Short North, Long South

Tuesday, March 22nd: I had never been to Ankeny Vineyards save one short stop when they first opened, and were not open. This time I hit pay-dirt and found the owner, did a tasting, and picked up a bottle of great wine. Joe Olexa started prepping the ground on this old farm in the 1980's and has been growing grapes for other winemakers for years. Now he both sells grapes and produces his own wines with the help of  Andy Thomas, the wine maker, and of course Hershy, the big red lab!
The wines are very good to great and he poured a few of great ones:

2006 Reserve Pinot Noir $25.  Gold Medal Winner at the 2009 Northwest Food and Wine Festival. Silver Medal Winner at the 2010 Oregon State Fair Wine Competition. Bronze Medal Winner at the 2009 Oregon State Fair Wine Competition. Jewel-red ’06 Reserve Pinot Noir offers complex aromas of roses, cherries, vanilla and spice. It is soft and balanced on the palate with a fruit basket of flavors—cherry, plum, raspberry and a touch of tangerine. Drink it now or hold it for a year or longer.

2007 Pinot Noir New Release! $18. Enjoy the silky texture, the aromas of plum, apple butter and citrus, and the ripe plum, strawberry and orange flavors. This aromatic and complex wine will match perfectly with a wide variety of savory dishes.

2008 Pinot Noir New Release! $24.Ankeny’s 2008 Pinot Noir is a zesty complement to grilled salmon, roasted vegetables, lamb, pork. Its grape jam and nutmeg aromas, flavors of strawberry and blackberry preserves and blood orange, and medium-light tannins and refreshing acidity make it a good match for many other foods as well.

He gave me a bottle of the '06 Reserve Pinot Noir for the collection and I took off for points north.

I was on a mission. I am going to DC in April and need to fit in to my Tux for a dinner honoring Holt International's 55th Anniversary at the Korean Ambassador's residence. The problem is, I now am 260lb and 2 inches bigger around than the last time I had it on. To solve the problem I went to my friend Jane for the solution. Other friends have used Xyngular and lost huge amounts of weight so I figure it is worth a try, and I can always get the tux let out at the last minute, right? Anyway, I stopped by her house up on the hill overlooking Turner, had a wonderful lunch, and picked up my order AND a bottle of '06 Domaine Serene Two Barns Pinot Noir! The notes are for the '07 as the '06 is long gone. This will make a great item for the auction even if it did not come from them!
Now we head south. I got up this morning and weighed in at 254.8 after one day of the diet! Now I have to visit all these wineries and NOT DRINK ANY WINE!!! GRRR! But I can still taste, so here we go.

Thursday, March 25th: I drove in the hard rain to Elkton for a visit with Rivers Edge and Brandborg. The owners at Rivers Edge, Mike and Vonnie, were on their way back from Seattle on the train so I met with Midge Anderson and she lead me through a tasting of all the reds and one of the whites. I am consistently impressed by the flavors of their wines, especially the Barrel Select  Pinot Noir and the Black Oak  Pinot Noir. This tasting was no exception. We started with a plumy ripe strawberry berry '08 Umpqua Valley  Pinot Noir with fruit from both Bradley and Rivers Edge. Nice flavors and interesting finish, almost like candy.
The next was one of my favorites, the Barrel Select '07 Pinot Noir. This wine is changing in the bottle from a light bodied simple wine to this smokey, meaty nosed beaast with a juicy and intense fruit in the mid pallette and a soft, long finish. I love the '07s that are just getting their stride.
Ok, so I am in love with a little patch of land where they grow these grapes. Black Oak vineyard has some of the most rich and intense flavors around and they all come out in this wine. Think roasted hazelnuts, almonds, and black berry, then add black cherry and spices from the east, hints of curry, pepper, and cumin, just enough oak to mellow it, and a long drawn out finish of pepper and dark cherry. This '08 Black Oak Pinot Noir is a must have for those who love big Pinots.
They made a Dulcet Cuvee in '06 and I had some (until recently) but I must say, this one, the '09 Dulcet Cuvee' Pinot Noir, has it beat by just a hair, or a vannila bean as it were. Very tasty with long finish and very pleasent nose. Drink now or hold for about 5 years.
I tasted one white, only because I have a hard time spiting out really good whites, so this one had to count. How many of you remember the taste of, or have ever had, gooseberry pie? THAT is what I got from this fine Dry Gewurztraminer. Great wine!  I was honored to pick up both an '08 Black Oak Pinot Noir and an '08 Barrel Select Pinot Noir for the collection.
Back up the road a very short distance is the Brandborg Vineyard and Winery, where Sue met me and though she was very busy, took the time to present a bottle of their finest, the '08 Ferris Wheel Pinot Noir. Joan took me though some tasting and I was very pleased with what I tasted. The Pinot Noirs are all great and '08 was such an expectational year for them that it is hard to pick a favorite, but I will try. This is so good I hate to auction it off. The '08 Bench Lands is a mix of light cherry and berry with nice spice, yet has an undercurrent of soil and must that makes it even more enjoyable. great balance and the mouthfeel is perfect.

Next was the one that I bought last time Linda and I came though town on our way back from the coast, the Love Puppets '08 Pinot Noir. This is lavender, cherry, bitter sweet almonds and bright red raspberry with a lovely pie crust and dark cherry finish. The second taste brings out subtle flavors of vanilla and softer fruit. This one I like to drink by itself, no food, no interference, just sip after sip of discovery.
I got Sue mid giggle!
Next was the prize.
As they say: The vines had thinned themselves to a light crop load and the resulting wine has the deepest burgundy hue that we have seen to date from our Estate.  The fruit aroma is dark cherry, blackberry and raspberry jam.  The bouquet has a strong hit of cola with pie spices, juicy berry pie fresh out of the oven and mocha milk chocolate bonbons.   The dark fruits carry the flavors with a pleasing caress of candied orange rinds, pipe tobacco and black tea.  The mouthfeel and texture is medium bodied, with some zing that lingers.  This wine should develop more roundness with age for many years to come.  The 2008’s were given more time in barrel, but after year one, in older neutral oak.  
Last in the reds was the '05 Umpqua Valley Syrah and man is it bold. I am guessing but I would say this came from down around Winston and is more of a cold climate Syrah than what you taste out of Washington or the Rogue Valley. Very spicy and rich, stand a pencil up in it wine. I can see this one with a big blackened roast and winter vegetables. Yum! 
I finished with a sip of the '09 Gewurstaminer, yes, I know I was going backwards but I can do that, I have dislexia. This one was floral, caramel, and coconut with grapefruit. Wow!
Please visit Elkton and enjoy all the fine wines produced there! Bradley was not open but I will get them next trip. 

 At Becker Vineyard I met with Peggy and, though they are almost sold out of most of their wines and have stopped donating, she gave me a bottle of the '09 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was the dogs two year birthday and he was ready for lots of pets. This is a BIG dog and is very gentle. I think that I have never met a mean winery dog, have you?
This wine is all big fruit, strong flavors and is so good you want to hold it tight.
The other wines I tasted were out of this world. They have a small vineyard and it is in an ideal placement for growing grapes. 
I have tasted a lot of '09 Muller Thurgau but this one is hands down the best I have ever had. So much papaya, melon, guava,  and passion fruit, with floral spices, and a huge mouthfeel that just keeps building. I highly recommend this one and it is worth the trip just to get one bottle but I advise a case. get it while you can. While I was there she got three calls about the whites.

 I always have such a good time at Melrose Vineyards. They are really nice folks and have a great variety of wines, all estate grown, including one of the rarest wines you will find in Oregon, or anywhere outside South Africa, Pinotage. You have to come down and taste this one. I first had a Pinotage in Amsterdam at Sampurna Indonesian restaurant where when ask what wine we wanted with our food, I said, "bring us what you would have" and he brought out  a bottle of Red wine...I was not sure if he understood me but he served it chilled and I can say without hesitation, it was the best wine possible for a hot and spicy dish.
Try this one chilled with some hot curry from down the road (more on that latter)
They also grow Baco Noir, and Dolcetto along with the usual suspects.  
I met Deb and wrangled a bottle from her. She was not sure what to give us this year so Cody stepped in and suggested the '09 Dolcetto. This is a wine that has been used in blending for centuries in Northern Italy but we are beginning to see it as a single grape for wine
Cody took grapes from two blocks and put them together to make this delicious , wine. Strawberry, pie crust, caramelized sugar in the nose with a ripe fruit and compote taste. Love it!

  Now for a treat and a surprise. In a little store, on the corner of Melqua Road and Melrose Road, hidden among the common foods, take out pizza, groceries,and deli sandwiches, a gem, the Melrose Country Store.When was the last time you were driving around in the Oregon countryside and smelled Chicken Marsala, or Palak Paneer? Oh my, what a wonder this place is. I was ready to say "to hell with the diet" and dive in but I though better of it and bought my with a treat instead.
The food is by far the best Indian food I have had in Oregon! 
Ranjit  (far right) makes all the food fresh for her family and customers daily and there is no menu, you get what she makes. Her family, Hareen, Rajan, and Harjeeed, owns the store and has created a truly wonderful spot to stop and enjoy the glory of great food. I recommend stopping even if you don't think you are hungry!

On up the road is the winery with what has to be the best name in the wine business. Chateau Nonchalant.
Weldon and Vicky met me and showed me the spot where they new fountain will go, hopefully before the big wine tour, and then brought me in to the hand built tasting room with its cellar room and beautifully finish woods. Weldon has done all this and it is impressive indeed! So are their wines.
They produce a lot of grapes and sell most of them but do keep some for their own wines. Vickie gave me a bottle of the '07 Estate Pinot Noir from their preferred block and one of the '07 Pinot Gris harvested at Wild Rose Vineyard. Both wines are superb and the Pinot Noir is the true statement of what an '07 can be.
Last stop of the day was Sienna Ridge, up the freeway just past  Rice Hill, on the right. This winery has its own AVA! 

Cindy runs the tasting room located in a beautiful old house that has been fixed up and is just perfect for a taste and a visit. She is a font of information about the history of wines in the Umpqua valley and is a joy to talk to. I wish more people would take the time to stop and taste these wines.  
She gave me a bottle of '09 Cabernet Sauvignon that has yet to be released, a couple of bottle from the old Domaine de la Rasmus, an '06 Pinot Blanc, and an '06 Chardonnay.
Take some time and relax a bit before you head north, or south, and taste some award winning wines.
Friday morning I go to The Abbey to drop off what I have gathered and pick up more exciting Oregon wines. Until then!

A Day Much Like Any Other, Except For All the Wine!

When I awoke this morning I was determined not to waste the day driving down to the Umpqua Valley, missing everyone, and coming back with two or three bottles of wine. I had sent out a few emails warning of my arrival but at 7:00 am, who reads their email! So after feeding the cats, kissing Linda good-by, and making sure the card was in my camera, I was off!

First stop was Iris Hill.I went down to Cottage Grove and over to the new facility that the Iris folks have put together. Wow! Nice place! Laura was in the office and when I identified myself she said that she was getting ready to email me and ask when I was coming. They gave us a bottle of the '06 Reserve Pinot Noir($36). Just released and outstanding. (from the tasting notes) Very deep and dark in color with rich aromas of ripe black cherry and cassis with hints of sweet, smoky oak. On the palate this Pinot Noir bursts with mouth watering, ripe berry flavors framed by subtle sweet oak spice and has outstanding concentration. The acid balance is excellent and the tannins are fine and soft. The ripe black fruit finish is long and velvet smooth.

It got 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and 91 from Wine Spectator "Smooth and focused, with a meaty note running through the dark berry and spice flavors, lingering on the round, generous finish".
Since they opened their large facility down in Cottage Grove they have been without a proper tasting room, but that will soon change. Within the next month we will be able to do tastings in the office so keep you eyes open for details.

Heading south, I dropped my card at the tasting room for Sienna Ridge and hoped to catch them on the way home.

I decided to go all the way down to Girardet and work my way bask up the valley.  After a visit to the Winston Visitors Center for maps and info, I enjoyed a sunny drive west on Highway 42 to one of the few producers of Baco Noir in the west.
Phillip was there to hand over a bottle of their just released '08 Zinfandel ($29). It is a truly stunning wine with huge berry notes in the nose and a smooth dark cherry taste. Complex and bold with just the right amount of acid and a tart finish. Here is Phillip with one of his Baco Noirs. I tasted through most of the reds and a couple of whites: I can recommend the Pinot Gris (bright bite with a smooth finish) the Pinot Noir (remarkable wine! Soft berry with a hint of soil and leather, nice balance of sweet and tart.) and my biggest surprise of the day, the Chardonnay! (Smoked meats, salmon, in the nose, then nice fresh fruit on the palate. Wow! This has to be the ultimate wine for paste or fish.).Cedar, the tasting room person, helped me through the samples and gave me directions to my next stop, Abacela..

There I met with Andrew Wenzl, their wine maker. He led me through the winery from crush pad to barrel room and I felt as if I had gone to school again. There is so much to learn and there are so many different approaches to making great wine, that is, variations on the basic theme, that it is always interesting to listen to what each wine maker says about the wine. One of the intriguing things I learned from Andrew was that they use their own Pinot noir and other wines to make the brandy that goes in to the Port. They take it up to Clear Creek and have it distilled, then add it back in to the port. The result is a delectable, rich, and mellow Port with a character all its own. Love it!
I plan on going back to visit Andrew with a video camera later in February and having him talk about Abacela's wines and how they are made.

I left with a bottle of their '05 Reserve Tempernio ($65) (tasting note)

The single most important prerequisite of our Reserve wines is vineyard provenance. This mandate so guides our winemaking philosophy that prior to the 2005 vintage we have produced only two Reserve wines.

In 2005 we detected the required benchmark qualities in the Tempranillo fruit from the rocky, sandy soils in our estate’s South East, Angle and Knoll blocks.(more)

Delfino Vineyards was next on the trip and when I stopped by to visit I was met by Jim, who with cigar in hand, was good enough to present a bottle of their '07 Zinfandel ($23). (Tasting notes)
Aromas of raspberries and Bing cherries, followed by subtle shades of violets, licorice and cinnamon fill your nose as flavors of ripe blackberries, plums and bittersweet chocolate tease your palate. (more)
I have always been tempted to move in to their guest cottage for a couple of days while down there gathering wine and I may do it next year. It is really a wonderful little retreat and I hear the breakfast is very good.
On the way to Melrose Vineyards I stopped, out of hunger, at what I thought would be a place for a prepackaged burger and a plastic container of chocolate mil, the Melrose Country Store & Deli. Boy was I wrong! As I waited for the man behind the counter to finish his phone conversation I glanced up at the "Today's Special" board and saw Chicken Tikka Masala!

I was a little confused as this was out in the country surrounded by farms and wineries, not some where I would expect to find Indian food.
I took a chance and  Deep, the cook, wife, and co-owner came out with a huge helping of what may be the BEST chicken Tikka Masala I have EVER had. This is better than any Indian restaurant food I have tasted. When I spoke to her about how good it was she smiled and brought out a sample of the lintel and rice soup, again, the best! Then she gave me a spiced pickled ginger that she makes herself and I was hers forever! I plan on surprising my vegetarian wife with a visit to a back woods grocery store! If you have a chance, stop here and eat. You will not regret it!

Up the road on the left is Melrose Vineyards where, as far as I know, the only Pinotage grown in the state of Oregon, or for that matter, anywhere other than small lots in California, Virginia, and Texas., is grown and bottled. Boy is it good! Smoky, fruity, and complex and it stands up to most spicy foods amazingly well. The first I had years ago was in Amsterdam, paired with very spicy Indonesian foods and chilled just a bit.
But for all that, I ask for their incredible '08 Viognier ($18). This one of the best tasting Viogniers so far this year and they should be very proud. Peach, citrus, very slight clove in the nose with warm clean notes of peach, soft apple, and just a little tartness in the mouth, with a long smooth finish. (Robert (me) gives it a 92).
My next stop was for 18 holes of golf for the auction from the Roseburg Country Club.

Now for the trip home.
With the pleasant small of curry keeping me company, I made my way to Sienna Ridge Winery, located off the freeway outside of Rice Hill. You can see it from the road and it is worth the stop. I was greeted by Cindy Braack and given a full tasting through the Pinot Noirs, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and remarkably good "Ice wines".

She loaded me up with every one of the wines they had on hand! The '03 ($28), '04 ($27), and '05 ($25) Pinot Noir are all very different from the Northern Willamette Vally vintages for the same grape due to the elevation (1,100 ft), soil (red Jory) and climate. While some of the '03 Pinot Noir from up north were short lived in the bottle, theirs are just drinking well right now. The '04 was less interesting but still good, and the '05 was outstanding!. They have their own AVA, Red Hills, and they have about 267 acres planted.
Cindy also gave me a bottle of the '03 Cabernet Sauvignon ($29), '07 Chardonnay ($17), and one each of the '03 Gewurztraminer ($25)and '04 Riesling ($24) "Ice Wines". Their web site is down at the moment but I will re-post it when it is up again.
While I right this I am sipping the Sienna Ridge '05 Pinot Noir.Yum!
In the morning I venture north to drop off two cases at Northwest Wines to You located in The Abby outside Lafayette and pick up a few bottles along the way.