Carlton Cellars, Stone Wolf, and R.Stuart

Last night I had the pleasure of driving Amy Burton to the Portland airport for her quick flight to New York after her rehearsal with OMP . She performs Saturday and Sunday at the Hult Center with her husband,  John Musto . Driving back to Eugene at 10:00 did not seem practical so I went as far as Woodburn and stayed at a La Quinta Inn, watched TV, and got ready  for a nice day of driving and asking for wine.
Breakfast was at one of my favorite new places, Farm to Fork. I sat down to a plate of Almond Battered Brioche French Toast: Honey-Orange Poached Quince, Marcona Almonds, and Chantilly Cream and a side of BACON! A little orange juice and a Latte' and I was ready to take on the world, or at least go beg for "One Bottle" from some wineries. The waitress was so sweet and commented on one of the prints that I was signing while waiting for my food. I left her one as a gift. She was VERY happy and it made me feel glad that someone likes my work.
A very nice surprise came my way as I started gathering wines for the auction. Carlton Cellars' Dave Grooters and I talked at length about how people were underestimating the wonderful '07 Pinots and how a few wine writers who think Pinot is only good if you can stand a pencil up in it declare it a bad year and spoil the chances for people to taste a true Oregon Pinot with all the complexity of  a Burgundy! He turned and handed me a Magnum of his Gold Medal winning '07 Roads End Pinot Noir!

I visited Cana's Feast and Carlton Winemaker's Studio just for a taste and to visit friends, then off to Stone Wolf Winery , who I missed last year,where Jessica handed me a bottle of the Lindsay '02 Pinot Noir. Just amazing! I also got my cat fix from Frank, who adopted the winery and now rides the fork lifts and is the constant companion of one of the winemakers.

I stopped in to drop off a request at R.Stuart & Co. Wine Bar in downtown McMinniville and was greeted with a glass of the '07 Dry Riesling. Tremendously good. Bright clean taste with a hint of sugar and citrus in the nose and a smooth, soft mouth feel with a great range of classic Riesling notes.  Nicole presented a bottle of the '07 Autograph Pinot Noir, the top of their line!
I stopped at a couple of wineries on the way back to Eugene and left requests for One Bottle and will be back to hopefully collect in the next week.
A wonderful trip and great results!

Sunset's List of Top Wines

Included in Sunset's list were some wineries that donated to  the "one bottle" auction.Good Values // $16 to $30  (In red)

White:  Geyser Peak “Block Collection” River Ranches Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Russian River Valley; $19) Why we chose it: Fresh herbs and pink grapefruit add up to a vibrant sip.Runners up: Anne Amie Pinot Gris 2008 (Willamette Valley; $19) // Chateau Ste. Michelle “Indian Wells” Chardonnay 2007 (Columbia Valley; $18) // Morgan “Metallico” Unoaked Chardonnay 2007 (Monterey; $20) // Schramsberg “Mirabelle” Brut Multivintage (North Coast; $23) // Tsillan Cellars Estate Riesling 2007 (Columbia Valley; $22)
Red:  Hahn Meritage 2007 (Central Coast; $16) Why we chose it: Sweet black cherry and cedar with a touch of espresso. Runners up: Brandborg “Bench Lands” Pinot Noir 2006 (Umpqua Valley; $22) // Cadence “Coda” Cabernet Blend 2006 (Columbia Valley; $25) // Monte Volpe Sangiovese 2005 (Mendocino County; $17) // Pellegrini Family Cloverdale Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 (Alexander Valley; $28) // Siduri Pinot Noir 2007 (Willamette Valley; $20)

New Art at Sweet Cheeks

Anne Teigen, who, after a career in fine jewelry and printmaking in California, decided to move up here and paint, is one of my clients. I hang her work for sale at various venues around the area and the tasting room at Sweet Cheeks has been the most lucrative so far. Her work is bright and bold and fits perfectly with the atmosphere and wines there.
After hauling large paintings in and out I had to do a little tasting.

• The '07 Pinot Noir is a gentle, subtle, yet strongly flavored wine. Hints of cherries and spices in the nose, with a complex taste and velvety mouth feel. 
• The '08 Pinot Fusion combines Cab Franc and Merlot into a very pleasant wine. Lots of variety in tatste from cherries to ripe black berry.
• My favorite is the Semi-Sweet Riesling. I love this just to sip. Great with spiced foods. Lots of hints of fruits such as peach and pear.
• Always a great wine from these folks is the Pinot Gris. The '08 is no exception. Bright, clean, and tasty, with fig, apple, pear, and melon.

• '07 Dry Riesling; We had a few bottles of this for afternoons on the deck when the weather permitted in late summer. Nothing better than the dry, clean taste of grapefruit and green berry to enjoy in the sun.

I forgot my labeling machine and now I have to go back and spend an hour labeling, sipping, labeling, sipping...

Weekend in Portland

Of note:

• Ten 01 Restaurant for lunch with Barbara Thomas' '07 Pinot Noir. Outstanding. Pared with a squash and apple soup and a halibut with tomato sauce dish. Rich on the front with many levels of taste coming through as the food and wine had their little conversation.
• Portland Center Stage for Ragtime. See it. See it twice. It is that good.
• The Holt International auction was big hit. Two items that were very wine related: Ken Wright, who donated ALL the wine for the event, also donated a party at the winery for 75 people in the Spring and Linda and I are going. Ghost Hill Cellars donated a day in the vineyard for picking the Rose grapes, working the crush, and getting 6 bottles when it is done plus two overnights .at the Carlton Inn.
• Stayed at the Silver Cloud in Portland, up at 2426 NW Vaughn Street  near another of our favorite Restaurants, Meriwether's .It has free parking, a great little workout room, quiet rooms, and a very nice staff.
  
• Breakfast this morning at Farm to Fork in Dundee. A bit of a drive for brekies but it was worth it many times over. Best French Toast I have EVER had! Love the feel of the place. Been back three times so far.
• A long, meandering drive through the western Oregon hills, past vineyards, odd rocks ( Linda sits atop the largest "Erratic" rock in Oregon...look it up!), and little towns got us back to Eugene in time for the Jazz King's at the Shedd.
• This was in front of a hardware store in Dallas Oregon: It is just wrong on so many levels...
  

Climate Change

Celebrating  “Blog Action Day”, I feel kind of bad about driving all over the state for "one bottle'" at a time so I try very hard to consolidate my trips, staying with friends, and making trips count, plus planning on going to wine events so I can see as many winery people as I can at once. I am already using less gas than last year (based on miles per bottle collected) an hope to keep it up. I try never to come back without a full case.
The wineries are using more and more solar these days. I was just at Stoller Winery and saw the system they put in.
The list of wineries that have installed systems is impressive and growing all the time;

• Abacela
• Amity Vineyards
• Annie Amie Vineyards
• Archery Summit Wines
• Argyle
• AtoZ/Rex Hill
• Basket Case Wine
• Benton-Lane Winery
• Bethel Heights Vineyard
• Chehalem Winery
• Cooper Mountain Vineyard
• Domaine Drouhin
• King Estate Winery
• Lazy River Vineyard
• Lemelson Vineyards
• Mahonia Vineyards and Nursery
• Pfeiffer Winery
  
• Ponzi Vineyards
• Sokol Blosser Winery
• Soter Vineyards
• Stoller Vineyards
• Torii Mor Winery
• Troon Vineyard
• Valley View Winery
• Vidon Vineyard
• Vigna Giovanni Vineyard/Barbara Thomas Wines
• Willamette Valley Vineyards
• Winderlea Wine Company
• Wooldridge Creek Vineyard and Winery

We installed a 3kw system early this year and have cut our electric bill by 1/3 already so I can only imagine what some of those huge systems are saving in terms of both money and electricity.
Please encourage those wineries who have installed systems.
For more information about climate change visit here!

Rainy Day in Elkton and Umpqua

One of my goals this year is to gather all the wines I was given last time and to get the ones I missed. With that in mind I headed out to Elkton early this morning with the sun shining in my window and BeauSoleil playing me down the road. I stopped to pick up a certificate for 18 holes for my other auction project and then started thinking about coffee.

As I drove through Drain looking for a likely coffee stop I thought I was out of luck. Then, as I started to go out toward Elkton I saw Uncle John's Great Coffee booth sitting on the right side of the road and swung in for a wake-up.. I mentioned my quest and was promptly given a $5.00 gift card to include in the auction for those who end up buying the Elkton wines! And the coffee was really good.
My first stop in Elkton was Rivers Edge Winery where, as promised, Vonnie gave a bottle of the '07 Barrel Select Pinot Noir. Great nose of coffee and current with an unfolding  pallet of berry, Bing cherry, and tobacco.
They were in mid harvest and said the vines were heavy with fruit this year. The two women, Meredith and Savana (one of whom is a wine steward at Delmonico's in New York, the other a Peace Corps veteran studying oenology at Davis) working as interns, were busy checking brix and Ph on grapes they just brought in from the vineyards. Not ready yet and the rain was falling. It is going to be an interesting year.

I stopped at Bradborg for their donation of a a Ferris Wheel Estate Pinot Noir, a 2008 SF International Wine Competition SILVER MEDAL winner. I love their wines and feel bad that more people don't stop on the way to the coast for a case. Here is their friend Joan holding the prize winner.



I read the other day about how beautiful Maine is this time of year...they got nuthin' on us.

These turkeys were feeding just below the Bradley Vineyards ,shown here in a glorious yellow.
John Bradley was great to talk to and I spent the better part of an hour tasting and learning about the wines,  the vineyards and about this years grapes. He gave a bottle of a really delicious Riesling. An very dry '08 with a subtle melon and citrus taste. Then I tasted his '07 Baco Noir....I am stunned. This is one of, if not THE best Bacos I have ever tasted! Rich and compelling with big cherry and chocolate and much much more. I brought a bottle home and Linda and I drank it after dinner. I could not help but smile as I tasted it again!
Before I left town I stopped at Tomaselli's for a sandwich and was informed that I had missed one of the wineries; Anador Vineyards.
They showed me the only bottle left on the shelves and I took it for the collection, a 2006 Gewurztraminer. The owners of the winery were in town but I had to get going and did not have time to track them down, to bad, I would have liked to meet them.


Now off we go to Henry Estate for a great bottle of the '04 Pinot Noir. They always make Pinots that last well and age accordingly so you can get a range of years, in This case, the '04 is drinking very well.
with a cherry and earth nose. ripe fruit and spice taste long round finish .
Down the road, I stopped in at Becker Winery 
and met Peggy coming down from the vineyard. She let me taste the many of their wines, including the '08 Barrel Select that I came away with. They age wines in different oak and the difference is striking, especially the American vs the French barrels. Stop and taste for yourself. 
When I got to Palotai Vineyard and Winery I was greeted by the Llamas and sheep who watched me make my way down the long driveway to the tasting room. Last time John gave me a choice of wines and I chose Bull's Blood. This time I almost went for the Attila Red but ended up again with the signature red, Bull's Blood. Very good wines and a good variety to chose from. The Sarah is outstanding.
Well, time to head for home and a nice glass. I had one last stop to make: Marshanne Landing outside of Oakland. Greg was rolling barrels around in the cellar when I got there. He took me up and showed me the new art and I wish I could afford the work! The new gallery and tasting room is just beautiful! Greg and his wife Fran are huge supporters of the arts and often have concerts at the winery. I saw them both at last weeks Eugene Opera Auction where they gave a case of the '08 Sarah. I took home a the '07 Cab Franc and the Sarah and he gave me a bottle of the Cab Franc for the auction!
I am sipping my Cab Franc now! Good Night!

The Winest of Wine Towns

Carlton has become a sort of mecca for wine lovers. It is populated with the wineries of Scott Paul, Ken Wright, Carlton Winemakers Studio, and many many more, plus tasting rooms for wineries from as far away as the Applegate Valley.
I stopped and visited Ken Wright and he promised a bottle of his wonderful wine, then  I walked over to Tyrus Evan for a taste of the Syrahs. If you ever want verification of what is called terroir, just go and taste the same wine made with the same grape, from, in this case, Washington and Southern Oregon. The differences are remarkable! The Oregon Sarah is very complex and stands up to food well, while the Washington sourced wine has a fruit forward impact and  is good just to drink by itself.
After a taste, I went over to Solena's tasting room on South Pine Street and was given a wonderful surprise! Lisa presented a Magnum of their 2003 Grande Cuvee Pinot Noir!
Off to The Horse Radish for a sausage tart and some almonds and cheese, with a glass of Brooks Pinot Gris and a nice talk with Rebecca about what she was going to have me doing at the winery tonight. 
After lunch I went across the street and visited with Jo Jo Pertro at the Cliff Creek Tasting room and ask her for "one bottle". She gave us a 2004 Claret. I love the Clarets from Southern Oregon. They are rich and flavorful, and this one was awarded one of the five Gold Medals at the 2009 Greatest of the Grape Professional Judging. I am impressed! Their wines are also available through Northwest Wines To You.

Cana's Feast, on Lincoln Street, just above The Carlton Winemakers Studio, has one of my all time favorite wines, and one that you do not see a lot of in Oregon: Sangiovese! This, their 2007 Sangiovese Grosso, is 100% VCR-6 Grosso Clone (Brunello di Montacino) and it is SOOO good! Destiny Dudley, the tasting room manager, allowed me to take a bottle for the auction and to taste the wine. I will be back, as should you,  for  lunch on the weekends or dinner Thursday nights.
I had to run over to Dundee to pick up a bottle at Joe Dobbes winery so I stopped on the way at Laurel Ridge and retrieved a bottle of the '08 Savignon Blanc. A very tasty wine, good with food, or just for a warm evening on the deck, which is where Cliff Berg, the winemaker, was when I left.
Joe Dobbes was meeting with his mentor from France when I came by. He worked at Domaine Comtes Lafon in the Burgundy, honing his skills, and today he  is one of Oregon's most respected winemakers. I want very much to get "one bottle" from every winery for which he makes wine and put it up as a package.
Charles, who runs the tasting room, gave a bottle of the Grande Assemblage Cuvee Pinot Noir with aromas of sweet, ripe, red and black fruits and spices. The lush mouth feel opens up to strawberries, currants, and cherries. It tastes like it will be great in about 2011 but is very drinkable right now.
Now off to Ghost Hill for a punch down and them back to Eugene.

Heading North to McMinnville

I stopped at Methven Family Vineyards just as the wine maker and some friends were getting ready to get to work. I went in to the tasting room and met up with Dave Walker who was working the counter. He gave me a bottle of the "06 Chardony and a great conversation. The winery has been very busy and growing fast.
I tasted the Pinot Gris and the Chardonnay and was very impressed.
I plan on going back for a more relaxed tasting when the time allows. They were very helpful and friendly and the winery is worth the trip just for the view!

I got to the  Ghost Hill tasting room and winery in McMinnville (fast becoming one of my favorite Oregon towns)  around 5:00 and Rebecca put me and Kelly Fox, who showed up a while later, to work right away. She was doing what is called a pump-over. You insert a colender through to cap (grape skins on top of the juice) and insert an intake hose, then pump the juice through another hose and pump it over the skins until they soften, This is gentler than a punch down and circulates fermenting juice   from the bottom of the tank over the skin cap that forms during fermentation to ensure optimal extraction and prevent bacterial spoilage. We took Ph , and brix data on all the tanks, then cleaned up and headed for the nearest food and beer.

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!

Eola Hills on a Beautiful Day

My first stop on Wednesday was at Cubanisimo Vineyards where I met Christina Collada, the daughter of the owner. She was working in the office when I came to the tasting room and hurried down the stairs no doubt hoping for a real customer. Instead she got me, begging for "one bottle". She was very gracious and gave me not one but two!  The first is an '07 Rosado de Pinot Noir, an exciting blend of taste: citrus and vanilla, with peach and red berry. Nice finish with a hint of flowers. The second is the '07 Pinot Noir. The tastes just kept unfolding as I sipped. Current, cassis, chocolate and tobacco, with sharp, bright notes of black cherry.
I love the '07s because of the complexity and the changes that happen as you drink them. The '06 Pinot Noirs were very good but most lacked the follow through that gives such pleasure after the first taste.

Next stop: Orchard Heights Winery, where Linda and Carol greeted me with a bottle of the '06 Pinot Gris. They are always very grasious and friendly, and they sell VERY good chocolates, and nuts. A very dangerous place. Here is Linda holding their donation.
I drove past Cherry Hill, and a few more of the wineries that I plan on visiting later and headed for Bethel Height Vineyard.Founded in 1977 and actively producing salmon safe wines since then, they are a true part of Oregon Wine making history. Maggie let me taste several of the wines including the '07 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, a lively, complex wine with earth and cane fruit. Should last a long time and drink well at about 6-8 years. Again, the '07's are just such  great wines and keep unfolding as you taste.
I had to be in McMinnville to help with a pump over at Ghost Hill so I will come back in a few weeks and try to get the ones I missed.

Harvest Time at Ghost Hill

My wife Linda and I made the trip north to Ghost Hill Vineyard to help process the '09 grapes on Sunday. 7:00 am found us sorting grapes with Botrytis out and tossing them before they made it into the winery. There were hot air balloons rising in the west, over the Bayliss' fields, and the sunlight was beautiful as it swept over the vineyards. The pickers were well on their way to done when we left and headed for the winery to get set up and have the vats cleaned and the de-stemmer running. We weighed all four varieties of the grapes that were on the truck and tried to get close to even amounts in each vat. The scale got so hot in the afternoon that it started to weigh itself in at 120-140 pounds!
We worked all day and buy 5:30 Rebecca sealed the last vaat and we started clean up.

Can't wait to tast it as it comes along!

Food and Wine in Portland Mag

Take a look at this very nice article in Edible Portland and see what is in David Adelsheim's fridge. It is on page 20.
Adelsheim Vineyard donated for this years auction and hope they will also give us One Bottle for next year.

Tasting Maysara's 2005 Delara Pinot Noir

I opened one of the "One Bottle" auction bottles that Linda and I purchased in April at our Oregon Mozart Players auction, and I must say, I am well pleased.
Let me clarify how I ended up buying two cases of the wine I had driven all over the state of Oregon to collect from all the wonderful donors. I was in the Tux up front with Bob Sogge and watching the auctioneer trying to get the bid up over $400 per case when out of the corner of my eye I spotted one of the most rabid bidders...my wife. So I not only was afforded the great pleasure of meeting the wine people and tasting the product at the wineries, I also got to bring some home, and raise $900 for our Players.
The wine is the 2005 Maysara Delara Pinot Noir. Superb! Soft fruit nose opening to a chocolate and clove back. Lush chocolate, black cherry, and a little more chocolate. The mouth feel is smooth and filing with a little tooth. Should be great in another 3-5 years. Love it.
Kind of sad I opened it now...but not THAT sad.

A nice article on some of our favorite Oregon Wines

Thanks to Rebecca at Northwest Wines To You for this article. She posted it on Face Book.

Oregon's 50 Best Wines*

An oenophile's guide to 50 of our best regional wines, including 20 deals under $20

*Keep in mind that this is just the writer's opinion and may not be mine or yours. You have to go taste them for yourself.

A lot of these wines were given to us for the last auction and I already have some of them for next years April 9th Auction!

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!

King Estate and Beyond

Today, after putting up labels on Anne Teigen's paintings at Sweet Cheeks Winery, meeting some very nice people from Mesa AZ. at Silvan Ridge, and visiting at Chateau Lorane , I took a chance and stopped at King Estate and ask for their donation of "One Bottle". Jennifer gave a bottle of the 2007 Signature Pinot Gris, and a bottle of the 2006 next Oregon Riesling. Both are from King but are different brands. I tasted both and must say I was pleased by what they present in the 2006 Riesling: crisp and fruity with a smooth finish. A great little summer wine. The Gris is a little tart and has nice fruit. Paired with a nice salad and white cheese...superb. That is the most distributed Pinot Gris in America!
At Chateau Lorane, where I tasted a few of the wines , I was brought up short by the 2006 Viognier (off dry)!I always enjoy a good Viognier but this is truly the best I have ever tasted. Peach, nectarine, pear, caramel, and it has a mouth feel of silk but is not cloying and sticky. Man, THAT is what I want for our auction!

A Little Golf Never Hurt...

Today I scored my first 9 holes for two from Oakway Golf Course here in Eugene. One of the items in the April Auction will be "9 at 9"; Nine holes for two at 9 courses around Oregon. Oakway was first because that is where, three years ago, I swung my first club. I barley broke 100...one 9 holes.
We are also offering "18 at 18" so I will keep you posted on progress with both wines and golf.

A Little Taste

Our friend Andrew, who is a director for the Eugene Opera, is staying with us for a few days, and tonight, after his fund raising event, we settled in for some deep and meaningful gossip. We shared a bottle of the Brandborg 07 Riesling. Oh My! Semisweet in the front with a nice acid and tart after taste. Very glad I bought a couple of bottles! Linda and I drank the Rose' yesterday after she got home. We sat on our deck and sipped the Rose and ate cheese and fresh Blueberries from the bushes. Ah, life is good, and so is Oregon wine!

Elkton Just for Fun...and Wine

Today I returned a few pieces to an artist in Roseburg and I meant to make it a fast trip, then I saw the Elkton sign.
Last auction I never made it to Elkton and therefore, never ask for One Bottle from any of the wonderful wineries hidden half way to the coast. I got there just before eleven and stopped by the local deli/restaurant Tomaselli's Pastry Mill and Cafe. I ordered a sandwich and was very pleased and surprised to find that they had NO COKE or PEPSI products, only VERY good natural sodas, and of course, wine. I enjoyed a visit with the owner, Marty, and after I finished my meal I crossed the street to Brandborg Winery where I was treated to a full tasting of their many wines. All were very drinkable but the 07 Riesling , the 07 Gewürztraminer were out of this world! Both got 90+ in Wine Enthusiast. Sue was a very gracious host and promised "One Bottle" for the project. It was in the 90's so I will wait to pick up their offering until I have my cooler in the car.
While I was tasting a couple of women walked in and said that they were working on a "special project" that sounded very intriguing. I told them they were more than welcome to use my blog and it's many meager entries in any way they felt appropriate. I met Sherry and her friend (taster) again at the next stop, River's Edge Winery.
Michael Landt offered me tastes of the current vintages and I was more that a little impressed by both the wine AND the prices! I think the 07 Barrel Select Pinot Noir was my favorite. Though "thinner" than the 06 or 05, it had a very front of the mouth pepper, Bing cherry, and annis that finished with soft fruit and a very nice mouth feel. All the wines were good but I was blown away by the Dulcet Cuvee'. This one you have to come and taste. "The 2006 Dulcet Cuvee' has a delightful tobacco scent in the bouquet, candied cherry flavor, and surprisingly smooth finish for a wine with 16.4% alcohol." to Quote from their web page.
He also promised a bottle, the 2007 Barrel Select Pinot Noir.
I was running late so I missed a stop at Bradley Vineyards but will see them next time.
I had to get to Henry Estate and drop of art so I took 138 toward Sutherlin. Nice drive on a summer's day! At Henry Estate I met a nice young couple and their dog, who was determined to get inside to visit the local boss(pictured here).
The Wine was great, as usual, and I did a quick taste of the Pinot Gris, peachy and aromatic, and the 06 Pinot Noir,lots of sweet fruit and ripe black cherry with a hint of mint and earth Both are worth a second taste and I will be back to walk through the wonderfully inviting front door. They promised another bottle for the auction on April 9th.

Auction set for April 9th

I was informed by Gina Ing that our auction date for 2010 has been set and now I can start gathering wines for the big event. I plan to gather at least 200 bottles this year and with any luck a few more.
The first bottle came from 720 and is the 2005 Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir. I have had it and it is very complex and assertive, fruity and also has a nice "dirt" taste.
In the next week I plan to go back and visit Corvallis and see what else I can bring back. I missed a few there last time, including the 720 so I am off to a good start.