Some of My Salud! Auction Etchings

 WillaKenzie's Longhorn

A view from the back of Bethal Heights

 A view in the front of Winderlea Vineyards

 Ken Wright Cellars

Archery Summit

Salud! Etchings

The Salud! Auction is coming up in November and this year I am donating 10 prints of 10 wineries plus one image printed on wood, like the ones I have up at The Jordan Schnitzer Museum now.
I plan on doing this every year for the next 4 years so that everyone has an image.

 Still deciding which one of these to use...

Here are a few of the images I am developing for etchings. This is the second stage in the process so they will change as they move through the stages of printing. The image size will be 4x5 inches on archival rag paper.
See if you can tell which ones they are from the image so far.
I am also doing King Estate, Silvan Ridge, and Dick Shea's.

Quick Visit to Carlton

Salud! holds an auction every year and sell various items to raise money for the health care of our migrant workers, without whom we would have little wine to enjoy.  This year I have been ask to create ten etchings in an edition of ten to be auctioned off to help raise money. I was honored and have been driving around capturing images to make in to photographic etchings. I also plan to do one of each on wood, gold leafed and framed, as I did for the dismally advertised "Art of Wine" at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. They were supposed to work to bring tourists in to Lane County to sample our wines...
Oh well.
Anyway, on Wednesday I took one of my studio assistant, who just turned 21, on a tasting trip up the valley with stops along the way.
Left Coast Cellars is one of the most beautifully presented wineries in Oregon. The setting is stunning and the landscaping is perfect. They also have a large solar array and a very good restaurant
They also have a set of fountains that help hydrate the local bee population. As we walked up to the tasting room I looked over and saw a few dozen bees on each fountain happily sipping, then flying off to be replaced with more thirsty companions. I guess I had never really thought about them drinking. Seems appropriate that they have their own tasting room.
We tasted through the whites and I was struck by the depth and complexity of the '07 Chardonnay.

This wine is 100% barrel fermented and has a huge nose of pear and fruit blossoms with a taste of fresh pear and quince jam. There is a hint of pie spices balanced with good acid, a slight mineral after taste, and the overall feel of the wine is elegant and rich. I highly recommend this one. 
 Next one the list of must haves are really ANY of the '08 Pinot Noir. They are all outstanding and complex and all are worth the stop. It is not often that I enjoy every wine I taste but today was an exception.
While you are there, sit down and enjoy some of the wonderful food they prepare on site. Read the article about Oregon's restaurant/ winery news. 
While we were there over a dozen people, from farm hands to tourists came and went, praising the food and the wines. 

We made a quick stop at Bethel Heights to get a picture for an etching. They are one of the major sponsors of Salud! and are on this years list for my donation. I took a few shots and I think I have settled on an image of their wisteria and a view Northeast through the vineyards. I have time and lots of reasons to stop back and try another image.
We drove up through Amity then to Carlton where we were treated to my all time favorite taste treat! Republic of Jam was closed for production and restocking but they let me in and gave Saga a sample of their wares. You can tell by her reaction that she enjoyed the tastes! I ended up buying Blueberry Lavender Jam and Lemon Caraway soda syrup,. I am told that the bartender at  Thistle makes a drink with it involving bourbon that is out of this world! ( last night we tried some shaken with Gin and did not find it lacking ;).
 Next door at Horseradish we had a bowl of soup and a hot sandwich , and of course a glass of great Oregon Pinot Noir. As we sat down at the back bar Ryan showed me a wine I had not heard of nor tasted, Zimri Cellars '06 Pinot Noir. This is an outstanding wine. Rich and deep with a huge nose and wonderful mouthfeel and finish. I was very impressed, and at $30, it is under-priced!

 While we were waiting for our meal Saga found something very special, her own wine!
When we finished we left through the back door and walked over to visit with Dave at Carlton Cellars and taste some of his fine wines.

More on that when I get back from a meeting!

Dave tasted us through his lineup staring with his very tasty and very complex Pinot Gris. This wine has lime and white pear with a little flinty mineral in the nose and a rich dry taste. I really enjoy this wine.
Next we tasted the rose and it surprised me a bit. I had had last years and enjoyed it but this one is far more interesting. Lots of strawberry, hints of flowers, and a very interesting taste that changes rapidly as you taste again. I scored a bottle just for a little sip out on the deck this weekend.
Next came the lineup of the Pinot Noir .
Seven Devils is the everyday, house wine that you keep for the acquaintance (if you can keep your hands of it). This is a gentle, rich wine with a slow start and a long finish. Great food pairing as it has brighter fruits and a lot of ripe blackberry and cherry. In the short time it has been in bottle it has changed a lot. I can't wait to taste it again in a few months.
Roads End Pinot Noir is ina class of its own. The gift that keeps on giving, and if anyone tries to tell you that filtering ruins the complexity and structure of wine, let them taste this one! Here is what Parker had to say:

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate concurred, giving the 2006 Roads End a 90-point score that identifies it as "An outstanding wine of exceptional complexity and character. In short, these are terrific wines." Dr. Jay Miller writes in his October, 2008 review:

"The 2006 Pinot Noir Roads End spent 10 months in French oak. Medium/dark ruby-colored, it reveals an attractive perfume of cedar, black cherry, and black raspberry. This leads to a layered, smooth-textured wine with plenty of sweet fruit, good balance, and a medium-long finish. Drink it over the next four years."

 Next stop was in Ken Wright's parking lot next door where I got what will be an etching when I am doe. Here is the image now. When I am done with it I will post it to show the end result.
We made a quick stop a Wildaire and we both loved the Clay Court Pinot Noir. Remarkable wine and worth the stop. Linda and I have bought bottles on each trip up and they don't last long. The wine is best described as plush, like a big overstuffed sofa with solid wood legs! You just want to lay down in it and let it engulf you. The nose really leaps out and grabs you with pie spices, dark ripe cherry, and big notes of hot blackberry pie. The first sip is almost a shock as you find a whole different pallet waiting for you, one of cherry compote and caramel with layer after layer of vanilla and creamy red berry. The finish is long and pleasing with just enough earthy, spicy mix to make you want another sip.
Last stop in Carton was at Troon. I felt I had to school her on the differences in the Oregon wine regions and this is one of the very best places to do it.
It was late so we hurried through a couple of sips, then Chelsea brought in the sign and the other folks, Paul Cronauer and his wife Sarah, tasted through a perfect collection of Southern Oregon wines.
 We got started with the '10 Dry Riesling. I love this wine and just thing Greg killed on this one. Bone dry with very complex minerality and gentle hints of stone fruit and white grape.
The reds are all good and interesting but one stands out as a must have, the 2007 Humbug Fire Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve.  This one was done after the devastating fires down the in '07 and some of the proceeds go to fund the firemen. The smoke in this wine was like being next to a campfire! The fruit was like roasting berries on a stick and eating them while they were still warm. This is just an outstanding wine and should be shared.
Last stop of the day was at Nick's on Third Street in McMinnville for some ribs and a cheese plate.  Then  the long drive home and back to the studio.



 

 

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.

Oregon Wines in Washington, DC

Linda and I had the chance to spend a week in DC to help celebrate the Holt International 55th year and we took it! The first night there we had dinner at Sonoma on Capital Hill a few blocks from the Liaison and Hyatt Regency hotels. The only Oregon wine on the menu was Soter's '08 "North Valley" Pinot Noir ($19 a glass, $78 a bottle) in the medium bodied reds. Great big nose full of spice and roses, dark berry, black fruit, and pepper in the mouth with a soft, long finish of spice and sweet berry. It went perfectly with the Duck breast!
Nice to have a glass of Oregon wine in a restaurant that prides itself on California wines.
The food was fantastic and so was the service and we had a nice walk back across the Capital with cherry blossoms floating in the breeze around us.
The next day we started out at the Smithsonian Craft Show and ran in to many old arts and crafts freinds I knew from OPUS6IX and my travels. Peggy Loudon, Martha Fieber, Michael Bauermeister, Akiko Sugiyama, Christina Goodman (I wore the cuff links she made for me at the Black tie dinner on Saturday),and Devin Burgess. This was a great show and we did our best to support as many artists as we could afford to. visited
We took our bounty back to the hotel and headed for museums. For lunch we  found, with the help of my trusted companion Open Table, a place called Proof that is right out the door at the National Portrait Gallery where we worked up an appetite looking at Calder's show, along with so much more! Wow!
The wine list was fun to sort out and look though for Oregon gems.
Chehalem, Inox, Willamette Valley 2008 (that is the wine they gave us the last two years)
Pinot Gris, Van Duzer, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2009
Belle Pente, Estate, 2007 75
J. Christopher, Dundee Hills, 2007
Dusky Goose, Willamette Valley 2006
EIEIO, Cuvée I, Willamette Valley 2006 80
EIEIO, Stermer, Willamette Valley 2006 90
EIEIO, Wind Hill, Willamette Valley 2006 90
Et Fille, Kalita, Willamette Valley 2007 80
Et Fille, Maresh, Willamette Valley 2007 80
Et Fille, Willamette Valley 2007 60
Patricia Green, Balcombe Block 1B, Willamette Valley 2009 100
Lemelson, Jerome Reserve, Willamette Valley 2008 95 Lemelson, Stermer, Willamette Valley, 2008 75
Penner Ash, Willamette Valley 2008 95
Shea Wine Cellars, Shea Vineyards, Willamette Valley 2008 110
Shea Wine Cellars, Shea Vineyard, Willamette Valley 2007 110
Sinnean, Willamette Valley 2008 70
St. Innocent, Freedom Hill, Willamette Valley 2008 75
St. Innocent, White Rose, Willamette Valley 2008 85
Ken Wright, Abbott Claim, Willamette Valley 2008 90
Ken Wright, Savoya, Willamette Valley 2008 90
(The ones that are linked have given us a bottle in the past.)
That night we had dinner at the Korean Ambassador's house with the Holt delegates and a few noted pols. No Oregon wines were served but the food was out of this world!

We had lunch at Oyamel and it became our go-to place for a quick lunch and a little cocktail! Small plates of interesting combination and lots for Linda to graze on (vegetarian). No Oregon wines but they had a great drink menu!
After seeing so many galleries, museums, walking the mall from the Lincoln Memorial, to the Viet Nam Memorial, to the White House to the Capital, and beyond, we were about worn out and I considered renting a Segway! We spent the last two days seeing the American Indian Museum, the Botanical Gardens, and the Newseum. All these are must see places.

I got a nice surprise at the American Indian Museum. As I walked up on the second floor there was a table with a sheet of paper hung from it that said Bartow and had a big arrow pointing in to a side room. Sure enough, Rick was giving a drawing workshop! Great to see an Oregonian there. His work holds prominent places throughout the Museum.

The Newseum is too much to try to explain, just go and enjoy. It takes at least two days to see everything but you will not regret the time spent.
Last stop before going out to the Reagan was the Capital Grille. It felt a little odd being in such a storied place with lots of interesting people but bless Open Table for finding us a reservation right at noon! The food was good and the service was impeccable. The wine list was carefully selected and included some very good Oregon wines among there 5000 bottle collection.
Great flight home to happy cats, a nice soft bed, and back on the diet, though with all the walking I only gained one pound!

Harvey Steiman presents Pinot Noirs from Oregon

 Wine Spectator sent out an email with these Oregon Wineries featured, all of which have given OMP one bottle for our auction, so I thought I would pass them on.

Harvey Steiman presents some of his favorite Pinot Noirs from Oregon's classic 2008 vintage at the 2010 Wine Experience. This first video features Lynn Penner-Ash and her Pas de Nom Pinot from Dundee Hills. (3min:48sec)

Penner-Ash

Ken Wright

Meet Ken Wright as he describes his 2008 Savoya Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Yamhill-Carlton District. (4min:13sec)

More

Special Treat!

Our good friend, winemaker Rebecca (Ghost Hill) came to dinner and brought a bottle of 1998 Ken Wright Pinot noir from the Elysian vineyards. Wow! What a wine. Roses, leather black fruits, gentle hints of coffee and hibiscus. What a treat! The wine opened up nicely over the course of the meal and by the end, the last drops were almost too good to waste on mere humans!

Good News for Some Very Good Winemakers

From Wine Enthusiast comes good news for some of our friends:

95 Chehalem 2006 Statement Pinot
Noir (Ribbon Ridge); $99. This one of-
a-kind offering from Chehalem celebrates
what they are calling a “great” vintage. The wine
is dark, supple and immensely rich and dense,
yet retains a lightness that captures the elegance
of the Pinot Noir grape while propelling it to rarified
heights. The mix of red and purple fruits,
herb, spice and earth all come together in a
smooth and seductive wine that drinks like a
dream. Cellar Selection. —P.G.
95 Scott Paul 2008 Audrey Pinot Noir
(Dundee Hills); $65. All Maresh vineyard
grapes are behind this gorgeous and feminine
Pinot, with soft and evocative scents of
truffle, chocolate and raspberry. Brilliant winemaking
that takes all the elements of great Oregon
fruit and puts them into unique focus, with
winemaker Kelley Fox’s trademark blend of biodynami
c e a r thy /fung a l f l a vor s , e legant
berry/cherry fruit, and just a touch of milk chocolate.
The alcohol just reaches 13%. —P.G.
94 Kelley Fox 2007 Maresh Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills); $50.
This has a surprising amount of vanilla cream in
the flavors, plus soft, seductive raspberry fruit.
The fruit comes from the oldest part of the
Maresh vineyard—38-year-old self-rooted vines.
The wine is a pale rose, yet substantial in the
style of a classic Pinot from Eyrie. After some
hours breathing it opens up with elegant, seductive
aromas and some caramel streaks, delicate
and perfectly proportioned. —P.G.
94 Ken Wright 2008 Canary Hill
Vi n e y a rd Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity
Hills); $50. The top wine from Ken Wright in
2008, this beautifully elegant wine clocks in at
just 13.3% alcohol, yet delivers a mouthful of
delicious flavors. A lovely mix of cranberry,
pomegranate and wild raspberry is annotated
with dusty herb. Excellent midpalate concentration
and length. Cellar Selection. —P.G.
93 Evening Land Vineyards 2007
Seven Springs Vi n e y a rd La Source
Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills); $67.
Dominique Lafon consults on these wines,
sourced from a vineyard now almost 30 years old.
Evening Land is among the wineries who sense
an opportunity to make refined, elegant wines
from the terroir of this little-known region.
Lovely aromas, complex scents and flavors, pine
and herb, cranberry and raspberry, earth and
seafoam—lots of nuances here. Editors’ Choice.
—P.G.
93 Kelley Fox 2008 Maresh Vi n e y a rd
Pinot Noir (Dundee Hills); $50. This
has pure fruit – strawberry especially – creating
an elegant, light, delicate, complex, though still
quite young wine. Some caraway seed flavors
come into play, and bolder black cherry fruit.
— P.G.
93 Longplay 2 0 0 8 Jory Bench
Reserve Lia’s Vineyard Pinot Noir
(Chehalem Mountains); $30. Longplay’s
2008 reserve is quite different from its nonreserve
stablemate. The aromas include more
earthy barnyard scents, the color has a hint of
maturity, and no new oak was used. As a result,
this wine could pass for one with a few more
years under its belt; its flavors more suggestive of
fruit pastry, figs and plums, leather and compost.
Complex and detailed, it’s a lovely effort. —P.G.
93 Scott Paul 2007 La Paulée Pinot
Noir (Willamette Valley); $30. Four
vineyards – Ribbon Ridge, Momtazi, Maresh and
Shea – are included here. Soft and seductive, this
wine caresses the palate with silky fruit. Aromatically
it weaves together red fruits, truffles and
clean, earthy scents. It reaches just over 13%
alcohol; truly Burgundian yet with an Oregon
flair to the fruit flavors. It puts the lie to any
notion that this was a poor vintage. Challenging
to be sure, but great wines were made in 2007,
and this is one of them. —P.G.
92 Adelsheim 2008 Elizabeth’s
Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette
Valley); $48. This barrel selection from the best
estate vineyards is given just 10 months aging in
30% new oak. The fruit is exceptional – a mix of
red berries with tasteful threads of caramel sneaking
into the finish. Let it breathe—it’s a baby—
but very nicely proportioned and showing layers
of detail throughout a lingering finish. —P.G.
92 Anne Amie 2006 L’iris Pinot Noir
(Willamette Valley); $75. Drinking
very nicely, this wine bursts from the glass with
rich aromas of cherry, chocolate, truffle and
loam. The fruit factor is ramped up, delicious and
coats the palate with bright cherry candy flavors.
But this is more than a fruit bomb; the acidity
and ripe tannins balance it out as it runs into a
clean, lengthy finish. —P.G.
92 Brittan Vineyards 2006 Basalt
Block Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley);
$45. The private project of veteran winemaker
Robert Brittan, the limited-production
wines under his own label are treasures. This is
his inaugural release. Both fruit ripeness and
meaty depth are here in abundance, with a complex
mix of tree fruits and stone fruits, streaks of
earth and a fine layering of chocolate. This is a
wine you excavate as much as drink; it’s full of
surprises. —P.G.
92 Ken Wright 2008 Abbott Claim
Vi n e y a rd Pinot Noir (Yamhill- Carlton
District); $50. The 2008 Pinots from Ken
Wright display their individual terroirs quite succinctly,
with little evidence of the (roughly) 30%
new oak they receive. The Abbott Claim has a
bit more of a chocolaty flavor, with full, spicy
cherry fruit at its core. In fact there is so much
fruit, spicy and candied, that it is a bit like fruitcake,
in a good way. —P.G.
92 Ken Wright 2008 McCrone Vineyard
Pinot Noir (Yamhill- Carlton
District); $50. Still quite young, but showing
real depth and layering, the McCrone vineyard
designate offers pomegranate and raspberry fruit,
dusted with baking spices, and finished with a
tasty vein of mocha. This is a wine to enjoy in the
full bloom of its youth. —P.G.
92 Soléna 2007 Hyland Vi n e y a rd
Pinot Noir (Eola-Amity Hills); $45.
Laurent and Danielle Montalieu acquired this
high-profile vineyard in 2007; this is the first
Hyland release under their Soléna label. It’s a
beautiful Pinot, with the elegance of Burgundy
and the freshness of New World grapes. Fermentation
in rotary barrels (for color extraction
and tannin management) yields a silky, perfumed,
feminine wine that penetrates subtly and
lingers gracefully. Editors’ Choice. —P.G.
For a complete rating click here

Slow Days of Winter

After gathering so many bottles of wine I felt like taking a little slow time and not rushing from winery to vineyard looking for that "one bottle". I met Ray Walsh at Territorial  Vineyards and Wine Company and thanked him for his donation of one of his Capitello Wines Pewter Label , '07 Succession Cuvee Pinot Noir ($75). He has nearly sold out!  His wines consistently amaze me. His was ranked second out of ten top Oregon Pinot Gris.While I was there I asked the wine maker, John, at Territorial if he would again donate and he agreed to a bottle of his well loved (Bob Sogge RAVES about it!) Opine Cellars '04 Syrah($35). After I left them I took a nice leisurely drive north to Tyee Cellars, located off of highway 99 between Monroe and Corvallis. A family run winery offering a variety of wines from a very tasty Pinot Gris to a complex Pinot Noir. They are far enough away from everything else that you need to make this a destination or perhaps a stop between Benton Lane and Lumos or Harris Bridge. In the summer that have many events involving music and it is a great place for a leisurely afternoon of wine and relaxation.

They gave us a bottle of '08 Gewurztraminer($18), a spicy, bright wine with a caramel and spice finish. Great sipping wine for a warn afternoon or paired with a fruit salad, crudite', or just about any light fair.

After a long slow cup of coffee and a really good hamburger at a little cafe' near Adair Village, I considered stopping at Firesteed, but they are owned by some Seattle people so no one there can say yes. I really like the wines they make but to much trouble and time for one bottle. When I got to Lafayette and The Abbey (at left), I dropped off a case and bottle with Rebecca, who, with Steve Baker will be our wine experts during the auction..

My adventures at Rex Hill Vineyards and Winery took place a few months ago when a friend invited me to go on a tour of the winery. It was very Oregon rainy day when I got there so we went down to the barrel rooms, the bottling room, and then outside to watch the cleaning of the tanks. The operation is huge and seams to go one forever. I was taken by the amount of cooperation and joy I saw in the people working there. They say the wine takes on the character of it's surroundings.  That must be one reason their wine is so tasty. On this visit I was able to taste the '07 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir; bold, smokey fruit with a dark chocolate undertone, ripe black cherry and boysenberry with a long complex finish of honey and spice.The '07 Chardonnay was wonderful! Ripe pear, white peach, and a hint of citrus in the nose with smooth mouthfeel. Honey, vanilla, nice sweetness on the side of the tongue, and a clean soft finish.The '07 Pinot Gris was a little tight in the nose becuse it was still  bit chilled but the taste was caramel, citrus, and baked pear. great aftertaste.The '06 Estate Pinot Noir ($42) held here by Katie, that they presented to us was a real treat. Nose of very ripe black plum and cherry with figs and raisins, robust mouthfeel with hints of very ripe fruit, black figs. Very long after with spice and hints of dates.They always have a ring of glasses they fill with sample smells and tastes that you might encounter while tasting the wines. This time a looked askance at the colors of the items and what they had on display, until Anne reminded me that St. Patrick's Day was near.

I was in kind of a melancholy mood but Rebecca and her two kids snapped me out of it, with the help of Johnna's drink making skills at the Golden Valley Brewery and Restaurant. That is a Lafayette sitting so temptingly in front of her, made with Sapphire, a very small amount of dry vermouth, shaken (hard) with a few mint leaves, and poured in to a chilled glass coated with Grand Marnier (not very much). It is a VERY good drink.We ate little plates until we were very full then I was off to my guest quarters for a night of bad TV and good wine.Up early for coffee and a scone and off to gather. I made a trip out to visit with Drew at Shea Vineyards where Dick had promised a Magnum of his '07 Estate Pinot Noir. Last year his bottle of '06 Pinot Noir, along with Broadley Shea, and Bergstrom Shea, sold for $900. Not bad. This year we have  (so far) three bottles and one magnum of wine sourced from the Shea vineyards.We should do well again I hope! Drew has been making wines for over ten years and loves Pinot Noirs and the complexity, challenge, and reward of making a great one. Their '07 is nectar and is going to be a real prize for whoever out-bids ME!

Next on the agenda was Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. The drive up to the winery would lead one to believe that a wrong turn had been taken but when the car rises up over the edge of the hill one sees a glorious panorama of the valley and hills far away below. Modern building with fine art hanging, clean and bright, open views to the winery below. Very pleasant. So was the wine. I know I go on about Viognier here in Oregon but there is something about that grape that is almost as interesting as the Pinot Noir is its ability to be influenced by it's surroundings. In this case, the '08 Viognier has all the right notes in all the right places. Lynn Penner-Ash pulls out all the long cool notes of the wine and it presents a fine nose of fresh cut white peach, citrus skin with a deep creamy taste of white grape and pear. Long complex after with a little hint of vanilla and rose petal in the back. I like this wine.

Kelley gave me a chance to recover before pouring me a taste of the wine they would give, the '07

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($45). It was so rich and dark in the nose with hints of tobacco and chocolate, with overtones of ripe cherry. The taste was that of  a complex compote of strawberry, rhubarb, and mulling spice with a hint of pepper and a nice broad finish.. How very different was the '07 Dussin Vineyard Pinot Noir: Wild rose, plum, berry, island spices in the nose with an elegant cherry and chocolate taste and a sweet and sour marionberry hint in the finish. Love it. After I thanked them for their gift I drove up to Gaston for some gas, then back down 47 and up the hill to the Kramer Vineyards where there was a bottle of Thistle '06 Pinot Noir waiting for me.This one is a little more interesting than some of the "big" '06 Pinot Noirs we saw. The tannins are good and the complexity of taste is surprising. A keeper. Trudy also handed over a bottle of the Semi-sparkling Pinot Gris that they were bottling and trying to get labeled. While I was there it snowed!. The dogs loved it and came in dusted with white. They flopped over on the floor and posed for me.

On the way back at the house I picked up Chinese and a bottle of Riesling and watch a movie before falling asleep. Still in kind of a forlorn mood the next day I decided against much interaction with people but I did stop at the Horse Radish for a mixed plate of almonds, cheese, salami, and other treats, accompanied by a glass of Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir (who I have yet to get) and a nice visit with
Sabra Mathot, the owner for a little while longer. New owner on the way and Sabra is going to get a much needed rest! She was sweet enough to give me a bottle of Cody Wright's Purple Hands Table($17.99) wine. Great stuff made at Ken Wright's winery around the corner. That is what is great about eating there, you get to meet all the wine industry folks and get a little insight in to the wine industry. Also, it is a great place to eat and drink good Oregon Wines.
I had one more stop to make for a really exciting wine, the '06 Carabella Pinot Noir ($35): Plush, showing an array of dark cherry, blackberry and plum character with soft, mouth-filling tannins. The warmth of the fall contributed to the dark garnet color. The softness of the Pommard and chocolate tannins of the Wadenswil clone round out the cuvee. Excellent with Morroccan lamb stew.
Time to go home and relax. Only a few days of gathering yet to come. I am going to SIP! on Sunday the 14th to try to play catch up.