So It's Not Wine...I Love It Anyway!

On the way out of the Eola Hills I stopped by my favorite non-wine beverage maker Wandering Angus Ciderworks, and caught Nick heading out to the orchard. He came up to the tasting room, which was acting as a temporary home for his friends who were helping him harvest, and gave me a bottle of his sweeter cider. I tend to like the sharper ones but anything he wants to give up for the auction is more than fine with me!

Putting the Cork in it!

Well, today is the clean-up day. I need to go to Cottage Grove and accept a bottle from Iris Hill and then track down a friend who has a bottle of Erath and a couple more for me.
The article in the paper was nice though I think they forgot to mention that ALL THE WINERIES DONATED THE WINE! It sounded like I bought it all. Oh well. To all the incredible wineries "Thank you again for your heart felt gifts. Wine is what you do, how you make your living, and is a real love. I know that to give so freely after being ask so often by so many is a burden. I don't know that I would have the patience to put up with it. That is why I limited my asks to ONE BOTTLE. Thank you again!
I will post tasting notes, wine recommendations, and travel tips over the next few months until I start the journy over again, hoping for even more next year.
More later
Thanks

Salem,Carlton, Dundee, Gaston, McMinnville, Lafayette for Wine

A long long day started with gathering up my paperwork and loading up on coffee. I arrived in Salem just as Honeywood Winery opened its doors. I had been there once many years ago when the just made fruit wines. I found a very good reason to return when I read that they had received a 90 in Wine Spectator for the 2006 Pinot Noir from their Eola vineyard. I tasted it while it was still tight and again after a few minutes and found it to easily deserve the 90 points. Very tasty and not as fruity as some. They gave me a bottle of 2006 Pinot Noir for the auction!
In Dundee I found Crumbled Rock Winery and saw the progress they are making on the barrel room, tasting room and crush pad/balcony. Very cool site. They bought the vineyard in '87 and she just retired so they are at it full time.They plan to open and be tasting by next year. Julia gave me a 2007 Pinot Noir. Very generous considering how few cases they made.
My usual stop for lunch was excellent as usual. The Bistro served up a hearty pork and bean soup( no, not THAT kind) with a rich flavor that paired well with the Ponzi Pinot Gris. I finished with some Tam cheese and a slice of smoked bacon and apple.
Sustained, I headed out for Carlton and a special treat: Barrel tasting with Patrick Taylor, the winemaker at Canas Feast. We tasted through his line in the tasting room, all delightful, and then went in and found the 2008 Sangiovasi. Wow! I also met with Patrick Taylor, the GM. I can't wait to attend one of the food pairings they do. After an hour of sip and spit I drove to the Abby where my friend Rebecca works. WShe arranged for me to have some of the wineries they store and ship to donate wine from there. She cased it up and saved me much time and raised my count by 18 bottles!Elkhorn Ridge-2007 Le Terre Foss Pinot Noir, Shea Wine Cellars-2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Daedalus Cellars-2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Trium- 2007 Pheasent Hill Pinot Gris, Cristom Vineyards-2006 Sommer Reserve Pinot Noir, Barbara Thomas Wines- 2005 Vigna Giovanni Yamhill Pinot Noir, Brittan Vineyards- 2006 Basalt Block Pinot Noir, Ardiri Estate Grown- 2006 Carmeros Pinot Noir, Winter's Hill Vineyard- 2004 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Anam Cara Cellars- 2006 Nicholas Estate Pinot Noir ,CarabellaVineyard-2007 Pinot Noir, Seventeen Eighty-nine Wines-2007 Pinot Noir and Johan Vineyards-2006 Pinot Noir.
Be sure to click on the winery AND the wine.
Rebecca took me to see Steve Lutz, the winemaker and owner of Lenne Estate. What a view! We interrupted him in the middle of work but he was gracious enough to taste us through his wines and present a 2007 Pinot Noir.
On to Willakenzi Estate were I picked up a case of Pinot Noir and a case of Pinot Gris for the auction tables...you have to give them wine to drink or they just sit there!
I toured the winery and got to see the bottling machine, then went up for a little taste. I bade farewell to Thibaud and Rebeca and went in search of Plum Hill where I was greeted by Ghost Dog, who was very excited to see me, as you can see here, and a bottle of 2006 Pinot Gris presented by Juanita, the owner and with her husband, the operator.
My last stop of the day was at Youngberg Hill Vineyard and Inn. I want to take Linda there for a weekend. It is so beautiful and the view is fantastic! Wayne, the owner, gave a bottle of 2006 Jordan Block Pinot Noir.
Now I am back home and sorting the wines one last time. The Register Guard is doing an article on the wine collection and the auction in Thursday's paper .

A Very Nice Offer

I was so pleased to receive a Facebook message from Ghost Hill Cellars up near Carlton, Oregon.
They "would be happy to supply" us "with a bottle of 2006 Ghost Hill Cellars Pinot Noir for this event. Check out the Ghost Hill Cellars page for the story on this wonderful vineyard, family and wine."
It is so wonderful and amazing that wineries here in Oregon are willing to share the fruits of their labor and love with others so graciously!
Here is a link to Ghost Hill Cellars.