The Extended Family. 

MY GRANDMA SALAD DAYS….
Yes, that is my grandmother, Bertha Saarloos - Yes she is driving a Ford Model T known as the "tin Lizzie", "Leaping Lena", "jitney" or "flivver"
Just look at that woman, sitting on the seat, summer in the air, running it. I can just picture her crank starting that monster and running around with a full car full of mischief and mayhem. My daughter turned 16 this year, and from the looks of it, that’s about how old Grandma is in this photo.
I love this photo….
Ahhhh these are the Salad Days…

Salad days" is a Shakespearean idiomatic expression meaning a youthful time, accompanied by the inexperience, enthusiasm, idealism, innocence, or indiscretion that one associate with a young person. A more modern use, refers to a heyday, a period when somebody was at the peak of their abilities—not necessarily in that person's youth. The quote "salad days" is from the Shakespearean play Antony and Cleopatra and is spoken in Act 1, Scene 5, by Cleopatra.

 Extended Family has always been a Pinto Noir.
A grape that has become a staple of our Extended Family. 
We cant grow Pinot on our property; it is just to warm for the thin-skinned grape. You see Pinot needs a particular environment to develop correctly. We could plant Pinot on our property, but it just wouldn't succeed. Think of Pinot as a child. Sure you could make your youngest be just like your oldest, but they would never reach their highest potential. However, only a few miles from us is one of the exceptional pinot growing regions in the world: The Sta. Rita Hills.
This grape has become part of our family like the cousin that visits for the summer. We treat it just like family, taking it in and instructing it in the family way. I like to put photos of our extended family on the bottle. Here you find Ring and Effie, my great-grandparents. Relaxing in their home in Oregon on my great-uncles dairy. Feet up and enjoying the afternoon. That is what pinot is about. Pop a bottle and love the one you're with. 

It is a Beautiful Sunday afternoon feet up kind of wine. 
Love this wine. I am glad it comes to visit. 

As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. However, Extended Family sold out so fast, this is is the first time most people have ever seen it.  As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. Who are we to deprive the masses of our favorite member of our Extended Family?  A Family Secret we get to share. It is the best Pinot in the world. Don't believe us? Try it! As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. I wish i could tell you more about this wine. But, we would like to make more of it.As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. However, Extended Family sold out so fast, this is is the first time most people have ever seen it.  As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. Who are we to deprive the masses of our favorite member of our Extended Family?  A Family Secret we get to share. It is the best Pinot in the world. Don't believe us? Try it! As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. I wish i could tell you more about this wine. But, we would like to make more of it.As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. However, Extended Family sold out so fast, this is is the first time most people have ever seen it.  As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. Who are we to deprive the masses of our favorite member of our Extended Family?  A Family Secret we get to share. It is the best Pinot in the world. Don't believe us? Try it! As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. I wish i could tell you more about this wine. But, we would like to make more of it.As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. However, Extended Family sold out so fast, this is is the first time most people have ever seen it.  As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. Who are we to deprive the masses of our favorite member of our Extended Family?  A Family Secret we get to share. It is the best Pinot in the world. Don't believe us? Try it! As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. I wish i could tell you more about this wine. But, we would like to make more of it.As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. However, Extended Family sold out so fast, this is is the first time most people have ever seen it.  As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. Who are we to deprive the masses of our favorite member of our Extended Family?  A Family Secret we get to share. It is the best Pinot in the world. Don't believe us? Try it! As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. I wish i could tell you more about this wine. But, we would like to make more of it.As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. However, Extended Family sold out so fast, this is is the first time most people have ever seen it.  As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. Who are we to deprive the masses of our favorite member of our Extended Family?  A Family Secret we get to share. It is the best Pinot in the world. Don't believe us? Try it! As you know, it is not in our nature to repeat ourselves. I wish i could tell you more about this wine. But, we would like to make more of it.