CHAMBER MUSIC AMICI at MARSHANNE LANDING

MARSHANNE LANDING

IS PROUD TO PRESENT

CHAMBER MUSIC AMICI

IN CONCERT

7:00 PM SATURDAY, DECEMBER 1

Chamber Music Amici returns for their 3^rd performance at MarshAnneLanding.  CMA is one of the premiere chamber ensembles in the Pacific Northwest.  Their excellence cannot be overstated.  Their performance will include:

           

            Max Bruch’s String Quintet in A minor

            For 2 violins, 2 violas and cello

            Luiz Costa’s Sonata for cello and Piano        

            Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sonata in G

                        For piano and violin

Chamber Music Amici is the resident chamber ensemble at the Wildish Theater in Springfield.  The ensemble includes violinists Sharon Shuman and Pilar Bradshaw,  violist Holland Phillips, and U of O Professor Emeritus Victor Steinhardt on piano.  Guest performers include violist Friz Gearhart and cellist Jed Barahal who is visiting from Portugal.  The ensemble performs on vintage instruments including a rare Guarneri violin from the early 1700’s.

The evening’s performance will take place in the Gallery at MarshAnne Landing, the winery’s tasting room which showcases the extraordinary talents of over 20 local artists.

Due to limited seating, reservations are required (Please call 541-459-7998). 

Admission of $30 includes abundant appetizers.

MarshAnne Landing is located at 175 Hogan Rd, just 3 miles off I-5 Exit 142

This seris of concerts is worth going to. Wine AND music, what more could ask for?

Tasty Weekend

We did not do the mass tastings this last weekend as  Linda and  I have an aversion to large crowds of people "tasting wine" at a rapid pace, so we took a nice drive up to the Amity Hills to deliver a painting done by yours truly to Rebecca Pittock Shouldis and Thibaud Mandet for their new house. On the way up HWY99 Linda started to feel a bit peckish so I convinced her that Left Coast Cellars would have food she could eat at the little cafe/tasting room. I was wrong but not unhappy. The winery was having an open house and we got to taste an array of wines, and get enough snacks to carry us through till dinner.
The wines from Left Coast are usually very good and this little tasting was a good pause on the road north. Linda liked the Pinot Gris the most and I kept coming back to the '08 Pinot Noir. Both are very good but I think that the Pinot Noir has a rich and lasting  character that will stand for another 10 years. It was a bit chilly so the flavors did not develop as much as in the tasting room but still good. It is funny that wineries seem to be oblivious to what foods they pair with their wines. Cheddar cheese and most other hard cheese does not usually work with tastings nor do salty crackers. Someone should right a book.
We left happy and sated and dropped off the painting with Rebecca and Thibaud, then headed north to shop for furniture at Parker's in Beaverton where we may have found THE coffee table.
Next stop was Modera for an overnight stay at our favorite small hotel. I always love staying there as my friend William Park did all the art!
After we settled in and got our bearings we took the trolly up to 10th and Couch, hopped off and strolled down to 9th for a meal at Eleni's Philoxinia. We were absolutely taken by the first meal we had there and this one was even better! The menu is varied enough that it is never boring. We had the shaved Fennel and cabbage salad and the crispy Kale to split and I had the Black Cod as my main course. We could have been there all night!
For drinks I made it a point not to drink wine with this meal as that is all I ever try, so we settled on domestic and foreigner Gin's. I had an Aviation Martini with a twist and she went for a good old Bombay Sapphire version of the same. Remarkably, the Gin paired very well with the fennel and cabbage salad! I may have to alter my tasting approach.
I must say the meal was one of the most enjoyable we have had in the last few weeks. Everything was perfectly done and perfectly presented, down to the bread and oil.
We strolled back to the hotel by way of Nordstrom and eluded the temptation to buy anything, but we did see a pair of pants that I shall NEVER wear.
Back to the hotel for a nightcap. A Shot of
This morning we had a hardy breakfast at Nel Centro then headed down to the Peal for a little window shopping. As of late, I have begun to vary my taste a bit left of my Lebanon upbringing and have discovered John Fluevog's shoes. This is my third pair so I am officially and addict!

 He sent me an email a few months ago telling me about his new store in Portland and as they also have women's shoes, we went for it.
The Fluevog store is really a fun place to shop. The staff is happy and helpful and the product is very fine. We will be back.
We were getting a little hungry before the play so we were trying to think of a place where we could get a quick meal and not fall asleep during the play. We had spotted a small place down Davis across from Gallery 903 that used to house a chocolate store and had been transformed in to a small Mexican restaurant so we decided to take a chance. Los Gorditos was a perfect find. The food is fresh, tasty, and cooked on the spot. Very good!
We went to A Midsummer's Night Dream at PCS 
and though I have seen many versions of this play, I thought they did a good job of it. If you get the chance, please see it as you will enjoy it, and if you have the chance, see The Santa-land Diaries!
We ended the day with a quick stop at Sur le Table for a mortar and pestle, and of coarse some pastry knives that I will transform in to paining knives.
Al in all a good weekend and I can recommend Left Coast Cellars ,  PCS, Eleni's Philoxini
 Los Gorditos,  and of coarse, John Fluevog's.

Suport Your Local Wineries!

LaVelle, Chateau Lorane, Iris Hill, J.Daan, LaVelle, Abbalone, Sarver, Territorial, Benton Lane, High Pass, RainSong, Sweet Cheeks, Nobel Estate, Patchwork, Domain Meriwether, Shadow Mountain, Brigadoon, Saginaw, Pfeiffer, J. Scott, B2,Benton Lane, Silvan Ridge, Stanton Vineyard, William Rose Wines

Rare Opportunity This Weekend

One of my favorite wineries will open the door to the on site tasting room up at the vineyards. Iris Hill will be open Friday and Saturday for tastings and I highly recommend taking the drive. They are on the right as you drive out toward King Estate so if you have been out that way you have seen the "closed" sign.
Hours: Friday and Saturday, 11:00 to 5:00
The wines from this vineyard have been really good, with the '08 just bursting with flavor and character. I think they will be tasting the '11 Pinot Gris, the '11Tracktown Red, and the '08 Pinot Noir and the Pinot Noir Reserve. Update: I was just informed that for a $1 more you will get to taste an all-star! The '06 Pinot Noir Reserve decanted from Magnums. This is indeed a score!
The '08 Pinot Noir is just amazing! While many '08s were huge and bold, this one was gentle and a bit more quiet, so it has lasted.
I have tasted this wine each year from its release in '09. As it has developed in bottle, it has gained complexity and though it seemed to fall off a bit in '11, it has now (as of right now) recouped it strength and character, showing fine upper notes of spice and current and a hint of warm cedar and toast. The taste is tight at opening so let it relax for 30 minutes before you get too serious about tasting. I store at about 62 degrees so I always let the wine stand for a while before I drink it.
At 10 minutes: The aroma has softened and become more black current, island spices, and cedar. The taste? Delicate and a bit sweet on the tip of the tongue and a mouth filling softness. Slow cooked dark berry with nice current and just ripe cherry.
At 20 Minutes:Darker, richer notes of black fruit with island spice in the very high notes. The cedar has softened but still lingers.The taste has turned from bright to soft and warming winter spices and berry compote but still has a bright finish with little explosions of fruit. This such a good wine!
At 30 Minutes:The cedar is back on the nose and the spices have retreated a bit. Oh my, the taste has become very complex and is rife with berry, dark cherry, and cola. Wow!
Guess what we are having with dinner tonight?
After 45 minutes it has become nectar. Soft fruit with warm spice, hints of cedar and cola and a very slight cocoa linger . OK, back to painting!

Please Ignore Problem, Trying to Fix It

One of my favorite wineries will open the door to the on site tasting room up at the vineyards. Iris Hill will be open Friday and Saturday for tastings and I highly recommend taking the drive. They are on the right as you drive out toward King Estate so if you have been out that way you have seen the "closed" sign.
The wines from this vineyard have been really good, with the '08 just bursting with flavor and character. I think they will be tasting the '11 Pinot Gris, the '11Tracktown Red, and the '08 Pinot Noir and the Pinot Noir Reserve.
The '08 Pinot Noir is just amazing! While many '08s were huge and bold, this one was gentle and a bit more quiet, so it has lasted.
I have tasted this wine each year from its release in '09. As it has developed in bottle, it has gained complexity and though it seemed to fall off a bit in '11, it has now (as of right now) recouped it strength and character, showing fine upper notes of spice and current and a hint of warm cedar and toast. The taste is tight at opening so let it relax for 30 minutes before you get too serious about tasting. I store at about 62 degrees so I always let the wine stand for a while before I drink it.
At 10 minutes: The aroma has softened and become more black current, island spices, and cedar. The taste? Delicate and a bit sweet on the tip of the tongue and a mouth filling softness. Slow cooked dark berry with nice current and just ripe cherry.
At 20 Minutes:Darker, richer notes of black fruit with island spice in the very high notes. The cedar has softened but still lingers.The taste has turned from bright to soft and warming winter spices and berry compote but still has a bright finish with little explosions of fruit. This such a good wine!
At 30 Minutes:The cedar is back on the nose and the spices have retreated a bit. Oh my, the taste has become very complex and is rife with berry, dark cherry, and cola. Wow!
Guess what we are having with dinner tonight?
After 45 minutes it has become nectar. Soft fruit with warm spice, hints of cedar and cola and a very slight cocoa linger . OK, back to painting!

Snooth Features My Best Friends Wine!

Snooth has a list of $40-$50 Pinot Noir and Rebecca's wine, Ghost Hill Cellars '09 , 93 points, is at the top of the list!
Also from Oregon are an '09 Torii Mor Pinot noir, a '10 Dobbes Family Pinot Noir, and a Raptor Ridge '10 from Dick Shea's vineyards.
Nice to see some Oregon wines finding their way on to this list. Check it out.

Light and fresh on the nose with fresh wood base notes and gently sweet aromas of blackberry, huckleberry and candied wild cherry. With air, more perfumey oak emerges here but it's still quite subtle. This enters the mouth with decisive, bright and cutting acidity to the fore followed by a lovely and intense mouthful of dried herbs, orange rind, sour cherry and cranberry fruit. The tannins here have a bit of a raw feel to them and need some food or a year or two in the cellar to help them resolve a bit, but this is so fresh and unfettered in the mouth that it is already a pleasure to drink. The finish is dry, minerally and reminiscent of old wood spread with wild raspberry jam that pops on the finale. 93pts

Read more: http://www.snooth.com/articles/top-pinot-noir-recommendations/?viewall=1#ixzz2CnLPOSDR

Read more: http://www.snooth.com/articles/top-pinot-noir-recommendations/?viewall=1#ixzz2CnLBL5ni

Pinot Noir $40-$50

2009 Ghost Hill Cellars Pinot Noir Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton OR 13.5% $42

Light and fresh on the nose with fresh wood base notes and gently sweet aromas of blackberry, huckleberry and candied wild cherry. With air, more perfumey oak emerges here but it's still quite subtle. This enters the mouth with decisive, bright and cutting acidity to the fore followed by a lovely and intense mouthful of dried herbs, orange rind, sour cherry and cranberry fruit. The tannins here have a bit of a raw feel to them and need some food or a year or two in the cellar to help them resolve a bit, but this is so fresh and unfettered in the mouth that it is already a pleasure to drink. The finish is dry, minerally and reminiscent of old wood spread with wild raspberry jam that pops on the finale. 93pts


Read more: http://www.snooth.com/articles/top-pinot-noir-recommendations/?viewall=1#ixzz2CnLBL5ni

Pinot Noir $40-$50

2009 Ghost Hill Cellars Pinot Noir Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton OR 13.5% $42

Light and fresh on the nose with fresh wood base notes and gently sweet aromas of blackberry, huckleberry and candied wild cherry. With air, more perfumey oak emerges here but it's still quite subtle. This enters the mouth with decisive, bright and cutting acidity to the fore followed by a lovely and intense mouthful of dried herbs, orange rind, sour cherry and cranberry fruit. The tannins here have a bit of a raw feel to them and need some food or a year or two in the cellar to help them resolve a bit, but this is so fresh and unfettered in the mouth that it is already a pleasure to drink. The finish is dry, minerally and reminiscent of old wood spread with wild raspberry jam that pops on the finale. 93pts


Read more: http://www.snooth.com/articles/top-pinot-noir-recommendations/?viewall=1#ixzz2CnLBL5ni

Lunch at King Estate

What can I say? The food is amazing, the wine id good, he veiws are remarkable, and the staff id grasios and perfectly trained.
We took my mother in law for lunch and had the best meal of the week. Linda ordered the flight of Pinots ranging from the '09 to the '11. She liked the '09 best (as did I) I went against my better judgement and had a glass of the just released '11 Signature Pinot Noir. I must say that I knew what I was going to get before I got it as I have tasted some of the other '11's from the barrel so I was m\not disappointed, but rather, I was optimistic. The wine is very tight, the tannins are a bit harsh and the over all taste is a bit even and bland, BUT the fruit is there, the acid balance it good, and in 6 months, this will be an outstanding wine, in a year it will be perfect, and in 10 years it will be sought after.
I had the Alaskan Scallops with fresh corn for a start, then moved on to a Hanger steak that was perfectly done. Linda's mom had the Salmon and was smiling for most of the meal. All in all a wonderful lunch and I highly recommend buying a few bottles of the '11 to lay down. It will be an amazing vintage.

Singing in the Vineyards

MarshAnne Landing

Is proud to present

SIRI VIK and NATHALIE FORTIN

in

“A NIGHT AT THE CABARET”

7 PM Saturday, November 24

We hope you can join us for a truly exciting night to remember!

Making her premiere performance at MarshAnneLanding Siri Vik will bring her powerful alto voice to the heart of Cabaret music.  Siri specializes in European Cabaret – a unique amalgam of classical, pop, and musical theatre styles which flourished in the 1920s-30s. She has won national acclaim for her work in this area. Siri has performed as a singing actress on operatic, concert, and musical theatre stages in New York, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Indianapolis, Kansas City, London, and in several cities in Italy.  She is highly regarded for her full range of technique and spirit.  Siri lives in Eugene and is a music instructor at Lane Community College.. 

Nathalie Fortin excellence on the piano will have us all traveling excitedly to foreign lands and earlier times.   Nathalie has her Doctorate of Musical Arts with a major in Keyboard Collaborative Arts.  She has participated in various musical festivals in Europe and North America.  Nathalie currently resides in Eugene where she works with the Oregon Bach festival, Lane Community College, Eugene Opera, Eugene Symphony, Oregon Mozart Players, and the University of Oregon.

The evening’s performance will take place in the Gallery at MarshAnne Landing, the winery’s tasting room which showcases the extraordinary talents of over 20 local artists.

Due to limited seating, reservations are required (Please call 541-459-7998).  MarshAnne Landing is located at 175 Hogan Rd, just 3 miles off I-5 Exit 142.   Admission of $30 incudes abundant appetizers.

Number 7 on Wine Spectator Top 100 List!

Shea Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 

Shea Vineyard Estate 2009

94 points / $40
3,555 cases made
Willamette Valley, Oregon

In 1989, owner Dick Shea left a career on Wall Street to pursue his interest in wine, purchasing 200 acres of land in the Willamette Valley and planting it to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Shea sells grapes to some of Oregon’s top producers, and in 1996 started making his own wine. The 2009 Estate bottling blends Pommard, Wädenswil and Dijon clones from various portions of the sprawling vineyard and is fermented in both stainless steel and wooden tanks.
Supple, rich and complex, layering its dark berry, black cherry, pink grapefruit and exotic spice flavors on a velvety frame. The finish lingering effortlessly. Drink now through 2019. 3,555 cases made. –HS

This is an amazingly good wine and is just starting to come on. I tasted it in '10 just after it was released and it showed character then. Lots of toss up between red and black fruit with fine tannis and a long aftertaste of citrus and berry.
Get some!

Brigadoon at Travel Lane County

Last night I stopped by for a taste of Brigadoon's wines at the Adventure Center at Gateway. I was more than pleased with what they had to offer.
The first taste was the '11 Pinot Blanc. Two people there said it tasted like a Sauvignon blanc. That made Chris Shown smile a little bit as he explained how half the wine was barreled in new french oak and half was developed in steel tanks, then they were blended. Best of both worlds as far as I am concerned. The grapefruit, slight lemon, and fresh cut pear are layered over hints of butterscotch and the finish leaves just enough bite from the acid that your mouth waters waiting for more. I would pair this with a fatty fish and roasted fall vegetables. The brightness will balance well with oils and fats.

The next wine was the '10 Lylee Pinot Noir. This is "the best $30 wine you can get for $20" as Chris likes to point out, and it may well be. Smooth, well developed, and with lots of structure. Fine balance between the acids and fruit. This is an everyday meal wine that loves a little attention. I poured it in the Oregon Pinot noir glass we sell at Travel Lane County and let people smell the amazingly rich and bold fruits and floral bouquet.
Last on the list but far from least is the Taproot Pinot Noir. Aged for16 months on oak, this wine is meant to be held down for 6 to 8 years but if you must, you may drink it now. I enjoyed watching it open slowly in the glass, from an almost bright fruit to, after about 30 minutes, a soft and complex wine with layers of dark berry and jams under sweet, light hints of strawberry and winter spices. Very good wine!
To pair with the wines we were treated to some Chocolate Decadence.   They brought an assortment of chocolates ranging from what I assume was about a 70% to a milk chocolate. The tstes were perfect with the wines and I am going to have to go out today and visit the shop in Valley River Center to find out more.
We often have Tuesday evening tastings at the Adventure Center on the second Tuesday of the month so check for what is coming.

Grand Opening of New Winery

One of my favorite winemakers, Drew Voit, has opened his own winery! For years he has worked for others creating great wines. He worked at King Estate when I met him, then for Dick Shea where he used some of the best fruit in Oregon to produce amazing Pinot Noir. Now he is, as you will read below, on his own, but still reaching out to help his friends and fellow wine makers. His wine was featured in Rex Picket's book, "Vertical".

This has been a season of change for our family at Harper Voit Wines. Going into the fourth vintage of our family business, Drew has left his full-time role as Winemaker at Shea Wine Cellars, to focus on the Harper Voit label, act as consulting winemaker for a group of select clients(including Shea), and begin a new project as Winemaker for a small group of elite, small-production wine brands in our new winery.

The New Winery

We've just concluded a busy Harvest 2012 in our new facility located on the historic Beacon Hill Vineyard in the Yamhill Carlton District AVA. Drew will be producing the wines from a few brands whose names you will soon know and covet: Eminent Domaine, Old School Vineyard, Toluca Lane Wines, Rocky Point Cellars, plus a few top-secret new projects TBA.

The New Releases

This month we are releasing our 2010 Pinot Noirs and 2011 Pinot Blanc. The 2010 Pinot Noirs were made in very limited quantities. The near perfect end to the growing season was punctuated by an onslaught of birds which decimated the meager crop and left us with half the production of some of the most beautiful wines Drew has made over the years. Our production, cut in half by the loss, consists of 5 barrels of our flagship Strandline Pinot Noir, representing 125 cases, and a meager 23 cases of our finest effort to date, the 2010 Harper Voit Old School Vineyard Pinot Noir.

In addition, our new release 2011 Harper Voit Surlie Pinot Blanc is already nearly 1/3 sold out. Mineral driven and focused, this singular expression of a Old World classic variety won't last long

The Inaugural "True" Open House

Some of you have visited us in our earlier open house events in the past few years, huddled in the back of our favorite wine shops and wine country restaurants and wine bars. No longer...

Thanksgiving 2012 is our first open house event in our new facility, located just off Laughlin Road between Willakenzie and Colene Clemens, and just across the narrow valley from Beaux Freres and Patricia Green.

We will be open from 10-4 on November 17th and again on Friday-Saturday the 23rd and 24th. Pouring with us will be our good friends and winery-mates Wildaire Cellars and Eisold Smith Wines, as well as Drew's new winemaking clients, Toluca Lane, Eminent Domaine, and Rocky Point Cellars. Tasting fee $20 to taste all of these small production wines.

Salud! Auction

My prints on display for the SALUD! auction.

SALUD! Prints

Here is the etching I did of Maysara for the upcoming Salud! Auction. I did twelve this year.
here is the listing in the catalog: LOT 11
ROBERT CANAGA SOLAR PLATE ETCHINGS
ON WOOD
Robert Canaga has been a printmaker for 25 years. His
quest to print etchings directly on wood stems from
no reason other than the fact that it has never before
been done. When printing an edition of etchings of
the wineries of Lane County for an event at the Jordan
Schnitzer Museum last year, Robert found a product
that his friend Mark Golden of Golden Artist Colors
had given him to try years ago. He opened it, painted
some on a piece of one eighth inch birch plywood,
and let it dry. After inking up an etching plate he was
working on and setting the press to accommodate the
wood and the plate, he taped the plate to the wood,
and had his studio assistant hold it in place while he
turned the wheel on the press. The pressure had to
be immense so turning the wheel was no small feat of
strength. When it came out the other side, he gingerly
lifted the plate to reveal a PERFECT PRINT!
Etchings are done by exposing a copper or zinc plate to
acid which eats away at the unprotected areas, allowing
small amounts of ink to collect after the plate is wiped.
Paper is placed on the plate and run through a press at
high pressure, forcing it into the inked areas. When
the print is pulled, the images appear. This process can
be repeated many times, creating an edition. Using
a polymer plate on steel, exposing the image to UV
light, washing it with water, hardening it, and inking it,
Robert creates a print. After creating a series of paper
editions of the prints, he completes his final print on
wood and “cancels” the plate, as after being printed
on wood it is never able to hold another image. These
prints on wood are truly one of a kind.
These artist original, first edition prints are printed on
wood, gold leafed, and framed. Created exclusively for
Salud!, they depict scenery from the following wineries:
• Amalie Robert Estate
• Brooks Winery
• Domaine Drouhin Oregon
• R. Stuart & Co.
• Erath Winery
• Evening Land Vineyards
• Maysara Winery
• Penner-Ash Wine Cellars
• Ponzi Vineyards
• Scott Paul Wines
• Soléna Estate
• Witness Tree Vineyard
Donated by Robert Canaga

Next year I will choose twelve more wineries and do it again.

The Allison Inn & Spa Gets Acclaim

We love this place and am so glad they are being recognized as a leader in accommodation and luxury in America's wine country!

In the November 2012 edition of Condé Nast Traveler, The Allison Inn & Spa has been named
#3 in the Pacific Northwest and #1 in Oregon as voted by our patrons.

  Travel + Leisure  followed suit, naming us the #1 Wine Country Hotel in the United States and
#4 in the world. 

Perfectly paired with this news is the successful harvest of pinot noir grapes at The Allison's vineyard—
five acres of vines that serve as a backdrop for guestroom windows and terraces.

"There are only good things to say about this year’s harvest of The Allison grapes," said Chad Vargas,
Vineyard Manager and Viticulturist at Adelsheim Vineyard, which oversees our vineyard operations.
"The weather took a quick turn to excellent sometime in June, just after the grapes finished flowering.
What followed was many days of dry weather with temps above 80°F." 

This year will mark the first vintage of The Allison wine, to be bottled and named in the coming year.
With the accolades and this year's growing conditions, we are thankful and confident—2012 is a great year!

Celebrate the harvest with a recipe featured on our website for Roasted Delicata Squash Soup
by Executive Chef Sunny Jin.

Snooth Lists Oregon wine in Top 25 Premiums

Snooth.com just released the results for the Top 25 Premium Wines of 2012 from their "People's Voice Wine Awards." Their readers nominated wines from all over the world, including only one from Oregon, the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2009 Pinot Gris.

Click here to view the whole article.

For today, November 8 only, to celebrate Oregon wine, they offer you free shipping on 6 or more bottles of our 2011 Pinot Gris. Follow the link below to our online store or call 800-344-9463 to easily order by phone.

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2011 Pinot Gris

Try this wine with oysters, scallops or a sweet and spicy salmon.

A Nice Surprise Hiding at Bi-Mart!

Yesterday was busy and filled with early meetings, working in the studio, and a quick trip to Bi-Mart for unsalted peanuts for my new master, the scrub Jay who comes and yells at me through the window when he needs more nuts.
When I got there I found the peanuts, picked up some cat food on sale, and as I was passing the wine area I glanced up and saw '07. That caught my eye as I am in love with most of the '07 Pinot Noirs I have found lurking on store shelves around Oregon. That vintage was underrated at the time and few people understood how wonderful it would become after it had time in the bottle.
I found no Pinot Noir BUT I found another gem: Airlie '07 Marechal Foch! This wine was made from estate grown fruit. If you are not familiar with the grape, here is a link that talks about its attributes and its problems. I have always found it a great wine for warm weather parties and for a BBQ on the deck. It stands up to just about any spicy foods and even tastes good with the good old hamburger. It is one of a few reds that can be chilled a bit and still retain its flavor.
Tonight I opened a bottle and let it stand in the kitchen for an hour while I tasted a bit of the '10 Ghost Hill that was left from last nights meal.Here are the notes on this killer wine.

Bayliss-Bower Pinot Noir 

2010 Vintage 

Wine Enthusiast

90 Points
"From a lighter year, this clean, delicate wine is a model of elegance. Mixing strawberry and raspberry fruit with a touch of watermelon, it carefully blends in a small amount of wine aged in new oak. An enticing hint of mocha is the result."

2009 Vintage
Wine Advocate90 Points
"Vivid ruby. Ripe cherry and black raspberry on the nose, with complicating notes of smoky herbs, rose and spice cake. Fleshy and smooth in texture, with gently sweet cherry and dark berry flavors picking up a touch of anise with air. Shows the ripeness of the vintage to good effect, finishing broad and long. This will be drinkable soon."

Wine Press Northwest
Recommended
"The Bayliss family has owned this land since 1906 but only started planting it to vineyard in 1999. Its 10th vintage brings fun and fruity aromas of black cherry soda, strawberry, currants, dried orange peel and vanilla. Inside are black cherries amid a juicy mid palate that funnels into a tannin profile that zeroes deeply into the corners of the mouth."

 

It has become even more interesting now that it has sat in my cellar for a couple of years.

 

Anyway, back to the Foch: The nose is a heavy black berry and dark spice with a hint of cedar and vanilla. The first taste is of big tannins and black cherry with a nice bite on the top of the tongue and an after taste of plum and pepper. I tasted this one when it was first released and it has softened and become wider in the mouth, much less astringent, and is just a treat!

A great find for those of you who like a bargin and love to find that special bargain. $7.99 if you can find it!

A Trip to the Opera Saved by the Food

We attended a poorly staged version of Don Giovanni ( you can read the opinions here) on Sunday and the only good thing I can say about it was the singing was very good even when layered over odd staging, odder timing, and questionable direction, and that we enjoyed our per-opera meal at Nel Centro. As I told friends "The opera was great except for the staging, the pacing, the timing, the director, the costumes, the humping (think poodle and leg) and the acting. The singing and the lighting were good." 
 We made our reservations using OpenTable just prior to arriving to make sure we would have a seat. As always, we enjoyed the quiet morning murmur of the dining room and the prompt and unobtrusive staff. We come up often for Opera and theater and this has become our "safe" place to dine. I had the rabbit confit with tiny lintels and a small salad dressed perfectly, while my wife had an omelet that she seamed to enjoy as there was nothing left and she was smiling. We both enjoyed a glass of Evesham Wood Pinot Noir ('09)that set perfectly with both our meals. On nights that we stay at Hotel Modera, the building they inhabit, we always try to make it back for a nightcap at the bar. The outside seating is perfect, with heating fires and hanging garden. They have expanded the inside seating and we are less often left standing and waiting for a place to sit. This is a very active restaurant and due to the location and the standard of food and drink, has become quite popular.We will be back for the food, but I fear this was our last Portland Opera.

Brandborg Winery's "Elkton-Villages Nouveau"

First step...Joan & Sue hand packing the grapes into an airtight tote Tilly's toes... well...not really, she is just so cute! Nathan emptying tote	YOU'RE INVITED! Please plan to join us at the Winery          on November 15, 2012  release dinner  for our SECOND "Elkton-Villages Nouveau" (TRADITIONALLY RELEASED IN BEAUJOLAIS FRANCE ON THE THIRD THURSDAY OF NOVEMBER)    horsd'oeuvres will be served at 6pm Dinner to follow $50 per person $40 ORCA Wine Club Members (gratuity included) RSVP by November 12, 2012 info@brandborgwine.com or 541-584-2870   the menu... curried squash soup with creme fraishe 2011 Riesling (not yet released) seared scallops in pinot noir blanc reduction 2011 Fleur de Lis duck stew with chanterelles and olives 2012 Elkton-Villages Nouveau seasonal dessert to be determined Hurrrah Syrah What is  Nouveau?  (Direct form our Winemaker Terry) During carbonic maceration, an anaerobic environment is created by pumping carbon dioxide into a sealed container filled with whole grape clusters. The carbon dioxide gas permeates through the grape skins and begins to stimulate fermentation at an intracellular level. The entire process takes place inside each single, intact berry. Ethanol is produced as a by-product of this process but studies have shown that other unique chemical reactions take place that have a distinctive effect on the wine. It's outrageous.... As a thank you for sharing in our excitement at the release, you may purchase the Nouveau that evening for $20 per bottle (limit 3). It will officially go on sale the 16th for $25. Can't make the dinner?  Call us on the 15th and we can ship it for you! Remember that this wine is meant to be drank young!   Cheers from the 2012 Crew at Brandborg Winery!

ArborBrook Vineyards' Event

Please join us November 17th between 10am and 5:00pm for our Annual Pre-Thanksgiving Wine Tasting featuring our current release wines, including our 2011 Pinot Gris' (Croft & Guadalupe), 2011 Sauvignon Blanc, and our 2010 Pinot Noirs. Small bites will be served.

Complimentary for Wine Club members, $15.00 per person for non-Club, includes beautiful ArborBrook Riedel Oregon Pinot glass.

We hope you can join Mary and I for this fun event in our newly expanded Tasting Room !

Please RSVP to angelina@arborbrookwines.com or call 503-538-0959

ArborBrook Vineyards
17770 NE Calkins Lane
Newberg, Oregon 97132
I have always enjoyed the wines produced here and look forward to tasting the new release of their Pinot Noir. Great people, and a very nice cat;)

A Great Look at Lane County Oregon

Each year, Travel Lane County hold a photography contest. Here are the details and a link to the winners. Take a look at what it is like here.

 Eugene, Ore. - Photographers from throughout the region took top honors in the 2012 Eugene, Cascades & Coast Photo Contest winning nearly $1,900 in prizes. Awards were presented in 13 categories, including two youth divisions.

Travel Lane County invited photographers to submit digital images representing the region's arts and culture, community landmarks, culinary bounty, wildlife, nature, outdoor adventures and sports. Photos were also submitted in four additional sponsored categories including: Best of Eugene, sponsored by the City of Eugene; Best of Springfield, sponsored by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Best of the McKenzie River, sponsored by the McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce; and Covered Bridges, sponsored by OBEC Consulting Engineers.  

Photos were judged on technical quality, composition/impact and overall representation of each category. In addition to prizes, winning images will be considered for inclusion in Travel Lane County's publications, websites and marketing outreach focused on promoting the Eugene, Cascades & Coast region. 

To view winning images, go to www.EugeneCascadesCoast.org/photo-contest-winners.

 

"Grapevine, Sweet Checks Winery" by Frauke Nelte (Willamette Valley OR)