It takes a lot of work to get wine into the bottle and sometimes it takes a lot of work to get it back out! Not everyone in the wine industry knows what it takes to make wine, yet everybody seems to have an opinion on the ubiquitous companion of the wine bottle: the corkscrew. Unlike beer bottles, which can be opened by all manner of party tricks, wine bottles require a bit of gadgetry to free the genie (although if you are caught in a tight spot here’s a clever way to open a wine bottle using only a shoe). They come in all shapes and sizes and everyone seems to have their favorite, so I thought I’d weigh in on the long running debate of which is the best corkscrew.

I’m sure that as soon as the cork was invented, people around the world began to devise methods to remove it. In fact so many wonderfully diverse solutions have been developed that there seems to be as many different types of corkscrews as there are wines.  I’ve tried to break them down into a couple categories that they fall into:

Heavy Machinery – Anything with a mount falls into this category. Usually these attach to a countertop or wall but sometimes they have their own base to sit on a table top. These typically use a lever design where all you need to do is place the neck under the corkscrew and pull the lever down and then back up and voila!

Cellar Rat Opinion Poll: Obviously the lack of portability kicks them out of the running for top pick but their smooth action is very nice when they’re around. They’re especially useful when you need to open lots of bottles at a bar. I particularly like ones that eject the cork like a shotgun cartridge!

“Houdini” Style Lever Operation – These guys operate using the same mechanism as the Heavy Machinery except that instead of mounting they have arms that grip the bottle. The lever automatically spins the screw into the cork as the handle is pushed down.

Cellar Rat Opinion Poll: I don’t like these at all. They typically offer some smooth operation but they don’t fit in your pocket and are kind of bulky, though companies are beginning to offer some more refined models. Usually they don’t come with foil cutters attached so even though you’ve got this bulky thing, you’ve got to keep track of another gadget.

Double Lever Corkscrew – These are the ones that look kind of like a woman wearing a dress. You place the corkscrew over the neck of the bottle then hand twist the screw which lifts the levers. Pulling down both levers gives you double the leverage for an easy pull.

Cellar Rat Opinion Poll: These are by far my least favorite style and it seems like the idea has been rethought because I’m starting to see them less and less. I’ve never seen a wine professional use one of these on the job. They’re awkward because the arms lift as you screw so you can’t really hold the corkscrew to begin the operation.

The Classic Waiter’s Corkscrew – The quintessential corkscrew. These Swiss Army Knife-like openers fold up to fit in your pocket and almost always have a foil cutter attached. They vary dramatically in quality and ease of use. Some are much better than others and the type of foil cutter also differs depending on the model.

Cellar Rat Opinion Poll: Hands down, a great waiter’s corkscrew is a Cellar Rat’s best friend. Pick carefully though because it’s the subtleties here that make the difference. Quality is key. I’ve had the screw snap off before in the line of duty, which is always embarrassing. I like serrated cutters much more that non-serrated. Also there have been some innovations that have really changed the game. Nowadays, most waiter’s corkscrews have what’s known as a “2-step” operation. This means they have a second notch to gain purchase with so that you don’t have to work as hard to get it started. So far I’ve seen two designs: A hinged approach which I DO NOT recommend as they have the tendency to wear out and to bend inward. I recommend the 2-step that is actually made out of two separate pieces. My favorite is the Metrokane Rabbit Zippity. Funny name but it’s got everything:  High quality, durable make? Check. Serrated blade? Check. 2-step, non-hinge lever. Check. Slim and sleek design. Check.

Boomerang Corkscrew – Similar to the waiter’s corkscrew design but they usually don’t have 2-step operation. Instead they feature a moving pivot point to improve the leverage. They are distinctive in that they feature a foil cutter that uses four little discs instead of knife.

Cellar Rat Opinion Poll: While I still prefer the waiter’s version, there are some nice perks to this type of corkscrew. The disc foil cutter is much safer and easier to use than the knife which takes a little technique and practice. I’ve seen many a veteran cut themselves with a knife when moving too fast. Also if you’re trying to get a perfect edge it seems like this type of cutter yields results everytime. If you’re looking for safety (maybe you’ve got kids around) this might be a better choice for you.

Miscellaneous – You might remember those weird corkscrews that aren’t corkscrews at all, but instead have two prongs - low tech and tricky, yet effective. Now they also have electric ones that do all the work for you with the press of a button. I’m sure there are many more unconventional approaches yet to be discovered.

Cellar Rat Opinion Poll: There are some pretty nifty and quirky openers out there but I’d rather have my trusty Zippity than a conversation piece. Until the next great thing comes out I’m relying on my waiter’s corkscrew to get the job done.

The waiter’s corkscrew may be my favorite but I’ll admit that it can require a little finesse. Here's a few tips to use one safely and effectively:

1. Put the back of the cutter blade against your thumb and use your forefinger to firmly grip around the neck of the bottle.
2. Angle the blade down towards the collar of the bottle (See my "Anatomy of the Bottle" post) and rotate the bottle while applying firm pressure.
3. Hold the point of the screw along your extended index finger to precisely guide the point into the cork slightly off center. This way when you begin to twist the screw in it will be centered.
4. If you have a 2-step corkscrew make use of the double step! Start with the notch closest to the fulcrum and then move to the one on the end.
5. When the cork pops, expect the sudden release tension so that you don't spill the wine by jerking the bottle.

Now you're ready to open bottles like a pro!

Yet while many people enjoy Meritage wines, I’ve found that many don’t know much about these delightfully complex wines which are essentially synonymous with “Bordeaux blend”. I’ve noticed that many wine enthusiasts are inexorably drawn to pronouncing Meritage with a long “a”, as in montage. The propensity to Frenchify the word is perfectly understandable, because otherwise we’d all be going around convinced that Cabernet rhymes cabinet. However, Meritage is instead a purely American invention that rhymes with heritage. It was coined by the Meritage Association out of necessity, because in the same way that Champagne can only be so-called when it is made in the Champagne region of France, international law forbids the Bordeaux moniker from being applied to wines produced elsewhere. Recognizing the need, some clever Californians in the 1980s joined the words “merit” and “heritage”, thusly creating the word “Meritage”. The Meritage Association (now known as the Meritage Alliance) dictates precisely what constitutes a Meritage wine and a winery must belong to the Alliance (and pay them tithes) in order to make use of the trademarked name on their label.

According to the Alliance’s website, a Meritage must be a blend of at least two of the Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, and must contain no more than 90% of a single varietal. Less common Bordeaux varietals that may also me included are St. Macaire, Gros  Verdot and Garmenère. Although Deerfield doesn’t make one, there is such a thing as a white Meritage. These wines must be a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon (or the rarer Sauvignon Vert).

The term Meritage isn’t an official term recognized by alcohol regulators, and is instead merely intended to represent that the wine is a Bordeaux blend. The creators of the term perceive blends to be the highest form of the winemaker’s art and indeed, we pay homage to that ideal in that Deerfield’s flagship wine, DRX, is a Meritage blend. Few wines better exemplify the winemaker’s craft than a Meritage made by Winemaker Robert Rex. After all, blending is his specialty. To produce it, Robert tastes every barrel of Bordeaux varietals he made in a given year and then selects the very best barrels from the various lots that will make it into this blend. Think of it as an exclusive party that requires the right credentials to attend. He then creates the blend with the Old World in mind: Less focus on fruit forwardness, and more attention to structure, elegance and terroir. The sense of place that accompanies the DRX springs from the earthiness that defines it.

Now that you’re in the know, be careful! You’ll find that 90% of the people you encounter, sometimes even those steeped in wine lore, love a good Meri-tah-ge. I usually don’t mention the correct pronunciation unless I’m asked. Besides, it’s not the pronunciation that matters – it’s what’s in the bottle that makes the difference!



Barrels can only be used for so long before they become unfit for making wine, so every year wineries get rid of their old barrels and make room for the new. In wine country this abundance of barrels prompts people to get creative with these beautiful industry relics. I decided, like so many others, that I would like to turn a few into planters. Just one problem though: I live on a hill without any water. Carrying water up the hill all the time or lugging a super long hose up each time would be impractical, so I devised a gravity irrigated planter system. That way I only have to fill up the barrel about once a month and in wetter seasons I can also catch rainwater. I thought I’d do a little how-to article for those of you inspired to build a mini-garden yourself!  The total project cost was less than $150 and took me 8 hours to complete.

Note: At the bottom of the article is a link to a printer friendly version if you want to take the instructions into the backyard.

I was able to get all these parts at my local hardware store. Here’s what you’ll need:

• At least 3 barrels (I used 4 but you can also just build a platform to elevate the water barrel, or just put it on a hill!)
• 1 silicon barrel bung
• 1 ¾” hose Pressure regulator (I used a 25psi regulator)
• 2 ¾” mesh screen filter
• 1 ¾” hose Y valve
• 1 ¾” hose valve (like a faucet)
• 2 adapters to convert ¾” hose to ¼” irrigation tubing
• 100 ft. ¼” irrigation tubing (I actually only used about 60ft. Make sure not to get the dripping kind!)
• 6 Tee joints for ¼” irrigation tubing
• 8 inline drips for ¼” irrigation tubing (1/2 GPH drip rate)
• 8 end of line drips for ¼” irrigation tubing (again ½ GPH drip rate)
• 16 irrigation stakes
• 4 small clips with nails (used to nail TV cable into place)
• 2 small hook screws
• Black electric tape
• Silicon glue
• 12 cubic feet of potting soil
• Enclosure to protect against deer and birds (may not be an issue in your backyard but I definitely needed this part)

o   3 10ft. redwood benderboards

o   4 2x2 cedar stakes – 6ft. long ea.

o   ½” Staples

o   ~16 nails

o   Deer netting (I used Deer X brand – 1 package of 100’X7’ was more than enough)

• Tools:

o   ¾” hole saw and drill

o   Skill saw

o   Hammer

o   Staple Gun

o   Barrel driver (this tool is used to remove the hoops from the barrel, you can use a small crowbar or probably a very large sturdy screwdriver)

o   Measuring tape

I was able to get my barrels for free and you probably can too. My tip is to call wineries around June or July, when they’re cleaning house for harvest. Some wineries have prearranged solutions to deal with their barrels but you’d be surprised how many people would be more than happy to have someone just take them off their hands. Ask for an old bung while you’re at it!

Ok. Now for the how-to part:

Part I: Making the water storage barrel

1.       You’ll need to remove the hoops from one side of a barrel to take the head (end piece) of the barrel off. With the barrel upright, use the barrel driver (crow bar) and hammer to knock the hoops off of the end on the ground (it’s easier to strike down than up), starting with the largest hoop. Move around the barrel in a circle, tapping in different spots on the same hoop as you go. You can watch this episode of Cellar Rat TV, where master cooper Francis Durand, of Radoux Tonnellerie, builds a barrel, to see the technique.

2.       Once the hoops are off you should be able to easily remove the head from the barrel. It’ll probably even just fall out by itself.

3.       Flip the barrel over and now replace the hoops in the same fashion. You’ll need to start with the largest hoop again and start banging it into place before the smaller ones will fit on.

4.       Now that the barrel is back together, with the head off you can drill the holes at the bottom for the valves. Use the ¾” hole saw to drill out two holes on the side of the barrel on the opposite end from the side that you removed the head from. Make sure that these holes are above the head of this end so that you don’t drill into it. You may have to drill the holes slightly above the actual bottom of where the vessel retains water because the metal hoop may be in the way. If the bunghole of the barrel is at 12 o’clock drill one of the holes at 6 o’clock and the other at 9 o’clock (or 3 o’clock depending on whether you want your water barrel to be on the right or left of your planters – you want this hole to be on side that you work on the planters because it will be a work faucet).

5.       Firmly insert the bung into the bunghole (twist it in, don’t bang it in) and seal it with the silicon.

6.       Spread some silicon around the pressure regulator and then bang it into the hole at 6 o’clock from the inside of the barrel (you’ll need to climb in) – it should be a very snug fit. Then seal both inside and outside the barrel with more silicon.

7.       Do the same for the ¾” valve (not the Y valve) into the hole at 9 o'clock.

8.       Allow the silicon to dry for at least an hour.

9.       Insert the ¾” inch mesh filter screens into the end of both pieces on the inside of the barrel.

10.   Screw the ¾” Y valve onto the pressure regulator so that it fits very tightly.

11.   Screw the 2 ¾” to ¼” adapters onto both of the Y valve ends (I needed a wrench to prevent leakage).

12.   (Optional) Take the skill saw and cut a few staves (pieces of wood that make the barrel up) out between the two center hoops of ANOTHER barrel to have a little storage space for your garden tools.

13.   Stack the water barrel on top of the barrel you just cut a few staves out of. I used a couple pieces of wood from the head of the water barrel so that the barrels could be stacked stably. Make sure that the barrels are level and stable. Be careful that they don’t tip over on you or that you don’t pinch your hand. You might need two people for this part. Point the Y valve towards the planter row and the regular valve towards the front (where you’ll work on the planters).

Part II: Making the planter beds

1.       You may want your planters to be bottomless so that the roots can grow into the soil below. If that’s the case then remove the heads first like you did with the water barrel. Do it one at a time, replacing the hoops before you do the other end, otherwise the barrel will fall apart and you’ll never get it back together.

2.       In order to cut the barrel straight across you need to measure. Measure between the two center hoops and divide by two. Then measure that length along the line between two staves and make a mark. Go around the barrel doing this every 2 or 3 staves. Then connect the dots using your measuring tape. You should have a line around the circumference of the widest part of the barrel.

3.       Put the barrel on its side and be extremely careful using the skill saw to cut down the line. I recommend cutting a length, stopping the saw, rotating the barrel a bit more and then resuming – turning as you cut is VERY dangerous.

4.       If you left the heads on, depending on what you intend to plant and what climate you’re in, you may want to drill some holes in the bottom of the planter for water drainage. You can use the hole saw for that.

5.       Arrange the planters in a row right next to your water tower with the Y valve facing the row.

Part III: Making the enclosure - This part is only necessary if deer and birds are an issue in your garden, but if they are I recommend you do this before you hook up the irrigation to your planters.

1.       Cut the bender board into 2 ten foot long pieces and 2 four foot long pieces.

2.       Nail boards to the top of the cedar stakes to make your frame.

3.       Place the frame over the planters and mark where the posts will go.

4.       Dig holes for the posts in the spots that you marked.

5.       Put the posts in the holes and pack in the dirt firmly.

6.       Take the deer netting and staple it around the frame. I used one piece to cover the back and sides and one piece to cover the top. For the front where you work, staple the netting along the top edge only. Then screw the small hook screws into the base of the two posts on the front side. This way this piece can just swing up and out of the way, letting you have full access to your planters, and when you’re done, just fasten the bottom of the net to the two hooks on the bottom of the frame.

Part IV: Hooking up the irrigation

1.       Cut 2 lengths of irrigation tubing long enough so that the tubing reaches from the Y valve to the inside of the netting enclosure.

2.       Cut one end of each tube at a 45 degree angle and insert each tube into each port of the Y valve with the adapters.  Stick the tubes through the netting.

3.       On the inside of the enclosure, take two of the T joints and insert the base of each tee joint into both tubes.

4.       Now insert one end of the irrigation tubing onto any one of the four ports. Run the tubing to the back post, closest to the water barrel, and use a piece of tape to hold it in place. Then run the tubing down the post and use a piece of tape to hold it in place a few inches below the top of the planters. Then run the tube over to the nearest planter bud, and up over the top of the bed, into the center about 6 inches and cut the tube (more is better because you can always go back and trim later).

5.       Repeat this process to measure each of the rest of the tubes to each planter. You should have all four main lines hooked up now.

6.       Use the electrical tape to neatly bundle all four lines and also to attach the lines to the post in both spots you used during the measuring process.

7.       Now take the 4 small clips and nail the irrigation tubing for each planter into place just below the edge of the back of the planter.

8.       Pull the slack out of each line and use more electrical tape to make the tubes neat in the back.

9.       Cut all of the tubes to the same length on the inside of the bed – about 6 inches.

10.   Insert the base of the remaining 4 tee joints into each tube.

11.   Cut 16 6 inch long pieces of tubing.

12.   Attach two pieces of tubing onto each of the 2 ports of each tee joint.

13.   Now attach an in-line dripper onto the end of each tube. Make sure you follow the directions on the package for the correct way to attach the drippers.

14.   Put another length of tube on each dripper.

15.   Attach the end-of-the-line dippers on the end of each of the tubes.

16.   Attach the irrigation stakes next to each of the drippers.

17.   Fill the planting beds with the potting soil and tamp the dirt down.

18.   Set the stakes so that each drip head is about halfway to the center of the planter in each quarter of the barrel.

19.   Pat yourself on the back.

Now go pick out your favorite herbs and veggies and get those beds planted! I did a test and found that you’ll have about 15 hours of irrigation time before you need to fill the barrel again. I think about an hour of drip time per day is enough so that means you can go two weeks without having to refill your system (or more if you get rain)! The faucet on the side is good to fill up a water can to get the leaves wet or rinse your hands after working in the soil. I hope all you do-it-yourself types have fun with this little project. Let me know if you dream up any improvements or awesome variations! Next I’m going to build a little fence out of barrel staves.



You’ve probably heard the words “organic”, “biodynamic” and “sustainability” floating around the wine industry. But what do these terms really mean? Each of them represents different ideologies that overlap in certain areas, yet each contains their own distinct notions about how agriculture can better nourish people while contributing to the health of the ecosystem. In this article, I talked about the concepts behind biodynamic farming as they compare to organic farming. Sustainability is a concept that relates to both biodynamic and organic farming in that it seeks to promote environmental stewardship. At the core of sustainability is the forward-thinking goal of developing business so that it may benefit humanity, while maintaining and improving the surrounding ecosystem so that precious resources are there for future generations. To name a few things, sustainability means conserving water, utilizing renewable energy sources, limiting waste, and lowering one’s overall carbon footprint.  A sustainable vineyard is a field of grapevines that can be harvested year after year, in perpetuity, without negatively impacting any other ecosystem or community.

“The Three Es” are the cornerstone of sustainability. Sustainability recognizes that for a business to be sustainable it must not only respect the environment, but it must also be economically viable and welcomed by the community. In the view of sustainability, a business needs to be Environmentally Sound, Economically Feasible and Socially Equitable. In the long-term, any endeavor that lacks one of these qualities will fail. Sustainability strives to balance each of these essentials so that a business may continue to function over a long period of time.

Surrounding each of the ideas of organic, biodynamic and sustainable farming are institutions that try to promote them. The now ubiquitous term “organic” took decades to get to a point where it could only be used on product packaging if it was certified by one of several organizations recognized by the government. Deerfield’s vineyards and winery are certified organic by California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) which was founded in the 1970s. CCOF guidelines are among the most rigorous and its seal of approval is one of the most prestigious. Of all the wineries in Sonoma County, only two are certified by CCOF. Sustainability is still a developing idea and the use of the term is yet to be well regulated. Formative organizations like the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CSWA) are beginning to offer sustainability certifications for wineries and vineyards.

Ultimately, a shift towards sustainably made products will have to come from increased consumer demand. That demand for sustainably made goods will only be created if consumers have a clear idea of what sustainability is and have confidence that if a product says it’s sustainable, it reflects those ideas in how it’s made. The sustainability movement is making progress to that end: The Global Wine Sector Environmental Sustainability Principles is an international organization aimed at creating legitimate credentials for sustainability that are recognized by governments worldwide. It has affiliate programs in four winegrowing countries including South Africa, New Zealand, Australia and the U.S.

It is more difficult to apply one set of rules for sustainability than it is for organic farming because what makes an industry sustainable can vary dramatically. What it takes to make a fishery sustainable would probably be very different than what it would take for a paper mill. For this reason, the CSWA has formulated a cycle for continuous improvement that involves assessment, planning, implementation and auditing, which could be applied to any industry. As usual, the wine industry is leading the pack in affecting positive environmental change.

Deerfield Ranch Winery is doing its part in the global movement towards sustainability. In fact, it’s a model for sustainable winemaking practices. One of the main obstacles facing the wine industry today is water usage. Deerfield’s solution to this concern was to construct our own bioreactor, which you can take a tour of with the winemaker here. It allows us to recycle 98% of the water we use so that we may irrigate our crops. Combined with techniques like steam barrel cleaning, Deerfield has an unparalleled level of water conservation. Also, all of our organic waste is collected and composted to provide fertilizer for the vineyards. Deerfield has proven how a winery can be a steward to its surrounding environment by its care of a rare wetland known as the Kenwood Marsh, the last remaining wetland in the Sonoma Valley. The Deerfield Ranch Winery granted a permanent easement to Sonoma County so that the marsh will remain untouched for future generations and the Rex family has set up a non-profit organization known as the Kenwood Marsh Checkerbloom Society to protect the endangered Checkerbloom plant and restore and maintain the Kenwood Marsh. Last year, the Sonoma County Water Agency granted Deerfield its Sonoma Valley Groundwater Management Program Water Conservation Award in recognition of Deerfield’s conservation efforts.

Controversy about climate change has swept the entire nation, with California wine country in tow. While record high temperatures have been searing cities across the country, Californians are complaining about another unseasonably cool summer. As these changes in temperature evolve into what seems to be a pattern, wine analysts and pundits are wondering if the esteemed growing regions of Northern California, like the Sonoma and Napa Valley, will be equally idyllic in the future. A report found in the journal, Environmental Research Letters, posited that as much as 50% of the North Coast and Central Coast growing regions would become unsuitable for winegrape production by the year 2039 due to higher temperatures. A myriad of publications including the L.A. Times, The Press Democrat and The Huffington Post wrote articles citing the report, prompting backlash from other journalists refuting the report’s claims. Notable wineblogger Steve Heimoff pointed out in this article that, in fact, this is the seventh year of cooling temperatures in Northern California. Deerfield’s winemaker, Robert Rex, asserts that the warming temperatures in the middle of North America are drawing the cool marine air further inland, across California. The unprecedented amount of fog in the valley for this time of year is a good indicator that he’s right. Global warming doesn’t mean that every area on the planet is getting warmer – some places actually get colder as other places get hotter.

As the end of August approaches, the buzz in the Sonoma Valley continues to revolve around the unusually cool summer. The record amounts of late rainfall and low temperatures probably would be more shocking if the previous two harvests had been any different. The reality is that what seemed like an anomaly in 2009 has developed into a steady pattern. Both the ’09 and the ’10 harvest in Northern California were among the most challenging years that growers and producers have seen in decades. Both years bore the same hallmarks: Cold nights, few days above 80 degrees and heavy rainfall before most grapes were optimally ripe, which then brought mold and mildew. Top that off with some erratic one-day heat waves that burnt the sensitive, normally sun-tanned, grape skins and you’ve got the Perfect Storm of poor growing conditions.

I’ve talked before about how these are the years when skilled winemakers stand out; these are the years when being selective about every single bunch of grapes is the key to producing quality wine. Now that the 2011 season is shaping up to be a repeat of the last two years, grape growers in Sonoma County are adapting to the shift in weather patterns. Growers were heavily culling formative grape clusters before fruitset even occurred, hoping to channel every ounce of captured sunlight into the remaining grapes. Last year many farmers cut most of the leaves off the vines, thinning the canopy to expose the grapes to more sunlight. That backfired when over two days in late August, a blistering heatwave scorched the rows of unprotected grapes. This year, the canopy is being left thicker, particularly on the sunny side and the plan is to lower the wires that hold the canes upright to provide emergency shade in case history repeats itself. Even though most grapes are as much 20 days behind, 2011 could be an ideal year if the sun continues to break through the fog and the fall doesn’t come early. The cooler, longer summer will produce great flavors at lower potential alcohol levels. Cautious optimism seems to be the prevailing sentiment, which is typical of growers and winemakers.

I believe that whatever the cause, climate change poses tremendous risk to our environment, yet our culture will shift with the weather. Winegrowing regions are quite diverse throughout the world; the arid plains of Spain are nothing like the chilly slopes of the Mosel Valley. It is possible that due to changing ecosystems, the terroir of renowned growing regions will be dramatically altered. Winemaker Robert Rex believes that the shift towards a cooler growing season is here to stay in the California North Coast. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to stop growing grapes or making world-class wine. No – it means that we’ll adapt to our new environment by producing wine that reflects the changing terroir. Only time will tell what the landscape will look like in 50 years, but whatever the outcome I’m sure that Sonoma will be famous for its wines for centuries to come. Perhaps Napa Valley will become famous for Pinot Noir instead of Cabernet.