January Newsletter
2023 already promises to be an exciting year for Tira Nanza with the release of our first red (2021 Cabernet Sauvignon) and the launch of our wine club. Even so, the first week of the year has brought more action than we ever could have imagined. In our line of work, Christmas is one of the calmest times of year, which gave us a beautiful reprieve to take a road trip through the Southwest and spend a week with friends and family in Colorado. We returned to the ranch just after the new year to see a beautiful transformation as the life-bringing winter rains had turned everything in sight a lush green.
It feels like every year we are writing about some extreme weather event that hasn’t happened in decades, and 2023 is proving to be no exception. As we can all relate to after the last couple of years, it seems like “normal” years are a thing of the past. As we head into our fourth growing season here, we have experienced Cachagua’s biggest wildfire since the 70’s, the latest frost since the mid 90’s and now the most rain and flooding in 30 years (no one ever said farming was supposed to be easy). The gentle, sporadic showers of December gave way to unrelenting deluges over the last few days that have brought the Carmel River to near record heights and have wreaked havoc on the Central Coast.
On the ranch, we prepared as best possible, digging ditches and clearing culverts but it has been a battle to protect our fields and roads and divert runoff to the river as safely as possible. As of now the damage is manageable and for that we are incredibly grateful. The rain is still a welcome gift as the most recent storm total puts us already a full 50% above what we received for the entire growing season last year. This water is a blessing that was direly needed across our state but one we all would have preferred not come all at once.
On a lighter note, we are ecstatic to say that we sold out of our entire first allocation! For those who haven’t heard, we have decided to move from our annual allocation releases to a wine club where members will receive two shipments per year – one in the Spring and one in the Fall. A big part of us making this switch is so we can give discounts, benefits, and exclusive experiences to those who show their continued support as we continue to grow. From release parties at the winery, to exclusive 1-year and 5-year loyalty gifts, we want to express our immense gratitude for the enthusiasm and support our members have for us, our wines, and our mission at large.
If you’re interested in becoming a member, you can click here to learn more and sign up. Please keep in mind that due to our limited production, our membership availability is limited as well. To guarantee your membership, we recommend signing up as soon as possible. Our Spring wine club release will feature our 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, our 2022 Malbec Rosé, and our 2021 Viognier. This release will be shipped in April and we couldn’t be more excited to share these wines.
Aside from all the work associated with the rains, we are prepping for bottling our new wines, removing a few old vineyard blocks, and getting ready to start pruning the vines. While there are always new challenges, we are ever grateful for all we have learned in our time here, and every day feel better prepared for all that lies ahead.
Cheers to 2023!
- Greg & Sydney