As I headed off again for Wine Country, Oregon, I was feeling incredibly indecisive about where I was actually headed. Having woken up late (again), I was already feeling behind schedule, so my initial thought of touring Carlton seemed more and more like a bad idea. I passed Archery Summit Road and remembered Archery Summit was the only winery in the Dundee Hills I hadn’t visited when I toured that area a few weeks ago. Thinking I may as well complete the region, I took the next turn and headed back to Archery Summit vineyards and winery. Second-guessing myself though along the way, I pulled off the road again, questioning whether or not I should be sticking to a more formal agenda; keeping my tasting confined to specific regions. Reminding myself again of my need to go there anyway, I pulled back on the road (feeling a bit like a knucklehead) and continued along to the winery still pondering where I could go next to keep to some logical tour.
I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you before I arrived at
Archery Summit, I was thinking how much I was hoping to not like their wines. Although I had heard great things about them throughout the Valley, I had never actually tasted what all the buzz was about. What I knew of Archery Summit is that they’re very expensive—even more so than already overpriced Oregon Pinot noir which gave me the impression they were trying to maintain an elitist image. I put all those preconceived notions out of my mind as I paused to “take in the view” (as my dad would say), snapped a photo for prosperity and trying in earnest to keep my assumptions to a minimum, opened myself up to experience Archery Summit.
The grounds were awe-inspiring, with elegantly appointed details and obviously no spared expense. As it turned out, and much to my chagrin, the wines were truly exceptional too. Actually, I think they just might be the Princess Diana of Oregon Pinot noir; elegant, graceful and classy yet still somehow strong, warm and approachable. A bottle of their cheapest sells for $48, (almost affordable, that bottle did go home with me) and the prices just went up from there. Luxuriously savoring tastes of $100 and even $150 bottle Pinots that were equal parts of heavenly perfumed aromatics and complex, sensual and compelling flavors. The staff was generous with their knowledge; offering guests technical information, recommendations on where to go next and where to find the best imported cheeses and picnic items (Horseradish Cheese & Wine Shop in downtown Carlton), they were right!
After tasting through the magnificently extravagant wines, Guest Relations Associate Barry Rogge offered me a tour of the famous caves, cellar and wine library. I’m not sure if I was getting some kind of special treatment because I was in the industry, because he overheard me talking about my blog or if I just looked really cute that day—any which way you slice it, I came out the winner. The caves are just as you would imagine, a dark and curved labryinth of tunnels lined end to end with French oak barrels full of lusty, aging wine. At the central core is a chamber used for private events; sufficient to fulfill anyone’s fantasy of celebrating something in an intimate, candle lit wine-lined cave.
Built in 1993 into the hillside of the 115-acre estate vineyard, the five-floor, state-of-the-art, gentle-processing, gravity flow winery is a cunning combination of Old-World aesthetics and New-World savvy. With dazzling patio views overlooking the vineyard hillside and valley below, exceptional Pinot Noirs and an unpretentious staff, Archery Summit is definitely a winery not to be missed. But sorry Cindy Anderson (of the
Oregon Wine Country Guidebook), somehow I missed those bathrooms…guess I’ll have to go back, darn!
Feeling almost tipsy, either from the two sips of $100-plus wine I just couldn’t bring myself to spit out, or more likely, the private, head-spinning tour I had just experienced, I took off in the direction of “I still didn’t know where yet”. My car seemingly set on autopilot steered itself right into the gates of
Sokol Blosser Winery and their down-to-earth yet up-beat yurt-like tasting room. Sokol Blosser’s wine and crowd was young and vibrant with many locals and lots of big buyers. My old friend (and fellow Ponzi graduate) Jenny Mosbacher was slinging wines that day, making it a bonus visit for me.
Probably most famous for their wine
Evolution (a blend of 9 whites and a brilliant way to market the relatively unknown varietal Muller-Thurgeau) with 1% residual sugar, the wine is unique, refreshing and ridiculously simple to pair with food (the winery suggests spicy Asian cuisine or a simple peanut and banana sandwich); clearly a Best-Seller. The 07 Pinot Noir was young but opening up nicely—very fruit-forward with some coffee and earthiness just starting to show through. The 06 Jenny pulled from behind the bar was significantly more foresty, with lush chocolate and something layered underneath, like cured meat (I know it sounds crazy, but that’s what I was tasting). The winery is instantly commanding of respect as the first LEED certified winery in the country, as well as for their dedication to organic farming and sustainabililty. Sit on the large wooden deck nestled in the maple trees overlooking grapevines and solar panels, enjoy the wine and absorb the view or, in the Fall, hang out and watch the maple leaves change color before your eyes.
My day was starting to take some sort of form, as I drove on to Dayton next to familiarize myself with
Stoller Winery. Overlooking wheat fields and oak trees, it’s a bit as if you drove onto the set of
Little House on the Prairie… then you see the winery and know you’re definitely not in the old West. Far from it’s turkey farm roots, Stoller Winery’s a marvel of contemporary architecture; with a solid steel exterior, huge glass windows to maximize sunlight exposure and museum-quality modern art strategically placed throughout, it’s a visual feast. Their Gold LEED certification is just the icing on the cake. My husband would have loved to play on their nine-hole disc-golf course (next year honey!), but mostly guests were outdoors, soaking up the last of the summer sunshine and ripe vineyard views with a glass of wine in hand.
Stoller’s wines are a tremendous value (all under $40), so you can take home a terrific bottle without feeling like you need to apply for an extra line of credit or put it away for a special occasion. But I was especially fond of the sophisticated yet relaxed feel of the place and felt like I could bring my family for a quick escape to the country and keep everyone entertained.
With visions of late afternoon bike rides teasing my tired brain, I threw off the temptation and instead drove on to
Seufert Winery across from City Hall in downtown Dayton. When I opened the doors to a busy bottling line, I was fairly certain I was in the wrong place. I went back outside to confirm my addresses and tried the door again. This time, Jim Seufert met me as I came in and assured me I was indeed in the right place to taste. We stood at a makeshift counter (a piece of glass atop a barrel) and tasted his wines while his friends and family were gobbling up cinnamon candies, bottling the 2008 Woven White. He offered to taste outside, but I honestly was enjoying and feeling a bit nostalgic about being back on a bottling line.
Seufert’s label features a “Wine Snapshot” which offers invaluable information about wine pairing and cellaring in a compact and easy-to-use format. The Pinots were primarily single-vineyard bottlings, (except one blend called
Pinotlicious) with higher acids and heavier tannins—requiring quite a bit of cellaring time before really coming into their own. I thought the wines were interesting with a lot of potential to develop and would have liked to have purchased something, but as there were no prices listed anywhere, and my dad always taught me “If you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can’t afford it”, I embarrassingly left without buying anything.
I choose to round out my afternoon at a few downtown Dundee tasting rooms and reluctantly pulled into
Daedalus Cellars. I say reluctantly because I have a small list of Oregon wineries I’ve interviewed with who’ve not offered me a position and Daedalus is on that list (which can make visiting a bit awkward). I parked in the practically deserted parking lot to discover at four o’clock, I was the first customer of the day. Though Aron Hess is not my favorite person (and I haven’t said that about anybody here yet, and feel bad about it but he honestly just didn’t make a great first impression on me), admittedly, his wines are good and worthy of tasting. The small, but well-decorated Tasting Room is comfortable, though not particularly memorable and with nothing exceptional or notable, I feel they still need to find that certain je ne sais quoi, that which makes them special and sets them apart.
The most interesting thing about my visit to Daedalus was my conversation with the very part-time tasting room association, Christine (whose day job and primary passion is as a yoga instructor). Completely unprompted, she relayed a story about a student who asked her how she went about planning her yoga class. She musingly replied, “I close my eyes, take a deep breath and go where ever the moment takes me.” With goosebumps at full mast on my arms and my hackles raised, it was as if she knew of my personal struggle that day. I couldn’t help but think how I ultimately let my day unfold, just going with the moment, and that it wasn’t until Christine validated it with her story that I fully felt at peace with my decision. So this week’s lesson is straight from the mouth of Christine (whose yoga class I hope to someday take): Sometimes you just have to close your eyes, take a deep breath and just go where ever the moment takes you. Until we sip again…
Cheers!
The first day of Spring brought with it cornflower blue skies and temperatures pushing 70 degrees… not exactly Portland weather, but welcome like a long lost friend. I arrived at Solena Grand Cru Estate Winery eager to taste their vertical of Cabernets (vintages 2003-2006). I’d previously tasted at Solena’s downtown Carlton location, but since then, they’ve opened their brand new estate winery, located on 80 acres in Yamhill, Oregon. The desire to visit their new location, a special tasting of Cabernets in the vast land of Pinot noir and getting out to enjoy the amazing weather made for an irresistible tri-fecta.
Emily started off my tasting with a 2008 Pinot Gris. I took my glass outside to the peaceful deck overlooking the young vines and solar panels because nothing invites a glass of good white wine like the warmth of the sun’s rays. The day was a perfect pairing with my wine, which was almost equally perfect. The Pinot Gris was bone dry with intense aromatics of Asian pear, white flowers, starfruit and a delightful minerality, which added both body and character. I sat alone on the deck, tasting my wine while quietly absorbing my surroundings. To be completely honest, all I really wanted to do was buy a bottle, grab my sweetie and hold up with a picnic and some witty conversation while we lied in each other's arms soaking up the dreamy sunshine.
2005 Klipsun Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon — My favorite of the line-up, and probably because it was the most Pinot-like. It was silky and well balanced with a full nose of blackberry, mocha, violet and licorice that carried through on in the palate. I thought this wine was so good I even brought a bottle to take to dinner at my friend Todd's (who's also a fellow blogger and Pinot connoisseur). I hope it's as good as I remember!
With the current state of the economy, my former hobby of seeking out value-driven wines has now become more of a necessity. With that thought weighing as heavily upon me as a teenager’s backpack, I located Firesteed Cellars, who to me epitomizes both quality and value.
Though Firesteed Pinot Noir has graced my table many times with their consistently good, fruit-forward $10.00 wines, I’d never actually visited their facility—and until 2003, nobody else had either (with no vineyards and no winery, Firesteed was what was called a virtual winery). Owner Howard Rossbach had the forethought to produce reliably good yet affordable Oregon wines over 15 years ago, sourcing fruit from the state’s most renowned growing regions and utilizing a custom-crush facility before purchasing the existing vineyard and winery. Located a mere ten minutes from downtown Salem, this accessible winery is a relative newcomer on the scene but fully ready to play ball with the big boys. While expansive views of the 74-acres of vineyards greet you (with 200 more slated for planting), the quiet and windowless tasting room overlooks the winery facility, keeping the focus on the wine, not the vine. 
Travel just a bit further down the road and discover Johan Vineyards and their boutique winery which produces less than 1,000 cases of wine each year. Located on 85 acres of organic and biodynamically farmed vineyards in the Van Duzer corridor, Johan sells 85% of their fruit to lucky local wineries. The winery produced its first vintage of estate wine in 2005 and recently celebrated the grand opening of their winery and inviting tasting room just a short couple of months ago.
While winery cats Fox and Leopard twirled at my feet, I enjoyed wines that were focused, elegant and told a beautiful story. The 2007 Estate Pinot Noir was a bit showy with a lovely balance of cherry, pomegranate, cassis, a bit of dust and just the right of amount of spice to make the finish bold and memorable. The 2007 Pinot Noir Nils Reserve (named for Johan’s father) was deep and mysterious, with a bit of dark side; black cherry, currants and blackberries dominated the fruit spectrum while hints of forest floor and spice added pizzazz. Leaving the company of Dag’s charming wife Alison, I ventured back down the windy road, past open meadows, spring-fed lakes for irrigation and runoff, solar panels and of course, rows and rows of grapevines. Left of center, and right back up the other side of the bowl, I discovered Johan’s next-door neighbors, Left Coast Cellars, and their country-contemporary tasting room.
Left Coast Cellars is situated on a 306-acre estate that’s so much like a nature preserve it’s easy to forget it’s a vineyard. In addition to the 125 acres of meticulously maintained organic and biodynamic vineyards, there’s Italian Cyprus and Oregon White Oak trees, as well as fruit orchards and lakes and streams that attract migrating birds and larger birds of prey. Left Coast owners, the Plaff family, also planted four acres of hazelnut trees, shrub roses and holly oak to encourage growth of their European truffles. I wonder (and didn’t ask) if those truffles will be available for sale in the tasting room?
Annabelle, the winery mascot, was there to greet me and shepherded me to the bar for tasting. She knew it was getting close to the dinner hour and I sensed she was wishing I would wrap things up already instead of making her pose for a picture. But Annabelle sat pretty and patiently while Judy and Jean made no hurries at all, making me feel right at home while poured me through the extended portfolio. As with other wines from this AVA (American Viticultural Area), the Pinot noirs showed a similarity with their expressions of dark fruit and earthiness. Left Coast was pouring three Pinots from the 2006 vintage, which were all pretty bold, jammy and intense (like many Pinot noirs of that vintage). My favorite, and the wine I thought the most elegant, was their 2006 Cali’s Cuvee Pinot Noir (named for owner Suzanne’s daughter). Its generous nose tempted me with ripe Bing cherries, blackberry pie, orange zest and pine while the taste revealed a mixed bowl of wild berries which gave way to an interesting herbaceous quality. The finish was long and lovely with sweet maple and baking spice that would be perfect to sip on its own or to pair with a hearty and meaty meal. Though I seem to have skipped straight to the reds, I actually really enjoyed the whites from Left Coast Cellars, where winemaker Luke McCollum takes the mundane and makes it interesting. Definitely worth mentioning, is Left Coast Cellars 2006 Chardonnay… complex and vivacious with flavors of lemon meringue pie, white peach, green apple, quince and vanilla skipping about my mouth. They may be a bunch of lefties out there, but they’re certainly doing something right.
A grand opportunity presented itself though and my mission ultimately trumped elitism. After countless drive-bys, I finally visited Duck Pond and found myself surprisingly and utterly charmed. Duck Pond Cellars, sits just north of Dundee and serves as a virtual gateway to the wineries of the Dundee Hills. The sizeable facility, processing 125,000 cases a year is one of Oregon’s largest wine producers, yet the atmosphere is very small-town cozy. Walk beneath their covered trellis and feel as if you’ve stepped onto a lushly landscaped southern plantation, complete with tranquil pond and large patio to enjoy it all from. The winery produced its first vintage in 1989, and today successfully owns and operates 840 acres in Oregon and Washington.
Cindy poured me some tasty, well-structured wines that were incredible values, but I was most impressed by their sister label’s 2006 Desert Wind Cabernet Sauvignon, which told a beautiful yet strong story filled with plums, blackberries, black cherries, pine, vanilla and baking spices. Duck Pond features a complimentary flight of five wines (which actually give a fair representation of the local bounty) in addition to a selection of their premium wines for a small fee. They’re one of the only wineries in Oregon I know of still offering free wine tasting, which is especially odd considering their heavy-trafficked location. 
Venture just a bit further down the road and discover one of the Willamette Valley’s newer stars of the show, The Four Graces. Owned by the Black family out of California, The Four Graces hit the scene big, first purchasing a 110-acre vineyard in the Red Hills of Dundee and then providing a homey place to enjoy their wines. Set in a stylishly remodeled historic cottage, sip from any number of comfy locations—at the bar, lounge in one of the home’s sitting rooms, on the deck or by the outdoor fireplace on the back patio. 
The elegant wines are crafted by Laurent Montalieu (of Solena Cellars and Evergreen Vineyards) and named in honor of the family’s four daughters. The day I visited, there was a cellar club party and the atmosphere was buzzing with anticipation of the first 2009 vintage release, a Pinot Blanc that sadly just didn’t impress me as much as previous vintages (I’m certainly no expert, but I just wasn’t sure it was quite ready for release. Ideally, I would like to reserve judgment, re-tasting this wine in six months). The Pinots were solid and earthy with deep colors and good complexity. The Dundee Hills Reserve Pinot Noir was a mouthful of decadence. I felt self-indulgent as I absorbed all the flavors and aromas of this luxurious wine which was as multifaceted as a brilliant diamond—enjoying how it sparkled with strawberries, pomegranate, raspberries, mocha, orange blossoms and nutmeg. The debauchery continued with the smooth, full-bodied and very sexy 2007 Yamhill Carlton Doe Ridge Estate Pinot Noir. Aged in 100% new French oak, this powerful wine delivered big in the final act, seducing my nose and palate with layers of cherry, blackberry, licorice, milk chocolate and an interesting faint and dusty smell of earthy dried chanterelle mushrooms lingering quietly in the background. 
I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you before I arrived at Archery Summit, I was thinking how much I was hoping to not like their wines. Although I had heard great things about them throughout the Valley, I had never actually tasted what all the buzz was about. What I knew of Archery Summit is that they’re very expensive—even more so than already overpriced Oregon Pinot noir which gave me the impression they were trying to maintain an elitist image. I put all those preconceived notions out of my mind as I paused to “take in the view” (as my dad would say), snapped a photo for prosperity and trying in earnest to keep my assumptions to a minimum, opened myself up to experience Archery Summit.
After tasting through the magnificently extravagant wines, Guest Relations Associate Barry Rogge offered me a tour of the famous caves, cellar and wine library. I’m not sure if I was getting some kind of special treatment because I was in the industry, because he overheard me talking about my blog or if I just looked really cute that day—any which way you slice it, I came out the winner. The caves are just as you would imagine, a dark and curved labryinth of tunnels lined end to end with French oak barrels full of lusty, aging wine. At the central core is a chamber used for private events; sufficient to fulfill anyone’s fantasy of celebrating something in an intimate, candle lit wine-lined cave.
Built in 1993 into the hillside of the 115-acre estate vineyard, the five-floor, state-of-the-art, gentle-processing, gravity flow winery is a cunning combination of Old-World aesthetics and New-World savvy. With dazzling patio views overlooking the vineyard hillside and valley below, exceptional Pinot Noirs and an unpretentious staff, Archery Summit is definitely a winery not to be missed. But sorry Cindy Anderson (of the Oregon Wine Country Guidebook), somehow I missed those bathrooms…guess I’ll have to go back, darn!
Feeling almost tipsy, either from the two sips of $100-plus wine I just couldn’t bring myself to spit out, or more likely, the private, head-spinning tour I had just experienced, I took off in the direction of “I still didn’t know where yet”. My car seemingly set on autopilot steered itself right into the gates of Sokol Blosser Winery and their down-to-earth yet up-beat yurt-like tasting room. Sokol Blosser’s wine and crowd was young and vibrant with many locals and lots of big buyers. My old friend (and fellow Ponzi graduate) Jenny Mosbacher was slinging wines that day, making it a bonus visit for me.
Probably most famous for their wine Evolution (a blend of 9 whites and a brilliant way to market the relatively unknown varietal Muller-Thurgeau) with 1% residual sugar, the wine is unique, refreshing and ridiculously simple to pair with food (the winery suggests spicy Asian cuisine or a simple peanut and banana sandwich); clearly a Best-Seller. The 07 Pinot Noir was young but opening up nicely—very fruit-forward with some coffee and earthiness just starting to show through. The 06 Jenny pulled from behind the bar was significantly more foresty, with lush chocolate and something layered underneath, like cured meat (I know it sounds crazy, but that’s what I was tasting). The winery is instantly commanding of respect as the first LEED certified winery in the country, as well as for their dedication to organic farming and sustainabililty. Sit on the large wooden deck nestled in the maple trees overlooking grapevines and solar panels, enjoy the wine and absorb the view or, in the Fall, hang out and watch the maple leaves change color before your eyes.
My day was starting to take some sort of form, as I drove on to Dayton next to familiarize myself with Stoller Winery. Overlooking wheat fields and oak trees, it’s a bit as if you drove onto the set of Little House on the Prairie… then you see the winery and know you’re definitely not in the old West. Far from it’s turkey farm roots, Stoller Winery’s a marvel of contemporary architecture; with a solid steel exterior, huge glass windows to maximize sunlight exposure and museum-quality modern art strategically placed throughout, it’s a visual feast. Their Gold LEED certification is just the icing on the cake. My husband would have loved to play on their nine-hole disc-golf course (next year honey!), but mostly guests were outdoors, soaking up the last of the summer sunshine and ripe vineyard views with a glass of wine in hand.
Stoller’s wines are a tremendous value (all under $40), so you can take home a terrific bottle without feeling like you need to apply for an extra line of credit or put it away for a special occasion. But I was especially fond of the sophisticated yet relaxed feel of the place and felt like I could bring my family for a quick escape to the country and keep everyone entertained.
With visions of late afternoon bike rides teasing my tired brain, I threw off the temptation and instead drove on to Seufert Winery across from City Hall in downtown Dayton. When I opened the doors to a busy bottling line, I was fairly certain I was in the wrong place. I went back outside to confirm my addresses and tried the door again. This time, Jim Seufert met me as I came in and assured me I was indeed in the right place to taste. We stood at a makeshift counter (a piece of glass atop a barrel) and tasted his wines while his friends and family were gobbling up cinnamon candies, bottling the 2008 Woven White. He offered to taste outside, but I honestly was enjoying and feeling a bit nostalgic about being back on a bottling line. 
Seufert’s label features a “Wine Snapshot” which offers invaluable information about wine pairing and cellaring in a compact and easy-to-use format. The Pinots were primarily single-vineyard bottlings, (except one blend called Pinotlicious) with higher acids and heavier tannins—requiring quite a bit of cellaring time before really coming into their own. I thought the wines were interesting with a lot of potential to develop and would have liked to have purchased something, but as there were no prices listed anywhere, and my dad always taught me “If you have to ask how much it costs, you probably can’t afford it”, I embarrassingly left without buying anything.
With what already felt like a full day of wine tasting behind me and a full day yet in front of me, I pulled out of Bella Vida, crossed the road into Erath Winery’s drive and made my way past acres of nearly ripe grapes surprisingly not used for Erath, but Argyle wines instead.
Back in my car and headed for Lange and Torii Mor, I passed Crumbled Rock Winery (which had been closed on my way up the hill) and quickly pulled in to park. With no wine tasting fees, but only one wine—one vintage to enjoy, it’s most certainly worth a stop on your wine country daycation. A local couple was enjoying some quiet time on the romantic deck with a bottle of their Pinot Noir after attending the Erath wine club pick-up party and I couldn’t help but feel a little bit like I was intruding on their moment. The guests were really taken aback when I inadvertently uttered out loud, “this wine is just too good not to drink” and an explanation of my journey ensued.
The family-owned, eight-acre Pinot Noir vineyard had been selling grapes since the late eighties, but finally decided to go commercial in 2007, built a winery and hopes the rest will be history. I wish them much success on their winemaking adventure. On my way out of the winery, I noticed a cute little brightly painted stand offering free flowers and poems to passersby … as if their wine wasn’t beautiful enough.
On to Torii Mor, which I had somehow passed by a dozen times without ever stopping before. Driving onto the property was something like driving into a Japanese garden in the shade. I walked up to the pagoda-feeling Haiku House and though definitely original (as far as tasting rooms go), and certainly peaceful and serene, I have to admit that once inside, I felt a bit like I was in an acupuncturist’s waiting room. The clever three-sided bar delivered good wine to happy guests though. And a lover of a good Pinot Blanc, Torii Mor’s was quite a pleasure with fragrances of white flowers and pineapple and a wide mouthful of baked apples, lemon curd and spice. The finish layed on my tongue like a spoonful of crème brulee, but with a little more kick. I enjoyed my Pinots outside in the zen-like garden and on the way back in laughed at the sign on the door from Sasquatch Books denoting it as one of “The Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest”— I could see that.
My last stop on a long and wine-filled day in the Dundee Hills, was the prestigious Lange Estate Winery and Vineyards. The grounds were thoroughly maintained, though the grasses were growing so high, they obscured the what-would-have-been magnificent views from the patio. The welcoming tasting room boasted two large wood bars to disperse the masses and the simple yet attractive space was large enough for a crowd but still provided a homey and cozy feel in an old-world meets modern kind of way (ie: cool concrete floors trimmed in warm, weathered wood accents). Jesse and his father Don Lange make the wines, and apparently avid fly fishermen; many of the labels are decorated with intricately detailed flies.
The 2007 Chardonnay from Freedom Hill Vineyard immediately demanded my attention with vibrant tastes, rich textures and balanced acid—a single-vineyard wine that brilliantly reflected both the vintage and the terrior.
