Oregon Wines in Kegs in Washington

The good folks at Wooldridge Creek  and others are making huge strides in educating bar owners on the value of tap wine. I checked in to the Heathman Lodge up in Vancouver WA. last night and went next door to the club room for a snack before turning in only to find two fine wines ON TAP!
Wooldridge's very good Pinot Noir (I did not think to check the year but from the taste I would guess '08) and Boedecker's Pinot Gris, again I have no year but from the taste I would say '10.
What a joy! The woman serving was very engaging and fully vested in the idea of wine in a keg.
She said men would come up and point to the tap and say "I'll have a beer." and she would have to explain that beer comes in a bottle,  wine comes in a keg.
She went on about how much it saved them in wasted wine, bottle disposal, and how well the argon system keeps the wine perfectly drinkable.
I was so pleased to see this. Here is a link back to a post I did a couple of years ago.
They also have kegged wine at Sfizio in Eugene and many other locations around the Northwest. Ask you favorite restaurant  about their house wine and see if they have figured out how to save money and the environment and still serve excellent wines.

A Day of Pleasure Upon Pleasure

After a morning of egg and cheese omelet, fresh OJ, honey on toast and a little recorded CSI, Linda and I drove up to Portland for the matinee of "Snow Falling on Cedars" at Portland Center Stage, located in the old armory building. The rain that was predicted never came, and though we were in fog ( that weird kind where the sun penetrates just enough to create a glow) the trip still went fast;  faster when Linda napped.
We were early enough to visit Design Within Reach, and  Versailles in the Pearl, a really classic French decor shop with the table we have been looking for for years! There goes the new car...
We booked lunch on Open Table at 50 Plates and though we were an hour early, they seated us and the fun began.
We split the warm beet salad (absolutely perfect), Linda chose the Mushroom dish and I went for the Chicken Fried Pork chops. The real treat came when the wines were on the table. I chose the '07 Oswego Hills Pinot Noir and Linda had the Four Graces '07 Pinot Noir (The Four Graces just gave us a magnum of their '05). The Oswego Hills was darker and richer with  layers of  blackberry, plum and blueberry , a subtle smokey taste and  perfect elegant finish It stood up to the slaw, mashed potatoes and the strongly flavored chops very well.
Linda's Four Graces was lighter and much more subtle, opening again and again with each taste to a warm fruit compote, soft mouthfeel, and superb finish. If we were not going to sit through a two hour play we would have had another each.
After lunch we walked to the theater and I must say I was a little put off when we went to the bar to order our half-time wines. They have NO OREGON WINES!!!
If you read this and attend theater there, please let them know how FW that is.
The play was excellent in all ways. The staging was exceptional as was the acting. We highly recommend it.
We ran from the theater during the standing ovation so we could make it to Boedecker Cellars over on 30th to pick up some promised wines. I was stressed, as I always am, about getting there on time!!!. It took all of 7 minutes...
Dewey Kelly and I have been playing wine tag for the last three weeks and today, I won! He has planted no less than four bottles all over Portland for me to pick up if I could ever get to one of the locations. His wife Robin is the executive chef at the Racket Club so there was one waiting there also.I have missed because of timing, being caught up at another winery, or just being too tired to make it to Portland but today, victory!
Dewy Kelly and John Grochau, who's wine is available at the tasting room, were both at the winery and presented me with their donations. John gave a bottle of his marvelous  '07 Cuvee' des Amis Pinot Noir($36) (There is a great piece done on Wine Spies on John's 07 Pinot Noir) and Dewey held out a bottle of Ribbon Ridge '06 Estate Pinot Noir ($32) that got 91 points in Wine Spectator, December 2008.
Gwen Goodrich helped us through a tasting of the Boedecker wines starting with the Chardonnay which is sourced from Cliff Anderson's vineyards, one block over from Bergstrom's famous  Sigrid Chardonnay (sold out for '07).
Athena, who gave us a bottle last time, was not there but we picked up a bottle of the wine named for her, '06 Athena Pinot Noir ($34). Absolutely delicious! Linda grudgingly let me taste it after she she sat smiling and whirling the wine. It was by far the favorite next to the Chardonnay.
If anyone is looking for an excellent way to spend an afternoon in Portland, PCS, then Boedecker Cellars/GC Wines tasting room are high on the list!
The drive back was uneventful, and when we were home, I made us a little cocktail and we regaled the cats with tails of high adventure!

A visit to Portland

Today I delivered a painting by Allen Cox to the Cascade AIDS Project in downtown Portland. While I was there I went to visit one of our wine donors, GC Winery. They are out on 30th in the 2600 block in a new industrial building. Very modern and stylish. I went in on the off chance that John Grochau would be around. He was gone but I got to meet Athena, who, with friend, partner, and husband Stewart Boedecker makes Boedecker wines! Great luck. I ask her for one their wines and she graciously gave me a 2007 Grenache made from grapes grown in the Rouge Valley. She also gave me John's Grochau Cellars Toute de Suite 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
I recommend a trip to NW Portland and a stop to taste and visit!