Welcome to the Bridge - Monthly Newsletter of Grand Island Vineyards

Welcome to Grand Island Vineyards!

Summertime deals on some of my favorite wines!

Written by Winemaker, David Shattuck

Now that we have officially entered summer and the BBQ season, I wanted to write about a few of my favorite summer wines: the 2021 Vin Gris of Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2019 Pinot Noir, and the 2019 Petite Verdot. Each of these varietals have a place during summertime BBQs. As a general guideline, I try to pick a wine that has lighter body and more acidity for lighter grilled foods and wine with more tannin to pair to something with a lot of fat or smoke flavor.

The 2021 Vin Gris is one of my favorite pre dinner and appetizer wines when I am grilling. I serve it with grilled oysters, smoked mac and cheese, and pork belly burnt ends. Although I usually recommend this wine as a starter, it has the body and acidity to pair to richer meat as well. I have happily paired it with BBQ chicken, smoked sausages, and grilled mushrooms

The 2019 Pinot Noir is one of my favorite wines to pair with meat fresh off the grill. The bright cherry fruit, herbal component, and charred oak flavor works well with burgers, smoked steaks, and grilled halibut. Additionally, the moderate body and firm acidity can cut through sweeter BBQ sauces.

The 2019 Petite Verdot has a robust tannin profile and flavorful floral and herbal notes. It is very at home with ribs, pork shoulder, and brisket. Additionally, it pairs nicely with grilled vegetables like zucchini and egg plant. This wine is also a great pairing if you enjoy grilled game. The floral notes are the perfect counterpoint to grilled goose, duck, and venison.

We are excited to offer a discount one each of these three summertime favorite wines, while they last. 

BRIDGEHEAD

GRAND ISLAND VINEYARDS

SALMAN FAMILY RESERVE

What's Happening in the Tasting Room?

Written by Tasting Room Ambassador, Shannon French

Wow, the tasting room sure was a buzz in May!

As you may remember, Mothers Day and our Wine Club Trivia Party were the main highlights, and thank you all that came. 

If you haven't picked up the May Club Release, make sure you come in for your pickup and enjoy your free tasting. While you're here, you might consider checking out our Summer Sale.

We ended the May madness' with a fun graduation here on the grounds on a cool Delta night and parents were very thankful to not be in a stuffy school auditorium with no A/C. 

We know June can be busy, but there is still time to get a ticket for Yoga in the Vineyard. As always we are open Friday to Monday 10am - 5pm, make a Reservation or don't. I think we have space for you. Cheers!

My How Things Grow... Especially My Children!

Written by Operations Manager, Joe Salman

Growth is amazing. In the midst of writing an article on the crazy change to the vineyards this last month, (see picture from last month's article. with short shoots and flower clusters) GRAND ISLAND VINEYARDS hosted DELTA ELEMENTARY CHARTER SCHOOL's 6th grade promotion on May 31st. 

The fun part is that my oldest daughter is in this class, and she was just a toddler during the early phases of development here at the winery. 



Now just a month later (same day as graduation) I went to examine the vines, noticing the shoots are nearly 5 feet long and 'lowering' or even 'fruit set' has taken place! This represents a whole new phase to the vines life cycle and really got me to thinking about how thing grow, and the amount of time and effort that goes into developing a solid foundation, I hear the voices of children playing and reflect back to my own time, full of playing in irrigation ditches, searching out ingredients for blackberry pies and a variety of other interactions with nature.

As the volume of kids laughing and playing got louder, I turned to see my soon to be middle-schooler round the corner with that same look of adventure I recognized in her eyes.

And that is when it occurred to me, that in the short amount of time that the winery has existed, that my daughter has grown an incredible amount, while developing and embracing a number of our family characteristics. In fact, being about 5 feet tall, now she too is in a new phase of her life. All I can say is, "Amazing!"

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