I’ve come to learn that being a journalist means you will inevitably find yourself writing about a subject that’s largely new to you. It’s part of what was alluring to me starting out as a news reporter a decade ago – tomorrow won’t look the same as today.
Sometimes being out in the field literally meant being out in a field in the Tri-Valley or on the Coastside, interviewing people in the ag industry about the challenges and triumphs of farming. A couple of times I found myself among the grapevines at wineries like Clos de la Tech in Woodside to see how wine grapes were picked, processed and fermented at harvest time. I learned about the extensive work that goes into winemaking and how vintners are at the whim of nature – weather that’s too hot or too cold could spell trouble for that year’s vintage.
Nicolas Vonderheyden, winemaker and vineyard manager for the wine label Maison Areion, says the climate at Chaine d’Or Vineyard along Highway 84 in Woodside – where the grapes are grown for his wine – plays an important role in his winemaking. ““(The vineyard) is located at 1,400 feet elevation, and we’re not very far from the coastline so there’s a lot of Pacific influence,” he said. “This tends to preserve the natural acidity in wines, and this is what I really love.”
Nicolas’ winemaking journey has taken him from France to California, and he’s now spent nearly a decade making wine from Chaine d’Or. He currently produces only 350 cases of Maison Areion a year, so the wine isn’t widely distributed. Read Eleanor Raab’s feature to find out more about Maison Areion and how you can get your hands on a bottle.
“I’m everywhere, I’m so Julia,”
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
Food-friendly wines and a love of the land are the focus at small Woodside winery Maison Areion
Nicolas Vonderheyden, winemaker and vineyard manager for the Woodside-based wine label Maison Areion, isn’t a one-trick pony when it comes to winemaking: He’s been making wine from Woodside’s Chaine d’Or Vineyard for nearly 10 years.
Meet the musician who always hits a high note, playing the tower bells above the Stanford campus
Lots of people can claim to have a workspace with a view but it would be hard to compete with Timothy Zerlang, whose “office” is on the 14th floor of Stanford University’s Hoover Tower. He is is Stanford’s carillonneur — the person responsible for the melodic sounds that emanate from the historic building.
Books and beyond: Longtime Menlo Park bookshop Feldman’s has become a flourishing community hub
For more than two decades, Feldman’s Books in Menlo Park has been a favorite spot for local readers, a treasure trove of secondhand books. But the shop also has increasingly become a community gathering space and a venue for a variety of live events.
Congrats to Victoria H. of Los Altos, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Coyote Point in San Mateo!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Starry Nights with San Francisco Ballet: July 26-27 SF Ballet returns to Stanford’s Frost Amphitheater to perform selections from “Swan Lake” and more.
Rachel Spung and the Soul Service: July 27 Catch original soul and R&B music at Red Rock Coffee.
Head West State Street Market: July 28 Downtown Los Altos hosts a pop-up market featuring independent artists and makers, live music and wine by the glass.
Sip and Shop: July 28 Say goodbye to Byrd’s Filling Station at its final sip and shop event.
Line Dancing with Sandy and Kent: Aug. 1 Learn some line-dancing moves at this family-friendly outdoor workshop.
A Midsummer Night’s Market: Aug. 2 Dress up in your best fairy wings and flower crowns, shop for crystals, mystical goods and handmade wares, get a tarot reading and enjoy food and drink under twinkling lights at the Midsummer Night’s Market.
Outlaw Music Festival: Aug. 3 Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp all on the same bill? The three icons of country, folk and rock come to Shoreline for Nelson’s Outlaw Music Festival.
Mt. Umunhum Guided Walk: Aug. 3 Learn about what it was like to live and work at the Almaden Air Force Station during the Cold War on a leisurely paced guided walk.
Plan Ahead
Design a San Mateo County Park Poster: Through Aug. 9 Calling all local artists: San Mateo County Parks Foundation is seeking designs for posters of more county parks: San Pedro Valley Park, Sawyer Camp Trail and Wunderlich Park.
Coyote Point SummerFest: Aug. 10 Giant kites, taiko drummers, food trucks, bike rides and kids’ activities abound at this free celebration of summertime.
Shakespeare in the Park: Aug. 10-25 Redwood City’s Red Morton Park hosts weekend productions of “The Tempest” by San Francisco Shakespeare Festival.
Burlingame on the Avenue: Aug. 17-18 Three music stages, entertainment for kids and art vendors galore are lined up for this Burlingame festival.
Big Bad Barn Dance: Aug. 18 A fundraiser for Friends of Huddart & Wunderlich Parks, this event features live music and a dance caller plus barbecue and other refreshments in the historic Folger Stable.
Cool Season Vegetable Gardening: Aug. 24 Learn the basics of growing rainy season veggies like beets, broccoli and kale with Master Gardener Laura Westley.
Palo Alto Festival of the Arts: Aug. 24-25 Downtown Palo Alto hosts its annual festival devoted to art, with Italian street painters, a kids’ art studio, live performances and food and drinks.
Belmont Greek Festival: Aug. 31-Sept. 1 The annual festival returns for Labor Day weekend, featuring Greek food and drink favorites, live music and dancing.
Scenes from the World Dog Surfing Championships in Pacifica
Canines catching waves on the Coastside? Welcome to the quirkiest summertime event on the Peninsula.
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