Almost Done

As I sit here getting ready to tell you about the great wines and wonderful people that I had the pleasure to enjoy, I am torn by the notion that I did not work hard enough on the project this year, that I did not gather as many wines a last time, and that my energy level was not what it could have been. With the price of gas, my other commitments, and having to create and print editions of 25 of 16 images of the Lane County wineries for the Passport to Culture at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum in August, I realize I did work pretty hard.
That aside, back to wine!
My first stop was at Anne Amie for a taste and to pick up a bottle of '08 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $35. This is a stand out wine, a nose bold with warm fruits and hints of ceder and sage followed by coffee and chocolate over dark cherry. Great mouthfeel and a finish of  hard candy and spice. I really like this wine and would love to pair it with warm fall foods like roasted chicken with vegetables.
Also, the tasting room is worth the trip. What a beautifully appointed place!
I drove out 240 to the Adelshiem sign, then on to Bergstrom Vineyards to pick up a real prize. I am collecting bottles of wine soursed from the Shea vineyards and this one makes number 4. They gave us an  '09 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir.

 Shea Vineyard is middle of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA,and is known for its sandy soil and beds of Sandstone and Shale. The grapes that come from Shea produce some of the boldest and richest wines around and this one is no exception.

Kate, who is shown here, was entertaining a couple from Sedona Arizona who had retired to the deck for a little bit of almost warm sun. I went next door to drop off a custom label I had made for Paul de Lancellotti then stopped at Adelshiem for a bottle of the remarkable '09 Caitlin’s Reserve Chardonnay.
The folks at  this winery have always been so kind and giving! Lida and I have a tasting for 8 waiting to be used that we bought at a Holt auction last year. Any takers?

While I was there I met Paul Mui and his wife. He is the hospitality director for Oliver Winery in Bloomington Indiana. Who know they had wine there? Just kidding, they have been doing it since '72. I may have to go visit.
Next stop was ADEA where Dean looked around till he found the perfect wine, a Magnum of an extraordinary wine: Pinot Noir Ann Sigrid. This '05 is among the top Pinot Noirs released and is a keeper. Magnums age longer and allow the complexity of the wines to shine. '05 was an amazing year for Pinot Noir here in Oregon so this one should bring enough to pay a musician for at least two sessions!
Outside of Gaston, up on top of the hills, sits Kramer Vineyards, where Trudy and her crew have been making some of the best wines in Oregon since 1983.
They Gave a bottle of '07 Dijon Chardonnay and one of the '07 Pinot Noir boxed with a hat and a certificate for a free tasting. Great package! I visited the dog and got happy tail wag. His long time friend (see them here) passed away and I think he misses running in the vineyards with him. 
On the way back to Carlton I stopped at Shea Vineyards for a visit with Drew Voit and to pick up a prized bottle of Dick Shea's wine, a '08 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. His vineyards are among the most well known and special places to grow grapes here in Oregon. 

Shea Vineyard named one of five Pinot Noir vineyards in the U.S. meriting the designation "Grand Cru".

—Wine Enthusiast

This makes the 5th bottle in my Shea collection and I will pick up the last one next week.

Drew surprised me with a bottle of his own wine, Harper Voit Strandline Pinot Noir soon to be famous, as it is featured in Vertical, the new book about Oregon Pinot Noir.

I stopped at Horseradish for a little nosh and a sip and saw a great article about the winemakers own wines and Drew was in it. Read it here. He is top right.

Almost done for this trip. Only two more stops and of to home I go.
Peter Rosback has been making wines here in Oregon for a long time and has become somewhat iconic. He is a sharing, gentle soul who shares his winemaking knowledge, writes, and travels. For him it is all about the wine.If you Google his name you will get pages of revues, articles by him, about him, and about his many Sineann wines. He also makes wines for other wineries such as the Pines, and Trium. This year he gave us a case of his amazing . 07 Resonance Vineyard Bio-dynamic Pinot Noir. This wine will be divided up in different lots and in the "wall of wine" so keep your eyes open at the auction.

Last stop for the day was Youngberg Hill. Located west of McMinnville high up in the hills, it is surrounded by vineyards and has a beautiful view of the valley. The hotel is one of the finest around with just the right rooms for a long weekend in wine country!
Jess Davis, the assistant winemaker, lead me though a tasting of all the fine wines and  my favorites were the Jordan Block '08 Pinot Noir and the '07 Jordan Block Pinot Noir. I talked him in to giving the '07.This '07 is coming on strong and a few years in bottle has led to amazing tastes. I am glad I bought so much '07 from various places!
If you get the chance (they fill up fast) go up and spend a day or two and enjoy the view, the people, and the wonderful wines.

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.

Newberg and Carlton

On my way back from Portland, after visiting Gallery 903 to check out a possible purchase, I stopped at Anam Cara's new tasting room. Just as you turn right off 99 on to 240 out of Newberg you will see the new signs on the right. I was so pleased to see it but I had one caveat: they are next to Jem 100 Ice Cream Saloon, a malt shop that has THE BEST malts I have had in years. I have found it very difficult to make your taste buds behave after a burger and chocolate malt so be sure to go there AFTER you taste the wines!
With that in mind, and due to the fact that Sheila was rushing out to give a tasting, I just collected a bottle of their wonderful 2007 Nicholas Estate Pinot noir they gave us and did not take the time to taste.
This is very typical of the '07 Pinot Noir that was so maligned by short sighted people and has now proven to be elegant, delicate, and complex. I love this wine and this year. There are of course a few that were just not ever going to work themselves out but they are few and far between.
This '07 did very well: 94 points in PinotReport, 90 points from Wine Advocate and 88 points from Wine Enthusiast I will return soon and enjoy a taste.
Driving past all the winery signs between Newburg and Carlton made me realize what a chore I have in front of me. Some friends laugh and make fun of the "job" I have chosen to do again this year but it is work. I have met the most wonderful people, tasted the best wines, and actually worked in a few of the wineries picking, sorting, pruning, doing punch downs, and bottling. This has given me a real respect for all that goes in to making the "One Bottle" I am asking for.
When I arrived at Carlton I was very excited to find Seven of Hearts open and pouring! I usually miss them because I try and not go gathering on the weekends. The wineries are busy and don't have time to be interrupted by someone begging for "one Bottle".

 Byron Dooly, owner and winemaker, was there with some of his club members. I bought a Lavender dark chocolate with a dusting of sea salt from Byron's wife and partner Dana, who creates wonders for the palette (and matches fine chocolates to the wines!) under the name Honest Chocolates and waited for a taste.
My reward came with a sip of the Viognier and Roussanne blend that took me by surprise! Such a great balance of flavors and structure. It has the delicacy of the Viognier and the backbone of the Roussanne. This is a wine that recalls the great whites of the Rhone valley.
We went through the entire selection and I must say, none of the wines disappointed but some stood out as wines I could have a passion for. The Chatte D'Avignon Grenache and Syrah blend is outstanding. A soft, firm, and warn flavor with a strong earthy base. long finish with all kinds of fruits and flowers along the way. Byron writes in his blog::

   It’s a treat to have the opportunity to work with 15-year-old Grenache and Syrah vines situated on ideal    sites — truly reminiscent of the regions where these varietals initially gained their reputation in the Rhone Valley of France — right along the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge. All the elements that make those wines great there, are present here as well: the heat, the moderating influence of the river, the winds (much like the Mistral winds of the Rhone Valley), and the gravelly sandy soil).

These are special wines because they have a lot of soul. The Syrah is more of a northern Rhone meaty, earthy expression than the more fruity expression you may have come to know. The Grenache is the one that brings the fruit to the party. The truth is both of these were acquired to make the blend, something that reflects some of my favorite red Rhone wines, such as Chateauneuf du Pape that is dominated by the elegance of Grenache, but with enough Syrah to give it penetrating depth and backbone.more
After we were done with the Seven of Hearts he moved us on to the Luminous Hills wines. These are estate grown Pinot noirs that show  a very complex and educational range of tastes depending on what lot they are from, the clones used, and the treatment during processing. Here is what Byron has to say:
   The Luminous Hills “silver label” utilizes the 667 from the higher elevation volcanic soil in Luminous Hills vineyard to give it its bright fruit expression.  Darker, spicier notes are derived from the 115 clone on the lower elevation sedimentary soil.  A little bit of whole cluster Pommard (20%) rounds it out and gives it its fleshy quality.  
And about the Gold, which he gave for the auction along with the D'Avignon Grenache and Syrah.:

   LUX, or the “gold label”, is a special selection, much smaller production, from select parts of the Luminous Hills vineyard.  A favorite clonal combination comprised of a big foundation of Pommard from the lower sedimentary part of the vineyard, providing the bass notes, but with enough 777 off the higher elevation volcanic soil to give it high tone structure and lift.  50% whole cluster fermentation.  
His new sign, attached to the front of his hand made wooden counter fools the eyes. You will have to go by and see how it is made, and of course taste all his wonderful wines along with Ana' Chocolates.

Before I left town I stopped over at Alexana Winery's elegant tasting room located 116 West Main for a quick visit with Christie Shertzer. The wines they make are consistently wonderful! Lynn  Penner-Ash is the winemaker  I ask if they would again this year be willing to donate "One Bottle" for the cause and she said "Of course!".  I ask for a bottle of the Shea vineyard '08 Pinot noir. This wine was given 94 points from Wine Advocate and 92 from Wine Spectator! We will add this bottle to a set of wines made from Dick Shea's grapes and create a really exciting package for the highest bidder. I can't wait to come back next week and taste through all the wines.
My next trip will be south to Elkton and Roseburg.

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.