Bottling season has officially come to a close. The banging, crashing, and altogether commotion has been silenced, at least till after harvest. Enjoy these unprofessional snap shots of our bottling line.

Yes, we have our own bottling line. It is a luxury for a winery of our size to have its own bottling line. Where else would someone from marketing be able to join in on the line?

"What is the proper way to wine taste?" "What do you do when tasting wine?" Questions that my friends, family, even customers have asked so I thought I would touch up on wine tasting basics. For those experienced wine tasters out there this will be redundant information but for those few, like myself, who welcome every suggestion with open arms, here are a few tips I've picked up along the way.

1. Hold the glass by the stem, they say the best is at a 45-degree angle; I say hold it however you feel comfortable, and look at the wine's appearance. It should be clean and bright, not dull or muddy.

2. Swirl the wine in the glass several times to let the wine "breathe." By allowing the wine to "breathe" or mingle with air, the wine will typically warm up, the flavor profile will soften and mellow out a bit and the overall flavor characteristics and aroma should improve.

3. Inhale the wine's aroma DEEPLY, like smelling a delicious dish. The wine's aroma should be clean, natural, and of course, pleasing.

4. Next comes my favorite part of the tasting experience. Slurp the wine, like it was your favorite hot soup. Swish the wine around your mouth a bit, sort of like you would with your mouthwash. Hold it for a few seconds, then swallow or spit it out. It is perfectly acceptable to spit. Taste buds are only in the mouth, not in the throat or stomach. Wait a few seconds, allow the flavors and texture to finish. The flavor and finish should be clean, natural and appealing. Also the wine should balance the sensations of acidity, alcohol, sweetness and fruit.

5. Lastly, smile, relax, and enjoy yourself. Wine tasting isn't about how you taste but rather the knowledge you gain from tasting.

After all there really is no wrong way to wine taste. These 1,2,3 basics are more of a guideline than anything else. Wine tasting is like any experience in life, the best way to begin is simply to start. So come stop by our tasting room and if you're feeling bold ask for Katie. I'd be delighted to meet a fellow novice, or any wine lover for that matter. We'll sip, laugh, and best of all, chat about what we each find throughout the pour of our afternoon.

When dining out first and foremost I recommend deciding on how much money you want to spend beforehand. It relieves some of the pressure when you're looking through the wine list, or wine book at certain places. Sometimes I think they make those wine lists so extensive to try and further intimidate us newbies. It's a good thing I'm not shy (an understatement) and usually ask for recommendations. Which brings me to my next tip: be friendly but honest with your server. If you're like me and on a budget be direct. If your budget for a bottle of wine is $30, why not say "I'm having the (some amazing dish) and my date is having (another amazing dish), what wine would you suggest that is around $30?" While this may seem unusual, it actually allows the staff to serve you best. Being direct is the way to go because it allows you to have the ultimate dining experience, at which you return by compensating the service staff accordingly. (Don't bit the hand that feeds you!)

When pairing wines it helps to think of wine like a condiment. Like ketchup makes Mac & Cheese taste better, wine makes food taste better. Thought I was going to say French Fries there, huh? Yes, I may have reached more people if I had gone that route but trust me for those out there who have enjoyed this killer combo, I hit the nail on the head.

Some people choose their wine first, and then choose food to go with it. Others choose wine to go with their food. Either way, the first thing you want to consider is balance. You don't want the wine to overpower the food, and you don't want the food to overpower the wine. Rule of thumb: Lighter foods tend to go better with white wines. While heavier foods go better with red wine. Nevertheless in restaurants I've ordered Cabernet Sauvignon with sushi and Chardonnay with tomato soup, so in the end there really are no rules. Just start with something you like then give a new combo a whirl. Let your creative (grape) juices flow... pun intended. And if you find yourself enjoying an uncommon pairing, please share with us. Let's see who's thinking outside the box.

Fail proof selection- Whitehall's 2004 Silver Anniversary Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, so smooth and accessible it will accompany any dish just beautifully. Added Bonus: The glass-on-glass closure is sure to impress your dining companion.

Even through the smoky haze that has been much of California in these recent weeks, progress here at WLW is clearly visible. The elevator shaft has been formed. The wine goblet shaped windows have been cut. The walk-around deck railings are in place. The sun is shinning through the sky light, rather the construction workers are passing through the sky light. Man I sure can't wait to see the final result because even in this hard-hat state it's an impressive sight.

With harvest just around the corner, I'm happy to report that construction is progressing nicely and the timeline is being met. (Phew!) Nevertheless our winemaker, Dean Sylvester, can be seen pacing the crush pad with a wrinkled brow. But even as calculations and assessments whirl through his mind, he is never without a friendly smile and a pleasant 'hello.'

Still it's hard not to feel the anticipation in the air as harvest approaches. To quote the always entertaining, infectious Marko, "The excitement is building!"

The second floor is underway. Soon we will be able to entertain our friends, Wine Club members and industry supporters. This VIP experience begins with an elevator ride up to your private floor. From this perch, overlooking our estate vineyard, you will be able to enjoy your private wine tasting in an intimate setting. Here's a sneak peak ...

"The Ford GT Club is coming today!" Everyone appeared to know what that meant except for me, the newcomer. Let's see... cars... Fords....oooh like those Mustangs.

A rumbling thunder filled the air as Ford GT's rolled into the parking lot. We ran to the wine-glass window, like little kids hearing the sound of Santa's sleigh bells, just to see what was outside. ( It was a slow day in wine country.)

The Ford GT's in an array of colors and stripes filed into the parking lot to begin their annual pilgrimage to Whitehall Lane Winery. It seems this GT road club loves our wine and we enjoy checking out their sweet rides. They learned about the latest vintage of Cabernet and I learned that not only are the cars fast... 205 mph fast, they have cool features and technology like super-plastic-formed aluminum body panels and a 'ship-in-a-bottle' gas tank, whatever that is.

After a walk through the winery to avoid the hardhat construction area, the group enjoyed a tasting in our Reserve Room with some bites paired to the wines. It was a relaxing afternoon for this group that enjoys fast cars and great wine, admirable qualities when not done at the same time and when each is done in moderation.

They made their exit one by one, no flashy moves or screeching tires, as I looked once more from the window wondering what it would be like to test drive one of those bad boys. Maybe next year!

We have redesigned the look of our label with the release of our 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley.

This redesign took place over a two year period and moved from a modern label with eye-popping color to a more timeless look. The new label still captures the building logo that has been part of virtually every label since 1980. However, the label now includes the crest of a lion to guarantee the Leonardini Family's commitment to quality in every bottle of wine. The Leonardini Family has owned the winery since 1993 and the word leonardini translates from Italian to mean 'little lions.'

The new label utilizes both embossing and foil stamping and was created by Tower Design of San Francisco, CA. Paragon Labels of Petaluma, CA printed the labels.

We continue to produce Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc with the new label design and variations of the design are used for our Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and our line of exclusive Leonardini Family Selection wines.

So be sure to look for Whitehall wines with this new label. I'd start with our 2005 Napa Cabernet now available at fine wine shops and restaurants throughout the US. Pick up yours today!

Last Friday we were pleasantly surprised when a group from Germany, cruising through the Napa Valley on a motorcycle tour, stopped at the winery. They were part of the Buderus Club. It was a sweet site, a group of bikers riding in on Harley's complete in their biker clad outfits. They stopped in for a quick peak but were in for a treat when our hospitality maven, Wendy Day, showed them around our facilities and vineyards. No tasting though seeing as they were riding those big kid toys. Then with the same heart pounding, pavement-thumping excitement they entered with, they were gone. Thank you Buderus for making Whitehall part of your adventure.

I wanted to share with you a few helpful tips of how to read a wine label. You can't judge a book by its cover, nor can you gauge a wine's quality by its front label. A pretty label does not necessarily mean you'll encounter a "pretty" wine. Be sure to read the label, not just look at it. There's a wealth of information on every wine label. Here's a guide to what you can learn from a few minutes of studying your bottle.

Reading the wine label.pdf