Yamhill-Carlton Event

Every year there is a gathering of the wine makers in the Carlton-Yamhill region. They get together and let everyone come and taste the wonderful and diverse product of their labors. This year the tasting was held at Anne Amie Winery and it was perfect. Lots of room for everyone, lots of parking space and the Carlton Trolly to get all 500+ people there, and a great group of volunteers to make sure it all went smothly.
I saw a lot of familiar faces and wineries such as Ghost Hill, Alexana, Ken Wright, Dick Shea, Drew of Vertical fame (his wine, Harper Voit Strandline Pinot Noir, is in the book), and lots more wonderful folks.
Stewart and Athena were there from Boedecker Cellars. They have a tasting room in Portland that you HAVE to visit. And while you are there taste some of John's GC Cellars wine.

I only picked up one bottle there, the Dennison Cellars '09 Kiff Vineyard Pinot Noir from Tim and Denise Wilson.
A remarkable wine with lots of chocolate, flower petal, lavender, black cherry, and marionberry dancing around in your mouth. Tim Wilson has  made wine at some of the best wineries and is now out on his own. Very exciting and a wine to watch.
After tasting most of the morning I headed out to visit with Pam at Daedalus and to pick up her donation of a bottle of '08 Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir .

The wine is from the fifth oldest vineyard in Oregon and has intense and rich layers of flavors that can only be tasted once and once again, and again as they change and develop in your mouth. Keep this one in mind for that special dinner of wild salmon.
One last stop at Orchard Heights near Salem for a donation of Orchard Heights Winery: '07 Pinot Noir and Orchard Heights Winery: Merlot.
If you have never been to Orchard Heights you are in for a treat. The food is great, the store is packed full of wine, food, and fun, and they do event dinners there also.
Home after a long day and back to Carlton in the morning for Holt International's party at Ken Wright Cellars.