Friday, December 19, 2008

The Challenge begins!

Part of a letter from a vintner who is inundated with requests for free wine:

While I would like to help, candidly I’ve already supported the initiatives that are consistent with our charitable goals / interests. I like Mozart, and I’m sure that you and your organization make wonderful music, but I can’t support everyone.

However, there is one aspect of this proposal that does cause me to pause, and that is the idea that you hope to get “every winery in Oregon” to participate. I would never want to be “the one winery that didn’t”! So here’s my proposal: When you have secured commitments from a minimum of 150-wineries (which is a fraction of the number in Oregon), please come back to me at that time with some evidence that you’ve achieved the goal and I will provide one bottle for your auction event.

Thursday, December 18, 2008

Oregon Mozart Player's Auction Project

Wineries and other small Oregon businesses are great supporters of the arts and should be thanked often. The best way to thank them is to support them with your purchases. The site will give links to all participating wineries and will be an ongoing record of the process of getting all the bottles. I will also include where I eat and stay on my journey.
I think this will be a great adventure!
Today I picked up a bottle of LaVelle Pinot Gris. I sampled the plummy, rich, juicy 06 Merlot. It will be amazing at about 5-6 years!
Looking out over the snow dusted hill from the tasting room of
Sweet Cheeks Winery and tasting the Dry Riesling made me very glad I was inside. The wine is crisp and cold but as it warms in your mouth you begin to feel the soft velvet and taste the figs and apples.
I was there to pick up their donation of the last bottle of the 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir. I may have to bid on it myself as all of mine is gone except for two bottles.
I drove across the road and up the long drive to the elegant Silvan Ridge Winery where each year
Winetasia raises money for the Children's Miracle Network. I was stunned buy the reds I tasted! They gave us a 2006 Reserve Syrah that is remarkably smooth and rich, and files your mouth with ripe fruit.
I went to King Estate for what has become a bit of a habit: Lunch in the resturant overlooking the vineyards and the rolling hills. The food is worth every moment of the drive. They gave us a Signature Pinot Noir 2007 .
I ordered a glass of it to go with my Burger and truffle fries. Yes!

Thank you
Robert Canaga