 2008 wines to you all. This vintage is our fifth, and we're very proud of it.

You will notice, though, a huge change to the line-up of wines we are releasing this spring: we did not bottle the Abbey-Harris or Demuth as single vineyards and we instead rolled these wines into a larger Anderson Valley blend. You may have heard about the fires up in Anderson Valley in the summer of 2008 that wreaked havoc on many vineyards up that way. By and large, our Anderson Valley vineyards were not hit nearly as badly by smoke damage as some; still, we didn't feel the 2008s from Abbey Harris and Demuth were up to the standards we've fought very hard to establish and that you have become accustomed to drinking. So, a bigger blend it is for 2008, and a very enjoyable one at that.

The 2008 Anderson Valley, like all of our wines, is made with the same focus we've had for years: intensive farming, mindful cultural practices, attentive winemaking, and, of course, maximum vineyard expression with minimal interference from us. Regardless of how we bottle them, we simply want our wines to speak for themselves, and, of course, to taste good.

As always, we'd also like to thank our growers, without whom we wouldn't amount to much; please remember that it's their dedication, persistence, and love of the land that you're tasting in our wines.

We'd like to offer a few logistical notes: once again, we'll be using our online ordering system. In order to make sure to receive all the wines you'd like, please order as soon as possible, and let us know if you have any login issues. Second, we'll be shipping to most locations the second week of April. Third, we'll be having another pickup day at the winery, which will fall on Saturday, May 1st from 12-4. And, last, we'll have a small release again this fall with a pair of Syrahs.

We're delighted to be able to share these wines with you. It's been a pleasure to make these, and, in turn, we hope that they are a pleasure to drink. Please also remember that we are always available for comments and questions, so please stay in touch.