Great News!

I just received this letter from Jim Bernau of Willamette Valley Vineyards and went to the Wine and Spirits web site for a look at who else I know who hit the Top 100. Tonight, our winery will be honored as one of the "Top 100 Wineries in the World" by Wine & Spirits magazine in San Francisco.

Editor, Joshua Greene said, "Each year, our panels and critics blind
taste more than 10,000 wines, selecting the best for recommendation
in the magazine. Our "Top 100 Wineries of the Year Award" highlight
brands with a range of wines our critics have scored at the top of
their categories. Willamette Valley Vineyards' performance makes it a
great ambassador for wines of Oregon."

This is wonderful recognition for the vineyard crew and winemaking staff who dedicate their lives to making a delicious, classic representation of Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley.

Thank you for the support you have given us over these many years,
 





Jim Bernau,
Founder/Winergrower

Wine Sorting: Almost Done!

Delivering one more case to the collection building at The Abbey was very satisfying. Rebecca and I uncased over two hundred wines and sorted them by varietal. We ended up with almost 100 Pinot Noirs, lots of Gris, Cabs, and assorted reds and whites.Exciting to see them all laid out! Thibaud Mandet, the winemaker at Willakenzie Estates, gave a Magnum of Alliette and a mixed case of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris for the tables at the auction.
I still have about a case of Willamette Valley wines to gather, and a trip to Hood River, Bend, Lakeview, and Cave Junction the I think I am done for this year!

After sorting, Thibaud and Rebecca took me to Cuvee in Carlton for a wonderful meal and a bottle of  great red, then a bottle of Gamay Noir made by Thibaud at Willakenzie. The food was superb. I started with a liver pate' with bread crisps, hot mustard, and home made humus, followed by pork loin. Gilbert Henry outdid himself on this one!
This morning I drove through to mountains to Hebo and then back on 22 to Dundee just to find out where the road went. Its a guy thing... Back to the Abbey and listing wines for the table, the "wall of wines" and the Mystery wines that will be the center pieces on the tables. Rebecca decided what wines would fit best together in the case lots and put some very special cases together. One lot of two cases consists of 12 wines made by women, and twelve made by men. Another is just signed bottles, 4 regular, four Magnums.

A quick lunch at Farm to Fork: Duck Confit Salad. Presentation was 4 stars. Blue cheese, black figs, crumbled hazelnuts, greens, and cooked table grapes, Duck leg done to perfection for a mid day repast! The wine I chose was more out of curiosity. It was the "Open Book"  and it was a little to big and fruity for what I had. I should have ordered a great '07 that had more complexitty and grace.
The "Open Book" was good alone and also would have worked with a darker meal.
Two days off to go to a play in Portland and the Daffodil Festival in Junction City, then back on the road!