19th Hole Wine Club event at Pebble Beach

Saturday, February 13th from 4:30-6:00 we'll be at Jack London's in Carmel to enjoy some wines with some of our friends and maybe a celebrity or two dropping in.

19th Hole Interviews PGA Tour Player Michael Allen

I spoke with PGA Tour Player Michael Allen a week ago about how he felt about the coming season and he was kind enough to share his thoughts.

He said he's in the best shape of his life, which is big words for a man about to turn 51. His biggest concern was changing his irons to the V grooves (vs. square grooves that have been allowed in recent years). V grooves don't grip and spin the ball like the square grooves. Think of deeply rutted off road tires against run-of-the-mill street tires.

I had a similar conversation with Rocco Mediate at the Callaway Invitational at Pebble Beach (another guy on the precipice of the big 50). He was thrilled about this upcoming season with a healthier back and a leveler playing field for wily old ball strikers like him. In previous years he's been giving up 10-60 yards to other players and even if they were in the rough they could spin and control their ball. This year, with the new grooves, their recovery shots from the rough will come our knuckling.

Michael Allen said the Hawaiian Open will tell volumes about the equipment change, in regards to scoring, because the ball sits deep in the Bermuda rough out there. It will be really hard to control distances unless your hitting from the short grass. Michael, by the way, is in 13th after two rounds.

I've got a prediction that this year Michael Allen wins on the PGA Tour and the Champion's Tour. That's his goal as well. If you do get a chance to follow him at a tournament, do it. He is a beautiful ball striker and I think the best all around driver on tour. If he can get hot with his putter, he may hoist quite a few cups in the next few years!

I think this tournament and many others will be rewarding good drivers of the golf ball. There will less emphasis on bombing the ball and hitting 50% of the fairways. It'll be very interesting to see what names excel with the new equipment regulations and if the scores change at all fom the previous years.

19th Hole Wines captures medals at San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

Hello everyone and Happy New Year!

Our 19th Hole wines got a thumbs up from the judges at the San Francisco Wine Competition. We entered our Limited Tier 2008 Chardonnay at $25 (silver medal), our 2005 California Tier Cabernet Sauvignon at $14 (silver medal) and our 2007 California Tier Sauvignon Blanc at $10 (bronze medal).

I thought we might score a gold or two but hey as a new winery it's great to get a vote of confidence from the judges. I knew the wine was good but it's obviously biased being excited about your own wine. Kind of like a parent bragging about their own children. For folks who don't know us is certainly makes it easier to purchase our wine. Purchase wine here or feel free to call me (Kris Moe) directly at 707-529-6458.

FYI- I make about 250 cases of our Limited releases at Cahill Winery in Sebastopol, CA and we purchase our California Tier wines usually from Lodi, CA. We're expecting to do 8,000 cases this year in California, Texas, Ohio, Washington and Texas. But I also hope to add Arizona, Hawaii and Nevada. Places I like to play golf!

Some of you who don't know me probably don't realize I spent most of my life trying to make a living getting the little white ball into a hole. I had a few bright moments as a tour player (a good finish in the British Open in 85) but certainly have made a better career teaching golfers how to stop slicing, Kris Moe Golf Schools in Napa and Pebble Beach. That's the background on my label, 19th Hole. Now I'm enjoying putting both my loves together through this brand.

I'll be doing golf and wine events chasing the PGA Tour across the country again this year organizing "nine and wine" events at private clubs or whoever will have me. We'll start at the Bob Hope in the desert and hit 18 other tour stops through the year. Kind of like being a tour player again, just outside the ropes and not having to sweat over five foot putts to make a check.


We'll be pouring these wines at Fort Mason in San Francisco along with the other contestants February 20 at 2:00 pm. The ticket to attend is $60 and $80 at the door. I hope to see some of you there for a taste or two!