Recipe: Chocolate Raspberry Pavlova

PAIRING WINE & DESSERT Pairing wine with dessert is tricky since a general rule of thumb is to be sure the wine has as much (or more) sweetness than the food. But, we have to break the rules just this once. We’re obsessed with the Grant Grenache and this delicious, homemade chocolate pavlova. Is it the raspberries, the light airy ...

Which of Your Wines are Worthy of Cellaring?

ARE YOUR BOTTLES OF WINE WORTH CELLARING? Should you be cellaring and saving your wine? You might be surprised to know that age worthy wines are not common. Most wine (as much as 99% produced) is meant to be enjoyed young. Only a tiny fraction is designed to stand up and improve with aging. So if most wines should be enjoyed young, what ...

What is Rhone? A Region, a Grape or a Wine?

WHAT DOES RHONE WINE REFER TO? Maybe you have heard this in a tasting room somewhere on the Central Coast, "We specialize in the Rhones." Let's be honest, does that word mean anything to you? If not, we are here to help. If you guessed region, you are correct! Rhone refers to the warm and sunny Rhone Valley in Southeastern ...

What is Malolactic Fermentation?

MALOLACTIC FERMENTATION - NOT AS COMPLICATED AS IT SOUNDS Remember learning about tannin? Likely, the second most common term that savvy wine drinkers like to use is Malolactic Fermentation. Malo-what? If this word has stopped you in your tracks, read on. Malo or MLF are both nicknames for Malolactic Fermentation. It is a natural process that occurs when a certain natural ...

Press: Awarded “Year’s Best” Rosé

AWARDED "YEAR'S BEST", WITHOUT SACRIFICING INTEGRITY We can't think of a better way to celebrate National Wine Day than with this accolade! We've just learned that the Estate, 2016 Folded Hills Lilly Rosé has been named by Wine & Spirits Magazine as "Year's Best", with a score of 90 points. We never expected this, and are completely shocked and honored. ...

Improve Your Ability to Identify Wine Aromas

IMPROVING YOUR SENSE OF SCENTS Do you ever go wine tasting and wonder why everyone smells aromas in wine and you don't? We've all have that friend. "Oh, this is delicious! I'm getting pineapple - but I would say more cooked than fresh, like the crust of an upside-down cake." So, you just nod and smile while casually looking for ...

Why Smell a Wine Before you Taste?

SMELLING WINE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF TASTING Why smell a wine before you taste? The simple answer is because it will enhance the experience. Would you believe it is the most important part of wine tasting? We can only perceive 4 or 5 flavors, but the average person can identify over 2,000 scents, 200 of which can be ...

What are Tannins? Learn in Two Minutes

DON'T LET THE TOPIC OF TANNIN RUIN YOUR TASTING Classic scenario - you're out wine tasting and having a great time with your friends. You are swirling, smelling, sipping and chatting when someone has to ruin the moment by mentioning tannin. Immediately the group is divided and your confidence in talking about wine is gone. Are you ready to be ...

Why do Winemakers Foot Tread Grapes?

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT FOOT TREADING GRAPES? It's one of our favorite things to talk about at the winery, but the purpose is often misunderstood and the ancient practice near extinction. This article will answer all of your questions about this superior method of winemaking. Winemaker Angela foot treads (also called pigéage) every lot of grapes that arrive at ...

What Makes Lilly Rosé so Special?

A ROSÉ MADE WITH INTENTION This artisanal wine project has been an unhurried one. Some decisions have taken years to reach. But despite all of the unknown, there were two decisions that were easily made from the start – we would have an exceptional rosé – and we would save the name Lilly for something very special. When it comes ...

Event: 2016 Harvest Festival at Farmstead

Celebrate Harvest at Farmstead Our Harvest Festival returned to the Farmstead this year, complete with hay rides, pumpkin patch, pony rides, face painting, and baby pigs. Thank you to all the families that came out and celebrated with us. We will see you at next year's Harvest Festival, October 21st! If you enjoyed reading this article please add your name ...

Santa Ynez Chefs Sourcing KuneKune Pork

KUNEKUNE BREEDING PROGRAM We love KuneKunes and are thrilled that Farmstead visitors can share our joy of raising them. With the help of Jake from Valley Piggery and Lori from the Kunekune Registry, we established a model focused on creating awareness for this once endangered breed. Each of our pigs are raised for either local families looking to start their own herd, or ...