Rucksack Cellars

And even a little rain

Aaaahhh…now that felt good!

For the past couple of weeks we have enjoyed some rather mild temperatures up here in the foothills. It has topped out in the mid-80’s, averaging in the 70’s, with even a few days only getting up to the upper 60’s. Last Friday and Saturday we even had a little bit of rain, only about a .10th of an inch.

What this means for us in the vineyard is ripening of the grape clusters has slowed, due to the cooler temperatures. Hopefully, this will bring us back to a preferred beginning of harvest, sometime in early to mid-September. With the small amount of rain, the leaves on the vines received a little cleaning off of the summers dust and dirt, which in turn should improve their production over the last few weeks until we harvest.

Bottom line…the longer hang time that the weather is providing us and the improved production of the vines that the rain has gifted us should translate into more complex and balanced fruit and a hopefully fantastic harvest.

September 18, 2024 from 6pm to 8pm

A Fun evening with wine and floral design.

Join Beverly Glass and Teresa Brewster (of Frog Hollow Flower Farm and Treasures At The Barn) on Wednesday, September 18 for our next flower class. We will be using seasonally fresh cut flowers for our early Fall “Flower Arranging Class.”

Tickets will remain $65/person and include all the supplies needed to create your arrangement and your first glass of Rucksack wine.

To purchase tickets…stay on this website and click the “STORE” tab across the banner, followed by the “EVENTS AND MERCHANDISE” tab.

See you in September for some fun flower arranging.

September 18, 2024 from 6pm to 8pm

SAVE THE DATE!!!

I know that it seems so far away to be possibly planning for when the weather is a little cooler, the days are a little shorter, the kids are back in school and there might just be some hints of fall colors, but that is exactly what we are hoping you will do.

Join Beverly Glass and Teresa Brewster (of Frog Hollow Flower Farm and Treasures At The Barn) on Wednesday, September 18 for our next flower class. We will be using seasonally fresh cut flowers for our early Fall “Flower Arranging Class.”

Tickets will remain $65/person and include all the supplies needed to create your arrangement and your first glass of Rucksack wine.

Stay tuned for a link to purchase tickets.

Tasting Inside

I know that it has been extremely hot for the past few weeks and this weekend looks to continue the trend.

I totally understand that when you are relaxing in your home in the cool AC, that it can be hard to leave such a pleasant environment.

Well, three weeks into this heat wave, you must be itching for something to do! Rucksack can be just as pleasant of an environment, plus we have wine and cheese. When the temperatures soar, we open our building and hold our tastings inside the temperature controlled oasis. The whites and rosé are chilled and the reds are at that perfect temperature. Plus…we have our charcuterie boards available which make for a perfect snack or light lunch.

So often, when we are out on the patio, I hear questions about our building. What do we use it for? What is it like in there? Do you ever do events or tastings inside? Is the insulation really that good? Do you sometimes like to climb the stacks like King Kong and swing from the rafters? Are there really bottles of wine in those boxes? Now is your chance to come see for yourself and sit amongst our stock of current, past and even future wines while basking in the comfortable environment.

Of course, if you want, you can still sit out on our patio and enjoy the sounds of running water and birds chirping with the absolutely exquisite views over our Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc vineyards.

July 17, 2024 from 6pm to 8pm

Last Wednesday at Rucksack, we gathered with Beverly Glass and Teresa Brewster (of Frog Hollow Flower Farm and Treasures At The Barn) for our first flower class of the season to create some beautiful Lavender Wreaths. The creativity and originality that resulted from the simple guidance of our instructors and a few hours of concentrated work and fun was amazing. Of course, having a glass of Rucksack wine definitely assists with the flow of creative juices.

If you missed our June class or you just had so much fun you want to come again, next month on July 17 from 6pm to 8pm, we will be shifting gears with Beverly and Teresa in order to create some garlic braids. If you are a garlic lover, you won’t want to miss this one.

Tickets are $65/person and include all the supplies needed to create your garlic braid and your first glass of Rucksack wine. To make your reservation, simply stay on this website and click the “STORE” tab across the top banner, followed by the “EVENTS AND MERCHANDISE” tab.

This Thursday – The Amazing Patrick Walsh

It was a toasty evening, and last Thursday our first Community Night at Rucksack was a ton of fun. The warmer weather meant that our fabulous Chenin Blanc, Barbera Rose and Moscato were the wines of choice, and I’m thrilled with how people enjoyed them!

This Thursday evening, June 13 from 6pm to 8pm, we are ecstatic to welcome back to Rucksack the musical stylings of Patrick Walsh. The weather is forecast to be a little cooler, which should make for a beautiful evening.

As always, all Rucksack wines will be available by the glass or bottle along with our charcuterie boards. You are welcome to bring your own picnic baskets, but please no outside alcohol.

Tickets for our Community Nights are $10/person ($5 for club members). Our picnic tables are on a first come first served basis, however there is plenty of room for you to bring your own picnic set-up or sit on our rock wall.

Every Thursday in June

When the calendar turns to June, Thursdays from 6pm to 8pm, Community Nights at Rucksack Cellars return!

All Rucksack wines will be available by the glass or bottle along with our charcuterie boards. As always, you are welcome to bring your own picnic baskets, but please no outside alcohol.

Tickets for our Community Nights are $10/person ($5 for club members). Our picnic tables are on a first come first served basis, however there is plenty of room for you to bring your own picnic set-up or sit on our rock wall. 

Our June line-up of musicians is as follows:

June 6 – Brian Lemley

June 13 – Patrick Walsh

June 20 – Cin D

June 27 – Madronas very own Paul Nurre

Looking forward to another summer season of music, fun and community!

Lavender Wreaths

The first flower class of 2024 is right around the corner!

Lavender Wreaths: June 19, 2024 from 6pm to 8pm @ Rucksack Cellars.

While sipping on a glass of Rucksack wine…or two…Beverly Glass and Teresa Brewster of Frog Hollow Flower Farm and Treasures At The Barn, will be guiding us through the construction of lavender wreaths. This is a perfect event to enjoy with your mother or daughter, on a date night, or with a group of friends.

For tickets, stay on this website and click on the “STORE” tab above, followed by the “EVENTS AND MERCHANDISE” tab. Tickets are $65/person and includes all supplies needed to create your wreath and your first glass of wine.

We cannot wait to see you all at this years flower classes!

Weather is warming up

As much as I love the storage building at Rucksack, it really is just that…a storage building. Luckily it also creates a really cool, laid back and immersive tasting experience that suits the Rucksack vibe perfectly. So during those cold and wet months or when the summer heat really starts to sizzle, it is an amazing option to have.

However, all is not right in the world until we can be outside on our patio full time. This means that the beautiful weather has returned on a more consistent basis and patrons can enjoy the spectacular views and wonderful environment that is uniquely Rucksack. Surrounded by our Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc vineyards with gorgeous trees and flowers blooming and budding all around you.

What was so cool about opening the patio this past weekend was we were able to provide the perfect oasis for tasters to escape the crowds that came with our areas annual “Passport” weekend. Rucksack provided the gift of a peaceful respite surrounded by the sights, sounds and smells of nature while enjoying our tasting flight and charcuterie board options.

I can not wait for you to come visit me at Rucksack and enjoy this incredible environment for yourselves!