Greetings!!

Adam, the winemaker is busy working on the riesling and the chambourcin.  He's also working on updating the pictures for the website.  He's also working on getting cornhole boards made.  He's also working on our September newsletter.  Mom's still blogging.

Our daughter and her husband were home over the week-end.  We all took off on Saturday to attend a family wedding and once again we're grateful to have a capable crew running things back here at Paper Moon.  Thanks especially go out to Angie, Keith, Greg and Michelle for holding down the fort with great success.  While we were out and around we took the opportunity to stop at a nice winery in Berlin Center, Mastropietro.  If you're ever over on that side of the state it would be worth your while to visit them.  Lovely.

Since the "kids" were around we decided we were overdue for a trip to Cedar Point.  We went out for starlight hours on Sunday night.  On Monday morning I decided my body might be getting too old for such shenanigans?!  I think the favorite ride is Top Thrill Dragster with Millenium running a close second.  Oh, either one, I don't know. 

Anyhow, back to PMV, here are some things you may want to note for September:  we have a guest pianist scheduled for every Thursday night from 6 until 9 p.m. and we've scheduled Rotuno's to return on the 26th for a rib dinner.  You better get out here and see what's going on...

Grace and peace,

Sheryl

Greetings all,

First, allow me to say, "WOW!"  You knocked our socks off!!  The Rotuno's BBQ was a tremendous success with 150 dinners served.  Of course it took all day Sunday for us to recover, we went to church then slept the WHOLE day away.  Anyhow, the food was great, the wine tasted even better with the good food, the rain finally stopped and everybody was happy.  We are aware that a few folks missed out because the dinners were SOLD OUT, sorry.  Thankfully Mike and Angie kept our kitchen open so there was PMV food available.

Keith took lots of pictures last Saturday.  Adam is busy with a wine specialist from Purdue today but when he gets done we'll bug him to post some of those pictures, OK?

Keep your eye on our website as we're planning something special (Wink. Wink.) for September 19th, the last Saturday of summer, or September 26th, the first Saturday of fall.  Don't be sad, we'll keep having fun here long after the summer sun sets. 

Speaking of the summer coming to an end, everyone asks if we'll be open in the winter?  YES.  We gotta pay the bills, folks, and we've got bills.  We're waiting until after Labor Day to re-evaluate our weekly schedule but we'll keep you informed if there are any changes.  We have a staff meeting almost every Wednesday morning and we're talking through all of this.  In January Dick and I hope to escape to our cabin in South Carolina but PMV will stay open with limited hours of operation for that month.

This Thursday we have "Coffee with the Conductor" here at PMV.  Carl Topilow, conductor of our Firelands Symphony Orchestra will meet and greet guests at 10 a.m.  This event is FREE and open to the public.  For more details, call the symphony at 419-621-4800.

This Friday evening we'll stay open an extra hour so Sailor fans can stop in after their first home game.  We remember well those days when we rushed home after school, found all the pieces and parts to the uniform, realized there were no clean black socks, dug through laundry baskets, searched under the back seat of the car for the extra mouthpiece, inhaled some fast food and rushed back to the stadium for pre-game warm-ups... whew!  This Friday, when the game is all over plan to stop by PMV.  Our tasting counter will be selling wine, food and soft beverages until 11 p.m.

We do love band!!  Adam, tuba, OU '05.  Sheryl, clarinet, BGSU '78.  Because we love band we're supporting the VHS band boosters by hosting their fall fund-raiser here on September 30th.  It will be a ticketed event.  More details coming soon. 

OK, I gotta get busy updating the September calendar now.  Keep checking back.

Grace and peace,

Sheryl (the winemaker's mom)

Well, I suppose you've heard that we're OUT OF NIAGARA!!  Oh, no!!  It's true, the last bottle of this year's production has been sold.  The answer to the next question is, "We won't have more until 2010!!"  Oh, no!!  Oh, yes!!  We'll pick more Niagara grapes this October and then start the wine-making process again.  Dick, my husband, says we'll pick many, many, many more Niagara grapes this harvest season.  He's so smart.  When we started this process last fall we wondered to ourselves who would drink all this wine?!  Who would have thought that it wasn't enough?!

We should have more Harvest Blend bottled for you "sweeties" this week-end.

Speaking of the week-end... come join us Saturday from 4-7 for the live music.  Dante pursued through wind and rain last Saturday and don't you know?  The sun came out.  This Saturday we welcome for his first performance at Paper Moon, David Lester.  You can check him out at www.davidtlester.com and then come see his live performance here on Saturday.

On August 22nd we heartily welcome back the Mark Gridley Trio but that's not all.  In case you haven't heard, we're adding a food event to that Saturday.  Rotuno's of Elyria will be catering a chicken barbeque from 5-8 p.m.  Pre-sale tickets are suggested as the dinners will be first come, first served.  The meal includes 1/2 chicken, cheese potatoes, cole slaw and corn bread for $12.  Call Angie or Sheryl by 5 p.m. on 8/21 to guarantee your meal with a credit card, 440-967-2500.

I'm sitting here looking at a photo of my favorite grandson on my desk, he's all smiles.  He's a happy boy in real life too.  I'm happy because Noah's coming to the winery and I get to babysit tomorrow afternoon, after we mow the lawn and maybe sneak in a waterski excursion (I hope).

Come see us.  It's fun here.

Blessings,

Sheryl (the winemaker's mom)

We welcome back "DANTE" on Saturday afternoon.  All outside tables are first-come first-served so get here early for the afternoon music.

We're down to the last case of Niagara for this season, all 450 gallons have been happily comsumed.  We'll have to make more this fall.  The production room is humming, bottling more "Harvest Blend".  Hopefully the Niagara fans will find this purple cousin a pleasant substitute.

Our August issue #1 e-mail newsletter went out this week.  Check your inbox. 

I have a bag of mulch laying out in my driveway. It's been there since May?!  Whenever shall I get around to my spring yard projects...

Blessings,

The winemaker's MOM

Dad's back, too!!  We were off to Maine for a wedding.  Adam was gone, too, he was camping with a bunch of guys from his church, riding bikes and playing in the mud all week-end.  Life is good, especially knowing that we have a great staff here at Paper Moon and that we left the place in capable hands.  It was much like leaving a new baby with the sitter for the very first time.  We came back and ALL IS WELL!!  Sleeping baby.  Happy sitters.

Now, we're getting ready for another week-end, the first week-end of August?!  We all have too much to do before this summer starts to wind itself down, right?  Dr. Mom says our first priority needs to be "R&R" and Paper Moon is the place to do it.  If we could bottle time we would and then sell it like crazy.  Well, we can't do that but we can make the best of your relaxation time.  I'll suggest, as I have before, get your Saturday chores done and then end your afternoon here or start your evening here, it's all a matter of perspective.  Or, do like we used to do at Bowling Green in the 70s, start the week-end on Thursday and may I suggest you start it here?.  Another scenario, plan to skip the chores, enjoy Friday here and just plain sleep in on Saturday.  See?!  This is working...

This Saturday's music is sure to be an "escape from the same".  We're featuring the TWO BARI JAZZ QUINTETand this is going to be a treat.  If you're a local musician you may know John Deavers as the repairman at Driscol music in Lorain.  If you're a fan of high school bands then you may know Jeff Meyers as a director of the Amherst bands.  John and Jeff are the TWO BARI part of the quintet.  In case you're not a music geek like me, quintet = 5.  So, John and Jeff are two and that means there are three more instruments, get it? I won't say any more, you'll have to see and hear for yourself.

If you don't make it here look for us at A TASTE OF HISTORY at the Black River Landing in Lorain this Saturday.  That event runs from noon until 9 p.m. and will include arts, crafts, antique vendors, musical entertainment, food vendors and wine tasting by local wineries.  The WAVE radio station is a partner in this event and will sponsor a smooth jazz concert from 6 - 9 p.m.  The wine tasting costs $10 and includes a souvenir glass and 5 tastes.

We're in to the dog daze of summer.  ENJOY!!

Blessings,

Sheryl (the winemaker's mom)

Hello friends!

I just posted some new pictures in the photo section, so be sure to check them out.  This weekend, John Burrow will be back at PMV, so be sure to come for the live music on Saturday. 

The Paper Moon crew took a little breather this weekend and spent Sunday at the islands.  11 of us (including my 4 month old son, Noah), loaded up on the boat and set course for Kelleys.  We strolled around the island and visited Kelleys Island Winery.  After our visit there, we powered up and headed to Put-In-Bay.  We visited one of Ohio's oldest wineries, Heineman's, then headed uptown for some barbecue chicken and corn.  Mmmmmmmmm...

This was Noah's first boat ride and he did FANTASTIC.  He must have loved the drone of the engines because he fell asleep within 5 minutes everytime we started the boat.

This weekend in Vermilion is "Christmas in July."  Plan a trip to Vermilion, visit the winery, take part in the festivities in town, and enjoy yourself! 

Until next time...

God Bless,

Adam

Hello Friends!

Recently the "Winemaker's Blog" has become the "Winemaker's Mom's Blog."  I really can't complain however, as life has been a whirlwind lately.  We've been hitting the summer festival circuit, meeting new friends, and keeping busy in the tasting room.  My son, Noah, is trying to grow as big as his daddy (I'm 6' 4" and an undisclosed amount of lbs).  I'm already worried about the grocery bill once he starts eating solid foods. :-p  When I was 10 years old, I had a size 10 shoe.  Each year, my shoes got one size bigger until I was 15 years old and wore a size 15.  I won't be surprised if he does the same...  he'll be fun to wrestle with someday. :-)

Back to the winery...  we appreciate your patronage and are continually meeting new people in the area who say, "We had NO IDEA you were even here!"  That's exciting. 

Now comes the good news/bad news.  We'll start with the bad news.  The Niagara, one of our most popular wines, is almost sold out.  I figure it will probably last another 3 weeks or so.  Trust me, I'll make a larger volume of it next year (we did about 450 gallons this year).  The good news is our Harvest Blend will be released just in time to find a place in the hearts of Niagara lovers.  It is a blend that consists of mostly Concord, with 13% Barbera to give it a lot of depth for a sweet wine.  I debated on sweetening this wine more than I actually did (about 4% residual sugar), but decided not to because the additional sugar would have knocked out the true character of the wine/grapes.  I really think you'll enjoy it!  I'm looking forward to having a glass of it on a hot summer day myself. :-)  Come by tomorrow (Wednesday) and be one of the first people to try this new wine.

We have had quite a few inquiries about our Riesling...  okay, that's an understatement.  We've had TONS of inquiries.  All I can say is, wine takes time.  I appreciate your patience.  This wine has been a little stubborn when it comes to protein stability, so I've had to give it some extra attention.  I refuse to release a wine before it is ready, but assure you it will be available this summer. 

That's all for now.  I guess I had a lot to share.  If you read all the way to the end, you get a GOLD STAR!  I hope to see the familiar faces soon and make the unfamiliar faces familiar even sooner.

God Bless,

Adam

We'll be bottling this week and Adam has promised he'll be back to you with an update as soon as we get the bottling line going.  He also promised some more pictures?!  Let me go find him...

Sheryl

My mother-in-law always says that it's not really summer in Ohio until the 4th of July!!  Okay, summer, the 4th is done gone and we're ready for you any time now...  temps may not feel like summer but Paper Moon is in the full swing of it.  The covered patio is the place to be so make plans to get here early in order to have a seat for our Saturday afternoon music.  This week we're pleased to welcome back "Keith" (not our vineyard manager but the musician) under the canopy.  Playing a variety of pop and easy listening music, "Keith" was a big hit the last time he was here.  Dick and I had to leave early to go to a wedding but we heard   patrons didn't want him to quit so he agreed to stay past the seven o'clock hour :) 

Thinking of making a day trip out to Vermilion?  There's lots on the city calendar this week including the LOCAL MARKET to be held from 2-6 p.m. on Saturday, this week's market will include a special visit from MULBERRY CREEK herb farm.  If you enjoy yard sales then you'd enjoy Vermilion's SECOND SATURDAY CITYWIDE SALE when local residents display items for sale from 9-4 p.m.

It's already the second Saturday of July?!  How can that be?!  Better put off doing chores and get out and have some summer fun!!

See you at the Moon.

Blessings,

Sheryl

We'll fire up the grill this week-end and serve dollar dogs all day Saturday in honor of the national hot dog eating contest at Coney Island... and Scott Alan, "The Island Doctor" makes a return appearance on our patio, bringing us that island -style music.  Stop in before you head out for the fireworks.

Adam will be out at Black River Landing in Lorain for the WAVE radio's 4th of July concert.  Be sure to stop in for a taste and say hi to him if you are out for the concert and fireworks.