BLOGSCHU

A Tale of Two Universes

The space aged Shake Your Bundschu went off on Saturday as it always does.  That is to say the roof was blown off the place.  Seriously the energy of that party is always so supercharged it is kind of scary. The DJ brought it- great sounds, big video screens and a laser show extraordinaire.  The winery courtyard looked and felt like the best dance club ever. And the crowd behaved like it-- there were costumes galore- from astronauts to robots, afro's to spandex, and everyone danced, danced and danced.  The whole scene was a sight to behold.

The day started on the other side of coin, that is to say with a serious vineyard education session for 40 people. Towle Merritt, cousin and vineyard manager, led the group through a vineyard walk and a talk that focused on our grapevine selection proccess, particularly the unique multi-year process we are going through that will yield proprietary versions of Chardonnay, Gewurtzatraminer and Zinfandel clones.  Super wonky and super cool. The second half of the morning was spent previewing the 2010 reds with the winemaking team.

The best compliment came at the end of the night, when a friend of multiple time attendees thanked me profusely, and described the morning as super educational, and yet no way reflective of what was to come.  He said 'You guys were way informative in the morning, and so into that when we left I told my friends I couldn't see this same group going off with a party the way they described. It would be like having your favorite professor in college turning into the DJ at the best party ever, and that just doesn't happen.  My friends told me to hold on, and low and behold it happened!'

Hard to top this year's as always...planning begins for 2013...

LETS TALK ABOUT THE DJ

We are still a week+ off from our first grapes of the season.  That means I can talk about our DJ for this Saturday's party.  Shake Your Bundschu has been going off in some form or other for a few years, always with a very good live cover band.  This year we decided to mix it up a bit by bringing in a world class DJ. Another first in Sonoma @ GB-- A bonafide club DJ outside @ a winery. Instead of cover versions of familiar songs, why not the real thing remixed by a master?  With Video and Lasers to boot?   Though most of us don't stay up late enough to realize it, SF is a hotbed of international DJ culture, and Don Lynch represents.

Regarded as a local favorite and trendsetter, San Francisco resident and former radio DJ, Don Lynch is tearing up the US club circuit and is quickly gaining recognition as one of the nation's most exciting DJs and leading front runners in live video mixing. With unparalleled video content and original remixes, Don Lynch has emerged as a favorite with crowds, and club owners alike. With 20 plus scheduled appearances a month, both locally and nationally, Don manages to keep his live show fresh and exciting, maintain a strong presence online, and still preform a unique and captivating show every evening. 

Armed with an arsenal of audio and visual content, crowd demanding energy, and unsurpassed experience in the DJ booth, an evening with Don Lynch is a nightlife experience like none other.

SO come on Saturday, dress like an alien and get a midnight groove on by 9pm.  

Tix start @ $20

http://tinyurl.com/d4l8xud 

 

 

 

 

 

What does one do the week after hosting a music festival at a winery?  

For one, you spend it following up- getting feedback from everyone under the sun that might have opinion, and try to organize it coherently and then frame the operating plan for next year.  Great news is most everyone's feedback starts out glowing and then gets constructively critical only after some prompting.  But there are for sure things we can and will improve upon for 2013. Look for some initial outreach for 2013 Huichica here or @ www.huichica.com in the weeks to come. 

Then you get to the blending table.  I spent Friday morning in the lab with the winemaking team reviewing 2011 reserve lots.  So much to be excited about considering the vintage.  We have a small lot Merlot project we are working on that is incredible.  

Which brings me to the final thing you do-- Go to lunch with your dad.  Jim Bundschu and I caught up @ Della Santina's in Sonoma.  A rare occasion, just the two of us, chillin'.  I had the remainder of that 'merlot project' to share around so we weren't too lonely.

 

But wait... there is one other thing I worked on this week.  I have only this picture as a hint...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adam Yauch

I am sad. The Beastie Boys have been on my soundtrack for a long time, sometimes willingly (The In Sound From Way Out), sometimes not (Fight for Your Right To Party). More importantly they always managed to set a blueprint for creating top quality art without being pretentious and having fun all the way. They were also ever expansive, always trying new things. And they cared. Lots of giving and informing.

As for what they mean/t to the broader world, Bob Lefsetz says it better below than I ever could.

Jeff

From: Bob Lefsetz
Contact: See Below

This is not really my thing. But I find myself deeply affected.

I won't say the Beastie Boys were the Beatles of their generation, but they too tested limits and were decried by oldsters and embraced by youngsters. Their party anthem was ubiquitous on MTV when that channel still meant something. And unlike too many TV bands they didn't stagnate and repeat themselves, they didn't have their moment in time and fade away, rather they continued to test limits and grow. "Paul's Boutique" was so far ahead of what was in the marketplace that it took many years to catch up with it. If it had been on Sony instead of Capitol, it would have been just as big as the debut. Still, the music lives on.

As does "Sabotage" from their follow-up LP. In an era where videos were becoming more formulaic, focusing on glitz and beauty, "Sabotage" was a precursor to "Pulp Fiction", it was less about a fantasy life the fan could never inhabit than musical stars inserting themselves into our everyday world. The pictures were so good you continued to watch the clip, even if you were not enamored of the music.

And in an era where everybody's got a clothing line, most forget the Beastie Boys were there first. Or close to it. It wasn't seen as a cash-in so much as satiating the fans, who wanted to separate those who got it from those who did not, the same way Ken Kesey did for a generation previous, delineating that some were on the bus and others were off it.

And there were movies and a record label, even a magazine, but what's most important other than the music is what the act meant to its generation. Generation X. The one that Douglas Coupland wrote about in his book, those now approaching fifty, who grew up in the shadow of the baby boomers.

Sex was no longer free. The cost could be your life. The boomers were suddenly greedy and all that was left were McJobs. But Gen X had its music, rap, which most baby boomers still hate, still don't understand.

It was a different era. Madonna went on tour with an unknown opening act that she had no financial investment in. Can you imagine that happening today? And if you think the Material Girl's fans embraced the Beastie Boys, you probably believe the Greatest Generation, the baby boomers' parents, loved the Stones.

And despite succeeding with a hedonistic party anthem, the Beastie Boys radiated intelligence. Stupid was an act, which was quickly cast aside. Entertainment has too often sold dumb, and too much of our country embraces ignorance, the Beastie Boys wanted no part of that.

And they took a stand. Musical stars have power. But those with stature have abdicated it. They're afraid of turning off potential audience members. Whereas the Beastie Boys didn't care. Furthermore, they led their audience, they educated fans on issues. There's a direct line from the Beatles to San Francisco to the Beastie Boys. And MCA was an integral part.

Ian Rogers? Majordomo of Topspin? He started with the Beastie Boys. He gave up pursuing his Ph.D. because of the sound.

That's the power of music.

It's a sad day. For a long time we believed Adam would pull through.

Death is final. It creeps you out. Be sure to live while you're still alive.

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We Made the List! Just Not that List.

 

 

Hi- It's Jeff. ‘Tis the season for, among other things, ‘best of’ lists from wine publications. So far there have been three floating around our office- the Wine Spectator, the Wine Enthusiast and the San Francisco Chronicle. They all are similar in that they list their top wines of the year, ranked in some way that accounts for score, price point and availability. We did not make it on any of these lists. We didn’t submit wines to two out of three of them (SF Chron and Spectator), so that is our excuse with them. We did submit Cab and Gewurtztraminer to the Enthusiast and scored 91 and 90 points respectively, and were totally thrilled regardless of not making their list. Given the historically restrained style of our wine, that favors structure and balance over ripeness and brawn, we have been hesitant to submit wines for mass judgings. Big, bold, high-alcohol wines can dominate the palate, and in a mass tasting where judges taste many California wines at a time, the nuances of more structured wines can get lost. The endorsement of our friends and customers has been enough. Keith and Anne however have been making wines in recent vintages that represent a slight but clear evolution in our style. The structure is still there, but there is also undeniable intensity with freshness and rich mouth-feel. The change is enough for us to try submitting our wines to mass tastings. We started conservatively with the Enthusiast in 2011 and based on that success will expand the effort next year.

We did make one ‘best of list’ in 2011, that of Sub Pop Records staff picks of top 10 wines of 2011. It is a dream come true. Okay, that is a stretch, because I had no clue they would list wine as a category. But I can say unequivocally that had anyone given me the option in 1992, as I was starting out in the family business, thrilled by the nature of wine, our family’s legacy, the approachability of our wine community, and put off by what I saw as the general elitism of the wine establishment, I would have put a shout-out by Sub Pop way higher on my aspirational list than any wine publication. Based in Seattle, Sub Pop was the record company for many of the bands that framed my universe at the time, not to mention provided the soundtrack to long work days in the cellar. Most famous among them was Nirvana, but there was also Soundgarden, Mudhoney, Jesus and Mary Chain, 5Style and many more. On my very first visit to Seattle, 1995ish, I went straight to their retail store and bought 10 discs, 9 from Sub Pop artists I'd never heard of, trusting they knew what they were doing. Things have changed a bit since. Sub Pop still releases great music, though their greatest successes are with less loud bands like Fleet Foxes and Iron and Wine, and while we still make great wine, it is in the context of a wine establishment that I am generally proud to be a part of. But it is clear that things haven’t changed that much. When I heard that at the bottom of their compilation of staff best-of music picks for 2011 (see it here), there was a wine list that Gundlach Bundschu was on, I jumped up and down like it was 1992. Glad I didn’t pull out my back.

 

 

 

Post Thanksgiving Thanks

Settling back in after a wonderful few days deep in the forest.

A few years ago, we began a tradition of heading off to a remote ranch in northern California to celebrate Thanksgiving with my wife's family. Liz's parents are avid naturalists and met the conservationist owner of the ranch years ago. The property has been in his family for over 70 years, and consists of 3,000 acres of grasslands and redwood groves, and even has its own lake. It basically operates as a preserve. The few residences are clustered together, leaving the vast majority of the ranch wild - as in no agricultural or grazing activites, and very limited motor vehicle access. Lots of wildlife, including birds, deer, mountain lion and bear. The owner favors renting the houses onsite out to other naturalists. Lucky for us, the Nagels qualify.

The house we stay in is rustic. Though it is 60+ years old, it only got electrity around ten years ago. It is heated by a wood stove, and the ample cooking stove is propane-fueled. The kitchen/dining/living area is conducive to preparing and consuming big meals, which is pretty much all we do, between hikes, games, piano playing, and, for the adults, wine drinking. My brother-in-law works for the Wagner family (Caymus, Belle Glos, etc.) and has his own great Pinot and Chardonnay brand called Chronicle. I suppose in the wine department it is an embarassment of riches. This year was all California. Sparkling wine, Pinot, Cabernet and Merlot, and of course Gewurztraminer!

Each year I try to break away for a lengthy hike to explore the property. This time I went south and didn't turn around until 2.5 hours into the walk when I hit the property line. It was along a river, many (as in ouch) feet in elevation below my starting point.

I took a few photos, which you can see below.

Foggy Morning Start

 

Side Slope Oak. Wish my hair looked like that.

 

Who says we don't get fall colors in California?

 

Greeting party upon my return. Daughter Eva on left and cousins Lauren and Drew.

It was a rare and much-appreciated break from the 'connectivity' of cell phones, tv and the internet. Funny how much more connected you can feel when you disconnect for a while.

When I plugged back in, I found my email box full of awesome responses to my pre-Thanksgiving post, and just had to share a few of them with you. What great people GB wine drinkers are!!

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Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 6:26 PM

Hi Jeff:

We've never met, but your winery was the first stop my wife and I made on our 1988 honeymoon. We've been WOMers for probably 20 years and always open a bottle of your wine on Thanksgiving.

Cheers to you, your family and your wine!

BP

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Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 7:21 PM

Such a fabulous note you sent. To celebrate I purchased two GWTZ to take for my Gobble day dinner with family. You and your family have a great Thanksgiving.

Rosie *_*

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Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 7:26 PM

Jeff,

Can you assure me that no Gewurtztraminer was harmed in the making of these videos?

Lee

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Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 7:44 PM
And to you and your family as well. Great videos!

Still re-living the magical moments form our daughter's wedding at Gun-Bun on 10/1/11. Truly memorable. Thanks!

All the best,

Peter & Pam

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Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 8:05 PM
Jeff, Jim and the whole Bundschu (Gundlach) clan,

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving Day!!

Your "Cajun" cousin,

J. Gundlach

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Sent: Wednesday, November 23, 2011 4:27 AM

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family, Jeff. Thank you for the warm greeting. We, too, will be raising a glass of Gundlach Bundschu wine as we celebrate our blessings with you!

Kindest regards,
Lisa Scott

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Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2011 1:10 PM
To: Info
Subject: RE: Happy Turkey Day, and Thank You - Autoforwarded

Jeff,

I loved the videos and guess what I am drinking with my turkey? GBundschu Gewurztraminer. I did not even have to cross the road, just walk to the cellar.
Cheers,

Wanda

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Hi Jeff,
I loved the videos and plan to show them on Thanksgiving Day to whomever ends up at our turkey day table. Honey Badger...move over. I also have two bottles of your Gewurztraminer for dinner. Being that I am the cheapest person when it comes to buying wine, you should be impressed! My best to you and all the Bundschus...
Susan

Happy Turkey Day, and Thank You

At Gundlach Bundschu, we began celebrating Thanksgiving back in August, when I first put on the turkey suit. Since then, we've released three short videos starring the most voracious creature on youtube since the honey badger - a wild turkey with an insatiable thirst for gewurztraminer. If you know anything about us, you know we aren't afraid to look silly to promote seriously good wine, and I hope you'll find these videos entertaining. All three are now live at www.gunbun.com/turkeylove, or click on the images below.

Now that Thanksgiving is just a few days away, it is time to celebrate in earnest. I truly love this holiday - there's nothing better than gathering the family and close friends for a long, delicious meal and taking the time to reflect on and appreciate the things we are most thankful for.

And when I look around my table and toast my family with a glass of Gundlach Bundschu wine, I am deeply grateful and moved to imagine that some of you are doing the same. And so I raise my glass to each of you as well, and thank you for supporting our wines and our family's business. Best wishes to each of you for a healthy, happy and delicious Thanksgiving holiday.

Cheers,
Jeff Bundschu

EPISODE ONE: ON THE HUNT

 EPISODE TWO: ALWAYS A SMASH

EPISODE THREE: REFRESHINGLY DRY

Jumping In

Hi -It’s Jeff.

It is the dawn of Thanksgiving week and we are knee deep in the midst of budgets and strategic planning in the office and putting red wines to bed in the cellar.   Was told in one meeting point blank that I need to get out more, as in my voice.. To give Lisa and the team and you all some love.  And to talk about wine, instead of music, turkeys, kids sports, etc.   So here I am.  This past week I managed to taste wines from the following wineries: Chappellet, Sonoma Cutrer, Orin Swift/Franciscan, Anaba, Hall, Black Stallion, Sojourn, Billecart Salmon, Selene, Rochioli, and of course at least 7 from Gundlach Bundschu.  Not a bad week.  The standouts, as I reflect back, were the Champagne and the Anaba Chardonnay.  The former is not surprising but the latter is. Anaba is a relatively new neighbor in Sonoma and their Sonoma Coast Chard was delectable.   I also listened to a ton of Friendly Fires and recommend you do too!!!  Couldn’t help but mention that!

PS Lisa's Music Monday's ROCK!!

 

MMM

So with Lisa in Las Vegas watching Celine Dionne (psych!), it fell to me to do new music Monday. Sorry I am a little late.

I took my daughter Gracie to a Young Money show at Oracle arena this past weekend. Young Money is a partnership between the hip hop artist Lil Wayne and Universal records. The sold out show featured a slew of hip hop and related acts. At 4 hours of music and at least 10 named performers, there is a lot to talk about. We were really there to see Young Money’s most rapidly ascending performer, Nicki Minaj. She rocked, as did Lil Wayne and especially Rick Ross, but I’m only going to talk about a guy that was a little farther down the list- Mix Master Mike. MMM became important to me for two different reasons in the mid 1990’s. First, as the resident DJ for the Beastie Boys, I saw him, alone on stage with nothing more than a few turntables and a few copy’s of Rush’s Tom Sawyer, silence, stun, and ultimately explode 20,000 rabid hip hop fans. And second, he is from Sacramento. That’s right, one of the best hip-hop DJ’s in the world is from Nor Cal!

This time he was on stage collaborating with the drummer Travis Barker. Their 45 minute set, DJ and Drummer, delivered to me what was one of the top 10 performances of any kind I have seen live. Since MMM was already on that list from his performance at the BBs show in the 90’s, I have to shout him out. If you EVER have a chance to see Mix Master Mike, run don’t walk. He is a magician with sampled and dj music. This week, welcome to the world of Mix Master Mike.

First a video of MMM in his own domaine. See what he does with two records.



Then a video of him supporting Travis Barker. What we saw had less rapping and more sounds, but this gives you some idea. All non-drum sounds are my man MMM.

Happy 2011

I know that the traditional time for new year resolution-stating is before the tree comes down and the lights come off the house, and that the best of lists are already in the tank and most of you have moved on Grammy, Oscar and Super Bowl hype. But after a restful holiday, we on Rhinefarm are all feeling ready to take the world by storm in 2011, and I am jumping into the fray with a list of rules I want to live by in 2011:

1) Aim for the Satisfying. The way we all spend much of our days and nights is predetermined by our responsibilities in life. That said, in and out of the course of our to-do’s there is opportunity to drive our own road, write our own script. The opportunities come can come in our response to work-day details or free time follies. Rule one is to take the time to understand what really satisfies and go to it.

2) Talk to Friends. Take any opportunity to pick up the phone or go for coffee with good friends. Make the time for some real conversation. Facebook etc. is a great tool, it seems, to connect with a broad network of current and previous acquaintances. But nothing delivers like true, deep communication with people who know us best. Those people are relatively rare and add so much to our lives, if we take the time.

3) Make it Rock. This is a perennial mantra. It technically is a direct quote from my then-five-year-old daughter to my good friend and fellow music lover after being told she could hear only one more song from the communal ipod before going to bed. Both of us have taken to applying her directive to everything we do in life.

4) Focus on the Freshness. In the course of a vintage, we spend hours and hours at the blending table moulding individual lots of wine into finished masterpieces. Freshness is a constant target-not only is it fresh now, but how will it be in the future? My aim is to take that approach in all things; there is always a fresh way to see and approach things!

5) Go Outside. Another perennial rule. And by outside I don’t only mean outdoors, though that is big. I also mean go outside the boundary, comfort zone, neighborhood, bad habits, good habits, established patterns, predictability, among other things. WAY easier said than done, for sure, but critical to me.

6) Love and Appreciate Your Family. ‘nuf said.

7) Spread the GB Love. Whenever, wherever possible. Let me review some ways and places I plan to do that in 2011- Ra Ra Riot show, Member Happy Hour in Palo Alto, Taste of Vail, South by Southwest, Nantucket Wine Festival, Austin Wine Club Revel, Atlanta High Museum Auction, Huichica Festival, Pinzgauer tours, our new event Bungalow, Paris, Lima, New Jersey, New York City, Chicago, and many mornings at the Fremont Diner.

Best to you all in 2011, hope your paths cross with ours often before this year is through.

Jeff