2021 Curse of Knowledge Rates 92pts

This is not another blend from another winery. This is years of labor to break a curse haunting our region from bad wines of the past. As Lorenzo, our partner, so eloquently explained in the SOMM Journal...

"...it seemed as though there was a preconceived perception of our wine, and it made me feel like I had something to prove. I wondered, “Why are people so skeptical and scared to try our wines from this region?”

It took me years to understand that the answer was in the history of what we used to be. We were 'cursed by the knowledge' they had about our region, and the only way to break that spell was to make extraordinary wines. Opinions are hard to change in a short time, but it can be done."

And so it is. Taste our 2021 Painted Fields Curse of Knowledge before it sells out. Best Bordeaux Blend at Sierra Foothills Wine Fest. Rated 92 points by SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel Magazine. Click here to purchase.

Aug 24, 2023 at 8:28 AM Permalink

How Corks Help Our Sustainability Initiative

Did you know cork oak forests make a significant contribution to helping our planet? A cork oak tree lives for up to 200 years and within its lifetime, it becomes a massive storehouse of CO2, which helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Our cork supplier recently honored us with a certificate highlighting our contribution to sequestering 24.6 tonnes of CO2 from the atmosphere - equivalent to what 1,025 trees would capture in a year! The findings are the only ones to date that underwent a multi-closure comparative peer review.

At Andis, we make it a priority to be as sustainable as possible in all that we do, even with our corks. It’s not just because of how it protects the quality of our wines - and, as you now know, our planet - it is also one of nature’s most amazing raw materials that is naturally renewable.

BY ALL MEANS, PUT A CORK IN IT

Cork is an all natural raw material that comes from the bark of a Cork Oak tree. It is light, impermeable to liquids and gases, elastic, compressible, provides thermal and acoustic insulation, it is also a fire retardant and highly abrasion-resistant. Not to mention, it is completely biodegradable, renewable and recyclable. 

So yes, we’re big believers in cork.

THE MIGHTY IMPACT

Every year cork oak forests absorb up to 14 million tonnes of CO2. This ability to retain carbon dioxide is passed on to manufactured cork products, including cork stoppers. What's even better, during the natural regeneration process that follows harvesting, the tree's ability to absorb CO2 increases up to five times. 

In other words, the more it is harvested, the more it protects the environment. 

To learn more about the sustainability of corks, including typical myths vs. facts, visit https://www.amorimcork.com/en/cork/myths-and-curiosities

You’ll never look at corks the same way again.

Jun 6, 2023 at 9:37 AM Permalink

Our Sustainability Initiative

Earth Day is April 22nd, a time when we demonstrate support for environmental protection. At Andis, we believe in honoring that demonstration and make it a mission to be as environmentally-friendly as possible when it comes to winemaking and viticulture. 

Here's how we're doing our part…

Cover Crops

Cover crops are a great way to have a large impact in the vineyard naturally. In between the rows of vines, we plant a variety of cover crops to help the soil with water retention and erosion. The added vegetation attracts healthy insects promoting ecological balance in the vineyards. In the spring, we till the cover crops into the earth, adding much needed nutrients back into the soil.

Owl Boxes

As part of our integrated pest management program, we have built owl boxes to attract our feathered friends. By providing a safe place for the owls to reside in our vineyards, we can help to increase the declining barn owl population in our area.

An owl family can consume up to 2,000 rodents per year, which also helps lessen our use of pesticides and chemicals.

Pomace

We use pomace, the skins left over from winemaking, to keep dust down from our vineyard roads. By controlling dust, fine particles are prevented from becoming airborne, which can cause health issues or damage vegetation.

Our Winery    

Our winery is built with a green design that is solar powered. We positioned the building on an East/West axis so the hot summer sun is only on the roof.

Lighter Bottles & Reusable Carafes    

We are currently switching to lighter weight bottles to help lower waste in packaging. Our "Wine on Tap" program is another way we try to reduce waste by using refillable bottles. 

Recycling

We also recycle everything we possibly can. This includes bottles, boxes, corks, capsules and foils ~ some of which are taken by local artists for different projects.

More to come on how we plan to expand on our sustainability initiative. Stay tuned...

Apr 20, 2023 at 9:00 AM Permalink

Mustard Plants Blooming

It must be Spring! Just look at the bright yellow fields full of mustard blooms in the vineyard. 

The Andis vineyards have never looked so beautiful with the ground cover throughout. As mentioned in my previous blog, ground cover or cover crops can be beneficial in replacing nutrients. But what about mustard plants? While mustard plants do not return vine nutrients back to the soil, they do provide biofumigation, which suppresses various soil pathogens.

Typically mustard plants are used in vineyards to suppress nematodes, a microscopic worm that infect vine roots. Nematode infection will ultimately lead to low grape production and severe vine damage. Mustard plants produce a biofumigate called glucosinolate that deter damaging nematodes.

Later in Spring, the cover crops are turned, giving beneficial mulch to the soils.

So come visit us at Andis Wines and enjoy the beautiful view of our yellow vineyards while you can! 

Apr 12, 2023 at 9:54 AM Permalink

The Story Behind Painted Fields

When trying to find a name for the winery, our family, friends, contractors, advertising agency, and almost everyone we knew had suggestions. From over 75 potential names, including Painted Fields, we narrowed it down to a dozen appropriate names based on our ideas of wanting a wine that was elegant, timeless, and delicious.

I felt strongly we find a name that started with an “A”, as the name would show up alphabetically at the head of the list and would be easy to find in a long list of wineries. Ultimately, Andy and I decided on Andis Wines, a combination of both our names, as well as one that starts with an “A”.

But with such idyllic scenery and beautiful rolling hills, everyone involved still loved the name Painted Fields, which was the name submitted by Paul Almond and Pam Whitehead of Sage Architects, who designed the Andis Wines building and tasting room. Painted Fields is a beautiful name and was one of the remaining narrowed down names. The name even inspired renowned Hawaiian artist Kelly Sueda to come up with the Painted Fields label design.

Today, Painted Fields has become a known wine brand, producing wines that are popular and delicious. The Painted Fields brand includes wines named “Painted Fields Curse of Knowledge”, a rich Bordeaux style blend, “Painted Fields Cuvee Blanc”, a delicious light, white blend, and “Painted Fields Old Vine Zinfandel”, a blend of Zinfandel grapes taken from some of the oldest vines in the Foothills. We are pleased that Painted Fields has become so popular.

Feb 14, 2023 at 12:50 PM Permalink