It's Harvest Time!

Thanks to the sunshine and hot weather in Ramona, our grapes are ripening rapidly, a lot faster than we have planned. Our annual grape harvest parties last year were really fun with lots of help. We hope you can join us this year.

We expect to have some grapes ready for harvest starting this weekend! Sorry for the short notice. If you can help this weekend, it would be great. We’d be harvesting Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.

This weekend, we'll harvest grapes on both days, Saturday, August 27 and Sunday 28 morning at 7 am (we’ll probably start at 6 am, but you can come between 6-7 am). We’ll have a champagne brunch afterward. ;-).

If you can make it this weekend, please RSVP via email to info@mahoganymountain.com so we can send you more details.

Cheers!

Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery featured in Vision Magazine

Starting the vineyard in 1997, Kim and Michael aspired to create an all-natural, great tasting “organic” wine. Beginning their journey as amateur wine makers, they joined the San Diego Amateur Winemaker Society and studied under a gentleman winemaker ... read more

The Plot Thickens and Creating Alcohol in wine

We participated in a fundraiser event for the Intermountain Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department Auxiliary yesterday evening at the new and beautiful Ramona Public Library.

Robin, Mahogany Mountain Winemaker and Batwoman

The theme of the evening was “The Plot Thickens, a Night of Mystery at the Library”. Many folks showed up in beautiful costumes. Some of the costumes were fantastic like the beautiful Batwoman and Robin who were gracious enough to pose for pictures. I also loved the costumes from the Sherlock Holmes worn by a lovely couple.  There were two lovely young ladies dressed in Princesses costumes who stopped by and chatted with us about our winery. I would have loved to take a picture of Scarlett O’Hara (Gone with the Wind), in a beautiful dress with big hoop and beautiful straw hat.

As part of the fundraiser, six wineries in Ramona, including Mahogany Mountain Vineyard & Winery, Pamo Valley Winery, Chuparosa Vineyards, Woof’n Rose Winery, Kohill Winery, Edwards Vineyard & Cellars and Pyramid Vineyard & Winery, offered wine tastings and donated wines to the fundraiser volunteers for selling by the glass to raise funds for the event. Several party goers commented to us that they were astonished by the high quality of Ramona wines that were being offered for tasting. People from other towns told us that they did not realize there were so many wineries in Ramona. This gave us, winemakers and winegrowers, a chance to chat with the public about grape growing, handcrafted wines and wine making process. Some people were surprised to learn from me that in wine production, yeast converted the natural sugar in grapes to carbon dioxide and alcohol. They had thought that alcohol was an extra ingredient that was added to wines! Phew, I was glad to set the records straight on that. I told them that the amount of alcohol in a wine would usually depend on how much sugar is in the grapes when they were harvested. I further explained that the quality of the wines would depend on the grape grower’s and winemaker’s art (or skill) in finding the ideal time to harvest grapes – depending on the grape variety, region or terroir, winemaking style and a host of other factors.

It was truly a fun evening for a good cause! I was told that all proceeds from this event would be used solely for the daily operating expenses for the Intermountain Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department. With the fire season approaching, it felt good to be able to contribute to a worthwhile cause that would benefit the fire fighting force in the backcountry as the last two big county-wide firestorms had taught us that fires started from the remote areas could spread to the urban areas.

Carpe Diem! As Scarlett said, “After all... tomorrow is another day!”

Ramona Grassland Preserve

Ramona Grassland Preserve is now open to the public. The preserve adds to the uniqueness of Ramona where natural beauty is abundant with 360-degree vistas. This is a dream come true for land conservationists, hikers, equestrians and bikers. The 3,500-acre preserve is home for the endangered Stephens’ kangaroo rat, fairy shrimp, arroyo toad and all kinds of birds including hawks, eagles and falcons. There is a trail that runs through part of the preserve which is located off Highland Valley Road, east of Archie Moore Road near Mount Woodson. The preserve is open daily from 8 am to 7 pm. Check it out when you come to Ramona for wine tasting!

Links:

http://www.ramonasentinel.com/article/News/News/County_opens_Ramona_Grasslands_Preserves_first_trail/22082

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/jun/03/ramona-grasslands-preserve-opens-despite-rat/

WINE, DIET, EXERCISE AND SLEEP BOOST YOUR OVERALL WELL-BEING & HAPPINESS

So what is the bottom line on how to stay healthy and happy? Here are my recommendations that everyone can follow.

Eat natural and local grown foods to fill your body with natural vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants. Cook with spices and herbs like cinnamon, curry powder, chili powder, turmeric, oregano, fresh garlic, basil, parsley, onion and ginger.

Exercise regularly. Aerobic exercise over the years has helped me stay in good shape and improved my overall mood when I have a bad day. Try to exercise every day whether taking an aerobics class, taking a brisk walk or jogging on a treadmill for at least 20 to 30 minutes.

Get enough sleep. Sleep helps us think clearly, reduce stress and boost our overall well-being. Try to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Chronic insomnia can lead to depression and other health consequences.

Avoid stressful situations and environments. Try to have balance in your life. Don’t be addicted to having stress in your life to the point that you don’t know what to do with yourself when you don’t have anymore stress! Some people would go from one self-created crisis to the next, one stressful project to the next and never achieve the contentment, happiness and success that they strive to have. That leads to feeling unhappy, depressed and unappreciated.

Invest quality time with your family and loved ones. In this tough economy, people feel that they need to spend more time at work and then work extra hours in the evenings and on the weekends from home. With smart phones, internet and computers, some people end up working and spending more time with their co-workers than with their family.  This can create a false sense of intimacy and lead to all kinds of problems. Remember work does not take care of you when you are sick, your family and friends will.  We work so we can live a good life. Set your priorities correctly and have a work-life balance.

Drink wine with your meals! We believe that wine is an important ingredient of our overall happiness and well-being. Wine is truly a gift from God. There is no other natural drink that is so pure and at the same time packed with goodies that can improve your health. Wine is best when it is shared with friends and loved ones. After a hard day, a glass of wine can help you restore your sanity and even make you feel much better about life in general.

Cheers!

Mother's Day Celebration at Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery

We love our moms.  Celebrate love, motherhood and Mother's Day at the Mahogany Mountain Winery this weekend.   Treat Mom and yourself  to a special wine tasting paired with cheeses and chocolates.  RSVP: 760-788-7048 or Email: mahogany_mountain@yahoo.com


Happy Mother's Day!

Mahogany Mountain Syrah and Merlot Medalists at Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

More good news from the 2011 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition for Mahogany Mountain Vineyard and Winery!  We entered two wines and both have won medals in the same competition! In addition to the Gold medal that our Mahogany Mountain 2007 Syrah has won at the 2011 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, we've found out in the mail that our Mahogany Mountain 2008 Merlot also won a Bronze medal.  The actual medals were shipped to our winery last Thursday April 21, before Good Friday! 

The Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, in its eleventh year, 64 judges, all with national and international credentials, from multiple markets in North America, Canada, South America, Australia and England, Germany, Israel, and France judged 3279 wines. In perhaps their tightest competition ever, entries arrived from 18 countries, 50 states, and 4 provinces in Canada.

We are very grateful for the medals which help bolster our morale and confidence in our wine making skills.

Cheers!