By Doug Fabbioli Clean Competition raises the bar! When we play by the rules, respect the balance of the system and have a positive goal, we all win! The other day at our Saturday start up meeting in the tasting room, Anne (who creates the tasting bites for our daily tastings), mentioned how the specialty […]

By Doug Fabbioli Zero to One The scariest step is always the first! This concept is consistent through business, relationships and life. The learning curve for the first time of doing something is always the steepest. Kissing a girl, getting behind the wheel of a car or making a batch of wine can all be […]

By Doug Fabbioli Is there Art in Agriculture? I have spent almost 4 decades working in agriculture, turning crops into a preserved, value added product, and teaching people how to be successful at this vocation. We don’t always acknowledge that there is an artistry to agriculture, mainly because the science is so critical to success. […]

By Doug Fabbioli Let’s make a plan As a grape grower, I have to have some long range vision. The decision on “what grapes to grow where” is decided 4 years before any crop is harvested from those vines. If the vines don’t grow well in that location, or if the vines you planted were […]

By Doug Fabbioli Where are the lines drawn in the alcohol world? Beer, wine or liquor? How do you make what, who sells it and how is it regulated? I must admit, I have learned a few things about this subject over the past few decades. When working with alcohol products that are based on […]

By Doug Fabbioli It’s Bud Time! So the season has begun again! The green leaves that contain the chlorophyll are growing bigger every day, staging themselves to collect another seasons worth of the sun’s energy. That energy will be turned into the sweetness and flavors in the fruit that will make our wines something for […]

By Doug Fabbioli The Language of Tasting Wine Tasting wine has been a process that many have made fun of over the years. You have to admit that it is kind of an odd process, seeing that we taste different food and beverages all the time, but don’t always put words to the process. When […]

By Doug Fabbioli Mentoring Should Never Stop When I look back at my career as a winemaker, I realize it started without a real mentor. I had a boss at the vineyard that overlooked one of the Finger Lakes so many years ago, but he was trying to figure out what he was doing as […]

By Doug Fabbioli Holiday Time at the Wineries Underground tips to enjoying the wineries in the holiday season: • Early December quiets down on the weekends at most wineries. If you can make the time, it’s a great time to do a tasting tour. Less crowds and better parking. • Many wineries will have music, […]