Bigfoot's Alive and Well and Living in… Carlton, Oregon?

Reluctant to go on record and admit this publicly, I’m actually one of the rare “non-crazy” (okay, that part might be debatable) folks who can claim a true Bigfoot sighting. But that’s an unbelievable story to be told another day, and then only after a sharing a couple of bottles of wine. If you’re one of “those” who thinks the furry giant is just a case of folklore or a legend to scare children, think again, because Bigfoot’s actually alive and well and living in Carlton Oregon…well Bigfoot Wines that is. This amazing discovery was made only through sheer luck, great timing and even better direct marketing by Valley Emporium co-owner Valerie Anctil.

Making a weekday stop in an earnest attempt to visit some of the new winery kids on the block on Main Avenue in Carlton, I sadly found out these new tasting rooms were in fact closed midweek. Standing in front of locked doors, my oversized camera and notebook in hand, wondering aloud about when they're open (as there were no operating hours posted), Anctil happened to wander by on her way to the post office. She asked me if I was looking to taste some wine, to which I replied “I was actually hoping to blog about some of the newest wineries open in town.” This conversation opened the door (literally) for an invitation to her tasting room cum vintage shop cum art gallery just down the street, where I would find myself face to face with the local legend himself.

Enter the doors of Valley Emporium and it’s a bit like walking into your grandmother’s house. Kitschy ceramics and knickknacks from days of yore fill the room, taking you back to simpler days and happier times. If your willpower is strong enough to temporarily pass all those intriguingly quirky items by, you’ll find a treasure and icon even greater in the attached tasting room.

You can’t miss him. Bigfoot towers above the tasting room in a makeshift alter, basking in Northwest vineyard sunlight (that might just be more elusive than the sasquatch himself), as he poses with a behemoth-sized glass of red wine in hand certain to change the minds of all non-believers.

Appealing to a sense of whimsy, and perfectly appropriate to the vintage shop of collectibles, owners Jeff Lorton and Valerie Anctil have created the brand Bigfoot Wines—negociant wines that taste seriously great but are definitely not for taking seriously.

Lorton refers to these small production red and white blends as “bargoon” wines, and priced at just $12 a bottle, he speaks the truth. They're fun, everyday drinking wines that take the critter label to a whole nother level. The white wine, a blend of 80% Viognier and 20% Pinot Blanc, with some detectible oak providing backbone and a luscious mouth-feel, shows pleasant grapefruit peel citrus with slightly floral undertones. The acidity is a bit soft but the wine is well balanced and very palatable—clearly meant for sipping on your porch well into the night while watching the stars fade into sunrise. The red, a non-vintage blend from the Columbia Valley boasts 80% Sangiovese/20% Syrah. I picture this wine accompanying a casual menu of pizza, pasta with tomato-based red sauce or even spicy barbeque, but rest assured, it won’t be putting any hair on your chest.

While the tasting room/vintage shop/art gallery is clearly a marvelous hangout for the Wookie wines, it’s also a showcase for more distinctive and thought-provoking brands like Siltstone and Kelly Fox Wines.  

Siltstone Wines, produced at NWWine Company under the supervision of Joel Meyers, are gorgeous acid-driven wines priced to move. The 2010 Riesling from Hyland Vineyards ($15) is bone-dry with a very unusual flavor profile for this varietal… it's like biting into a tart, juicy and perfectly delicious Granny Smith apple. The 2010 Pinot Gris ($15) hails from the prized Guadalupe Vineyards and features mouth-watering acidity, pleasing minerality, a delicate floral nose and freshly squeezed lemon flavors… a true example of exceptional Oregon Pinot Gris. The 2007 Pinot Noir ($26) from Guadalupe Vineyard was expressive with good acidity; stylistically Old World, this wine’s a bit musty but has plenty of cherry and raspberry red fruit up front with complex touches of earth and cedar showing through. The 2008 Pinot Noir ($28) from Guadalupe, by far my favorite of these four, is forceful, fruit forward and flawless. Candied red cherries fill your glass, with a whisper of violets, pie spice and subtle smokiness that keeps you coming back for more and makes you wish for a bottomless bottle.

Though not typically sampled in the tasting room, Jeff poured me a glass of 2009 Kelly Fox Wines Mirabai ($35)… lucky girl am I. Kelly Fox, winemaker for Scott Paul Wines has created an amazing Pinot Noir combining fruit from the esteemed Momtazi, Maresh and Warden Hill Vineyards; this is a non-pretentious wine for sincere imbibers. Oozing with aromas and flavors of fruit blossoms, freshly picked strawberries and even some dark, juicy plums, it's like late summer in a glass. Brilliant acidity, silky tannins and the subtle peppery finish make it food friendly as it practically screams to be paired with a dinner of Northwest salmon or just a romantic evening by the crackling fire.

While Bigfoot himself may indeed still be prancing around the forests of the Pacific Northwest, one of the greatest wonders of the Willamette Valley is located right in the heart of downtown Carlton just waiting to be discovered. Put Valley Emporium, with its quaint country vibe and excellent wine experience high on your list to visit before word gets out and they’re inundated by Portland hipsters and Bigfoot chasers.

Latest List of Top 10 Favorite Oregon Wineries

Please, I beg you.

Quit asking me this question.

Seems whenever someone finds out I’m in the wine industry or hears of my blog, their first question to me invariably is “So, what’s your favorite Oregon winery?” I wonder whether they’re just trying to make polite conversation or trying to avoid doing any research for themselves. While I often say, "Read my blog and find out for yourself," (the word "lazy ass" might occasionally cross my mind but never my lips), I also realize that my post about my favs is also rather dated. So, as a New Year's gift to my handful of readers (and to myself, if it means one less person asks me this annoying question), I give to you my newest compilation of Top 10 Favorite Oregon Wineries. And as evidenced by the fact that my former Top 10 list has practically tied for the most visited page on my blog, (along with this one, but sadly for a whole other reason altogether), I hope the gift is appreciated and enjoyed. While several of the wineries on my previous Top 10 still remain some my all-time favorites (like De Ponte and Lenne), a few new ones have crept onto the list as well… all are well worth the visit.

1.     Colene Clemmens

2.     JK Carriere

3.     Cristom

4.     Christopher Bridge

5.     Anne Amie Vineyards

6.     Solena Grand Cru

7.     Owen Roe

8.     White Rose

9.     Patton Valley Vineyards 

10. SoterVineyards

Young Oregon Wineauxs Making Their Mark

Hailed the “New Age” of Oregon wine, the Young Winemakers of Oregon Tour is a traveling series showcasing young winemakers from around the state.

The second leg of the Young Winemakers of Oregon tour brings Division Winemaking Company, God King Slave Wines and Brigadoon Wine Company together to pour their extremely limited production wines from three very distinct regions. Enjoy the lineup from all three producers for just $10 (waived with 6 bottle purchase).

Saturday, December 17th
5:00-8:00 pm
Red Slate Wine Co., Portland 

Division Winemaking Company, which started as an "itch" when Tom enrolled in an entry level sommelier course and when Kate visited her family home in the Loire Valley in central France, has now evolved into a winery on Divison Street in Southeast Portland. Tom enjoys and strives to make nuanced wines that are driven by vineyard character or terrior, with ripe (but not over-ripe) fruit, using minimally invasive wine making practices. He strives to produce wines that are mid-weight, higher in acidity and lower in alcohol, however, he believes there is no actual “typical” in wine preferring the notion that there is a right wine for every person.

God King Slave Wines was founded by the creative and energetic 24- and 27-year-old team, Christine Collier (wine blogger and marketing extraordinaire) and Chris Jiron (eonologist and member of the Folin Winery staff). Their inaugural wine, a delightful Syrah-Tempranillo Rioja-style blend from the Rogue Valley, is fruit forward with silky tannins and easy drinkability. A glass full of wild blackberries, fresh blueberries, cocoa and an interesting hint of cedar and herbs on the finish, this wine opens up to deliver a wine as powerful as their name suggests. Though I’m honestly not entirely sure about their name (any product that includes the word God makes me cringe a tiny bit), apparently their mission is to “Create like a God, command like a King and work like a Slave”. Honestly, whatever their name, their wine is very well structured and finely crafted and they're bringing new energy to the Southern Oregon wine industry.

Brigadoon Wine Company - Having caught the bug at an early age, winemaker Matt Shown (also assistant winemaker for Sass Winery) has been working in the family vineyards since he was just eight-years-old. Matt will be showcasing the Pinot Noirs and Pinot Blanc his family is committed to growing and producing. The Brigadoon Vineyards, located at an elevation between 400 and 600ft and on predominantly Bellpine soils, are cooler and generally one week behind neighboring vineyards. The Shown family believes the additional time on the vine allows for further physiological fruit development and flavor development without necessarily producing higher sugars resulting in higher alcohol wines.

When Life Throws You a Bag of Onions… You Cry, Then Make Lamb Stew and Drink Beaujolais

When you’re single again after years of marriage, navigating your way through the treacherous sea called the "holidays" can be extra challenging. This Thanksgiving, I found myself away from most of my immediate family, waxing nostalgic, yet celebrating new traditions with my grown son Devon and his girlfriend Mindy’s family. I was feeling grateful to even have a holiday table to be sitting at and a special meal to enjoy, and so I truly savored my Thanksgiving lunch and the company I was in. After lunch, my son's girlfriend's family not only lovingly sent me away with leftovers, but also with hazelnuts and walnuts from their orchards and onions and acorn squash that were still coming out of their garden.

After leaving their busy home and arriving at my empty one, this strange combination of both my heart-searing loneliness for the rest of my of family and the swell of joy I felt from the generosity Mindy’s family’s had shown me, moved me to tears. And I didn't just cry, I sobbed deep, chest heaving, tears flowing thick as water from a spout whose spigot I just couldn’t seem to turn off. When I was finally empty, drained, I fell asleep and dreamed of nothing.

I awoke, feeling recharged, as if a spark had been lit deep within the furnace of my body. I looked at the goody bag Mindy’s family had shared with me, and at first I thought I’d do something fun with the nuts, because nuts are always fun (no?), but what struck me instead were the onions. Those dirty, round little brown onions were calling to me, asking me, begging me to cut into their white and juicy flesh.

It didn’t take more than a minute for me to realize what those onions were meant to become. I knew what I wanted to make, what I needed to make, what I was destined to make. The dish that would awaken my senses and warm my soul was none other than a Moroccan Lamb Tagine inspired by Sunset Magazine. My dear friend Pam made this dish for me when I first moved to Portland, and after searching out the recipe for myself and making some modifications, it’s become a standard in my fall/winter line-up.

I cut up the lamb (see video below) and set it aside, but when it was time to slice the onions, just removing the skins was enough to make my eyes instantly well up with tears and begin to stream buckets again. I tried putting on sunglasses and chewing gum (both tricks I’d heard about) all to no avail. I thought my reserves were all dried up, yet somehow, my eyes were pouring out enough tears, I could have drowned a small city by now. And yet I just couldn’t stop myself, and I didn’t want to, I was almost enjoying it… like it was some kind of catharsis. Finally, I'd completed the cleansing task of slicing the most potent onions in the world. Tear session over, I cleaned up my face, washing away the salt from both my eyes and cheeks and then felt a simple calm envelope me.

Like the dream I should have been dreaming the night before, when I got to the best part of the recipe (where you combine all the various spices), I couldn’t help but be swept away to some exotic spice market in the far east, lost in thoughts of how these magical ingredients were so valuable, they were once traded like gold. I imagined people traveling for weeks from the far reaches of the globe to bring these spices back to their homelands… heroes with their new discoveries of unknown flavors. The colors were magnificent, like an old Indian tapestry… earthen browns, deep, mustardy yellows. The smells immediately drew me back in and perked me up, yet they were hypnotic and elicited emotions that washed over me like a cold shower awakening me from my sleep of self-absorbed loneliness.

As the dish cooked and my house was filled with pleasing aromas of home, happiness, memories… the lack of companionship and emptiness began to slip away. What was left in its place was a very hungry belly and a great pot of lamb stew, enough to feed my mind, body and soul for days. I recommend you let this recipe rescue you sometime too. If not from some kind of sadness, then from the dark, cold and dreariness of the season.

Realizing it was not only Thanksgiving time but Beaujolais season as well, I decided to try a bottle of 2011 Georges DuBoeuf Beaujolais Nouveau I had set aside for the holiday weekend with this meal. I think a spicy Syrah, Zinfandel or even a Marsanne would pair nicely (and a Riesling might even be interesting to try), but this wine just seemed to fit the bill. It was casual enough just for me, bold and sweetly fruity, with a bit of spicy oak, a slight suppleness and enough acidity to balance out and play against the spice and heat of the dish. Food and wine pairing isn't rocket science, just have fun with it!

Speaking of having fun with things. Just because I couldn't possibly post about lamb and not include this memorable quote/video:

"What do you mean he don't eat no meat? That's okay, I make lamb." - Aunt Voula

Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Prep and Cook time: Approximately 1½ hours

Serves 6 (or one person for days)

3 pounds of fat-trimmed boned lamb steak, shoulder or other cut suitable for stewing, cut into 1½-inch chunks

2 large onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tablespoon EACH of paprika and cumin

1 teaspoon EACH of ground turmeric, ground cinnamon and minced, fresh ginger

¼-½ teaspoon (depending on heat preference and tolerance) cayenne pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

2½ cups of chicken stock

12 dried apricots, roughly chopped 
2 big handfuls of baby carrots

1 can (14½ oz) diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Salt and pepper to taste

Bottle of wine 

Box of couscous prepared as directed 

1.  Pour glass of wine, sip often and refill as needed.

2.  Brown lamb over medium heat.

3.  Add onions and garlic, stirring often until onions begin to get limp (about 5 minutes).

4.  Add spices and stir until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

5.  Take a big whiff. Mmmmmm.

6.  Add broth, apricots, carrots, tomatoes and tomato paste; bring to a boil over high heat. 

7.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until lamb is tender (about one hour).

8.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve over couscous.

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Other great recipes to try:

Parsnip Soup with Potato Crisps and Bacon 

Port Wine Reduction

Vegan Potato and Mushroom Croquettes

7 Steps to Perfection

Give Thanks for Free Wine

As corks are being popped all over the country, and toasts are being made by grateful people everywhere, it’s important to take a moment to recognize wine’s rightful place at the holiday table. When one raises their glass on Thanksgiving and speaks to what they’re most thankful for—their health, their family and friends, the bounty of food at the ready—they wouldn’t be making that toast without the wine that’s in their glass. 

Ok, it’s not apple pie, and it’s not even Amercian, but really, what wine pairs better with a food holiday than one whose name literally means a gathering of close friends over casual fare (Tapeña = tapas + peña)? And since these wines are Spanish, you can drink them with pride, knowing the first Thanksgiving holiday celebrated in the U.S. was actually by Spanish settlers in Florida in the year 1565 (not Plymouth, as you may have learned in school). 

Rooted in tradition, and a blend of camaraderie and good taste, Tapeña wines are food-, people- and wallet-friendly. Priced at $9.99, you’ll find their Tempranillo, Garnacha, Verdejo and Rosé available for purchase in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. And nothing says dig in to your holiday dinner better than Tapeña, the wine with the little fork on the label.

So, in honor of the bottle, and in thanks for your readership, I’ve created this fun contest and a chance for you to win a whole collection of Tapeña wines as well as some other cool swag (think cookbook, corkscrews wine charms…) that will have you speaking Spanish in no time… or at least saying “gracias”.

Simply add a comment to this blogpost by Sunday, November 27^th about what you’re most thankful for and I’ll select the lucky winner at random, announcing the results on Monday, November 28^th (sorry kiddies, you must be 21 or over to enter).  

THEN (if you so desire):

Visit the Tapeña website for delicious recipe ideas, useful trivia, Spanish music downloads or even to learn how to pick up a woman like a real Latin lover (seriously!). Join Tapeña on their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter, check out their blog and don’t miss their awesome customer rewards program!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Another Oregon Winery Steps into the Spotlight

Come closer. I have a secret I'd like to whisper in your ear. There's a new winery in town and I know you want to know all the juicy details before everyone else does.

Since I’m always on the lookout for new wines and wineries to share with you, when I heard about the upcoming Grand Opening of the Hyland Estates tasting room in Dundee this weekend, I knew you’d want me to get and spill the latest dirt.

So, digging in deep, I visited the tasting room a couple days shy of their big debut and met with the winery's Tasting Room Manager Eric Baldwin, who shared with me all he knew about the Hyland Estates story and let me preview the wines.

Purchased in 2007, Hyland Estates is owned by the NW Wine Company (i.e. Laurent Montalieu and Danielle Andrus -Montalieu of Solena Estate) and though the 200-plus acres have been supplying preium grapes to many of Oregon's most prestigious wineries since 1971, the Estate is just releasing its inaugural bottlings and providing a stunning venue in which to preview them.

The swanky tasting room is located in the original and remodeled residence on the grounds of the NW Wine Company. From the outside it looks like a modest home, but inside, in complete opposition, it's all sleek, elegant surfaces with bold, vivid art and a trendy (chichi?), upscale feel.

Producing just over 500 cases a year, Hyland Estates wines are boutique wines, but with 200-plus acres of vines at their fingertips, the winery is poised to accommodate demand. “Always being a vintage away of having more production is a nice position to be in”, says Baldwin. Though the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Muller Thurgau, they don’t make a Chardonnay or Muller Thurgau, preferring to focus on very limited production of Pinot Noir, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. 

The vineyard is situated in the McMinnville AVA on ashy and volcanic Jory and Nekia soils. The lovely 2010 Hyland Estates Pinot Noir ($35) showed aromas and flavors indicative of the region, with an abundance of dried cranberries and juicy, dark plums as well as pleasant notes of vanilla cola, moist earth, lingering smoke and roses.

Though not available for tasting on my visit (but hopefully in time for the Grand Opening, and definitely by Thanksgiving weekend), the winery is scheduled to release two additional higher end Pinot noirs; one is a clonal selection called Hyland Estates Coury Clone ($60) and the other, the Hyland Estates Founders Selection ($100), was crafted from just one chosen barrel and then aged for a full two years (only 28 cases of this wine was produced).

Providing an alternative to Pinot gris, the winery is also featuring their bone-dry 2010 Hyland Estate Gewurztraminer ($25), bright aromas of white grapefruit, pear and orange blossoms. The 2009 Hyland Estates Riesling ($25) was very untraditional as far as Riesling goes, and simple, if not flat, with green apple and citrus.

Visit the tasting room for their Grand Opening celebration November 19^th and 20^th where the wines will be presented alongside tasty morsels. If you can't make it for that weekend, stop by the next time you're out and about in Wine Country; you'll be glad you did.

Open daily from 11-5
20980 NE Niederberger Road, Dundee OR
Join them on Facebook or call them directly at (503) 554-4200

Speaking of being out and about in Wine Country, next time you are, be sure to include a stop at the Red Hills Market in Dundee (which is really so much more than just a market); it's seriously worth making a special drive from Portland just to come here. I discovered their holy-cow-good roast beef sandwiches worth road tripping for (and quite possibly even considering for a last meal) and though it's tempting to try and keep that goodness all for myself, I loved it so much, I want to scream from the rooftops about how great this sandwich was.

Wander around while you wait for your food and you'll find local charcuterie and cheeses, house-made baked goods, locally made products, books, home decor, and 100-plus local wines and craft beers you can enjoy on-premise or to-go. All their craft sandwiches and pizzas are wood-fired and come served right in the roasting pan for a rustic, warm, homey feel. There's even cocktails, locally roasted coffee and fresh nosegays for whatever pick-me-up you so desire.

Consider the Wine Taster's Survival Box, which contains a selection of cured meats, cheeses, olives,  chocolate, a fresh baguette and 2 waters, add a view overlooking the Valley or a vineyard and tell me it doesn't result in complete and utter satiation. Peruse the Red Hills Market menu on their website, then be the hero and avoid the lunch rush by calling ahead with your order, (971) 832-8414.

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One a side note, when Eric poured the Pinot Noir, one of the bottles was clearly corked, meaning it was flawed and smelled fowl, being adversely affected by the presence of TCA in it. I remember reading a tweet from my definitively Portlandian friend Jenny Moshbacher (@secretcrumpet on Twitter), who’s also a writer for the fabulous and informative wineblog NW Wine Anthem, about how putting saran wrap in a TCA-tainted bottle cured the problem right up. I mentioned this to Eric and setting off on an epic experiment, he went and procured a piece of saran wrap, which he then crumbled into a ball, stuffed into the neck of the bottle, jiggled down into the wine and stuffed the cork back on top. We went about our chat and when we were wrapping things up, we decided to check on the “experiment”. What was once a completely unpalatable bottle of wine, was somehow transformed into one smelling of fruit and spice instead of mold. Magic? Seemingly.

Apparently, according to an article in the New York Times from Andrew Waterhouse, a professor of Wine Chemistry at UC Davis who exposes the secrets of the magic trick, the reason it works is that the culprit molecule in infected corks (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) is chemically similar to polyethylene and actually binds to the plastic.

Thank you Jenny for your superior wine-salving skills and for sharing your super-sleuthy and MacGyver-like wine knowledge with those of us smart enough to follow you.

Who's Going to the Ball?

Drumroll please…

Congratulations to Robert Frost! You've won yourself 2 tickets to this Sunday's Southern Oregon Wine Tasting on November 13th, from 4-7pm at the Portland Art Museum.

Enjoy yourself as you taste the wines from famed Southern Oregon producers like Abacela, Del Rio and Quady, and discover the lessor known brands that are guaranteed to not be lessor known for long!

Expect an education and a good time, just don't expect Pinot Noir.

I wish I had tickets for all my readers! Please keep checking back for other fun wine promotions!