It's a Block Party Weekend!

Every so often, ok maybe more than every so often, an event comes across my radar that excites me. This is one of those. What can I say, I love the opportunity to taste the amazing wines coming out of this region. And this tasting provides the opportunity to taste wines that are still relatively undiscovered.

The Taste Dundee Block Party includes tastings from 15 wineries, including several that were recently on Wine Spectator's "Eight New Names to Know" list. With food from all the town's hot spots and you've got an event not to miss. And May is Oregon Wine Month, so figure this is your way to support Oregon wine in the month of May.

Participating wineries include: Angela Estate, Argyle, Aubichon, Cathedral Ridge, Chapter 24 Vineyards, Dobbes Family Estate, Domaine Trouvere, Duck Pond Cellars, Four Graces, Hyland Estates, Le Cadeau, Panther Creek Cellars, Ponzi Vineyards, and Tertulia Cellars.

Participating restaurants include: Babica Hen, Bert’s Chuckwagon, Dundee Bistro, Red Hills Market, Red Hills Provincial Dining and Tina's.

Tickets are $20 at www.tastedundee.eventbrite.com.

See you there?

A Variety of Tasting Panels at Feast Portland to Tempt You

Feast Portland. The name about says it all. For a weekend full of OTT culinary madness, it's the event guaranteed to deliver. It's also less than two weeks away and if you haven't purchased tickets yet, many of the hot events have long sold out.

But you're in luck because tickets are still attainable for some of the more affordable Tasting Panels. Think Chardonnay, Negronis, Sour Beer, Beans and Booze (and by beans, they mean coffee beans), Lagers and Tiki Cocktails. And if you're anything like me, than tasting experiences are right up your dark alley. So, check the schedule and reserve your space before these sell out too. Follow @FeastPdx on Twitter for ticket giveaways and event news.

Chardonnay is For Lovers:

Friday, Sept 19th - Noon-1pm

Portland Art Museum Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Hall $55

Forget about California Butter Bombs. Let Bon Appétit’s Wine Insider, David Lynch, lead you through a tasting of some of the Oregon’s best bottles and show you why Anything But Chardonnay is no way to drink.

Still not convinced? Featuring some of Oregon’s finest Chardonnay producers such as Evening Land, Bergstrom, and Chehalem. The other four? It's a secret now, but buy your ticket and enjoy the surprise.

A Walk on the Sour Side

Friday, Sept 19th - 2pm-3pm

Portland Art Museum Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Hall $55

Sour beers are often been called “The Wine Drinker’s Beer?” Enjoy one of my favorite producers, Ale Apothecary’s Sahalie, as well as The Common’s Trillium, sure to tempt even the most ardent wine lover in the audience. Pucker up!

Negroni O'Clock

Friday, Sept 19th - 4pm-5pm

Portland Art Museum Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Hall $55

Any time is Negroni O'Clock. Whether a brunch worthy quaffer, an afternoon delight or a last-call nightcap, learn how the classic Negroni can be transformed for all times of the day. Enjoy four different styles of the classic Negroni. For example, a breakfast version that's a twist on the Belllini featuring some local producers like Aria Dry Gin and Imbue Petal & Thorn Vermouth blended with a puree of local peaches.

Beans and Booze

Saturday, Sept 20th - 12:45-1:45pm

Portland Art Museum Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Hall $55

Coffee and spirits are two great favorite buzz-worthy ingredients.Enjoy local legends Stumptown Coffee Roasters, House Spirits Distillery and industry titans Jeffrey Morgenthaler and Alex Negranza. Bring your mugs and your martini glasses folks. You’re gonna get buzzed.

As a guest, you’ll be able to taste Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s infamous espresso martini without having to wait in line!

Tastes Great. Less Filling

Saturday, Sept 20th - 2:30-2:30pm

Portland Art Museum Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Hall $55

Make Lager. Not war. Yup, lighter style brews are all the rage. Come taste the best new lagers, Kolsch, Hefeweizens and more as we explore the lighter side of beer with some favorite brewers and beer geeks.

The panel be featuring some pretty killer local lagers such as Worthy Brewing’s Easy Day Kolsch and also showcasing some notable ales from around the country, like Michigan’s Founders Brewing Co.’s All Day IPA.

Get Lei'd: It's Tiki Time!

Saturday, Sept 20th - 4:15-5:15pm

Portland Art Museum Evans H. Roberts Sculpture Hall $55

The Tiki Gods will be pouring four classic cocktails including Planter’s Punch, Three Dots and a Dash, Mai Tai, and Sailor’s Grog! Forget the trip to the islands, it'll feel like an island escape in September.

Discover Local Spirits at this Year's TOAST

On Saturday and Sunday, April 28^th and 29^th, Portland will raise its shot glass to welcome the second annual TOAST event. The Oregon Artisan Spirit Tasting, taking place on the Sky Bridge level of the World Trade Center, is the largest craft spirit tasting in the country. Featuring over 55 distillers, the event will focus on the local craft spirit scene, with infusions from the national and international level as well.

Small producers will be pouring over 100 different hand-crafted spirits, giving guests the opportunity to taste every thing from A to Z… well A to W (Absinthe to Whiskey). Diversity and quality will be strongly represented, with nearly every spirit category available to taste, but the key word here is really quality. See for yourself how these locally crafted products speak for themselves and why you’ll never want to buy a bottle of generic liquor again.

Not only are the potent potions pleasingly potable, they’re also plain old smart. You can now enjoy a potpourri of inebriants and feel good about it the next day because buying these products promotes jobs in Oregon and pumps money into the local economy. You’ll know you’ve done your part to keep money in this state by supporting local producers and agriculture all the while minimizing your carbon footprint buying products that haven’t been shipped across the country or across the oceans to get here.

Top bartenders will be showing off their techniques, talking art and science as they blend the distillations to your liking in the Mix Lounge. In addition to imbibing the artisan spirits in ways you never thought possible, you’ll discover the pro’s secrets for creating unique cocktails which you can use to impress your friends at your next party. If that’s not enough, you’ll find complementary memorable recipe cards from each producer to create your own library of local libations. But that's not all you can take home. This year, for the first time in Oregon, the OLCC is making it easy for you to buy what you like by allowing guests to purchase bottles, condiments and bar accessories at the event's Bottle Shop.

TOAST will be open from 3-8pm, April 28-29, with a $49 admission price at the door that includes spirit and cocktail samples, a logo souvenir glass and a light buffet to absorb some of that alcohol. Save a couple bucks and purchase your tickets online in advance for only $40 or indulge in a weekend of intoxicants for a mere $75. 

Be safe and avoid the hassle of calling a cab. Hotel Fifty and the Downtown Marriott Hotel are offering a special rate of just $119/night for those who might anticipate a little overindulgence and want to make a better plan in advance. Contact them for reservations. TOAST is sponsored and presented by The Oregonian, KINK FM, KXL FM News and the Oregon Distillers Guild.

And just in case you were wondering, the event is restricted to those 21 and over with a valid ID.

Helioterrra's Inaugural Release is a Reason to Party

With the number of Oregon wineries popping up quicker than mushrooms, and no one really seeming to know how many there actually are anymore, another one bursts onto the scene. I've been a fan of Anne Hubatch's since she was winemaker at Apolloni Vineyards in Forest Grove. Now she's a consulting winemaker for Apolloni, as well as a few other brands, a social media guru and has created quite a splash in Portland with her new private label, Helioterra Wines.

This Saturday, from 12-5pm, sample the wine and
celebrate Helioterra’s Open House Release Party. 

The grand premiere will feature tastings of 
Helioterra’s 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 
and 2009 Vintner’s Select Pinot Noir. 

To sweeten the deal, Vincent Wine Company, another intriguing newcomer 
on the wine scene, will be previewing his 2009 Pinot Noirs, and as if that’s not 
enough firsts, Hubatch will also be showing wines from her co-operative 

and covert venture, *Guild Winemakers.

Open House Release Party

Saturday, September 18th

Noon to 5pm

At the winery:

2621 NW 30th Ave.

Portland, OR 97210

The name Helioterra symbolizes Oregon’s state gemstone Heliolite (also known as Sunstone) and is the combination of the Greek words helio and terra, meaning sun and earth. It was inspired by the inherent relationship between the sun, the earth and the vine—all precursors for fine wine.

Hubatch produced nearly 400 cases in her inaugural 2009 vintage, which she describes as “a grounded, honest expression of her winemaking style, reflecting feminine sensibilities," at Boedecker and Grouchau Cellars’ Portland Wine Project… a sunstone’s throw from the hustle and bustle of downtown Portland and miles from any vineyards. Hubatch selects fruit from Apolloni, Buckhaven and Domaine Coteau Vineyards and ultimately aims to deliver premium wines without top-tier prices. Hubatch plans to release a Pinot Blanc and Syrah next spring, and though she is considering distribution, right now she's focusing on sales in her own backyard.

*I'm about to expose a deep, dark and juicy secret about the Guild Winemakers brand, so shhhhhhh! Promise that you won't tell a soul; we wouldn't want word getting out about how Guild puts the emphasis on value-driven Oregon wines. The Guild White (which is predominantly Pinot Gris) retails for $12.00 a bottle, while the Guild Red, retailing for a very affordable $13.00 a bottle, is a Rhone-style blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Counoise. With case discounts on top of the great price, they're practically paying you to drink it!

Case discounts will offered for all three brands and if futures were ordered, they’ll be available for pick-up. Click here for more information or to RSVP.  Follow Helioterra Wines on Twitter here or friend them on Facebook here.

I look forward to sipping with you on Saturday!

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