Page 10 - Sanger Herald 7-12-18 E-edition

Lifestyles
SANGER HERALD • 2B • THURSDAY, JULY 12, 2018
Winemakers open for business
Sanger
By Mike Nemeth
Sanger Herald
When Mike Ubick visited his uncle in a little community 60 miles north of Dubrovnik on the Adriatic Sea in southern Croatia, the elderly man was still tending the grape vines Ubick’s grandfather had planted.
Ubick recounted the story during a recent tour of his 13 acres of wine grapes. Ubick and his wife, Tanya, opened Valley Oak Winery on Belmont Avenue in Sanger, just west of Bethel Avenue, earlier this year.
And talking about his grandfather, a man who emigrated early last century, made him wonder aloud what the man would’ve thought about Ubick’s own vineyards. Specifically, the drip irrigation and the immaculate rows comprised of eight different wine grape varieties that he and Tanya began planting about five years ago.
Maybe the elder Ubick would be impressed.
“Couple of years from now, they’ll be a lot fuller,” Ubick said of the vines, which have narrow trunks but no shortage of emerald green leaves, cordons and shoots. “It’s a nice little place. I’m very fortunate. We just did it exactly the way we wanted it.”
Valley Oak joins an expanding network of Sanger wine makers that includes Kings River Winery on Greenwood Avenue, Marèchal Winery on Zediker Avenue and Cedar View Winery on Frankwood Avenue, south of the School House Restaurant. The industry has become more prominent in the Valley throughout the past decade.
Valley Oak offers a modern tasting room off the newly completed building where oak wine barrels rest on their sides in a constant 70 degrees — part of the 18- to 24-month process of creating the vintages that the Ubicks will bottle on
The Centerville Fruit Station has opened its Multi Colored Sunflower Maze. The operation is east on
A Word About Forgiveness — Accept Responsibility Part 6
We are in a series about forgiveness. So far, we have discovered that burying, blaming and beating ourselves up are not successful ways of dealing with guilt.
Last week, we dealt with the first step: admit it.
This week: I accept responsibility for my actions. I don’t rationalize it. I don’t blame others, minimize or make excuses.
David committed adultery with Bathsheba. Psalm 51 was David’s prayer of repentance, and
Mike Nemeth / Sanger Herald
Mike and Tanya Ubick have opened Valley Oak Winery on Belmont Avenue just west of Bethel Avenue.
worked for the federal agency, continuing to move up through the ranks after Mike left.
“We both came from farm families,” Mike said.
He grew up in Clovis, she grew up in Caruthers. Both their families farmed grapes. “Whatever you could do with a grape,” Tanya said.
While they purchased their land and the remodeled house on a plot that comprises a total of 17 acres in 2013, both had extensive experience in farming — and winemaking. Ubick said they produced their first vintage wine in 2008, working through another winery.
Next month, they plan to plant another acre of grape vines, probably barbera. In all, the winery grows sangiovese, merlot, zinfandel, primitive, syrah, petite sirah and cabernet varieties. Mike said they also produce a couple of white wines, although they don’t grow the grapes on the property.
Mike said production will increase as the vines mature and produce more. Many are laden with grapes this year. “Every year we’ll be adding eight to 10 barrels,” he said. “Hopefully we can sell everything we produce.”
Mike’s immigrant grandfather, Mato Ubick, who ended up in the central San Joaquin Valley, worked a number of jobs and farmed. While his grandson didn’t stray far from the area, the elder Ubick, who changed his name to Mike in the United States, returned to his home country after his wife died. He left Ubick’s father, Nicholas, behind as the young man was old enough to make it on his own.
Back in Croatia, Ubick’s grandfather remarried. And he farmed and made wine.
It’s a legacy that continues.
The reporter can be contacted by email at nemethfeatures@gmail.com or by phone at the Herald at (559) 875-2511.
with mindboggling magic. On July 20 the Discovery Center explores the worlds of different kinds of animals by looking at skeletons and skulls in this hands-on class.
imperfect planet.
No relationship, no
marriage, no family, no job, nobody is perfect. When we refuse to be real with another person, it creates all kinds of fears in our lives. It is a roadblock to intimacy and creates insecurity in marriage, friendship and all other relationships. First, I admit it. It’s wrong. Then I accept responsibility and I admit it to another person.
Next Week: Part 7 – How to ask for Forgiveness.
Pastor Sam Estes is city advance director and facilitates the Sanger Community Task Force that meets the first and third Tuesdays every month. He can be reached at pastorsam51@gmail.com.
site and eventually bring to market. Two massive oak doors, custom-made by Mike Bushell of RPM Planing Mill, lead into the brightly furnished room where the wine is poured for customers.
Tammy Wolfe, president and chief executive of the Sanger District Chamber of Commerce, liked the Ubicks’ establishment so much she put the winery on her Fruit Trail Bus tour June 16.
“Just in case you haven’t heard, Sanger is becoming the new wine tasting stop,” she said in an email. “We are extremely excited to have Valley Oak Winery call Sanger their home. Mike and Tanya Ubick have created an atmosphere of ‘Bring your family, bring a lunch, sit and enjoy the view with a glass of wine.’
“All of our wineries are extremely customer service oriented. Ready to serve with a smile and an attitude of glad you are here!”
Wolfe said Sanger has in addition to the four wineries “our very own Dragon’s Lair micro beer brewery.
Highway 180 from Sanger at 16155 E. Kings Canyon Road, or the heart of the little town of Centerville.
he doesn’t even mention her. Why? It’s not about her. It’s about him. By the way, Psalm 51 is a great Psalm to read as your prayer. If you don’t know what to say, use David’s words. It’s a great, great prayer of cleansing and forgiveness.
In Psalms 51:3 David says, “I recognized my faults. I am conscious of my sins. I accept responsibility.”
What’s the best way to ensure that I really am acting responsible? That I’m owning up to it?
The best way to get over the feeling of feeling guilty is to tell one other person. Not the whole world. Just find one person who loves you unconditionally and is not going to judge you — just listen. And you tell one
We have everything we need to bring every type of wine enthusiast to our city. Enjoy the Bounty of County.”
Likewise, Bushell enjoyed doing the custom work for the Ubicks. He made three of their doors from Valley oak, which, he pointed out, is the same as white oak. “That’s kind of cool in wineries because of all the barrels,” he said, explaining that the barrels are made from the same material. “It’s a French cut.”
Bushell said he enjoyed getting to know the Ubicks. “That’s a small business out there,” he said. “Neat people.”
Bushell also made doors for the Marèchal Winery and said he does a lot of custom work for the industry. Some use reclaimed wood, he said. “We make a lot of doors here,” he said. “It’s just whatever they want.”
Inside the Valley Oak tasting room is a bar made from wood reclaimed from a barn about a century old. The bartop boasts the same material but is covered
The maze is about three- quarters of an acre, and some of the stalks measure 20 feet. Details, Vicky Herkel 559-908-5676.
Junior Giants Jamboree is planned again this year at 9 a.m. July 14 at Rotary Ball
in a thick glossy resin that’s been finished to flat perfection. Tanya Ubick poured a taste of a Valley Oak red vintage into a wine glass for a picture, but it was far too early that day to sample.
The room was filled with some repurposed farm equipment that dates back into Valley agricultural history.
“There’s a story behind each (of the pieces),” Mike Ubick said. “My father was a collector. If it was old and rusty, he saved it.”
Perhaps the most unique piece required looking up at the vaulted ceiling. Tanya explained the story behind the “chandelier” hanging over the main bar. “The light is a brooder,” she said.
Really. The large metal circular hood looked at first like a cap for a giant robot. But as Tanya explained how it sat on the ground and provided heat and light for recently hatched chicks, the concept of its original design made sense.
And the 75-year-old brooder still worked when they pulled it out of whatever storage it
Park, Cherry and Bethel avenues. The event is free for Junior Giants players, there will be snacks, drinks, prizes and games. Details, Rhiannon Aragon 559-419- 0132.
The Sanger branch of
had been in prior to its repurpose, Mike said. However, Tanya said they opted to replace all the old wiring and disconnect the heaters — although the units remain attached.
There’s even a story behind the wine labels and the company’s logo, a large oak inked for the company by son Chris Ubick. The drawing is based on a tree from the front yard of Mike Ubick’s childhood home on Ashlan Avenue, across from Clovis East High School. Another label bears the image of Mike’s first car, a 1930 Ford Model A.
“It was 40 years old when I bought it,” he said of the vintage Ford. And no, it doesn’t have the rumble seat option, he added. And since the topic of cars came up, he said he parked it in favor of a brand new VW Bug in 1970. He said he drove the Beetle to college every day at Fresno State. He said he still has the Model A.
Mike worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture for 30 years as a supervisor and inspector before retiring. Tanya also
the Fresno County Library plans Outdoor Fun shows at 10 and 11:30 a.m. directly outside the library in the park. On July 13 Magician Tim Mannix will perform a family-friendly magic show that combines comedy
God’s forgiven them but they still carry guilt the rest of their lives. Because they’ve never been healed. They’ve been forgiven but not healed of their faults.
Why do you need to do this? The root of most of our problems is relational. Our relationships to our parents, to the family we grew up in, to our friends, to our husband/wife, our children, other people in our life. They’re all relational.
We fake it and pretend to have it all together when everybody knows we don’t. We are all broken. There are only two kinds of people in the world. People who are broken and sinful and know it and people who are broken and sinful and won’t admit it. We’re on an
Sanger News & Community Calendar
PASTOR’S CORNER
other person. This action
you’ve sinned against, you go to that person. You say I need to give you my spiritual evaluation. Can you listen for five minutes?
will help be the removal of your
feeling of guilt.
You don’t have
to confess to another person to
be forgiven. All
you must do is
confess to God and you’ll be forgiven. But for many of you, God’s already forgiven you and you still feel guilty.
If you want to be forgiven, you tell God. If you want to feel forgiven, you’ve got to tell one other person. That’s the way God wired us? We only get well in community. You don’t have to tell a bunch of people. You only really need to tell one person.
And if it’s between you and another person that
Pastor Sam Estes
The Bible says we accept responsibility. God says this is an essential key to your healing. James 5:16 declares, “Admit your faults to one another and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” It doesn’t say so that you may be forgiven, but so that you
may be healed.
These are two different
things. Forgiveness comes from God. Healing comes in relationships. This is why so many people have confessed a sin to God and