The Winest of Wine Towns

Carlton has become a sort of mecca for wine lovers. It is populated with the wineries of Scott Paul, Ken Wright, Carlton Winemakers Studio, and many many more, plus tasting rooms for wineries from as far away as the Applegate Valley.
I stopped and visited Ken Wright and he promised a bottle of his wonderful wine, then  I walked over to Tyrus Evan for a taste of the Syrahs. If you ever want verification of what is called terroir, just go and taste the same wine made with the same grape, from, in this case, Washington and Southern Oregon. The differences are remarkable! The Oregon Sarah is very complex and stands up to food well, while the Washington sourced wine has a fruit forward impact and  is good just to drink by itself.
After a taste, I went over to Solena's tasting room on South Pine Street and was given a wonderful surprise! Lisa presented a Magnum of their 2003 Grande Cuvee Pinot Noir!
Off to The Horse Radish for a sausage tart and some almonds and cheese, with a glass of Brooks Pinot Gris and a nice talk with Rebecca about what she was going to have me doing at the winery tonight. 
After lunch I went across the street and visited with Jo Jo Pertro at the Cliff Creek Tasting room and ask her for "one bottle". She gave us a 2004 Claret. I love the Clarets from Southern Oregon. They are rich and flavorful, and this one was awarded one of the five Gold Medals at the 2009 Greatest of the Grape Professional Judging. I am impressed! Their wines are also available through Northwest Wines To You.

Cana's Feast, on Lincoln Street, just above The Carlton Winemakers Studio, has one of my all time favorite wines, and one that you do not see a lot of in Oregon: Sangiovese! This, their 2007 Sangiovese Grosso, is 100% VCR-6 Grosso Clone (Brunello di Montacino) and it is SOOO good! Destiny Dudley, the tasting room manager, allowed me to take a bottle for the auction and to taste the wine. I will be back, as should you,  for  lunch on the weekends or dinner Thursday nights.
I had to run over to Dundee to pick up a bottle at Joe Dobbes winery so I stopped on the way at Laurel Ridge and retrieved a bottle of the '08 Savignon Blanc. A very tasty wine, good with food, or just for a warm evening on the deck, which is where Cliff Berg, the winemaker, was when I left.
Joe Dobbes was meeting with his mentor from France when I came by. He worked at Domaine Comtes Lafon in the Burgundy, honing his skills, and today he  is one of Oregon's most respected winemakers. I want very much to get "one bottle" from every winery for which he makes wine and put it up as a package.
Charles, who runs the tasting room, gave a bottle of the Grande Assemblage Cuvee Pinot Noir with aromas of sweet, ripe, red and black fruits and spices. The lush mouth feel opens up to strawberries, currants, and cherries. It tastes like it will be great in about 2011 but is very drinkable right now.
Now off to Ghost Hill for a punch down and them back to Eugene.