Monday, March 7, 2011

February Newsletter

Grace Hill Winery NewsletterFebruary 2011

February Recap

Event Center ConstructionConstruction continues on the Grace Hill Winery Event Center and Patio! As you can see from the picture, the foundation is mostly laid, the plumbing is almost done, and we are hoping to pour the floor next week! We have been receiving a lot of interest in the new addition thanks to a feature in the Wichita Eagle, which you can read by clicking here.

Also during February we saw the completion of 3 new labels! The first two are Peckerhead Red, a sweet red, and Eclipse, our first dessert wine, and are displayed in all their glory at end of this paragraph. We also have developed our version of a house wine, called simply "Party Wine" that we can customize for your party at the winery as well as add sweetness for your desired taste! Look for all of these wines to debut at the Spring Release Party, which we are planning to host sometime in May.

Peckerhead Red Label

Eclipse Label

Lastly, during February we finally got back to work in the vineyard with the start of pruning! Pruning basically involves going through every vine in the vineyard and cutting back its branches in order to ensure orderly growth in the year to come. It can be cold and monotonous at times, but it's very necessary, and since we got some mechanical pruners this year it's been a lot more fun, and still accident free.

pruning

March: Spring Draws Ever Closer


March will be a pretty quiet month at Grace Hill, as it will largely be spent in the vineyard and the cellar. Pruning will continue its onward march toward completion, needing to be finished by the time buds begin to blossom in early April. When not giving the vines their pre-Spring haircuts, we will be in the cellar blending and bottling our 2010 versions of Prairie Pink, Chloe's Cuvee, and Peckerhead Red, getting them ready for their official release in May. And while we are hard at work on the wines, construction will continue on the event center, getting it ready for a ribbon cutting sometime in May. These are exciting times at Grace Hill Winery!

If you are looking for some Grace Hill Wine but can't make it out to Whitewater, we do have a limited selection in Wichita, Newton, Andover and Derby at these fine restaurants and retailers:

- ABC Liquor at Central and Woodlawn, 21st and Woodlawn, and 21st and Tyler,

- Jacobs Liquor Exchange East and West

- Groves Liquor at Kellogg and Webb.

- Beyond Napa in Old Town Square

- Newton Discount Liquor on Washington Street

- Hills Retail Liquor at 1st and Meridian in Newton

- Auburn Spirits at Maple and 135th

- Rolling Hills Wine and Spirits at Maple and Maize

- Flint Hills Wine and Spirits at Kellogg and Andover Road

- K&S Liquors at Rock and Madison in Derby

- R&J Liquor at Douglas and Hillside

- Beyond Napa Private Cellars in El Dorado

- Anderson Liquor in Newton

- Hangar One Steakhouse on Kellogg near the Airport

- The Anchor - Douglas and Washington in Downtown Wichita

Can't get enough of the goings on at Grace Hill Winery? Follow us on Facebookwhere we upload all of our pictures!

Thanks again for all your support!

Sincerely,

David and Natalie Sollo
Jeff Sollo