a long winters nap

 

Brian and I are sleeping in - taking our time, going for walks, cleaning up, sorting out, working on all the farm projects that have been put on the back burner, napping and generally recovering from 2014! 

It's hard to believe how much has come to pass in this year... we continue to feel totally grateful for this life that has unfolded. 

December so far has been full of amazingness on the farm and some great press for the wines and lots of getting our wheels back under us!! 

  

this is the mood around big table farm this weekend!

 

hummer says 'thank goodness that winery is done now clare can spend more time with us!' 

 

I have been getting some nice rides in : ) 

 

 We got a warm day so I checked the bees and was super happy to see at least one of my hives going strong!

the super nice birthday dinner the hubs threw me! 

 

we said thank you and good by to Duane and Jeb... always a hard day - I loved these pigs! 

 

We honored them by using every last bit of the animals - 

we had a great butcher day at the farm we did all the cut and wrap and made head cheese, rendered fat, prepared Prosciutto, hams and bacon!  

thanks for all the help jeremy and tim!

 

 

'fat on tap' 

 

'prosciutto!' 

  

June and her new baby! who was born on the 9th : ) -- Bella is also looking very pregnant...

 

 amid all the farm going's on we got written up in Wall Street Journal last Saturday! amazing...

Mr Colver helped us move all the horse manure over and get it mixed with straw and the grape pumice I'm very excited about the compost set up this year.  It's a HUGE pile and will hopefully add even more fertility to this farm.

 

 

Levi thinks the completed pile is just fine ; ) 

 

on the subject of compost I have started my first biodynamic prep it's 500 cow horn - 

and I'm proud to have made it from the ingredients provided all from my farm including the horns from the cows we slaughtered here on the farm : )

 

the scull is not part of the prep just a marker of where I buried the prep.   

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the last 5 photos are all shot with my birthday present from brian : ) he got me a new lense for my camera... LOVE it : ) hope you do too... it's gonna take a little practice - but I hope to bring you even better shots over the coming year...

  

Holy Moly!! Thank you Wine Spectator and Harvey!!

We are honored and thrilled!!! amazing scores just came out !

we got listed in the 'HOT WINES' section AGAIN : ) one of 6 internationally!

Big Table Farm - Willamette Valley 2012
95 points | $40 | sold out
Vibrant and intense, pulsing with mint-edged raspberry and spice flavors that ride easily over velvety tannins and persist on the refined, gently minerally finish. Drink now through 2022. From Oregon - H.S

Big Table Farm - Cattrall Brothers Vineyard 2012
94 points | I think there are maybe 2 cases left as of this evening!
Bright, focused and generous, with red berry, cinnamon and plum flavors, playing harmoniously on a vivid, lively canvas. Has presence, elegance and refreshing lift on the finish. Drink now through 2022.—H.S.

Big Table Farm - Pelos Sandberg Vineyard 2012
93 points | sold out
Supple, open-textured and distinctive, with earthy, savory nuances around a core of plum and spice flavors. Hints of smoke and grilled meat add extra depth as the finish lingers expressively. Drink now through 2022.—H.S.

Big Table Farm - Resonance Vineyard 2012
93 points | $48
Sleek and ripe, with blackberry and cherry flavors on a polished frame, picking up a granite note as the finish persists. The tannins build on the finish, marking this as one for the cellar. Best from 2016 through 2022.—H.S.

BTF fall newsletter re - upcoming thanksgiving weekend!

It's officially fall, the light is low in the sky, it has started raining in earnest and the wines are safely in barrel!

2014 was a very special vintage at Big Table Farm it was truly magical to make the wines here at the farm.

Thank you again to our community of builders, founders, friends and most importantly those of you who continue to purchase and enjoy the wine we make. The winery was complete enough to be usable for harvest which was no small feat. Now is time for buttoning up the last details and putting everything right before the end of the year.

In the mean time a couple pieces of news worth mentioning and some invites.

Our doors will be open as part of the annual Thanksgiving weekend however due to a 'clareical' error we are not on the WVWA tasting... but rest assured we will be here pouring fall wines (what's left of them) Nov 28,29 and 30th from 11 - 4pm and we'd love to see you.

We also received a great honor From Wine and Spirits - Big Table Farm is in the top 100 wineries of the world!
To our delight the scores and accolades keep rolling in - keep up the great work Brian.



With the winery here at the farm things are all falling into place and we are still in awe!  For those of you that have yet to place your fall orders please don't delay as we only have a hand full of cases of the Cattrall vineyard pinot left and the others will be quick behind it with the thanks giving weekend fast approaching.  Also If any of you missed the edelzwicker with your fall order I would make sure you pick up a few bottles it's drinking really well. It's fattened up since summer and this dry white has taken on a beautiful richness. I think it's the perfect wine to bring to dinner or a holiday party. 

Cheers! Happy Fall and warm wishes for the holidays - Clare and Brian

www.bigtablefarm.com

ps - for those of you on the west coast and texas - I think this is your last chance to ship ground...

Two great Chefs, Jacobsen salt and big table farm wines!

Jacobsen Salt Co. is teaming up with big table farm to present the first meal of the Salt Fire Water Dinner Series

These two amazing chefs will featuring Big Table Farm wines for this inaugural meal!

On November 6th and 7th we will host  James Beard Award Winning chef April Bloomfield from the Spotted Pig in NYC + Chef Vitaly Paley of Paley’s Place in Portland, Oregon. 

The six course menu that they create together will be constrained only by the idea of the traditional and modern uses of salt throughout the four seasons. The meal will be a celebration of Oregon Bounty and as such, ingredients for the dinners will be sourced from Oregon farmers, ranchers, fishermen and artisans, and beverages served will be produced in Oregon. In many cases, the very same farmers and vintners who contributed to the meal will join guests at the communal table.

6 special wines for this dinner will be sourced and paired by Big Table Farm.

 

Each event will span two days with one seating of 48 people each night. Tickets to the six course, wine paired dinner are $135 per person, gratuity included. 

Guests can reserve seats online at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/jacobsen-salt-co-presents-salt-fire-water-april-bloomfield-vitaly-paley-tickets-13999999375.

602 SE Salmon

Portland, OR

97214

it's hard to believe...

I sit here with the fire going and an empty house just me the hubs and the dogs!!

 

this photo is how I feel now -- calm and peaceful happy and tired... it's been a year!!

Harvest is done! the wines are sleeping with a few loose ends still to button up... the winery (while not totally done) was functional for harvest and it was an epic harvest!  The rains held off just long enough esp given the lack of roof on our crush pad and the fruit was beautiful this year!! 

special thanks to our founders and all the builders! - 

sometimes having 'no contingency plan' is how shit get's done - 

here's to your dedication and belief in us.

Here are some photos from the amazing fall we had I'm not sure I can even begin to tell the stories... the photos will have to do it for me as usual... thanks for checking in on us... we look forward to hosting all of you that can come for the thanksgiving wine weekend... and I'm hopeful we can get the finishing touches on the winery buttoned up so we can have an actual ribbon cutting when it's truly DONE!! ... coming soon...

 

 Till then I'm looking forward to more foraging walks in the woods with the hubs, and hopefully some time in my studio!.. and a lot of sleep ....

 

goatio took larry and I up in the lift to show us what a nice job she did installing the old 16 pane window in the barn. It's the original one from the house that we restored.

levi keepin an eye on things

 

beautiful Wirtz vineyard

 

the hubs stompin' grapes

 

 

this great press rolled in during harvest which was super nice : )

 

 

the boys were great helping me do the seeding on all the torn up ground from the construction!!  It took about 5 sessions and gave me a great 'break' during harvest to enjoy the farm and working the boys...

 

and last but not least ...  the harvest feast!!  always the meal of the year!! thank you Chef Tim ... you killed it!!!

the photos below of the harvest feast are curtsy of our dear friend Jeremy Fenske

  

 

 

 

 

thanks to the harvest crew ...  !!

 here's to you and all the amazing long hours and dedication! Thank you ALL

Tiffany, Aimee, Laura, Tiara,  Jeff,  Derick, Colin and Jeremy

 

may your tables be full of love!!