Bottling at the Winery
Being a small, family-owned winery means all hands-on deck when the bottling truck arrives at the estate. All employees at Boatique winery know the familiar sound of the rumbling tires hitting the crush pad, the beep that signals backward movement of the truck echoing throughout the vineyard, and the sound of the brake being released. It’s time to bottle.
Because Boatique is a small winery, we have a bottling truck that visits the estate that is fully equipped with everything we need! However, our staff is responsible for the “dirty” work. An assembly line is automatically formed of employees stepping into place, whether that is sealing bottles with foil, labeling, packing cases, labeling cases, stacking cases on pallets, you name it! All of this is done in ONE DAY. Without the help of everyone at Boatique ( our vineyard crew, tasting room staff, winemaker, and even management!), this would be impossible. However, with all the hard work and dedication put into each bottle it makes each sip that much better. Cheers!
Philanthropy at Boatique
It’s no secret that Boatique hosts numerous philanthropic events in our showroom, but we wanted to share just how much of a difference these events make in the community. We estimate that approximately $250,000 has been raised by non-profits and donations made to non-profits in the forms of lodging, wine and experiences. Can you believe it?!
Boatique has hosted events with the following groups and non-profits that have benefited local and state-wide organizations: Adventist Health, A-Z Foundation, Cobb Elementary, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, Lake County Law Enforcement, 100+ Women Strong, Sutter Health, Lake County Land Trust, Konocti Women’s Club, Middletown, Kelseyville and Upper Lake Unified School Districts, Cobb Area Council, Lake County Women’s Civic Club, Lake County Office of Education and many organizations that benefit the children and communities of Lake County. Want to host your non-profit or organization event at Boatique? Reach out to our Director of Events at francesca@boatiquewines.com
Runabout Red Blend – A Double Gold Award Winning Wine
Lake County is finding its stride, and that strength lies in the art of blending (45% Petite Sirah, 55% Malbec). Our first vintage of our ‘Runabout’ Reserve Red Blend is not shy or meek.
This wine is bursting with intensity from start to finish. Once the cork is pulled the aroma jumps from the bottle like a rocket escaping Earth’s gravity. The Petite Sirah shows its presence with this wine’s inky color and dark demeanor. Once you dive into the nose be prepared to be met with blackberry, blackcurrant, ripe plum and lavender. The palate begins with big intensity and continues to onto the next sip. The aroma matches the flavor profile with nuanced hints of spice and balanced oak. A long finish to match a big wine. Awarded to the very few entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel; these are among the finest wines in the world!
In the Vineyard – February 2024
This time of year, is a busy one in the vineyard. While the vines lie dormant our crew, led by Cesar Gomora, carefully cuts away last year’s shoots and selects the right number of new buds to grow into what will be our new vintage of grapes. The Estate and our Davis Drive vineyard have a variety of trellising systems. The vines are planted closely or further apart depending on how vigorous the varietals are. Our team will prune each vine differently depending on whether they are Cordon or Cane pruned blocks. This requires a lot of experience and expertise to do it right. When we prune, we intentionally limit the amount of growth we will get from each vine. In general, limiting the amount of fruit you grow intensifies the flavor of the ones that remain.
There is also a lot going on in the soil during this time. We are getting lots of rain this year. That’s a good thing because it’s important for the soil profile to be soaked as the buds burst out and shoots start growing. We also plant organic cover crops in the vine rows. This mix of peas, bell beans, rye grass, vetch and others help replenish the soil and add important nitrogen fixating bacteria which acts like “green manure”. The winter rains help to establish a strong cover crop. In the Spring we will mow then spade this into the soil to incorporate the nutrients back to soil and the vines.
