New Video by Eric Silverberg

This is the first video that Eric made about our wine gathering project. We hope to keep it up and do a couple of wineries each month and encourage people to come and taste or order the wines we select. Lorrie from Sweet Cheeks and Angela from Silvan Ridge star. I am the old guy with the white hair.

Auction Over! Now We Begin Again!

The auction was about 3/4 of what I wanted but it was a very good one and a success in raising a lot of money for Oregon Mozart Players. The staff, Tiffany, Gina, and all the volunteers works sooo hard keeping up with what was coming in, and people donated so freely. The wineries are all in for next year and so are a lot more so this year I will get an early start and get the all. We sold 12 cases, 3 magnums, one 3.5 litter bottle (from Pfiffer) and 24 "table bid" bottles.
Willakenzie Estates, Opine, and Lavelle supplied the wine for the diners.
Thank to all for a wonderful evening and I look forward to next year!

Video of Lorrie and Robert

Here are Lorrie, from Sweet Cheeks, and Robert discussing the growth and the sharing in the Oregon wine industry and doing a barrel taste of the 08 Pinot Noirs.

These are just test videos that will be refined and will soon lead to a on line wine club based on interviews and visits to wineries around Oregon where we will taste the wines, make recommendations, and offer them to the public.

Iris Hill's New Cottage Grove Facility

This morning, after securing my wine stash, I headed out for Cottage Grove to visit Iris Hill's new digs. They had promised a bottle of 2007 Pinot Noir and I was eager to get it as it is the LAST BOTTLE (as far as I know) in the collection. I was pleased and surprised when Mike upgraded me to the fantastic 2005 Arete' Pinot Noir! Here is Laura with the bottle. Only 200 cases were made and there is very little left. "A stylish, silky, full bodied Pinot Noir with raspberry, black cherry, and spicy, earthy notes on the nose. On the palate the mouth is filled with ripe flavors of Marion berries, blueberries and black plums, with hints of cinnamon and oak spice followed by a long and elegant fruit driven finish. This wine has excellent cellaring potential".
Linda and I bought this when it was released and have it down until 20011-14.
I returned to the office and was greeted by a box that said "Otis Kenyon Wines" The Walla Walla Valley is in Washington BUT the winery and facilities for Otis Kenyon is in Milton- Freewater so...Oregon wine! They sent a bottle of their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon! Truely a great wine.
Well, I guess that is that for a while. The auction is tomorrow night and we have 180+ attendees so far. Let us hope for the best!

Putting the Cork in it!

Well, today is the clean-up day. I need to go to Cottage Grove and accept a bottle from Iris Hill and then track down a friend who has a bottle of Erath and a couple more for me.
The article in the paper was nice though I think they forgot to mention that ALL THE WINERIES DONATED THE WINE! It sounded like I bought it all. Oh well. To all the incredible wineries "Thank you again for your heart felt gifts. Wine is what you do, how you make your living, and is a real love. I know that to give so freely after being ask so often by so many is a burden. I don't know that I would have the patience to put up with it. That is why I limited my asks to ONE BOTTLE. Thank you again!
I will post tasting notes, wine recommendations, and travel tips over the next few months until I start the journy over again, hoping for even more next year.
More later
Thanks

Salem,Carlton, Dundee, Gaston, McMinnville, Lafayette for Wine

A long long day started with gathering up my paperwork and loading up on coffee. I arrived in Salem just as Honeywood Winery opened its doors. I had been there once many years ago when the just made fruit wines. I found a very good reason to return when I read that they had received a 90 in Wine Spectator for the 2006 Pinot Noir from their Eola vineyard. I tasted it while it was still tight and again after a few minutes and found it to easily deserve the 90 points. Very tasty and not as fruity as some. They gave me a bottle of 2006 Pinot Noir for the auction!
In Dundee I found Crumbled Rock Winery and saw the progress they are making on the barrel room, tasting room and crush pad/balcony. Very cool site. They bought the vineyard in '87 and she just retired so they are at it full time.They plan to open and be tasting by next year. Julia gave me a 2007 Pinot Noir. Very generous considering how few cases they made.
My usual stop for lunch was excellent as usual. The Bistro served up a hearty pork and bean soup( no, not THAT kind) with a rich flavor that paired well with the Ponzi Pinot Gris. I finished with some Tam cheese and a slice of smoked bacon and apple.
Sustained, I headed out for Carlton and a special treat: Barrel tasting with Patrick Taylor, the winemaker at Canas Feast. We tasted through his line in the tasting room, all delightful, and then went in and found the 2008 Sangiovasi. Wow! I also met with Patrick Taylor, the GM. I can't wait to attend one of the food pairings they do. After an hour of sip and spit I drove to the Abby where my friend Rebecca works. WShe arranged for me to have some of the wineries they store and ship to donate wine from there. She cased it up and saved me much time and raised my count by 18 bottles!Elkhorn Ridge-2007 Le Terre Foss Pinot Noir, Shea Wine Cellars-2007 Estate Pinot Noir, Daedalus Cellars-2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, Trium- 2007 Pheasent Hill Pinot Gris, Cristom Vineyards-2006 Sommer Reserve Pinot Noir, Barbara Thomas Wines- 2005 Vigna Giovanni Yamhill Pinot Noir, Brittan Vineyards- 2006 Basalt Block Pinot Noir, Ardiri Estate Grown- 2006 Carmeros Pinot Noir, Winter's Hill Vineyard- 2004 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, Anam Cara Cellars- 2006 Nicholas Estate Pinot Noir ,CarabellaVineyard-2007 Pinot Noir, Seventeen Eighty-nine Wines-2007 Pinot Noir and Johan Vineyards-2006 Pinot Noir.
Be sure to click on the winery AND the wine.
Rebecca took me to see Steve Lutz, the winemaker and owner of Lenne Estate. What a view! We interrupted him in the middle of work but he was gracious enough to taste us through his wines and present a 2007 Pinot Noir.
On to Willakenzi Estate were I picked up a case of Pinot Noir and a case of Pinot Gris for the auction tables...you have to give them wine to drink or they just sit there!
I toured the winery and got to see the bottling machine, then went up for a little taste. I bade farewell to Thibaud and Rebeca and went in search of Plum Hill where I was greeted by Ghost Dog, who was very excited to see me, as you can see here, and a bottle of 2006 Pinot Gris presented by Juanita, the owner and with her husband, the operator.
My last stop of the day was at Youngberg Hill Vineyard and Inn. I want to take Linda there for a weekend. It is so beautiful and the view is fantastic! Wayne, the owner, gave a bottle of 2006 Jordan Block Pinot Noir.
Now I am back home and sorting the wines one last time. The Register Guard is doing an article on the wine collection and the auction in Thursday's paper .

Counting, Casing, and Watching New Video

Today is count, cross check, and case day. Here is a shot of the ones I have out on the dinning room table.
Eric has uploaded a test video to You tube about the wine gathering and has a good shot of Lorrie Norman of Sweet Cheeks Winery.

A few phone calls for final verification of gift certificates and a game plan for Wednesday's trip and I am done.

Look for the article in Thursday's register Guard with a picture of Bob Sogge.

Eugene to Roseburg and Back

Our semi annual pick up of Girardet Baco Noir was on Saturday. I left around 9:45 and got to the winery in time to miss the tour bus full of wine tasters traveling around the Umpqua Valley. The crew at GiradetWine Cellars had warned me not to show during the tour. Philippe greeted me and Offered a bottle of his fine Pinot Noir but I ask if instead, we could have the Baco. With a smile, he said" This is my baby" and gave me a bottle of his 2007 Baco Noir Reserve.
Philippe, and now his son Marc, have been making wine in Tenmile, near Winston, since 1971 and their Baco has been peoples choice in at least 4 competitions around the Northwest.
As I was leaving, after visiting with Philippe and tasting all the wines (and buying a lot of his sale wines plus our club wines) I set of for Eugene and my 1:30 haircut appointment. I had rather let it grow and stayed for more time at the winery.

Almost Done...

This whole adventure has been more about process than about product. It has given me a chance to learn about the Oregon Wine industry and about the people who live and work around it. I have met people who just travel around pruning, planting, weeding, and generally helping out for little pay, people who have invested their entire savings on a few acres and only grow grapes for others to use, and others who have created small kingdoms that employ hundreds of people in the various tasks related to wine.
I have tasted acidic, harsh, and unpleasant wines that were made from the very same grape that produced a wine so lush and full that drinking it seemed a sin.
But the quest continues.
South and east to Cave Junction and up the road towards Oregon caves leads us to Bridgeview Winery and a chance meeting with a rancher from Idaho, Holly Flowers, who owns and operated the Alpha Omega Ranch where she raises grass fed animals. Her dream is to raise yaks but the other ranchers nixed that idea, so horses, goats, cows and pigs it is. She was hauling a cow she came all the way to Cane Junction to buy, and on the way back she loaded up with wines.
The winery is famous for its second line wines sold in stores all over the world as Blue Moon. Yes, the ones in the blue bottle you see EVERYWHERE. They make a lot of wine and their reserve wines really are good. Tim Woodhead gave me a bottle of their Viognier 2007. I tasted through the whites and reds and ended up buying a couple of bottles.
I headed out the gate, past the swans, and turned down the road to the most remote winery in western Oregon: Foris. Holly was close behind hauling her trailer, with a cow that was getting lots of scenic views. We tasted the reds and whites and Jennifer (on the right) presented me with a bottle of Maple Ranch Pinot Noir. This is a delicious wine with great character and depth. Described by them as "Wonderful purity of fruit in the nose, red and black fruits layered with spice, cocoa and cedar aromas. Beguiling aromas, complex and ever changing in the glass. A hint of forest floor, a little touch of fine herbs, clove and allspice all add depth and complexity. While rich and full in texture, the fine tannins add structure and the wine finishes with a silky flourish of flavor". This wine shows the true meaning of terroir. As you stand and look around and see all the things that effect the wine and taste the forest and fresh clean air you begin to understand how much the "where" matters with wine.
Long drive back to the Applegate Valley and Troon, where I picked up a bottle of their Old Vine Meratage, Wooldridge, where Kara gave me a bottle of 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon,and Schmidt where the Judy presented a bottle of their wonderful Perennial White 2007.
The last stop was for a bottle of Velocity 2005 Red Wine, from grapes in the Rogue Valley, at RoxeyAnn, where I ate very good cheese, bread, and drank a glass of their wonderful Claret.
Next week is the very last road trip for wine.

Tuesday Afternoon

The collection has grown larger than I ever imagined and it is still growing. Sokol Blosser gave a bottle of 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. I taste black cherry up front and lighter fruit in the back andthe taste lasted longer than a lot of the 06 Pinots. I am always impressed with the level of giving from some of the wineries! I love the new Willamette Valley Wine map! The old one had numbers where the wineries were and you had to look them up. The paper the map was printed on tore very easely and was very frustrating. Now:beter paper, and names on the map!
Using this new tool, I found my way to ArborBrook and met Mary, and the winery cat, to collect a bottle of 2007 Heritage Cuve'e and give some pets.
I stopped by another winery in Dundee to pick up a bottle of Barron-Wahl 2007 Pinot Noir Estate. There is a nice article on them in the local paper.
I drove in to Carlton and Met with my friend Rebecca who works at the Abby where they ship wine. Boyd Teegarden was there from Natalie's Estate and gave me a bottle of his 2007 Red Hills Cabernet Sauvignon. (on the left). Many of the wine people I had met and who gave wine were there Cliff Anderson, Dean from ADEA, who got in to the wine biz as a steel fabricator, had great stories about a de-stemming machine.
The Gladharts were ther from Winter's Hill and were excited about the new landscaping at the vineyard.
I tatsed the 2006 Vista Hills Pinot Noir and faded out the door and for home. Long drive to Medford and Cave Junction in the morning.

Video of Sweet Cheeks Coming Soon

We are taping an interview with the staff at Sweet Cheeks Winery today and will post it as soon as it is edited.

A Car Full of Wine and a Japanese Bridge

When I drove back to Portland on Wednesday I stopped at Drakes Seven Ds and picked up a 5 foot by 3 foot wooden Japanese Bridge Linda and I had purchased last weekend. Yes, it JUST fit in the back of my Subaru wagon! So the wine case goes to the front seat and away we go. I went straight to the hotel in Newburg, ate at the local diner and caught up on email as THIS hotel has internets and googles.
Up and out early for breakfast in the lobby with twenty school kids attending some event at George Fox. Love the automated waffle machine!
I drove around a great deal looking for open wineries and just enjoying the drive. Forest Grove and the area is really interesting and the view from David Hill is breathtaking.
Lunch in Gaston and went up to Kramer Vineyards for a bottle of 2005 Chardonnay and a visit with the dogs. Thistle also makes wine there so I picked up their 2003 Pinot Noir and took off for McMinville. Panther Creek was holding a Stevenson-Barrie 2006 Freedom Hill Pinot Noir for me and as luck would have it Michael Stevenson, the winemaker, was there to hand it over himself.
I found Walnut City Wineworks a real joy. Jennifer was great to deal with and I added Z'ivo's 2002 Pinot Noir, 2006 Walnut City Reserve Pinot Noir, and Bernard Machado 2005 Pinot Noir to the list.
Next week is Carlton, Medford, and a few more random stops along the way.

Got Naked...Got Argyle and Machesi To

Tuesday was slow and gentle. I met with Rebecca and had lunch at The Filling Station in Carlton with the owners of Ghost Hill. They gave me their 2007 Pinot Noir in the new bottle. Looks great! Nice label. We drove out to the house and I looked for the ghost but alas, all I saw was some guy atop the hill with a pickup sitting in a lawn chair gazing out over the wineries. We tasted the 2006 Pinot Noir and I was impressed by the lean, cool elegance it displayed unlike the big fat fruity wine that some produced.Wine Spectator rated the 2006 Pinot Noir a 91 in their December 15, 2008 issue. The wine is described as "Silky and open-textured, glowing with cherry and raspberry character. Orange cream overtones add interest as the finish rolls on with refinement."
Rebecca gave me a tour of the Abby and of her business, Northwest Wines to You. What an interesting and complex person. She wears as many hats, well, as anyone I have ever met.
I stopped in McMinnville and picked up a 2006 Dukes Family Vineyards Thomas Pinot Noir.
Rolling out after having my breath taken away by the amount and range of wines in the Abby, I went to Dundee for a stop at Argyle and a bottle of 2006 Brut Rose'. I love their sparkling wines and this one really hits the mark. 90 points in Wine Spectator!
I drove straight through to Hood River and found a place to stay and found a great meal at Celilo. I had eaten there once before while wearing my curator hat. I stopped in for a dinner and saw the amazing artwork adorning the walls and ask after the artist. Ellen Dittebrandt became one of the artists at OPUS6IX and when we hung her work the next day, a piece sold 8 minutes after it went up! A record I am sure.
I called it an early night and went back to the hotel for really bad TV reception and no computer.
Morning came early and I made the most of the free breakfast, read the maps of the wineries, and prepared my plan of attack.
The Dalles was first. I drove down the Gorge past white capped river and driving wind until the sun came out and presented a spectacular view of the hills. The visitors information center had a great deal of info on the wineries and the area in general and I thought it was very funny how the first words out of them when I ask about wine was "Washington"!
So much for state pride. Bolton Cellars left a 2006 Great Southern Pinot Noir for me at Sigman's, the flower shop next door. I left messages with the other two wineries in The Dalles but heard nothing back so I took off to Hood River.
First stop was Phelps Creek, where the owner had left a bottle of Becky's Cuvee' 2007 Pinot Noir in a bag with my name on it in the basket in front of the tasting room. Rural Oregon at its best.
On the way back to town I stopped at Hood River Vineyards for a special treat, a 1998 Oregon Zinfandel Port! On down the road to Cathedral Ridge Winery. Voted Oregon winery of the year in 2007 by Wine Press Northwest, it has a lot to live up to and from the tastes I had there, it does. I walked away with a 2006 Columbia Valley Sarah. A nice family from Colorado was there tasting when I was there and it was fun hearing their tasting notes. "I smell pine tar and berries!"
Teresa, with help from Lisa,
shows what they gave.

I made a quick stop at a new winery called MarchesiVineyards a few block away and met Franco, the owner (pictured here filling out my paperwork). Italian and very proud of his wines, he gave me a 2007 Barbera.
I drove in to downtown Hood River and found The Pines 1852. The Pines Vineyard's Old Vine Zinfandel was first planted by an Italian stone mason in the late 1800s. Louis Comini made his home in Oregon's Columbia River Gorge, bringing with him grape vines from his homeland in Genoa, Italy.This is one of the oldest vineyard in Oregon.
Here is Sierra holding our bottle of 2007 Sarah

They also have a very nice art gallery that is worth the stop even if you don't like wine. I ran down the street and around the corner to Springhouse Cellars and caught James as he was about to go shopping. He handed over his Homestead Red.
Last stop for the day: Naked! I had missed them at the Newport Fest. because there were so many people surrounding the booth. I got lucky this time. It was slow day so I got to taste and visit and relax.
Jody gave me taste of all the wines of Naked Winery from Foreplay to Penetration, a fine Cabernet Sauvignon (banned in two states).
Very clever marketing and a great sense of humor. All the prices end in .69.
I visited the gallery next door, Benjamin Benjamin and was impressed by the quality of work. I suggested Barry Geller for the walls of the Winery. I think he will be a good fit.

Carlton to Hood River

Just a note to let you know I am still on the road. I spent Tuesday in and around Carlton with friends and picked up a wonderful bottle of Ghost Hill 2007 Pinot Noir, tasted the 2006 (eligant and lean) and got a tour of a jaw dropping collection of wine at The Abby in Lafayette.
I stopped in Dundee and was treated to a bottle of Argyle's finest.
Up the gorge to Hood River and a new adventure in the morning.

Adventures in Southern Oregon

Never pick up hitch hikers! Unless they are a young married couple touring the western states working in vineyards and on organic farms. I stopped on the way through Cottage Grove and gave them a lift all the way to Medford with a stop at Del Rio and a "thank you" for thier donation and a taste of the outstanding Pinot Gris!
Then, on a whim, I ask if they had ever heard of "The Oregon Vortex"?
Away we went. A short drive up a winding road to the weirdest and kitchiest place I have been since I was there last time. 1950's here we come. I have been going there since I was a little boy and have gone back at least 15 times. Always confused and it makes the rational part of my brain, small though it is, hurt. I do like watching the eyes of new
people when they start seeing the weird stuff that goes on.
There are places where you shrink and grow... Like here-
and all sorts of optical oddities. If you have not been, go. Just for the fun of feeling like you just got off a ride at the carnival. (I am 6 foot, Jack is about 5'5")

Off to Medford where I dropped them off at a mall to wait for their couch surfing connection.
I wandered around Medford looking for a friend's restaurant on Central, the main south street through the downtown area. I took me a while to find it because it had a big, obvious sign...
I stopped and ask directions at a wine shop, Corks Wine Bar
where Fred gave me tips on what wineries to visit and sampled up a few great Southern Oregon wines.
When I finally found "38 Central" next door, I drove over two blocks to my idea of camping, Red Lion, checked in, and walked back to the restaurant.
I had met David Graham on facebook through one of the wine groups, Must love wine, and was impressed by his motivation and knowledge so I had to try out his food.
There are few things better than finding a great meal, a good friend, and an excellent wine! I sat at the bar and ordered a salad - A True Chop Salad full of Seasonal Vegetables and Lettuce with Things a Rancher Would Add: Rogue Creamery Bleu Cheese, Hard Boiled Egg and Crumbled Bacon. OMG!
As I ate this wonderful dish, a busy David recognized me and with a big smile welcomed me. We chatted about food, wine, the economy, and his plans for the place. We also arranged fop me to bring paintings by Allen Cox to hang.
I ordered the ribs and as I sat there sipping a wonderful gris, David presented me with what has to be the best Mac and Cheese on the planet! I took one taste and could not stop...so much for the ribs though I did manage to get all the meat taken care of. I met Chriss Dennett, the proprietor of Elements Tapas Bar nearby and promised a visit next trip down. This is not the scary, John Birch, right wing crazy Medford I remember from my childhood. There is an air of sophistication and richness of food that Eugene unfortunately lacks downtown, except for a few places like Marche' , Adam's, and Perugino. Must be the climate.
David was nice enough to email some of the wineries and let them know I was on my way to beg for wine. Out early and on the road to Cowhorn Vineyard and Garden
where Bill Steck told me the story of the land and why grapes do so well there. Bottom river soil with lots of rock, not good for much except alfalfa and you can't make wine out of that so grapes it was. I was presented with a 2006 Sarah from Estate grown grapes. I can't wait to go back with Linda during our Ashland visits this year.
I missed Cricket Hill as no one was around but I will visit them on the return trip.
Next came a double header: Fiasco winery and Jacksonville Vineyards, both owned by Dave and Pamela Palmer. I stopped in at Fiasco and sampled the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, that years ago wine "experts" said would not grow well in Southern Oregon due to the volcanic soil. So much for that. The wine had a mellow, big mouth feel and lots of dark fruit, vanilla and hints of raw chocolate. Plum aftertaste. Very good! I left with a bottle of that and with a bottle of Jacksonville Vineyards 2005 Claret, a blend of 50%cab sauv, 36%Merlot, 10% cab franc, and 4% Malbec.
On down the road to Longsword. I always enjoyed stopping there for a taste and a few bottles of incredible Chardonnay (no oak) when they had the little stand at the front gate and a couple of tables. Now they have a real tasting room but I hope you can still sit out by the road and sip. Melinda gave me a bottle of the 2007 Chardonnay for the auction. Thank you Matt, for your nice gift!
John Michael Champagne was the next stop and I left with a bottle of the Sparkling Red 2002. I have had his wine before and it is REALLY good. A nice surprise on a hot summer day.
And yes, I know you can't call it champagne...
A real treat, if you have some time and want to learn all about wines, grapes, bottling, et al, you have to visit The Academy of Wine of Oregon and talk to Bernard. I was in a rush this time but plan on some long tasting later in the year. He gave me, after much hesitation about what to hand over, a 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. This is a bottle worth bidding on by its self!
I visited Valley View and tasted some of the wonderful wines they make. The donated a 2005 Merlot last month at the Newport Wine Fest. I stopped and had lunch and met with Bruno Pedro of CMG, Lda.
He had flown in to SF and driven up to visit wineries and show them his corks. The next time I am in Portugal I am promised a tour of the wineries!
Rossella's was next for a bottle of their rich and ripe 2006 Merlot.
I was disappointed to miss Schmidt, Wooldridge, and Bridgeveiw but will see them on the First of April.
I also stopped by Troon and tasted what they had out. I have heard from people that they make great wine. I will be picking up a bottle of 2004 Old Vine Meritage!
Last stop of the day was indeed a treat!
RoxyAnn has many things to offer: Great wines, enthusiastic staff, food, nice outside and inside seating, and Michael Donovan who, for those Ashland visitor who have had the pleasure over the years to eat at Chateaulin, will recognize. He sold it to his employees and went in to retirement, until he was recruited by RoayAnn to run the show. And can he run a show!
I was there for about two hours, tasted, eat Rouge Valley cheese, sample chocolate, and was generally entertained. Michael gave me a bottle of 2006 RoxyAnn Claret. I also met the new winemaker, John Quinones.
A day well spent and 9 bottles to show for it!

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.

Wednesday at a Dead Run!

I left Winderlea with a bottle of Inaugural 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir and headed up the hill to Aramenta where they gave me their very fine 2006 Chardonnay. I then dashed to Willakenzie Estate and had a nice relaxing talk with Ronnie about the winery and it's history and a taste of their four top Pinot Noirs. I left with a bottle of 2006 Pierre Leon Pinot Noir!
Off to Elk Cove for a promised 2007 Pinot Gris( 91 points W.E. editors choice). I never get tired of a well made Pinot Gris. There is a mix of delicasy and power in that wine and when made right, it is great!
Deep breath! Off to Carlton where I stopped for a really nice chat at Cana's Feast with Patrick and left with a bottle of 2006 Bricco Reserva, a Sangiovese that is excellent!
I stopped by the wine studio but nobody home so I went down to Scott Paul and found them doing paperwork and after some pleading, left with a wonderful 2007 Cuvee Martha Pirrie Pinot Noir.
Down the street Solena Cellars had a big surprise waiting in the from of a Magnum of 2006Dommaine Danielle Laurant Pinot Noir . This is a very good wine and should be held for 8 to 10 years and will be a singal item at the auction.
A short hop to McMinnville and the next stop, Panther Creek for a bottle of 2007 Winemaker's Cuvee Pinot Noir. This is one of the wines that prove 2007 was good year after all. It hearkens back to a cool climate Pinot Noir that is delicate yet strong and has a fine quality.
Alas, I am almost 60 and happily married...My last stop of the day was at R. Stuart& Co where Nicole entertained me through a glass of Pinot and a relaxed end of gathering for the day. She gave me a bottle of 2007 Autograph Pinot Noir.
Home and a rest, then off again Friday!

A Rushed, Yet Pleasant Journey

Tuesday morning, after a 2 hour board meeting and three more hours of getting things put in place for the trip north, off I went. My first stop was Stoller Vineyards and Winery near Dayton. They are a real treat for both tasters and techies as the have a Gold LEED award for solar and energy management, also, they are very nice. I count that a lot in my travels gathering wine. Grace not only gave us a Stoller SV Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2006, she also gave a copy of "Passion for Pinot" a very cool book about Pinot Noir.
Off to Archery Summit Winery and a meeting with Chris Nagy and a bottle of their 2006 Red Hills Estate Pinot Noir. Wow, what a wine! I tasted all four Pinots they had open: Premier Cuvee' 2006 was black cherry and spice in the nose with current and flowers on the front and minerals and dark cherry in the back. A very good wine by its self but I think spicy meats and tomato sauces are in order.
All the Pinots were very different in taste and complexity but the one she gave us was my favorite. The nose had big ripe cherries and spices with currents. The first sip was raisin and spice with sweet cherry and it kept opening up in to layer after layer of minerals and spices with soft fruit. I could have stayed there all day.
Down the road was Vista Hills Vineyard where Dave Peterson presented me with a 2006 Treehouse Pinot Noir. I was struck by the beauty of the area and by the stunning tasting room pictured here.
Wine Country Farm cellars was a very nice surprise. I have been trying to get up there for three weeks and always ran out of time. Meeting Joan was as pleasant as tasting the wines. She donated a2006 Estate Pinot Noir. She also has a B&B that Linda and I will be visiting soon.
Suzanne at De Ponte Cellars presented a bottle of 2007 DFB Estate Melon, a rich white with apples and pears, apricot and a light touch of vanilla.

Off to a nice meal at Bistro in Dundee and a glass of LANGE Pinot Noir 2007. I treated myself to a burger sans bun with trufled fries with hand made mayonnaise. For desert I had two types of bacon, yes, bacon and a soft cheese with green apple. SMILE!.
Off to the motel and thoughts of finding a nice wine bar and relaxing for the night...Shilo Inn , in and down for the count.
I woke up at 2:45 and watched some movie on showtime, then 8:00 came and I was up and out. Breakies at J's and off to Winderlea and a really nice hour with Bill Sweat. Great tasting room with a view of all the vineyards down the hill and off into the distance. Bill showed me around the new building and its chef designed kitchen. The building is equipped with a solar system and has glass garage doors and decks, and energy efficient design by Ernest R. Munch, Architect & Urban Planner, LLC. I was struck driving up how it "fit" in the side of the hill.
Bill handed me a bottle of 2006 Inaugural Reserve Pinot Noir in a box made by the Opportunity Foundation of Central Oregon
More in the morning...I am tired and am sipping the rose' bought at Pennar-Ash while giving them my paperwork and hoping they can give ONE BOTTLE. No word yet...

New Auction Items to Go With the Wine

Last night at First Friday I ask for some special gifts for our auction and got more than I could have imagined!
You may bid on becoming a character in the world famous cartoon series, "Stone Soup" created by Jan Eliot. She will create a "you" in one of her published strips and you will get to travel the world on the pages of hundreds of newspapers, in many languages and be seen by millions of readers!
Justin King will play a private concert in the Barrel room of King Estate, where he began to play his guitar as a young boy!
Jerry Dame , one of Oregon's most renowned artists, will work with you to create an oil painting of your choice from his vast repertoire!
And there is much more to add to the list!
April 10th will be quite a night!

"Surprise! Surprise!" to quote Gomer, A Magnum for Auction!

I just received our second magnum,(the first was from La Cadeau), this one is from Ray Walsh of Capitello Wines. He strolled in to OPUS6IX with a huge bottle tucked under his arm and handed it over, signed "1 of only 12! Enjoy". The 06 Pinot Noir got a 90 in Wine Spectator and all of his 06 in regular bottles are gone gone gone!