Salem,Carlton, Dundee, Gaston, McMinnville, Lafayette for Wine

A long long day started with gathering up my paperwork and loading up on coffee. I arrived in Salem just as Honeywood Winery opened its doors. I had been there once many years ago when the just made fruit wines. I found a very good reason to return when I read that they had received a 90 in Wine Spectator for the 2006 Pinot Noir from their Eola vineyard. I tasted it while it was still tight and again after a few minutes and found it to easily deserve the 90 points. Very tasty and not as fruity as some. They gave me a bottle of 2006 Pinot Noir for the auction!
In Dundee I found Crumbled Rock Winery and saw the progress they are making on the barrel room, tasting room and crush pad/balcony. Very cool site. They bought the vineyard in '87 and she just retired so they are at it full time.They plan to open and be tasting by next year. Julia gave me a 2007 Pinot Noir. Very generous considering how few cases they made.
My usual stop for lunch was excellent as usual. The Bistro served up a hearty pork and bean soup( no, not THAT kind) with a rich flavor that paired well with the Ponzi Pinot Gris. I finished with some Tam cheese and a slice of smoked bacon and apple.
Sustained, I headed out for Carlton and a special treat: Barrel tasting with Patrick Taylor, the winemaker at Canas Feast. We tasted through his line in the tasting room, all delightful, and then went in and found the 2008 Sangiovasi. Wow! I also met with Patrick Taylor, the GM. I can't wait to attend one of the food pairings they do. After an hour of sip and spit I drove to the Abby where my friend Rebecca works. WShe arranged for me to have some of the wineries they store and ship to donate wine from there. She cased it up and saved me much time and raised my count by 18 bottles!Elkhorn Ridge-2007 Le Terre Foss Pinot Noir, Shea Wine Cellars-2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Daedalus Cellars-2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Trium- 2007 Pheasent Hill Pinot Gris, Cristom Vineyards-2006 Sommer Reserve Pinot Noir, Barbara Thomas Wines- 2005 Vigna Giovanni Yamhill Pinot Noir, Brittan Vineyards- 2006 Basalt Block Pinot Noir, Ardiri Estate Grown- 2006 Carmeros Pinot Noir, Winter's Hill Vineyard- 2004 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Anam Cara Cellars- 2006 Nicholas Estate Pinot Noir ,CarabellaVineyard-2007 Pinot Noir, Seventeen Eighty-nine Wines-2007 Pinot Noir and Johan Vineyards-2006 Pinot Noir.
Be sure to click on the winery AND the wine.
Rebecca took me to see Steve Lutz, the winemaker and owner of Lenne Estate. What a view! We interrupted him in the middle of work but he was gracious enough to taste us through his wines and present a 2007 Pinot Noir.
On to Willakenzi Estate were I picked up a case of Pinot Noir and a case of Pinot Gris for the auction tables...you have to give them wine to drink or they just sit there!
I toured the winery and got to see the bottling machine, then went up for a little taste. I bade farewell to Thibaud and Rebeca and went in search of Plum Hill where I was greeted by Ghost Dog, who was very excited to see me, as you can see here, and a bottle of 2006 Pinot Gris presented by Juanita, the owner and with her husband, the operator.
My last stop of the day was at Youngberg Hill Vineyard and Inn. I want to take Linda there for a weekend. It is so beautiful and the view is fantastic! Wayne, the owner, gave a bottle of 2006 Jordan Block Pinot Noir.
Now I am back home and sorting the wines one last time. The Register Guard is doing an article on the wine collection and the auction in Thursday's paper .