Robert's Big Adventure

Tuesday I left Eugene too late to visit any wineries on the way to Portland to play golf at Heron Lakes, but I made up for it on Wednesday.
After playing 16 painful holes, then two that make me want to come back for more, I checked in to Northrup Station, had a nap, then headed off to 23Hoyt for an early dinner.
Open Table recommended them as a great place to eat and as a neighborhood gem so, trusting soul that I am...
The food was fantastic and the service was even better! Being a single dinner feel odd sometimes: just you and the food, and whatever entertainment is within sight or sound. The staff made me feel very welcomed and were attentive, polite, and at my side if I even thought of asking for something. The steak and fries were just right, though I suggested an aoli for the fries.
Back to the hotel to find the Ted Kennedy had died. Sad.

Wednesday morning brought me to Montinore Estate where proprietor Rudy Marchesi gave me a bottle of the Parson's Ridge'07 Pinot Noir. I tasted most of the wines and really loved the "Almost Dry Riesling" One of the best whites I tasted today and one of my favorites overall. The Parson's Ridge is a great wine. Pepper, black fig, complex and dry. I can't wait to see what it has in store after three or so years! Here is the bottle, held by Marc, the tasting room manager. I followed Ken and Barbie...yes, Ken and Barbie, to the tasting room and enjoyed sharing a moment of wine adventures with them.

OK, back to the wines. I left there and headed out to track down some Sake'.
I met one of the people in charge at Sake'One as he was leaving for his car and ask about getting "one bottle" for the collection. He was more than glad to help and we will have a bottle of "G" in the auction. Sake' is short lived , 5 -8 months, so I will pick it up just before the event. Loved all the tastes and could become addicted without much urging! I can't wait to go back for more tastes and a few bottles of my own.

I wandered up through the Hills to David Hill Vineyard and Winery to find yet again, after trying to connect in Jan. Feb, and March for a bottle for the last auction, that I had missed the person able to make a decision...should have called ahead but the drive, and the view, were worth the trip. And the wines I tasted were great.The Estate Gewurztraminer was bright with nice fruit and the Estate Pinot Gris was the perfect sweetness without being cloying. My favorite for just sipping is the Farmhouse Red. Smooth and rich. The Black Jack Pinot Noir "06 was outstanding! dark cherry and earthy. The tasting room is in an old house overlooking the vineyards and is just the right setting for a quiet moment with some great wine.
I will have to go back and try again.

Juanita Lint, owner of Plum Hill, whose wines are always good and often great, let me take a bottle of the '07 Chardonnay. I love this wine and think it is worthy of all the praise it has garnered.

Next stop, Elk Cove Vineyards. I found the manager doing tastings for a group of people from Hawaii and explaining shipping and the wine club. When she turned her attention to me I did the big ask! One bottle, please?
Martha Wagner came out and saw that it was me, again. She was so nice and gave a REALLY nice bottle! The 2006 Elk Cove Vineyards Reserve, signed by the winemaker. It received 93 points from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, and Stephan Tanzer, Parker gave it a 92, and Wine and Spirits, a 91. Decanter Magazine gave it 4 starts! Here is the bottle being held by an innocent passerby, actually, he was the bus driver for the tour group.
After thanking them again, I took off for Kramer Vineyards and was treated to TWO bottles! They gave a bottle of the '06 Estate Pinot Noir and one of the '06 Chardonnay. Julia let me taste most of the wines and just as last time, they were wonderful. The old vine (1984) Pinot was sooo good! Rhubarb and dark cherry with a dark sweet finish. This is Julia NOT blinking:)
One more stop and I will call it a day!
ADEA is one of my favorite places to hang out and visit. Feels like family. They know what they are doing and they do it well. I had run in to Ann and Dean at the IPNC and they promised me a surprise! They gave me a magnum of the '05 ADEA Reserve Pinot Noir! I sat around and tasted wines with Dean and went from '06, to '07, to'2000 and back again.
Do NOT believe what you here from the unschooled about the '07s. They are absolutely perfect Burgundian, ruby, complex, and very drinkable wines. I was astounded by the amount of depth and flavor in all of his '07s!
All the '07s I have tasted so far, with perhaps two exceptions, have been the kind that I cut my wine teeth on in Europe in the '70s. Buy lots now before the masses find out that they are great!

One last stop.
I was noodling around on Open Table while making a res at 23Hoyt and happened upon Jory Restaurant at The Allison Inn & Spa .
You can read my review on Open Table. God it was GOOD!

Friday: On the Trail of the Elusive "One Bottle"

Lost? Men don't get lost, they just don't like to turn around... I consider myself to be rather above average, smart, capable, all that, until I read a wine donation form as Dallas instead of The Dalles. Who knew there was a Court Street in both towns? A phone call and an embarrassed Robert led me to head out of town in a direction I swore was North. After driving for miles on gravel roads and watching the clock pass noon I found a paved road and headed...back to town.
I am sure there is a winery in Falls City but I really had no time.
On to Van Duzer Vineyards by way of another graveled road though this one led to a rich reward! They gave me a bottle of Homestead Block Pomard 2005 Pinot Noir. I have tasted many wines in Oregon and this is one my personal favorites. The grapes come from one block of vineyards just east of the tasting room and are the oldest they have.
"For several years, we’ve been beguiled by the powerful fruit coming off this small vineyard which, as its name suggests, was the site of the homestead on the property. The plot was planted in 1982 to vines of the Burgundian Pommard clone which have responded to conditions on the south-facing elevated benchland site with remarkably concentrated flavors of dark cherry".
quick trip over to Amity and a visit with Susan at Coelho Winery for some tatses and a bottle of 2006 Divertimento Pinot Noir Rose'.
Traveling north I headed for Maysara Winery and found Mathew Sweet working away and decided to give him a break and taste some wine. The winery is hidden back in the hills and is a gem. I left with a bottle of 2005 Delara Pinot Noir. Superb and just about ready to drink. They make wines to lay down and wait for the right moment. It garnered90 pts. in “WINE ENTHUSIAST (November 2008)
I drove in to McMinnville and stopped at Eyrie Winery for a bottle of history. They were the first to plant and harvest Pinot Gris here in Oregon and the 2007 Pinot Gris is a celebration of that fact. Brianne was so sweet and full of knowledge about the wines I ask what led her to this life. Turns out she has traveled the world working in wineries and learning about wines and is now in the program at Chemeketa. She will be a star someday. I plan to go visit her and buy the first wine she makes.
I made for Carlton to the Winemakers Studio to pick up Andrew Rich's 2006 Pinot Noir, J.Daan's 2006 Pinot Noir, and after talking to Phill, a bottle of The Studio 2006 Pinot Noir. I plan on going back and seeing if the other winemakers will donate as well.
I ended the day at ADEA Wine Company and had nice glass of 2005 Dean-o's Pinot Noir. Lush, fruit forward, nice acid balance and earthy back of the mouth feel. Lots of layers to explore. Took a bottle of this one for the auction!
I stopped at The Dundee Bistro and had a burger sans bun and a strip of thier famous bacon with apple and farmers cheese along with a glass of Hamacher's Pinot Noir.
A rest and some coffee and back to Eugene.