Join us at Curds and Wine for a two-part seminar series introducing you to making wine from fresh grapes. In these seminars, we will go through preparation for harvest, steps involved in making wine from fresh grapes, and finishing wine. We will also demonstrate how to use equipment needed for winemaking.

The series of classes is $75/person for series of 2 classes, no refunds if any classes are missed. Maximum 20 participants for these classes, you must be 21 or over to participate. This course is a seminar series with live demonstrations, but we will not be making wine in this class; fresh grapes or frozen must can be purchased separately and made at home, or you can sign up for our Grapes to Glass course (see details below).

Outline - Series of 2 classes:
Seminar #1: Preparation for harvest and fermentation, 1 - 4 pm
Choice of dates: Friday 7/10/15. Saturday 7/11/15, Friday 7/17/15, or Saturday 7/18/15

• Optimal brix and acid levels
• Equipment and ingredients you will need
• Primary fermentation schedule
• When and How to press
• Malolactic fermentation: initiating or preventing

Seminar #2: Finishing fermentations and pressing, 1 - 4 pm
Choice of dates: Friday 7/31/15, Saturday 8/1/15, Friday 8/7/15, or Saturday 8/8/15

• Fermentations finished, ready for aging
• Managing sulfites
• Carboys, steel tanks, kegs, and barrels
• Oak : hands-on oak trials
• Clarifying wine
• Blending
• Common wine flaws and their treatments
• Bottling: bottles, corks, finishing

Sign up online here.  We will contact you for your choice of seminar dates when you sign up.

Here’s your chance to get your hands purple! Curds and Wine will be hosting an exclusive, intensive Grapes to Glass Winemaking course. This is not a custom crush, you will make your own wine from grapes delivered by West Coast Grapes and our gold-medal winning winemaker will lead you through the process.

This class will be limited to 20 winemakers (individuals or teams) total. Please remember only winemakers and team members that have taken our Basic Winemaking from Fresh or Frozen Grapes seminars are allowed to participate in winemaking - sign up online if you have not taken it previously. The following criteria apply to participation in the class:

• All participants must be 21 years of age or older
• All participants must sign liability waiver
• Class fee includes all ingredients, supplies, and use of equipment for making wine on site
• You CANNOT participate if you would be unavailable (i.e., planning to travel at all or have major surgery) between August and October; you or a team member MUST be present for all winemaking sessions
• This course includes making wine from fresh juice or red wine grapes, but the production of rosé or white wine from grapes is not included in this course.

This Hands-on intensive series of classes goes through basics of winemaking from grapes to bottle

• Maximum 20 winemaking groups.
• Cost is $400/winemaker (individual or group) total, $200 non-refundable deposit to reserve your space and balance of $200 due one week before grape delivery
• New participants that have not taken our Basic Winemaking from Fresh or Frozen Grapes seminars are required to take these before grape delivery; this is a separate cost
• Includes making your own wine from grapes delivered from West Coast Grapes on site at Curds and Wine, all equipment, ingredients, testing, and bottling (including personalized labels); does not include cost of grapes
• Approximately 2 to 2 1/2 cases of wine per 100 lbs of grapes purchased produced in class, including personalized labels, bottles & corks
• This class does not include grapes; grapes must be purchased separately from West Coast Grapes, 300 lbs maximum, to be fermented in 2 fermentors maximum; additional fermentors can be added for $100 each, 4 fermentors per winemaking group maximum.
• Grapes from other sources cannot be made in this class.
• You or a team member must be present when grapes are delivered, we cannot hold grapes for an extended period of time.
• No refunds on deposits

This course costs $400/winemaker (individual or group) total, $200 non-refundable deposit to reserve your space and balance of $200 due one week before grape delivery. This cost does not include cost of grapes, grapes must be purchased separately from West Coast grapes - no other grapes can be brought in for this class.

Total number of participants is limited, contact us to sign up!

We have a limited supply of 32 gallon and 58 gallon Vadai Hungarian barrels in stock. A variety of sizes are available for wine, beer, or vinegar for preorder. You can find available sizes and a price list on our website. Preorders will require a $50 non-refundable deposit. Please contact us with your name and a phone number for contact, but do NOT include any credit card information. You can also place preorders at the shop.

Ifyou are interested in purchasing barrels please contact us to reserve in-stock barrels or preorder other sizes of barrels.

Harvest time is approaching -- time to get your crushpad ready! Curds and Wine will have a very limited selection of large equipment for sale this year, including manual or motorized crusher/destemmers and stands (sold separately), basket or bladder presses, and stainless steel tanks. We also have a few 3-spout and 5-spout gravity bottle fillers.  Contact us if you are interested in purchasing any equipment - before they're all gone!

They're back! RJ Spagnols Holiday Dessert wines, each makes 30-32 375-mL bottles for $116.95 per kit.  Kits should arrive in stock at Curds and Wine in late September.  Very limited quantities available, contact us to reserve yours today!

Bold and assertive. Strength and structure. A new Eclipse is here.

The Region: Veneto, Italy Located in Northeast Italy, just north of Venice. The Veneto stretches across most of the northern reaches of the Adriatic Sea. The Veneto is known to experience hot summers and cool winters, and thanks to its proximity to the sea, less extreme weather than other Northeastern regions. Silty, sandy soil prevails throughout the Veneto, with influences of clay and calcareous debris. The Veneto produces the most wine in volume in Northeast Italy.

The Wine: Deep ruby color with aromas of plum, smoke and spice. Rich flavors of dark fruit, chocolate, and cedar with lingering oak and a firm, long finish.

Food Pairing: Forza pairs wonderfully with braised meats and rich risottos. Avoid foods with spicy heat which will be amplified by the high alcohol. Choose a dish that is of equal weight so that it is not overpowered by the fullness of the wine.

Style: Bold Red
Body: Full
Oak: Heavy
Sweetness: Dry
Alcohol: 16%
Includes Grape Skin Pack