Taking My Wife Along for Once

Linda agreed to a short drive up the valley and back before we went to the 7:30 performance of Eugene Ballet's "Dark side of the Moon" at the Hult Center. We made it to Corvallis and to Belle Vallee's tasting room on 1st street for a taste of there wines. I was struck by the labels on the bottles and discovered that they are first made of fused glass, then copies and used on the bottles.
Very cool idea.
We tasted the '07 Pinot Noir: Good Chocolate and slight berry nose, simple berry compote taste with a nice balanced acid finish. Good for burgers on the deck.
Next came the big sister, the '07 Reserve Pinot Noir: More thought provoking with fruit and dark candy, great tannins. This one is for a more elegant dinner and will last for a long time in he cellar.
They gave us the '06 Grand Cuvee' Pinot Noir ($56) witch was not open for tasting on Saturday but is on that I have had before: It has a nice balance of fruit and earth. Minerals give it a sharp but pleasant mouth feel that quickly turns soft and the dark fruit takes over. Very good '06 without the BIG FAT FRUIT that a lot of them were known for. Elegant!
I impressed Linda when I tasted the '05 Syrah and said "Del Rio".  The tastes are unmistakable: Smoke, earth, candied fruit, lush, soft mouthfeel, long finish. I don't care what anyone says about not having the smoke from the fires there influence the taste, it has to be in the soil or in the air, somehow it comes through and is not a bad thing, just a good example of terroir. They say drink by 2010 but this one will last another 10 years easily.
Now for something completely different: The '04 Cabernet is a surprise to the nose. We swirled and sniffed and got fresh cut squash, grass, and violets. The taste was very complex dry fruit with a bit of an acid finish that would be great with beef  or tomato sauce. This one was high on my list!
Joe Wright, the winemaker, really knows his stuff and I can't wait to visit the winery and meet him.
We went upstairs to visit one of my all time great wine store owners, Jerry at Wineopolis. He has a vast array of wines from all over the world and a depth of knowledge that rivals most. While we were there he had 11 people coming in to ask, taste, and buy.
We taste some velvety smooth Henri Bourgeois La Porte Du Caillou Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc. 
He has become a source for me as he knows most of the wineries in the area and likes the arts.
Driving north to Rickreal we spotted lots of sheep, llamas, and blueberry bushes. I love this part of the valley.
We skipped Eolla Hills (packed parking lot) and went for a first time visit to Cherry Hill's new tasting room. It sets off to the left as you head north just before the highway 22 overpass in an old and small house . The place was packed and the host was beside herself trying to sell, sample, and acknowledge everyone. She did an admirable job of it and everyone seemed happy. We tasted through one white and all the reds. They even had some very good little tiny cupcakes for the Valentines Day crowd.
First on the list was the Poverty Road Pinot Gris: This is a simple, straightforward white with no oak, dry start, and peach, pineapple, and citrus in the mouth. Acidy finish with an aftertaste of flowers and peach. Good wine for a hot day!
Next was the Sweeny '08. This is a 100% Pommard clone wine made from selected barrels by Mike Sweeny, the owner. The '08 has a ways to go before it is ready to drink but the future looks great. Lots of dark fruit and vegetal tastes with a sweet edge. Nice nose of flower and dark cherry, hint of leather and hard candy. Like this.

The dog that runs the show at the winery is a '07 Papillon and has her face on the label of the namesake wine. This is the wine I drank when we staid at their cottages a few years ago. The nose is cherry kool-aid and pie cherry. The mouthfeel is clean bright cherry and plum.Nice acid balance and tannins. This is a bold, big wine.
My favorite was the '07 Cherry Hill; Sour black fruit nose with overtones of sweet plum, mouthfeel is soft and as you taste the flavors unfold from a compote of red berry to a sweet jam and back to a dry dark cherry. Hints of chocolate and earth in the long finish.
We loaded up our purchase and I decided to surprise Linda with a little visit to one of the coolest winery tasting rooms around.
We drove down the long gravel road off 99 to the Van Duzer Vineyards tasting.
The first time I went there I was struck by the art, the view, and the architecture. The feel is that of coastal Northern California and I think part of it is the proximity to the pass through the coast range where the winds off the ocean make their way in to this part of the valley, giving it a different feel and cooling the vines in the hottest times of the year.
We met Josh Kimball, who I knew from his time a King Estate. He is the Direct Sales and Hospitality Manager here and has a huge knowledge of wines. He is very proud of what this winery is putting out, as evidenced by his enthusiasm.
There is something about the terroir here that gives all the reds a distinct nose of an almost wild, overwhelming, darkness. Huge red fruit, plum, leather, and a rawness that sets you up for  what you get on the tongue. The tastes have the same distinctiveness.
The '07 Vintners Cuvee' has a huge combination of tastes; berry, pepper, ginger, dark plum, chocolate, and strawberry. O Magazine paired it with a salad in the January issue.
The '07 West side Block Pinot Noir , tasting notes from the web site:
Aromas of raspberry and vanilla rise to the senses, quickly followed by spicy cinnamon and white pepper, fennel and anise. The component grapes contribute to a lively palate of currants, pomegranate, raspberry, sweet, slightly toasty oak and spice. The finish is smooth, velvety and long with balancing tannins that have a slight grip.(more). 
They sent a '07 Estate Pinot Noir ($30)

The one I liked best was the 
'07 Homestead Block Pinot Noir( I have written down that the wine was an '07 but the link on their page is for an '05). It has ceder, violet, forest floor, slight tropical flowers and ginger in the nose and chocolate, ginger, vanilla, black cherry, and wood on the pallet. Soft lush finish that lasts and lasts. Love it.
We met a nice young couple from Monmoth who had recently returned from that big hot state with oil and Bush. Nichole has a company called Vino and Vinyasa that puts on Yoga retreats at various wineries around the valley. Give people a chance to rejuvenate in amazing surroundings. Cool idea!
We got home in plenty of time to see one of the most moving and well done ballets I think I have ever seen. "Dark Side of the Moon" plus two other works,"Without Cover" by Venezuelan dancer and choreographer Gillmer Duran the other, "Common Ground" by Toni Pimble, artistic director and the lead choreographer.
Absolutely spectacular!

Two Days, 300 Miles, 11 Bottles

The drive to Woodburn was boring as usual but getting to Maysara Winery was an adventure. I decided to see if the folks at Coeur de Terre Vineyard were around (they weren't) and I drove a little farther past their place just to look around. I am VERY glad I have a Subaru. The road was mud, hills, pot holes a foot deep, and more mud. I broke the first rule of male driving: I turned around. When I got to Maysara I was greeted by the winemaker, Tahmiene Momtazi, who was rushing around getting ready for a dinner at Hoda's Resturant so she handed me the wine, 3 Degrees '07 Pinot Noir and off I went.

I made a stop at Erath to pick up one of their fine wines, the '06 Prince Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir Dundee Hills($45).
Here is Dana showing off the bottle.
I stayed there and tasted through all the Pinot Noirs and a couple of the whites. Their reds have a distinct earthy quality yet they have an elegance and balance that just makes you want more Each taste opens a new door to your senses!. The '06 Prince Hill is just busting with dark cherry, vanilla, nuts, and for an '06, a finish that lasts forever. Just wonderful!
The whites I tasted were also but my favorite was the Gris. Bright, clean, and just filled with bits of melon, banana, orchid, and peach.

I consulted my map and headed north looking for Hawks View. I ended up in some old codgers driveway and AJ, the owner of Hawks View, warned me to get out fast. I followed his phoned directions through the correct gate, down the hill, and in to a beautiful vineyard. Great view! AJ and Ashley were there and handed over a bottle of the 2008 Carabella Vineyard Chardonnay.
 I can't wait to come back when I have time for a proper taste.

Now north to Portland and an early dinner at Alu Wine Bar & Lounge. I sat at the bar upstairs and had a very good house bacon, fresh mozzarella, roasted peppers, basil, balsamic, on ciabatta bread. I finished the meal with a "just the right sized" desert, the Chocolate Terrine with hazelnuts, white chocolate, whiskey caramel sauce and a few berries on the side. Loved it, and it was not a huge chunk of cake. Perfect, and just enough. I match it with an '08 Tenuta del Nanfro "Frappato" from Sicily. A very clever marketing tool used by Jeff Vejr, owner and wine wrangler, is a business card sized descriptor that fits on the stem of every glass pour. You get to take it with you and remember what you had the next morning.

The tasting I was going to was downstairs in a warm and cozy room with small couches and with room to stand and sip. My friends Isabelle Dutartre (right) - 1789 Cellars, Rebecca Pittock Shouldis (center) - Ghost Hill Cellars,Kelley Fox (left) - Kelley Fox Wines, were all there pouring their great Pinot Noirs. Each one is very different and each has its one charm, but the depth of knowledge and character of the women comes through in their lovingly made product. 1789 was delicate and intense, kept opening and unfolding with layer after layer of taste. '07 Ghost Hill was strong, dark fruit, earth, and tobacco and Kelly's  is floral on the nose with lots of berry and bright cherry with a hint of good soil. Lasting taste.
Lovely evening! Great crowd also.
I met Jackie Dukes,Harry Ryan, Cheryl Wakerhauser,
one of the owner of Eat, and oyster bar , Destiny Dudley, ((left )Kelda Kinne,  Mike and Drenda Bayliss, and many more.

After tasting, not drinking, I took off for Hood River for a quiet night in the Hood River Hotel, and a wonderful meal at Celilo.
I love staying at the old Hood River Hotel in downtown. It is upgraded, clean, pleasant, and has a very nice staff. They also do a great breakfast! Jessica checked me in and told me to hurry over to Celilo before the closed at 9:00.
Garlic Shrimp, salad, lots of bread and butter, and a  great red made me happy and ready for bed. Busy day starting in the morning!
Up early for a trip up to The Dalles to try to connect with Bolton Cellars. Missed them but had a great drive up a very beautiful stretch of the Gorge and back.

I drove out to Cathedral Ridge and spent an hour with Robb Bell talking politics, finance, health care, and wine. I was lead through the wines behind the counter and then treated to a barrel taste of the the '08 Zin. Wow! I really can't wait for that on to come out. Robb gave us a bottle of Necessity Red: The name comes from our former president, Thomas Jefferson. He once said "Good wine is a necessity of life", and we couldn't agree more.  This wine is an elegant blend of our premier Pinot Noir & Zinfandel grapes, demonstrating the uniqueness and diversity of our Columbia Gorge wine-growing region. I agree. He also handed over a full tasting for 6 people. Very nice!
Next I stopped in at Marchesi Winery where Franco gave a bottle of his '07 Achille Barbera($27).  Barbera is king in the Piemonte region of NW Italy. Here in northern Oregon we share the same latitude, climate and hours of daylight. Marchesi Vineyards was founded around this grape varietal in fact the very first vines planted in May of 2004 was Barbera, we had our first crush in 2008.We named our Barbera, Achille after Francoʼs grandfather who lived in Piemonte, Italy all his life and loved his Barbera. Achilleʼs Barbera is loaded with bright ripe cherry fruit, balanced by mouthwatering natural acidity to complement most food, from pasta to roasts or grilled meat.(more)
He just won Double Gold: 2008 Emma, SANGIOVESE, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition 2010. He is in the process of expanding his winery so he can do more on site. Stop by and taste this wonderful bit of Italy!
 I was expecting to have a visit with Robert Morris at Phelps Creek Vineyards but he was in the air so I picked up two bottles; '07 Becky's Cuvee' Pinot Noir ($26): "The 2007 Pinot Noir Becky’s Cuvee is a blend of six vineyards. It offers a lovely bouquet of cedar,cinnamon, incense, cherry and raspberry.Smooth and easy-going on the palate, this flavorful, nicely concentrated, pleasure-bent wine will provide fine drinking over the next 5 years." Wine Advocate 89 Pts (more)
and the '07 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir ($42):Our best Pinot Noir from the oldest vines of our Hood River vineyard.An abundance  of  exotic oaky,smoky and  coffee tones  lead the way to aromatics of ripe fruit (blackberry,blueberry and cherry). Rich and deeply flavored, with a long finish, this wine will develop beautifully in the cellar.
This intense earthy wine pairs well with wild game, roasted duck, wild mushrooms.
"The 2007 Pinot Noir Estate Reserve displays great depth and concentration. Spicy, savory and
round, this stylish Pinot has no hard edges. Drink it through 2015." Wine Advocate 90pts (more)
As I was getting ready to leave I saw the '08 Hellfire Chardonnay ($15) sitting on the shelf and ask about it.
Mt. Defiance makes the wine and shares the winery with Phelps Creek. The wine maker for both is Rich Cushman.who is well known for his art and makes wine for Viento Wines as well.
I picked up a bottle as I left and walked next door to the Hood River Golf Course to ask for 18 holes for the auction.

Back to town for a bite at Celilo and to pick up a bottle of the wonderful '07 Pinot Noir that Peter Rosback makes for them.  He also makes some of the wines for The Pines and is a frequent dinner at the restaurant so when he suggested to J aquiline (left) that he make a wine for them she jumped at the opportunity. The wine is only available at the restaurant and is worth the trip.
Last stop, Naked Winery to see Linda and pick up a bottle of the '08 Naked Merlot($20).
Aging in both French and American oak barrels integrated smoothly with its plum and earthy cherry flavors. Structured yet soft tannins make this a complex wine ready to drink now. (more)
While I was there I tasted two of my favorites; the Dominatrix Pinot Noir and the Diva Sangeovese.

On the road to Oregon City where there was another bottle waiting. I love driving in general but I really love the Gorge. Every time you go it is different. Light, weather, time of year and all the little subtleties make it a new adventure every time. My friend Jeff White paints it endlessly and is always coming up with something new.
When I arrived in Oregon City I had just enough time to get to the office where our bottle awaited. Holloran Vineyard Wines  gave a '07 Le Pavillon Vineyard Chardonnay($38)  PLUS a 50% off case coupon and Winery Tour. 
They have been in the news a lot lately.
A day off and then back on the road, this time closer to home.

Holt International Auction Last Night

Iris Vineyards supplied all the wines for the tables and had some on the auction block. I bought some for Valentines Day, along with lots of chocolate, golf at Diamond Woods, three blueberry bushes, a ride along with the Eugene Police K-9 unit, Bach Festival tickets, Shedd tickets, dinner at Adam's Sustainable Table, a Ukulele, and (unrealated to the Uke) four hours recording time in Don Latarski's studio.
I hope our auction goes as well as thier's did!
Tuesday I am going up to Portland by way of Maysara, Erath, Hawks View, and Winderlea for a tasting at Ula Wine Bar and Lounge by Three Women Winemakers.
Then Wednesday, up the Gorge to Milton Freewater and back for many wines. Updates on Friday when I get back.

Wine of the Week on Wines Northwest.

Daedalus Cellars
2007 Pinot Gris
Willamette Valley
$18.00

From Oregon's northern Willamette Valley comes this rich and complex Pinot Gris which is fermented half in stainless and half in neutral barrels with sur lie contact and frequent batonage (lees stirring).  Citrus and pear notes are hallmarks of both nose and palate with enticing nuances of baking spice and mineral adding to the wine's food friendliness. (more)

Nice Article About Oregon vs Washington Wines

Washington vs. Oregon - Distinguishing the Northwest's two unique wine regions By Robert Mayfield
	The Columbia River Gorge is one of the world's most compelling natural wonders. Embracing the mighty Columbia River on either side, the gorge is a diverse wonderland of lush, dense forests, stark desert dunes, majestic cliffs and heart-stopping vistas. Over the course of 200 miles, the Columbia spans Oregon's major wine regions to those in Washington, dotted on either side by vineyards.(more)

A Short but Rewarding Trip

Got a late start today but still got what I needed done and made a nice contact that resulted in a bottle of really fine wine.

Just at the north edge of Dundee sits a little old farm cottage that houses the tasting room for The Four Graces. The Blacks had put aside a bottle for me to pick up so that was my first stop of the day. Jason Senior greeted me and handed over a magnum of '05 Black Family Estate Pinot Noir($150) hand signed by  the owners. They also included a tasting certificate for 6 people($60).

I always forget to take a picture of the tree and barn outside the farm house but today I remembered.


Next stop was to drop off wines at Northwest Wines to You, located at The Abby outside Lafayette. Rebecca Pittock Shouldis
takes care of the business and will also be, along with Steve Baker from Authentica, our wine experts with Bob Sogge at this years auction.

We had a nice long lunch with Mike Steele, VP of Pioneer Packaging and some friends at Farm to Fork in Dundee where Paul made us some truly delightful food. Duck Confete salad for me. Can't praise this place enough!
During lunch Paul de Lancellotti and he handed me a bottle of his '07 Estate Pinot Noir($65).
Paul is one of the owners of the Inn at Red Hills where Press, and Farm to Fork are located. I recommend that you eat both here and at the Dundee Bistro every chance you get.

Last stop for the day was at the place I stopped first in the Dundee area when I started all this in December of '08, Stoller Vineyard and winery.
Grace and Emily were there getting ready for an event so I did not take up much of their time with a tasting, just begged politely, and was rewarded with a bottle of the '05 Cathy's Reserve Pinot Noir ($100). Wow!
I must say that there are a lot of really good looking people in the Oregon wine industry. Must be all the wine.
From their web site:
Wine Overview: The 2005 Cathy’s Reserve comes from a 5-barrel lot of our oldest planted Pinot Noir; Pommard clone planted in 1995.  Three new, one 1-year and one 2-year barrels were used to articulate the high quality of the 2005 vintage.
Vintage Notes: 2005 was a classic vintage in Oregon.  The growing season was ideal for Pinot Noir: moderate in temperature and leaning towards the cool side, even through the summer.  The fall brought intermittent rains, leading to a long and spread out harvest.  The result of this vintage is elegant wines with moderate alcohol levels (13.5% average) and bright natural acidity.
Harvest Notes: We began harvest September 24th at Stoller Vineyards, and concluded October 20th.
Tasting Notes: Elegant and powerful, with a nice balance of earth and fruit.

Another thing about this winery, along with a growing cadre of like minded businesses in the Northwest, is their commitment to conservation and energy management. 

From their web site:

Stoller's Gold LEED certified winery.

The Stoller winery is the first Gold LEED Certified winery in the United States. It integrates gravity-flow winemaking techniques, energy-efficient heating and cooling, and waste-water reclamation to reduce negative environmental impact.
This environmental consciousness goes hand-in-hand with the Stoller's belief in a sustainable workplace, where the people whose efforts go into producing Stoller wine are cared for as diligently as the vineyards they tend. (more)


Next trip will be Saturday to Marsh Ann Landing for Oregon Mozart Players -- A Tale of Two Wolfgang's: A European Romp. Rich bassoon and vibrant strings with works by Mozart, Dohnani, Wolfgang, and Devienne -  and a little wine tasting.

Four Great Articles About the Pioneers of Oregon Wine

Sokal Blosser posted this on Facebook today and I thought I would pass it along:
It was published in the Jan.7th, 2010 Oregon Wine Press
In Memory Of:
Richard Sommer
Cal Knudsen
Gary Andrus
Arnold Kohnert

Richard Sommer - Father of Oregon’s fine wine industry dies at age 79
By Cara Pallone
First Published in September 2009
Like the old winemaker’s vines, stories about Richard Sommer are rooted in time—a source of laughter and conversation as his friends reminisce for years to come.
They’ll remember his signature suspenders and berets. They’ll toast glasses of sweet Riesling or a mellow red and talk about his unruly locks or his fresh, homemade bread.(more)

Cal Knudsen - Willamette Valley wine pioneer dies at age 85
By Karl Klooster
First Published in the June 2009 Edition
Renaissance man” would have been a suitable sobriquet for C. Calvert “Cal” Knudsen, who succumbed to cancer April 24 at his Palm Springs home at the age of 85.
He could also have been called “lucky,” because the fates favored him at certain pivotal points in his life, when things might easily have gone the other way.(more, scan down)

Gary Andrus - Enterprising winery owner raised the Pinot Noir barBy Karl Klooster 

First Published in the March 2009 Edition

Gary Andrus, owner of Gypsy Dancer, died Jan. 30, from complications of pneumonia. He was 63.
Personal passions marked Andrus’ life.
He will be most remembered as a man whose passion for Oregon Pinot Noir elevated it to another level. But he also made the U.S. Olympic team as a downhill skier, and he loved fly-fishing for trout, the most cerebrally challenging contest of man versus fish ever contrived.
It’s quite an accomplishment to have made outstanding wine in even one distinct growing region, much less in three. But Andrus’ 30-year career led him to success in California and New Zealand as well as Oregon.
In 1978, he founded Pine Ridge Winery in California’s Napa Valley. He named it after a noted ski area.
He jumped on the California wine bandwagon just as it was beginning to gather speed. And he rode it for all it was worth. (more, scan down)

Arnold Kohnert - “Mr. Pompadour” leaves legacy, legion of friends

By Gregory Jones
First Published in July 2009
In April, the Rogue Valley and Oregon wine community lost one of its pioneers and staunchest supporters in Arnold Kohnert. Known affectionately as “Mr. Pompadour,” Kohnert’s signature statement could be heard on his answering machine: “This is Pompadour Vineyard, home of the best Bordeaux grapes in the Valley.”
Kohnert’s distinguished career stretched from the beaches of Normandy in WWII, to the profession of engineer, building commercial buildings in California, to Pompadour Vineyard, which he and his wife, Mary, tended for more than 20 years. (more, scan down)

A Day Much Like Any Other, Except For All the Wine!

When I awoke this morning I was determined not to waste the day driving down to the Umpqua Valley, missing everyone, and coming back with two or three bottles of wine. I had sent out a few emails warning of my arrival but at 7:00 am, who reads their email! So after feeding the cats, kissing Linda good-by, and making sure the card was in my camera, I was off!

First stop was Iris Hill.I went down to Cottage Grove and over to the new facility that the Iris folks have put together. Wow! Nice place! Laura was in the office and when I identified myself she said that she was getting ready to email me and ask when I was coming. They gave us a bottle of the '06 Reserve Pinot Noir($36). Just released and outstanding. (from the tasting notes) Very deep and dark in color with rich aromas of ripe black cherry and cassis with hints of sweet, smoky oak. On the palate this Pinot Noir bursts with mouth watering, ripe berry flavors framed by subtle sweet oak spice and has outstanding concentration. The acid balance is excellent and the tannins are fine and soft. The ripe black fruit finish is long and velvet smooth.

It got 90 points from Wine Enthusiast and 91 from Wine Spectator "Smooth and focused, with a meaty note running through the dark berry and spice flavors, lingering on the round, generous finish".
Since they opened their large facility down in Cottage Grove they have been without a proper tasting room, but that will soon change. Within the next month we will be able to do tastings in the office so keep you eyes open for details.

Heading south, I dropped my card at the tasting room for Sienna Ridge and hoped to catch them on the way home.

I decided to go all the way down to Girardet and work my way bask up the valley.  After a visit to the Winston Visitors Center for maps and info, I enjoyed a sunny drive west on Highway 42 to one of the few producers of Baco Noir in the west.
Phillip was there to hand over a bottle of their just released '08 Zinfandel ($29). It is a truly stunning wine with huge berry notes in the nose and a smooth dark cherry taste. Complex and bold with just the right amount of acid and a tart finish. Here is Phillip with one of his Baco Noirs. I tasted through most of the reds and a couple of whites: I can recommend the Pinot Gris (bright bite with a smooth finish) the Pinot Noir (remarkable wine! Soft berry with a hint of soil and leather, nice balance of sweet and tart.) and my biggest surprise of the day, the Chardonnay! (Smoked meats, salmon, in the nose, then nice fresh fruit on the palate. Wow! This has to be the ultimate wine for paste or fish.).Cedar, the tasting room person, helped me through the samples and gave me directions to my next stop, Abacela..

There I met with Andrew Wenzl, their wine maker. He led me through the winery from crush pad to barrel room and I felt as if I had gone to school again. There is so much to learn and there are so many different approaches to making great wine, that is, variations on the basic theme, that it is always interesting to listen to what each wine maker says about the wine. One of the intriguing things I learned from Andrew was that they use their own Pinot noir and other wines to make the brandy that goes in to the Port. They take it up to Clear Creek and have it distilled, then add it back in to the port. The result is a delectable, rich, and mellow Port with a character all its own. Love it!
I plan on going back to visit Andrew with a video camera later in February and having him talk about Abacela's wines and how they are made.

I left with a bottle of their '05 Reserve Tempernio ($65) (tasting note)

The single most important prerequisite of our Reserve wines is vineyard provenance. This mandate so guides our winemaking philosophy that prior to the 2005 vintage we have produced only two Reserve wines.

In 2005 we detected the required benchmark qualities in the Tempranillo fruit from the rocky, sandy soils in our estate’s South East, Angle and Knoll blocks.(more)

Delfino Vineyards was next on the trip and when I stopped by to visit I was met by Jim, who with cigar in hand, was good enough to present a bottle of their '07 Zinfandel ($23). (Tasting notes)
Aromas of raspberries and Bing cherries, followed by subtle shades of violets, licorice and cinnamon fill your nose as flavors of ripe blackberries, plums and bittersweet chocolate tease your palate. (more)
I have always been tempted to move in to their guest cottage for a couple of days while down there gathering wine and I may do it next year. It is really a wonderful little retreat and I hear the breakfast is very good.
On the way to Melrose Vineyards I stopped, out of hunger, at what I thought would be a place for a prepackaged burger and a plastic container of chocolate mil, the Melrose Country Store & Deli. Boy was I wrong! As I waited for the man behind the counter to finish his phone conversation I glanced up at the "Today's Special" board and saw Chicken Tikka Masala!

I was a little confused as this was out in the country surrounded by farms and wineries, not some where I would expect to find Indian food.
I took a chance and  Deep, the cook, wife, and co-owner came out with a huge helping of what may be the BEST chicken Tikka Masala I have EVER had. This is better than any Indian restaurant food I have tasted. When I spoke to her about how good it was she smiled and brought out a sample of the lintel and rice soup, again, the best! Then she gave me a spiced pickled ginger that she makes herself and I was hers forever! I plan on surprising my vegetarian wife with a visit to a back woods grocery store! If you have a chance, stop here and eat. You will not regret it!

Up the road on the left is Melrose Vineyards where, as far as I know, the only Pinotage grown in the state of Oregon, or for that matter, anywhere other than small lots in California, Virginia, and Texas., is grown and bottled. Boy is it good! Smoky, fruity, and complex and it stands up to most spicy foods amazingly well. The first I had years ago was in Amsterdam, paired with very spicy Indonesian foods and chilled just a bit.
But for all that, I ask for their incredible '08 Viognier ($18). This one of the best tasting Viogniers so far this year and they should be very proud. Peach, citrus, very slight clove in the nose with warm clean notes of peach, soft apple, and just a little tartness in the mouth, with a long smooth finish. (Robert (me) gives it a 92).
My next stop was for 18 holes of golf for the auction from the Roseburg Country Club.

Now for the trip home.
With the pleasant small of curry keeping me company, I made my way to Sienna Ridge Winery, located off the freeway outside of Rice Hill. You can see it from the road and it is worth the stop. I was greeted by Cindy Braack and given a full tasting through the Pinot Noirs, Cabernet, Chardonnay, and remarkably good "Ice wines".

She loaded me up with every one of the wines they had on hand! The '03 ($28), '04 ($27), and '05 ($25) Pinot Noir are all very different from the Northern Willamette Vally vintages for the same grape due to the elevation (1,100 ft), soil (red Jory) and climate. While some of the '03 Pinot Noir from up north were short lived in the bottle, theirs are just drinking well right now. The '04 was less interesting but still good, and the '05 was outstanding!. They have their own AVA, Red Hills, and they have about 267 acres planted.
Cindy also gave me a bottle of the '03 Cabernet Sauvignon ($29), '07 Chardonnay ($17), and one each of the '03 Gewurztraminer ($25)and '04 Riesling ($24) "Ice Wines". Their web site is down at the moment but I will re-post it when it is up again.
While I right this I am sipping the Sienna Ridge '05 Pinot Noir.Yum!
In the morning I venture north to drop off two cases at Northwest Wines to You located in The Abby outside Lafayette and pick up a few bottles along the way.

Sokal Blosser

New cute link to You Tube.

A Day of Pleasure Upon Pleasure

After a morning of egg and cheese omelet, fresh OJ, honey on toast and a little recorded CSI, Linda and I drove up to Portland for the matinee of "Snow Falling on Cedars" at Portland Center Stage, located in the old armory building. The rain that was predicted never came, and though we were in fog ( that weird kind where the sun penetrates just enough to create a glow) the trip still went fast;  faster when Linda napped.
We were early enough to visit Design Within Reach, and  Versailles in the Pearl, a really classic French decor shop with the table we have been looking for for years! There goes the new car...
We booked lunch on Open Table at 50 Plates and though we were an hour early, they seated us and the fun began.
We split the warm beet salad (absolutely perfect), Linda chose the Mushroom dish and I went for the Chicken Fried Pork chops. The real treat came when the wines were on the table. I chose the '07 Oswego Hills Pinot Noir and Linda had the Four Graces '07 Pinot Noir (The Four Graces just gave us a magnum of their '05). The Oswego Hills was darker and richer with  layers of  blackberry, plum and blueberry , a subtle smokey taste and  perfect elegant finish It stood up to the slaw, mashed potatoes and the strongly flavored chops very well.
Linda's Four Graces was lighter and much more subtle, opening again and again with each taste to a warm fruit compote, soft mouthfeel, and superb finish. If we were not going to sit through a two hour play we would have had another each.
After lunch we walked to the theater and I must say I was a little put off when we went to the bar to order our half-time wines. They have NO OREGON WINES!!!
If you read this and attend theater there, please let them know how FW that is.
The play was excellent in all ways. The staging was exceptional as was the acting. We highly recommend it.
We ran from the theater during the standing ovation so we could make it to Boedecker Cellars over on 30th to pick up some promised wines. I was stressed, as I always am, about getting there on time!!!. It took all of 7 minutes...
Dewey Kelly and I have been playing wine tag for the last three weeks and today, I won! He has planted no less than four bottles all over Portland for me to pick up if I could ever get to one of the locations. His wife Robin is the executive chef at the Racket Club so there was one waiting there also.I have missed because of timing, being caught up at another winery, or just being too tired to make it to Portland but today, victory!
Dewy Kelly and John Grochau, who's wine is available at the tasting room, were both at the winery and presented me with their donations. John gave a bottle of his marvelous  '07 Cuvee' des Amis Pinot Noir($36) (There is a great piece done on Wine Spies on John's 07 Pinot Noir) and Dewey held out a bottle of Ribbon Ridge '06 Estate Pinot Noir ($32) that got 91 points in Wine Spectator, December 2008.
Gwen Goodrich helped us through a tasting of the Boedecker wines starting with the Chardonnay which is sourced from Cliff Anderson's vineyards, one block over from Bergstrom's famous  Sigrid Chardonnay (sold out for '07).
Athena, who gave us a bottle last time, was not there but we picked up a bottle of the wine named for her, '06 Athena Pinot Noir ($34). Absolutely delicious! Linda grudgingly let me taste it after she she sat smiling and whirling the wine. It was by far the favorite next to the Chardonnay.
If anyone is looking for an excellent way to spend an afternoon in Portland, PCS, then Boedecker Cellars/GC Wines tasting room are high on the list!
The drive back was uneventful, and when we were home, I made us a little cocktail and we regaled the cats with tails of high adventure!

A Nice Surprise!

In today's mail was a gift certificate for 6 tastings at The Four Graces! I will go up on Wednesday of next week and pick up the other part of the donation: A magnum of '05 Black Family Estate Pinot Noir ($105) signed by the owners, Steve and Paula Black. This wine is SOLD OUT so this is a very special gift indeed. Here are the tasting notes: This Pinot Noir marks its voluptuous impression immediately, rose petals, almond tones and a red fruit mix finishing with soft oak and vanilla tones. The tannins are fine with a long finish. Enjoy this wine now, but it will continue to evolve, with its prime 3 to 5 years. More

 We are so lucky to have so many friends and supporters amoung the wineries here inOregon.

Great Blog Piece on Kelly Fox and Carlton

Paul Gregutt wrote in his blog:
Tuesday was another lovely day spent exploring Oregon wine country, this time centered on the town of Carlton. A small agricultural enclave, it was all but dying after the main employer, a seed company, went out of business some years ago. Then winemaker Ken Wright moved in, purchased some abandoned buildings, set up a winery, and opened the doors to Carlton becoming the most wine-centric town in the state.(more)
Very good article about 2007 wines in general and Kelly's specifically.

1 Magnum, 1 Case, 2 Days

The weather on Thursday morning kept me off the freeway and on 99 through Junction City and Monroe. My first stop was at a new winery located about four miles northwest of Monmouth, Illahe Vineyard .
Winemakers Brad and Micheal (seen here) are well schooled in the art and bring different approaches to the wine production. I have yet to taste the wines but I am sure that they are as good as they say.
 Our reserve was just bottled after 18 months in the barrel. A blend of the best lots of the vintage are smooth and round on the palate and offer deep fruit and delicate baking spice aromas. The age-worthy tannins and acid will allow the wine, raised in 45% new oak, to benefit from many more years in the bottle.
Bethany the National Sales Manager (seen here) presented me with a bottle of the '07 Reserve Pinot Noir($38).

My second stop was for food. I have been driving through Amity for two years now gathering wines and today I decided to stop at Ashes Cafe for a little local chow. I don't know where or how the place got its name. I smelled nothing burned or burning, and according to the owner it used to be the Post Office. She had a 1953 newspaper that showed a picture of the place back then. We all enjoyed reading the want ads: 18 acres, with house, and  barn for $1800! Sign me up!
The food was good and hearty, and was  just right for a rainy Oregon day. The burger was as juicy as any I have had. The waitress was cute, so that made everything taste better!  No, I am not standing on a chair to take this, she is just tiny.
I drove straight up to the Abby where I delivered  two cases in to the care of Rebecca , one of the owners and operator of Northwest Wines to You.
After a bowl of soup with Rebecca, (one of our wine experts for the auction), at The Horse Radish in Carlton I walked across the street to Alexana Winery for a bottle of 2006 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir ($75). I met the owner, Dr. Madaiah Revana  earlier this year at IPNC and he promised a good one!
He balances a successful practice as a cardiologist in Houston, Texas with his commitment to winemaking.  His love for both wine and the rich tradition and culture of winemaking led him first to develop his estate Cabernet property in Napa Valley and then Alexana in Oregon’s Dundee Hills.(more)

Now off to Ayres Vineyard to meet with Don, who took time to hand over a bottle of his '08 Ayres Lewis Rogers Lane Pinot Noir. This wine is a treat for all senses: extremely dark boysenberry & blueberry fruit, rich pastry, alongside spice and earth for good measure.  This brand new bottling is sure to be a crowd favorite.  If you were a Piper fan in the past, welcome to your new favorite wine!    (more)
Don was busy prepping for chromatography of all his winesand as we chatted he kept counting so rather than screw up his test, I went next door to visit Brick House Vineyards and collect a bottle from Doug.(seen here in this great video).
He had a bottle of the '07 Les Dijonnais Pinot Noir( $42) for us. This is a great example of '07 gone great! The public was put off the '07 vintage due to bad but not deserved revues (sometimes before the wine was even in the bottle!) but this one belies all the rumors. Deep, richly fruited , great acid balance, and perfect mouth feel. Love it!

I love driving around in the hills here and searching for wineries. The veiws are spectacular and sometimes even on a dank and rainy day I just have to get out and take it all in.
I stopped at Bergstrom Wines hoping to pick up the same little package as last year. I have to tell you that the biggest surprise of last years auction came when Bergstrom's Shea, Broadly's Shea,  and Shea's Pinot Noir came up for bid.. Bob Sogge got the crowd excited and the wines, 3 bottles total, went for $900!
Josh did not disappoint this year and Kate (left) handed over a bottle of the '07 Shea Vineyard  Pinot Noir ($65).
From thier tasting notes: The 2007 is the first bottling that includes all clonal selections and it is one of my favorites to date! Dark ruby in color, this wine is extremely mineral in the nose with lots of spice and earth, lush dark fruits as well as some toasty oak spice character to accent. The mouthfeel is focused and rich at the same time with very dark red fruits showing up again. This wine has a great purity to it with nice acid and tannin that will make this one of the longest lived Shea Vineyard Pinot Noirs that Bergström has made to date. Drink from 2010 to 2020.
So far today I have two Shea vineyard wines and there are still more to come.

My last stop on the west side of Newburg was at Anderson Family Vineyard. Sitting high up on a hill of broken rocks and deep rich Jory soil, they sources some of the best grapes around to other wineries such as Bergstom. They also make their own and that was what I was after today. Cliff gave me a tour of the barrel room and he picked out three different wines to give us: '07 Chardonnay ($34.95), '07 Pinot Noir ($49.95), and the '06 Pinot Noir ($49.95). Word has it that these are indeed worth more than Cliff is asking, especially the Chardonnay.
Getting lost is one of my favorite things except when I only have 30 minute to get to a winery, and no clue where it is. Last year I had the exact same problem but this year T-Mobile has coverage in the area. Jill ( seen here) gave me directions no less than three times and told me to look for the sheep. I finally found Owen Roe and was well rewarded. Last year David gave me one of his O'Reilly's Pinot Noirs but this year they were sold out so I got a bottle of '08 Sinister Hand ($26)

and a bottle of '07 Cabernet Franc Rosa Mystica($42). From the tasting notes:
This Rosa Mystica Cabernet Franc has elements of Old World charm and fragrance, yet its bright berry and plush richness is all New World. Three vineyards are situated on hillsides high in the western Yakima Valley. The fourth small block is from Dr. Steve Elerding’s Six Prong Vineyard along the Columbia River in Alderdale. Ripening their small crops in late October, all the vineyards yielded wonderfully rich fruit flavors with nice acidity. In the winery, we’ve been careful not to employ too much new oak, trying to gently coax characteristics that are expressive of this fragrant and complex varietal. This 2006 wine has all the hallmarks of a world-class Cabernet Franc and its ripeness and power do not overshadow the delicacy of its cedar fragrance, olive flavor and beautiful berry fruit.This is a fascinating winery and produces a lot of very great wines.
Tonight I had dinner with seven women at Dundee Bistro to celebrate my friend's promotion to Tech Sargent in the Air Force reserve. She is a winemaker, mother of two, runs her own business, and is a jet mechanic! And you thought you worked hard:). Afterwords I talked until the wee hours with a winemaker who lets me use his spare room during my trips north. I learn more about wine from one conversation with him than in all the books I read or classes I have taken.
Thursday morning brought a quick stop at Safeway for copies and Starbucks, then off I went to visit Rex Hill and my friend Christina. I took a whole bunch of shots and will post hem when I get a bottle from them. Last year they gave both A to Z and Rex Hill.

After barrel tasting and getting a full tour of all the facilities (the place is endless!) I took off for a visit with Joan at Wine Country Farm Cellars. I still want to take Linda up there for a stay in the the guest house. The views are astounding and so is Joan. She was gracious enough to give me her '08 Armonea Muller-Thurgau adorned with her brand new label. I will be back for a taste soon and another informative chat. Here she is hiding because she was out pruning her trees when I came up.

Down the road and around the corner perch high on the hills sits DePonte Winery where Isabelle Dutartre makes the wine. She also makes 1789, Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir($48)  which  was chosen as number 2 of the Top 50 Oregon Wines. Supple textures, bright red-cherry scents, powerfully fruity yet restrained. Made by Isabelle Dutartre, perhaps Oregon’s least-known top-echelon winemaker.(more) She was nice enough to give one bottle!
Suzanne from DePonte handed over a bottle of the '07 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir ($38).
I am looking forward to trying both when I have time to linger a bit.
A quick stop at Archery Summit to visit Chris Nagy ended with a VERY big surprise! A Magnum of '03 Estate Pinot Noir ($419).

Here are the tasting notes because unless my wife waves the bid card while I am not looking, I will never know what it tastes like.

The 2003 Archery Summit Estate Pinot Noir opens with inviting aromas of black cherry, black plum, violets and rose hips. There is a seductive earthiness on the mid-palate penetrated by bright notes of marionberry, black currant and dark chocolate. The wine is generous, complex and satisfying. Well structured, the depths of flavor finish long leaving hints of spice cake, twig tea and plum. The 2003 Archery Summit Estate Pinot Noir is a complex and focused wine for serious collectors, and may be cellared for five to ten years.

I am overwhelmed by the generosity of the wineries here in Oregon especially in this economy and this years stupid reviews of the '07s, yet still they give!
As I left Archery Summit I took one last picture of the day: Mount Hood in the distance, farmland in the middle, and vineyards up close!

On the way home to Eugene I stopped at Eola Hills and bought a bottle of the La Creole '07 Pinot Noir so they would give one.
Here is Ann with the bottle of Pinot Noir.
Tom Huggins, founder and general manager of Eola Hills, had a dream rooted in facts. He knew that great wines could only come from great vineyards, and through his former occupation as a agricultural insurance expert, he knew where that precious vineyard land was located. This knowledge enabled him to purchase some of the prime sites for his own vineyards in the rolling terrain of the Northwest Willamette Valley in Oregon wine country, and to fulfill a dream of creating his own wine.(more) They have a very nice array of wines and thier low end wines are very affordable ($9.95) with the Estate wines at $19.95. Also they are huge supporters of Oregon Tourism, bike riding, and all things that are economic drivers for the state.
When you drive north or south through Rickreall, stop and support them.
Home for a board get together at which I poured Sol et Soleil '08 Syrah (that we helped bottle), Whybra 07 Pinot Noir (That I corked by hand, all 28 cases) and a bottle of Girardet '06 Baco Noir
Needless to say, the meeting went well!

An Article About Our New Second Horn Player

I know that all I seem to be interested in is wine, but I am also a proud board member and supporter of Oregon Mozart Players. Here is a little insite in to why I am out there gathering wine for our auction to help support our players.

Down the street on this October night, some of his University of Oregon classmates tip back a few at Taylor’s Bar & Grille. A skateboarder zips down Alder Street. A guy and girl giggle their way through the Pioneer Cemetery.

Meanwhile, in Room 211 of UO’s MarAbel Frohnmayer Music Building, John Dodge is lost in practicing a Mozart horn concerto on his French horn.

He has just come from teaching a lesson, part of the way he pays down the $40,000 student loan he’s incurred to earn his master’s degree in musical arts.

Dodge, 26, sandwiches practice around a full day of music classes. In the morning, he spent two hours warming up. Now, he’ll spend another two hours polishing material for his master’s recital at Beall Hall on Thursday.

The polishing complete, he’ll walk a few blocks to his apartment, scarf down some chili-covered pasta — to save time and money, he fixes enough to last him a week — then return to experiment with new material until about 1 a.m.

Grow up like Dodge did, bumping from place to place, at times homeless, and you learn to survive. Even thrive.

“John’s not one of those musicians who started playing at 3 and was composing at 6,” says Rachel Pearson of Florence, a parent volunteer when John taught band at Siuslaw Middle School.

He lived in 13 apartments or houses by the time he was 18. But now is surprisingly focused.

“My lifetime goal,” he says with no bravado, “is to play in the New York Philharmonic.”

(more)

You Have to Try This Cider!

 If the only cider you have had is the stuff you buy from the supermarket you need to tune up your taste buds with a little of the real thing. I have become addicted to the simi-dry cider. It is only about 6% alcohol and has a really refreshing taste and a smooth finish and a great aftertaste of  honey and tart apple.

Wandering Angus Ciderworks will have plenty of cider this year. The pear cider (fermented apple cider plus pear juice) will take away from what we can make of our Bloom and Wanderlust Ciders. Pear cider is different from Perry. Perry is made only from fermented pear (best if from hard to find Perry pears). Pear Cider is a blend of apples and pears

They will produce about 200 cases of Pommeau in late October.Pommeau is a unique apple dessert wine. Select heirloom cider apple varieties were fermented and then distilled. The resulting apple brandy, after aged 5 years in oak, was expertly blended with fresh juice from cider apples that offer diverse character - those with a wealth of tannins and those with plentiful sugars. Pommeau is a delicately sweet, surprisingly smooth, aromatic wine with an incredible brandy essence. Serve chilled or warm and enjoy as an aperitif, a dessert or with a meal.The brandy for it (made from our cider) is currently aging in French cognac barrels. They will add juice from the 2010 harvest (bittersweet apples and Wickson crab).

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San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition

I really enjoy getting good news about our donors. Just got this bit from San Francisco and wanted to pass it one. I have tasted all of these wines and they really are delicious! 
Brandborg Vineyard and Winery took home three medals recently; '08 Gewurztraminer Gold, '08 Riesling, Silver, and for Pinots in the $20-$24.99 category, a Bronze for their '07 Pinot Noir Benchland.
Also showing was King Estate's Acrobat '08 Pinot Noir (Silver) and their Next '08 Riesling (Gold)
Agate Ridge got a Bronze for their '07 Pinot Noir. For the entire list click here.

Wine and Spirits Magazine Gives Ghost Hill 91 Pts

"This dark and savory pinot leads with scents of seawrack and plum. With air the aromas grow more exotic: violets, black earth, the black currant fruit given an earthy bottom note like turned soil. The richness of the middle palate suggests serving it with duck."  Too bad there is little left...
This is a great wine but the '08 Ghost Hill Pinot Noir is even better. We helped bottle it and had some moments after it was done. Absolutely delicious! Rich, creamy, great balance of fruit and spice. It will a treat to sample after it has been in bottle for a while. Can't wait!
You can order on line at Northwest Wines to You.