Meet Grower Steve Borra
Our winemaking philosophy is to create wines that reflect the flavor of perfectly ripe wine grapes. We wabnt to make soft, rich, and inviting wines that cry out for another sip and another glass. Fundamentally these flavors are born in the vineyard. We believe that wine is more about the grape grower and less about the winemaker.
Borra Vineyards in Lodi, California, is one of those growers. We met Steve Borra years ago. Wearing cowboy boots and driving an old pickup he gave us a tour of the “ranch.” Not a steer to be seen on this ranch — just acres of beautifully tended vines. Steve’s passion for grapes is obvious and tasting the wines from his own small winery confirmed his commitment to quality. We have been buying his grapes ever since.
Borra specializes in Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Shiraz. These grapes thrive in Lodi’s very warm summers and reach perfect ripeness even in unusually cool summers – 2011 being one of those. When we talk about great California red wines exhibiting true varietal character, about exhibiting fresh off the vine flavor, few growers deliver better fruit than Steve Borra.
Don’t those grapes look delicious? If this photo has you craving a glass of Zin, we have some full-bodied, dry red wines for you!
Spring Blooms in the Vineyard
Spring at Oliver Winery is an exciting time deep in Indiana’s scenic wine country. Our blooming vines are getting ready to produce clusters of fruit, and right now we are busy setting the stage for the rest of the growing season.
Winemaker's Notes: Soft Wine Collection Sweet White
We had a chat with our winemaker, Dennis Dunham, to get his take on the flavor profile of our Sweet White wine. Made from Niagara grapes, it’s a fun and refreshing sweet white wine for any time. You’ll enjoy bright, floral aromas on the nose, followed by carefully preserved flavors with a rich finish and lingering sweetness.
Hello Harvest: Creekbend Pinot Grigio
Harvest began today, on the most remarkably nice day of the year, with 1.58 tons of Pinot Grigio at Creekbend Vineyard deep in Southern Indiana’s scenic rolling hills. We spent much of August testing our crops for ripeness, and today, the Pinot was just right. Sweet, sublime flavors of apple and pear, with a delicacy that will carry over to the wine we make with this grape.