All Done with Gill Vineyard

My most important viticultural project of the year is Gill Vineyard, on the mountainous west side of Paso Robles. It has over four acres of hillside clone 877 Syrah, of which I am a big fan, but has never had planned canopy management or been leaf thinned until this year. Results were spectacular; the wine's fantastic, though I'm a little afraid to tell you the finished alcohol. It really doesn't show 'hot' at all.

It's 35 proof.

Not your average business card -

Then again, it's left unvarnished so I can write cryptic notes in the cloudspace.

"WZ2.5 1/7/11 WTF?"

Bill Hoppe, 1956-2010

Wilhelm Hoppe, born in Hawaii, was a graduate of Hyde Park CIA before working at several top European restaurants and hotels, and was "the first great Central Coast chef" according to a local writer. He was loved and occasionally feared by almost everyone who knew him, and he was my best friend. I'm very upset, and I don't drink alone.

Wine and Zeppelin imagery

Since 1991, every Zeppelin wine label has been the result of my imagination, improved by that of my friends and paid label designers, who are often the same people. Every few years, somebody somewhere makes a Red Zeppelin wine, usually excusing their obvious plagiarism and trademark violation by saying that they got TTB approval for the label. Amazing.

Cage dancing to Dread Zeppelin!

Band boys and gatekeeper girls . . .

Four of my favorite people who had never met before; Dario and Bobby came from Denver, Denise and Jennifer from Las Vegas.

the Siren, the Swanky, and Susan?

Sorry, Susan, I don't have a nickname for you- yet.