A Guaranteed Good Time in Wine Country - 10 Tips for Wine Tasting Success

Like a gun shot starting a horse race, Memorial Day has officially kicked off wine tasting season in the Willamette Valley. I ran the following article on the now defunct Gary Vaynerchuk website Cork'd many years ago. The same tips still apply.

Wine is produced in each and every one of the 50 United States. So, as wine making and wine tasting become more popular in the U.S., and wine regions continue to expand faster than my waistline, more and more of us have the unique opportunity to sample the wine bounty than ever before. If you’re planning to visit tasting rooms in Wine Country, USA anytime soon, there are a few things you should know to help make the most out of your experience.

1. Limit the number of wineries you plan to visit to three or four. It’s tempting to try to taste as much as you can, and to try and stop at every winery you pass by. But squeezing too many visits into one day not only limits your overall experience, it just might ruin it. Take your time, sit on the decks and soak up the view, walk the grounds, the vineyards or the cellar if permitted. Talk to the tasting room staff or the winemaker, if they’re around; they usually love to share their knowledge about wine and their personal stories with those who show interest.

2. Avoid wearing perfumes, colognes, heavily scented body/hair products and lipstick. Strong chemical aromas will mask or even alter both the aromas and the flavors of the wine… not only for you, but also for wine drinkers around you, so be considerate. Lipstick will immediately turn your pourer off. One look at you and all they can think about is the extra time and effort it will take to wash and buff your glass special so the next guest isn’t wearing your lipstick too.

3. Don't chew gum. It’s not school, but you’re there to taste, so that's all I have to say about that.

4. Leave the kids and dogs at home. It's not fun for children shadowing their parents all day as they drive from winery to winery, and no, tasting room employees don’t double as babysitters and won’t entertain them. So, while it sounds like Fluffy would have lots of grounds to roam, vineyards to explore and moles to chase, most wineries don’t allow pets on the property (as they often have their own). Exception to the rule: Do your research first and select one winery with picnic grounds and an outdoor activity like bocce ball, horseshoes or disc golf to keep the kids busy while you sip away (but still leave the dogs at home).

5. Be prepared to spend a little cash (or to swipe the plastic). Once upon a time, wine tasting was a free activity, but like my youth, those days are long gone. If you’re prepared to spend roughly $10 per person at each winery, you won't have any disappointing surprises. You're not obligated to buy anything, but tasting rooms are actually in business to sell wine. So, if you like something or enjoyed your experience, take home a bottle and take home the memory. Some wineries will even waive the tasting fees with purchase.

6. A little preparation goes a long way. Have a cooler on hand to store your purchases. It can get quite warm in the car while touring the countryside (think sauna). You'll want to protect the precious bottles of wine you bring home. Nothing will ruin your day faster than an expensive bottle of cooked wine.

7. Bring a lunch, buy a bottle and stay awhile. It’s not speed dating for wine—no need to rush off to the next. Pull up a chair and watch the grapes ripen. Slowing down never felt so good.

8. Remember the five S’s: swirl, sniff, sip, savor and spit.

9. Yes, it's OK to spit and dump, in fact, please do! Spit buckets are conveniently located on every tasting room bar (or you can ask for your own cup to be more discreet). Though spitting can be awkward and perhaps even messy for novice wine tasters, a little backsplash is much more desirable than a stumbling drunk. It might seem wasteful and perhaps even rude, but the best option (if you’re not driving) is to have a small taste of everything you’re poured and then dump the remaining wine instead of drinking the whole glass.

10. Keep in mind you’re a guest on someone else’s property. Wineries can be a dangerous place if you wander where you shouldn't go (remember Agustus Glup in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?). Wineries are often family businesses with the family living on the grounds, so don't open closed doors and always be respectful. Wine can be an aphrodesiac, but wait till you get home (or at least until off winery grounds) to take your clothes off. Many wineries actually have cameras in place, and the staff (while having great stories to tell for months) really don’t enjoy having to chase half-naked (and fully naked) people off the grounds… and yes, I do speak from experience.

Wine tasting is a fun activity and whether or not you follow these simple suggestions, you’re on your way to creating memories to last a lifetime. These tips will ensure a successful and embarrassment–free tasting experience. So, now that you now how to do it, all you need to is get out there and taste, enjoy!

Countdown to Romance…

Photo courtesy of The Allison Inn and Spa

The snow will stop here in Portland and things will return to normal, and when they do, you'll be glad you planned a romantic escape to any of Oregon's wine regions. This article in 1859 Magazine will help you decide where to go to heat things up.

The Evening Land Tri-Fecta

Evening Land Vineyards (ELV), the new kid in town, has quite a reputation already. It’s one of ambition, quality, brilliance and beauty… the stuff legends are made of.

Not many wineries produce wine in multiple locations. While a few Oregon wineries also make wine in California or Washington, and even fewer number make wine in both Oregon and Burgundy, Evening Land actually makes wine in all three locations with fruit from esteemed vineyards in these areas—Oregon, California and France. Stop in at their new Dundee tasting room and sip for yourself. You might just not believe your tastebuds.

With vineyards and wine production in the Willamette Valley, Sonoma Coast and in an idyllic 12th century chateau in the legendary Burgundy France, ELV offers tasters a chance to experience the wide world of wine. Enjoy them all, side-by-side, and explore the qualities distinctive to each specific growing region, as well as the varietal similarities.

Discover the minerality of the Evening Land Chardonnays, each of them bright, rich, alive and impressive showing flavors of lemon, grapefruit peel, pear and white blossoms.

The ELV Pinot Noirs are simply captivating. The Willamette Valley blue label (ELV's elegant labels are color-coded according to price), a blend of three different vineyard sites (Lemelson, Stoller and Eola Springs), is surprisingly priced in the “affordable” Oregon Pinot Noir category. At just $25 a bottle retail, it’s a wine you definitely want to get your corkscrew into and add to your regular line-up. 

The Seven Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir is simply stunning. On the savory side of Pinot, the wine is still dripping with sweet, luscious black cherries and tart red raspberries. This acid-driven wine is perfectly balanced…a symphony of fruit, earth, minerals and old-world style, all the notes coming together in perfect harmony. Sublime. Quixotic. Pour me another glass.

Though I’d tried ELV's wines before, this comprehensive and more focused tasting made quite an impression on me. All of the wines (with the exception of the Spanish Springs Vineyard Pinot Noir, which is wisely being discontinued) are even better than remembered or expected. Evening Land is definitely a winery to put on your “Must Visit” and "Must Taste" lists. 

Free Tickets for Pinot Lovers!

I consider myself fortunate for being able to turn on wine lovers time and again by providing my readers great opportunities to taste the beautiful locally crafted Pinot noirs. Today, I'm proud to be able to give some lucky follower a chance to win TWO tickets to the upcoming Taste Pinot 365.

Taste Pinot 365 doesn't refer to drinking Pinot noir 365 days a year (no matter how fun that sounds) but rather honors some of the select wineries open to guests each and every day (well, excluding a few major holidays) and serves as reminder when making your plans for a wine country outings. These places are more than just wineries, each and every one should be considered a destination.

Come to Red Slate Wine Company in the Olympic Mills Building on May 10th from 6-8pm and enjoy some of the finest wines this state has to offer.

Participating wineries include:

Adelsheim

Archery Summit

Cooper Mountain Vineyards

Elk Cove Vineyards

Montinore Estate

Ponzi Vineyards

REX HILL

Sokol Blosser Winery

Solena Grand Cru

Van Duzer Vineyards

Vidon Vineyards

White Rose Estate

WillaKenzie Estate

Tickets are just $15/person (available through Local Wine Events) and include tastings of wine and foods by Olympic Provisions and Red Hills Provincial Dining.

Comment below or on my Facebook page for your chance to win and tweet about it using the hashtag #Pinot365 for additional entries! 

Winners will be selected Monday, May 7th, so comment and tweet on until midnight on May 6th. Good luck!

Flying High at Raptor Ridge's New Winery

Visiting Raptor Ridge’s stunning new location perched along the Northeast side of the Chehalem Mountains on Hillsboro Highway (which is technically located in Newberg, but actually closer to Scholls) had been on my radar for some time, yet somehow I’d not yet made it out for a visit. So, when the opportunity knocked to attend a social media event introducing their new digs, I didn't make them knock twice.

Graduating from a small horse-and-sheep-farm-cum-winery to a brand new state-of-the-art winery/27-acre vineyard estate with four-peak views gives a winery good reason to send out the engraved announcements showing off to the world exactly how far they’ve come. If I were Raptor Ridge, I’d be shouting from the slanted rooftops!

Raptor Ridge is as smart about social media and public relations as they are about making wine. Taking the media bull by the horns, they invited a room full of press, including writers from Portland Monthly, Yelp and OregonWine.com as well as several prominent freelance print writers and bloggers, for an afternoon #ReTweet (Twitter Retreat) of Raptor Ridge’s wines paired alongside great food and a tour of their functional yet elegant new facility.

We met at The Bent Brick in Northwest Portland where we were given a quick tour of the restaurant and kitchen (which would be serving our lunch), before being whisked away in a grape colored and covered chariot (special shout out to Wayne Winewizard) for a culinary education and excursion in wine country.

Raptor Ridge has been making top-notch Pinot noir and Pinot gris since 1995, giving them a strong foothold in the Oregon wine scene. But with their new winery and vineyard estate, the owners, Scott and Annie Shull, have found a place to both put down their roots and a beautiful facility to showcase what it is they do best, presenting the whole package… wine, hospitality, education (check out their wall of aromas and quiz yourself), and ambiance. And to top it all off, it's one of Portland's closest wineries!

The estate was originally a cherry orchard that produced for 65 years before most of the trees were removed to build the winery and create the 18-acre Tuscowallame Vineyard, which is now planted to several clones of Pinot noir and small amount of Gruner Veltliner. Tuscaowallame is the indigenous word for “place were the owls dwell”. Paying tribute to the property’s history, the Shulls preserved two of each type of cherry tree from the original plantings. 

As we sat in the tasting room, a sleek yet functional concrete, stainless steel and glass structure, and enjoyed their wines paired with savory bites from Chef Scott Dolich of The Bent Brick who says he sees wine pairings as discussion between good wine and good food, a storm quickly brewed up and passed over the vineyard leaving a magnificent and glowing rainbow in its wake.

Winemaker Scott Shull describes Raptor Ridge as “Two wineries in one. One side produces cuveés of 2500 cases for distribution to 26 states and the Virgin Islands, while the other side focuses on vineyard designate wines for their club and tasting room". Scott has a few tricks up his winemaking sleeve, which he shared with the group. One thing Scott does differently is that after the berries have been sorted and destemmed, he sorts them again for a third time to ensure the quality is up to his standards. Scott also uses a mechanical punch down machine, which I had never seen before (and I probably shouldn’t mention what it reminded me of), and though he’s a self-professed control freak and uses commercial yeast, he also experiments with wild fermentation.

Not exactly a cave, but we made our way into the barrel room, large enough to house 500 barrels and located 25 feet underground, where Scott confessed how he likes to listen to the quiet and breathe in the aromas of the barrel room. I understand the draw to go there to reflect on one's thoughts or find creative inspiration; the barrel room has a meditative and almost vault-like quality to it. The sounds are softened and muted, the oaky smells are magnified by the amount of wood and wine fermenting in such small space, the light is dim to protect the wine as it undergoes its transformation and the cool air feels a bit thicker, heavy with a certain mustiness or maybe it’s just heavy with energy. Whatever it is, it’s working for Scott… he’s making some great wines. If Raptor Ridge hasn't flown onto your radar yet, hopefully it has now. While making plans for your next Oregon wine country outing, be sure Raptor Ridge is on your hot list and in the meantime, join them on Facebook and Twitter.

2010 Pinot Gris (sold out)

Spectacular showing of lemon, grapefruit and pear, with subtle hints of tropical pineapple and a pleasant tease of almond. The wine displayed balanced acidity with an attractive minerality not found in many Oregon Pinot Gris.

2007 Pinot Noir Reserve ($35)

Simply gorgeous, makes you forget anything bad you may have ever heard about the 2007 vintage. Silky and spicy with a glass full of plums and crushed cherries.

2008 Pinot Noir Reserve ($35)

Noticing this wine was stylistically different than the others (I thought it was flawed and not my favorite), Scott described is as a noble reduction. When wine is not exposed to any air as it ages, it becomes reduced (the opposite of oxidized). Scott sees it as a feature, not a flaw in this case, adding interest and complexity. The wine was smoky and a bit funky, but soft with vanilla, coffee and a strong showing of ripe, black fruit.

2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley ($23)

Great value for a quality wine that’s rich and silky with cherries, pomegranate, vanilla, cassis, licorice and smells almost like walking through a pile of fall leaves.

2010 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard (Not yet released)

Celebrating nine years of Shea fruit, Raptor Ridge does this vineyard proud. Though this wine had just been bottled six weeks prior, it was truly emblematic of what an Oregon vintage should be… pure, ripe and lush red cherry and blueberry pie flavors with a velvety mouth feel and a lingering finish loaded with peppery goodness.

Taste Italy in the Valley Today at Canas Feast

Italy's one of my favorite places for simple and rustic food that transports you back in time, the rich history you're being transported to when you experience the delectable food and the entrancing wines they've been making for about as much time. Today is Italy in the Valley at the Canas Feast Winery in Carlton and I'm looking forward to an opportunity to taste Oregon's interpretation of Italian varieties.

For only $15, sample Oregon's version of Italian wines, experience gourmet olive oils, get a voucher for a mouth-watering panini from the Cucina and take home a logo glass to remember it all. I'm thinking I'll be tasting some Dolcetto, Arneis, Sangiovese, Moscato and of course Pinot Grigio, but I'm really anticipating a few surprises. It should be fun day, so come out and sip Oregon's Italy with me. Ciao and hope to see you there!

Breaking News: In addition to the 13 different wineries, 30 wines, a food ticket, and Olive Oil from the Willamette Valley's only Olive Oil producer, there's also going to be Italian cars to drool over… Ferraris and Lamborghinis! All for just 15 bucks!!! Don't miss it!

Save the Date: Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon

Race through the Willamette Valley, one of the best Pinot Noir producing regions in the world, past vines dripping with grapes nearly ready for harvest. Begin your wine country run at the magnificent Stoller Vineyards, finishing up in the quaint little town of Carlton where you can enjoy the popular post-race Wine & Music Festival.

Save the date and start training for the upcoming Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon on Sunday, September 5, 2010. Premiering on Labor Day weekend, the fourth annual Wine Country Half Marathon Series was produced by Destination Races alongside the Napa-to-Sonoma, Santa Barbara and Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathons.

Registration is currently open, but nearly full so hurry and sign up now!

Discover Aliens, Ghosts and Great Wine in McMinnville

McMinnville, Oregon—home to Linfield College, the Evergreen Aviation Museum, the largest annual UFO gathering in the Pacific Northwest (second in the country to Roswell, NM) and a fantastic wine bar or ten. Though I didn’t see any aliens in town that day, I did hear the voice of McMinnville’s past luring me to the couple of tasting rooms I hadn’t yet visited and found myself magically bellied up the bar at the NW Wine Bar.

General Manager Jonathan Trusty (JT) described the NW Wine Bar as a tasting room and bottle shop on steroids, which was a fairly accurate description. Located in a spectacularly renovated historic location, with high ceilings, stained glass windows and comfortable seating, the NW Wine Bar’s all pumped up, featuring 25 different Oregon wines (the company produces) from 15 wine growing regions and 55 vineyards. Wines are offered by the sip, glass, flight, bottle or case and a tempting menu of small bites, grilled Panini sandwiches, soups, flatbread pizzas and desserts are available to make the experience complete. JT spoke passionately about being able to open whatever bottle he thinks may dazzle a particular guest, knowing he can then add it to the tasting menu of by-the-glass pours for other guests to enjoy as well.

The NW Wine Company, founded by winemaker Laurent Montalieu (of Solena Grand Cru Estate) in 2003, produces nearly 85,000 cases for over 25 different clients out of the old Mrs. Smith’s pie factory. The wine production facility utilizes some of the most innovative winemaking equipment in the US, including two receiving lines to process the fruit at warp speed, two Europress destemmers, 100% temperature and humidity controlled barrel rooms, rare rotary fermentors and a Ganimede fermentation tank that harvests and utilizes the energy produced in the fermentation process (something I’m still not sure I understand).

The wine bar focuses on educating guests about Oregon wine and JT is as generous with his knowledge as my Jewish mother is with food. While JT tasted me through his vision of the NW Wine Company, it was as if the wines all came together to tell a cohesive, synthesized and colorful story of region, winemaking style and limited production wines that have been crafted, nurtured along and allowed to reach a potential they could never have reached otherwise.

It’s for all these reasons (and more) NW Wine Bar is a must visit on your McMinnville wine tour… exquisite wines, a hospitable staff and a chic, contemporary, yet historic venue to enjoy it all in. One tiny caveat, be ready to shell out more than just a couple of bucks for perfection.

As if going from day to night (so if you decide to do this tour, I’d actually recommend going here first), I next found myself in the Golden Valley Brewery unable to both peel the patrons off me or get the bartender’s attention while I stood there aiming to taste their two house wines. Eventually, I was poured a glass of 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir from Golden Valley Vineyard in a granny wineglass (small and thick), but the first swirl sadly revealed chunks of cork floating around in it. When I pointed this out to the bartender, instead of pouring me a new glass, he took a spoon and fished the cork out for me… so kind. After all that buildup, the wine unfortunately tasted overly oaked (or was it over-corked?).

The 2006 Oregon Big Red was an unmemorable blend of Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese, Grenache and Pinot Noir. The Golden Valley Brewery’s wines are both made by prominent winemakers whose wines I’ve often enjoyed, however, these I did not. I perused the menu and determined the wine’s not what people come here for. If I choose to visit this place again, I’ll be sure to order some pub food and stick with the beer (they looked mouthwateringly deeelish), you should too. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Top 10 Things I Learned at Wine Camp

I really could have titled this post the Top 10 Things I Learned from DrinkNectar's Josh Wade because one day, at wine camp, I might have learned as much from him as I did from any of the breakout sessions. After a moment of reflection though, I realized how valuable that information he shared with me really was and decided to selfishly hoard (most of) it for myself. So, in my crazy Top- 1o style, I offer you The Top 10 Things I Learned at Wine Camp instead. I've tried to include the incredible teachers who enlightened me with their invaluable lessons, but periodically, the mass consumption of magnificent wine has fuzzied both my notes and my memories.

1. Don't just blog, write. (Steve Heimoff, SteveHeimoff)

2. Sometimes you're worthy in your unworthiness. (Hardee Wallace, DirtySouthWine)

3. You should have an "about me" page on your blog to draw people deeper into your site. (Josh Wade, DrinkNectar)

4. Unrequited love is the only kind that lasts. (Lettie Teague, lettieteague)

5. Think of wine as an additional condiment, like ketchup. (The Food Network's celebrity chef Jeffrey Saad, Passion For Food)

6. Acidity is a flavor, tannin is a feeling. (Overheard and beg to differ; acidity is a feeling too.)

7. A bad day in wine country is better than a good day in the office (William Allen, Simple Hedonisms)

8. Remember to use all of your sensory experiences when tasting wine. See it, smell it, feel it, taste it. (Meg Houston Maker, MakersTable) Shhhh, be vewy, vewey quiet… Can you hear the wine?

9. Walla Walla can mean water water in the native american lanaguage, but more traditionally it's defined as "Many Rivers."

10. What happens at Wine Camp, stays at Wine Camp.

Illahe - Is it the Name of a Winery or a Tropical Island?

Illahe, it sounds like it could be the name of some exotic island I wouldn’t mind being shipwrecked on, but it’s actually a Chinook jargon word meaning soil, earth or land. Illahe Vineyards and Winery, located in Dallas, Oregon, aims to produce wines reflecting the variety of soil, earth and land on their 50-acre estate.

Founder, Lowell Ford has always been a visionary, growing wine grapes in Oregon since 1983 and then helping to create the Northwest Viticulture Center at Chemeketa Community College.

One of the things that drew me to Illahe Vineyards initially was how creatively they go about being environmentally conscious; for instance, they use horse-drawn trailers to harvest their grapes (see my previous post 10 Oregon Wineries Making One Small Change). Their marketing brochure advertises how they crush their fruit using the traditional French method of pigeage. My understanding of traditional pigeage means that naked men press the ripe fruit and skins down with their feet. I didn’t ask how traditional their pigeage was, but I sure am wondering!

Bethany Williams started my tasting off with their 2009 Viognier aged entirely in stainless steel yet thick with tropical aromas of mango, pineapple, peach and banana and beautifully bright acidity. Illahe started producing this wine on a fluke, when they got some of the fruit from Albany for free (score of the century), and it’s turned out to be a real keeper. The 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley was deliciously mouthwatering and showed succulent raspberries, tart red cherries with a long, spicy cinnamon finish.

In honor of Earth Day, on the day I visited Illahe, there were several wineries showing their goods as well:

WildAire Cellars was founded in 2005 as the shared dream of Matt and Jean Driscoll of McMinnville, Oregon. The Driscolls produce their wines at Illahe’s winery and actually use some of Illahe’s fruit as well. The WildAire 2008 Timothy Pinot Noir, named in honor of Matt’s father who passed away two years ago, was clearly a fine tribute with lush flavors of wild raspberries, rainier cherries, vanilla and lovely yet lingering cinnamon spice. The 2008 Pinot Noir Reserve had considerably more new oak and showed a less fruit-forward and more complex nose of cherry, rhubarb, tobacco and rose.

Michael Lundeen is the owner, winemaker and viticulturalist for his tiny backyard vineyard, producing his Genius Loci wines at Illahe’s production facility (and is also Illahe’s winemaker). He grows the Pinot Gris for his 2008 Cuvee Desiree, which was aged in neutral oak and showed incredible depth with flavors of pear, almond, apple and ginger. When he told me he blends it with 5% Gewürztraminer, I better understood the spicy and savory notes underneath the fruit. The Genius Loci 2008 Pinot Noir was quite remarkable with a nose of blackberry bramble, cherries, tobacco, black tea and a floral delicacy that played against the kicky white pepper finish. The real star was his 2007 Syrah from Folin Vineyard; there was so much going on, I’m not sure where to start. First, I picked up two aromas, then four… next thing the wine’s exploding in my glass with plums, currants, licorice, chocolate and eucalyptus. The wine had a broad mouth, with medium-to-firm tannins and generous acidity that balanced out the fruit and spice flavors—gorgeous and memorable.

On my way out, I stopped and visited Illahe’s worker horses.They came up to say hi to me until they realized my carrot wasn’t a carrot after all, but a camera instead and tried to get away—say cheese! What I really wanted to do was climb up on one of their big, warm, bare backs and gallop down a remote, sandy beach somewhere. I mentioned my desire to escape to an exotic, tropical island, right? Perhaps if I said “Illahe, Illahe, Illahe” and clicked my heels together I’d get there. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Tasting Room Etiquitte, Things Everyone Should Know

Memorial Day weekend typically indicates the start of winery touring season almost like a pistol signals the start of a race. As more and more people become aware of what a fairly inexpensive recreational activity wine tasting can be (I said wine tasting, not wine buying, though hopefully the former does lead to the latter), and with tasting rooms popping up quicker than dandelions, wineries may often find themselves pouring to a packed house. There are some things you should keep in mind which can help you plan a winning winery tour day, you’ll find them in my article on Cork’d. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Reflections on a Glass of Oak Knoll

Driving the Oregon countryside on the weekends has far and away become one of my most favorite times for quiet contemplation, so, before I even began my wine tasting at Oak Knoll, one of Oregon’s oldest producers, I sat down at a cozy little cocktail table to download a bunch of thoughts accumulating in my brain before they flew away with the speed of a hummingbird (because that’s how quickly I forget things lately). The lovely Nadine came out from her post behind the wine bar to deliver me an extensive wine menu, providing me with tableside service while she talked me through their selections. In a nutshell… down-to-earth, gracious and friendly hospitality.

Oak Knoll Winery, founded in 1970 by Ron and Marjorie Vuylsteke, was the very first winery in Washington County. The Vuylstekes started their foray into winemaking back in the early 60’s after a bumper crop of blackberries led to the production of blackberry wines. A few years later, they were securing contracts with early regional grape growers and founded some of Oregon’s first wines, and by 1978, one out of every three bottles of Oregon wine sold was from Oak Knoll Winery. Today, the wines are crafted by the Vuylsteke's cousin, Jeff Herinckx, who joined the winery in 1984.

Their wines were certainly more respectable than I had honestly ever given them credit for. I never realized (or admitted?) how susceptible I was, but I kind of had it drilled into my head, from back in the day when I earned a paycheck from a certain winery, that a certain county’s wineries were basically subpar (with the exception of one, of course). That being said, I wish I could have actually tasted the wines blind, because as much as one’s surroundings can affect how the wine tastes, so can one’s personal experiences (in this case I was seriously trying to overcome a negative impression)—and can you ever really obtain an objective impression of a wine?

One of the wines I truly enjoyed was Oak Knoll’s 2007 Pinot Gris ($14). With a nice, rich and creamy mouth feel, the wine made it’s entrance with the typical apple and pear you’d expect at the surface, but underneath I detected entrancing layers of melon and tropical star fruit notes while the mouth offered additional exotic flavors of grapefruit, mango and a spicy, zingy ginger finish; it was a delicious, intriguing and complex white wine, great for summer with a nice acidity and a moderate price point.

Another stand-out wine was the 2005 Pinot Noir Vintage Reserve ($29). It’s light ruby color tinged slightly brown hinted at a touch of age opened up as slowly and surely as a hare in a race to reveal surprising depth and unexpected characters of leather, sweet red cherries, ripe juicy strawberries, violets and an intriguing spicebox finish of spicy clove and sexy cinnamon—ooo la la.

While meandering about outside, soaking up a bit of spring's welcome but early sunny offering, I savored a bite of dark chocolate with Oak Knoll’s 2006 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, which was all dark fruit and pepper in a glass, and thought long and hard about my own predilection for the unpretentious that often directly competes with an equal desire for high quality; it’s not easy to achieve both, yet Oak Knoll continually strives to do so and that’s probably why they continue to remain such major players in this wild game of Winopoly. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Dragging the Folks Along: JK Carriere and Barron-Wahl

With my parents in town for their coveted semi-annual visit, it seemed the perfect opportunity to drag my whole family along on my escapade tasting wine at every Oregon tasting room in a year… mom, dad, husband and son. Why not? After a brief stop in Sherwood at Rose’s Deli (because no family outing of mine would be complete if it didn’t include food—we are Jewish after all), and with the use of my dad’s handheld GPS, we leisurely made our way along the relatively unsigned roads through the nearby hills of Parrett Mountain; it was as if we were out for a Sunday drive… on Saturday.

Sunshine, blue skies and volcanic views set the stage as we meandered the mountainside where we located the rustic tasting room of Barrron-Wahl Vineyards. Barron-Wahl Vineyards, owned by Gordon Barron and William Wahl, is a very small producer on Oregon’s grand scale, with a mere 350-700 cases dependent upon vintage. As we mosied up to the bar of the seasonally open tasting room, Gordon brought their resident mouser, Kitty Guy, in for my mom to pet. Although Mom doesn’t drink wine (except the occasional sip of late-harvest dessert wine I might be able to talk her into if I’m feeling exceptionally patient), she is a good sport and she does like to pet every animal she can get her hands on. Though I too love all the furry friends, I thank you Dad for passing on your preference for wine.

Barron-Wahl planted their Pinot noir vineyard in 2001 and Joe Dobbs of Dobbes Family Estate and Wine By Joe has been making their wines since the first vintage in 2006. Marketing Manager Mickie Riverman poured us through the past two vintages and then sent Gordon off to find a rare bottle of 2006 for us to sample. While the wines where all quite good, I actually really took note of their 2008 Pinot Noir which showed unbelievable depth for a wine of its youth… sweet black cherry pie and vanilla balanced out with lovely savory notes of truffle and mushrooms. The tannins were firm yet already approachable and the vibrant acids, which would play well with food now, also indicated it would hold up with a little time too. Shayden (age 3) passed on the basket of toys in favor of a wine glass full of vintage 2010 H2O, sniffing and swirling like the rest of us, certain his wine smelled like strawberries—that’s my boy!

Mickie told me a bit about Gordon’s diverse background as being a professional car racer (hence the Porsche photos on the wall) and how he even invented some sort of blood separator, but when I asked about the Marilyn Monroe photo over the bar and the old Ms. Pac Man and Donkey Kong games in the corner, she took me aside to quietly explain how the tasting room used to be Gordon’s “Man Cave.” Ah ha… now I get it, but with Pinot like that, I’ll stress the words “used to be” because no man’s keeping me out!!

We returned to our vehicle where I marveled in the splendor of having both a driver and a navigator (if only for just a day) and programmed ourselves for J.K. Carriere Wines, also located on Parrett Mountain in the Chehalem Mountain AVA (American Viticultural Area). As I expressed exuberance at not getting lost for a change, my brilliant mother saw it as a cue to tell my dad he really needed a new GPS and should give me his old hand-me-down (as if—but you gotta love my mom for trying!).

J.K. Carriere’s located in a brand new facility, after producing and selling their first 10 vintages out of a hundred-year-old hazelnut drying barn in Yamhill County. In 2007, Jim Prosser purchased 40 acres on Parrett Mountain’s ridge, where the family has since planted two-acres and, as you read this is, gearing up to clear and plant more to vine. They’ve recently opened their modern and state-of-the-art winery production facility, barrel cave storage, sprawling grounds and sleek yet comfortable tasting room to enjoy it all. 

The name on the label is a melding of family names: J.K. Prosser and Paul Carriere and the wasp graphic serves as a very personal reminder to the owner about both his deadly allergy (not a good for a winemaker… have you ever seen a winery during harvest?) and also about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.

J.K. Carriere makes a white Pinot noir produced using the same techniques as turn-of-the-century French Rosé Champagne and though it didn’t have any bubbles, it had a lot of zest and perhaps even a slight spritz which lifted the watermelon flavors to new heights. At $20 a bottle, their 2009 Glass White Pinot Noir is an absolute steal and one of those wines I wish I could have brought home by the caseload for an entire summer’s worth of sensational sipping. Their flagship wine, the 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, is a blend of some of Oregon’s best vineyard sites and showed a lot of personality. I’ve heard the average nose can only detect and distinguish four aromas at one time. I must have a really big nose, because I smelled at least five smells—cherry, strawberry, violets, cedar and allspice, just to name a few. In my glass, the wine showed equal presence with cherries, raspberries, currants, gamey meat and licorice… very complex and clearly a cornerstone wine, but the meatiness turned me off, as I tend to seek out more fruit, floral, earth and spice components (it’s just a personal thing).

Since J.K. Carriere’s all about the “family element”, Jim’s niece Jen Reynolds happened to be the wine slinger on the day of my visit. When I asked her to tell me something funny that’s happened there or something I can’t find out on the internet, a grin immediately spread across her face as she recalled the time when her uncle Jim (owner and winemaker) scared away all the nieces. He had just returned to Oregon after being in the Peace Corp in the Far East and was completely unrecognizable to even his family with a full beard and Fu Man Chu mustache. Thankfully Jim’s shaved since then and isn’t scaring anyone away anymore because you really wouldn’t want to miss his wines.

After tasting at just these two wineries, my parents were completely spent so we retired to the comfort of our leather couch to lounge and recover a bit before dinner. Dinner that night was enjoyed in the private wine cellar at Portland’s Veritable Quandary where I was put to the challenge of figuring out how the cellar was ordered. Being teased with the promise of a prize, I took the task seriously and wagered my winning guess. Unfortunately, there really was no prize except the weird but immense sense of satisfaction I got from actually figuring it all out.

I noticed Veritable Quandary’s featured wine that night was from Apolloni Vineyards and I couldn’t help but recall my blogpost about Apolloni Vineyards where I refer to their winemaker Anne Hubatch’s Rosé as my veritable quandary of the day. A bit too eerily prophetic perhaps—it gave me chills! After a day’s tasting, two bottles of Oregon Pinot noir with dinner and a lovely late-harvest ice wine with dessert, my dad proclaimed he’d never drank so much wine in a day before. Oh Dad, welcome to my wonderful and very tasty world! Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Superheroes, World Domination and Oregon Wine

When the Gaston Six gather together in one spot to pimp their goods, it’s surely an event you don’t want to miss. Like local Superheroes, picture an opportunity to taste wines made by true independent winemakers—ADEA, Biggio Hamina, Bishop Creek, Cancilla Cellars, Matello and Twelve—and you begin to wrap your head around the rare and unique artisan wines I sampled that day.

Showing respect for the house, I started first with the host, ADEA Wine Company. Founders, Dean and Ann Fisher produced their first three vintages (starting in 1995) under a different name, and in 1998 they changed their name to ADEA incorporating the first letter of each family member’s name (Ann, Dean, Erica and Adam). Their earliest vintages were crafted at Medici and later at Lemelson, but ADEA now proudly has their own winery (which additionally houses a collection of boutique indie winemakers) and a tasting room open on weekends.

I was poured a delightful 2005 Rose, crisp and tart with rhubarb and strawberries, and the perfect beginning to the wine journey dubbed Pinot Passion. I also truly enjoyed ADEA’s 2006 Momtazi Pinot Noir—deep, dark and brooding, with black cherries and pie spice finish… reminiscent of a late night diner after a rock concert.

Taking two steps to the left, I easily located Biggio Hamina, where I chatted with owner Todd Hamina who just turned out his 14th vintage. He told me how the name is a combination of his last name and his wife’s maiden name (are we seeing a trend developing?). While I was savoring the incredible aromatics on his wine, he humbly stated how “making a good Pinot Noir is akin to bragging about being the tallest midget.” Well, Todd, I don’t know about that midget thing, but you certainly have something to boast about. The 2007 Deux Vert Pinot Noir had a beautifully light and almost translucent color, a floral nose with lush red cherries and a hint of underlying earthiness; it was every bit balanced with fruit, lively acids and velvety tannins… flawless.

At Bishop Creek Cellars, the wines and vines are managed by one person, Jeremy Saville. The 60-acre site (originally planted in 1988) is located in a cooler micro-climate than many Willamette Valley vineyards, which Jeremy thinks results in later ripening fruit that gives the wine its distinctive and intense flavors while retaining the natural acidity. I admired Jeremy’s approach and his wines seemed to truly reflect his philosophy. Bishop Creek produces only estate-grown wines from their 13-acres of Pinot noir, Pinot gris and Pinot blanc. With Syrah, Arneis and Gruner Veltliner planted to vine in 2008, I’d keep my eye on what they’re turning out in the next few years.

Jeremy was pouring the best white in the house that day (IMVHO)—a 2007 Pinot Gris, 100% stainless-steel fermented and 100% true-to-varietal flavor. It had depth and character with an intense nose of Anjou pear and green apple, a delightful nuttiness (probably resulting from ripe grape seeds) and energetic acids that filled my mouth. The 2007 Barrel Selection Pinot Noir also spoke volumes to me. It was a delicate, light ruby color, yet incredibly complex and well integrated with layers of cranberry, pomegranate and rose (and at $22, it’s a very reasonable indulgence and one I would like to have speak to me again).

Next in the procession was Matello winemaker (or Masseur du Raisins as he whimsically calls himself) Marcus Goodfellow pouring his wine of choice… a 2007 Pinot Noir Souris. This cuvee (barrel blend), though not my favorite, was an excellent and very thought-provoking wine; it was acid-driven with red cherries, strawberries, rose petals, cured beef and spice. As I chatted with Marcus, the wine continued to open up showing how marvelously multifaceted it really was. By contrast, the 2008 Pinot Noir Hommage a’A&D was tight and grippy, but I think it was just in a shut-down phase (this sometimes occurs after bottling). With more time in bottle, this wine could turn out to be a gem and would be an interesting wine to revisit in the future. My favorite of Marcus’s wines was the 2008 Winter’s Hill… it was fruit-forward with silky tannins and hints of smoke and tobacco. When I asked Marcus about his label, he first explained the name Matello comes from the Italian for little fool. He chose the Court Jester graphic because in the old days, the jesters were the only person who could really speak their mind. I think he just might be something of a jokester himself, identifying with their playful nature. Matello is producing less than 1,600 cases per year, and as a testament to their “indie” ways, does not even have a website. (Need some help with that? I know some great peeps!)

Moving on down the line: Ken Cancilla escaped from the East Coast and the Telecommunication world to grow grapes in Oregon. Nine vintages later and he’s still living the dream; Ken has 23 acres planted in Gaston (22 to Pinot Noir and 1 to Chardonnay) and crafts his wines using only his estate fruit. Cancilla Cellar’s 2007 Chardonnay displayed bright citrus, soap and a minerality much like steeliness (despite being aged in neutral oak). It was racy, zippy and surely got my attention. The 2006 Pinot Noir showed a lot of red fruit like raspberries, strawberries, red cherries, as well as earth and some sweet, hot (almost port-like) cassis.

My last stop on my tour of the Gaston Six brought me to Twelve. Twelve is a family-owned 13-acre vineyard located four-miles west of Carlton. When I asked owner John Lenyo about the choice of name, he said it came from the movie Spinal Tap (I believe it’s a quote from Nigel Tufnel where he asks, “Will this one go to eleven?”). Twelve’s labels are always changing, but one thing remains consistent about them; they’re all beautiful examples of modern art. John was smart about engaging his consumer and making them think before he even gets a drop of wine into their glass. I might brand the term “intelligent seduction”; clever marketing that draws you in with its mystery. What does Twelve mean? What is this label? Why 144? The 2007 Reserve 144 refers not to a specific clone, but is in fact, their name (12) to the power of 12. And their second label (lower price point wine) is called Second Floor. Got something against thirteen? Whoa, too many numbers for me—I’m outta here!

I casually, and more in jest, refer to these artisan producers as Superheroes. Okay, calling them Superheroes might be a bit of stretch, they’re not fighting evil villains plotting world domination. But they are putting themselves out there every day battling the forces of nature, the environment, the economy, government and big business… all for the sake of wine. That’s dedication. So next time you’re pouring yourself a glass at the end of a long day, take a moment to think about what kind of passionate individual (hero) it took to get that wine there and make a quiet toast to them. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Finding Freedom in Oregon Wine Country Tour

On the day I set out to meet newlywed friends Becky and Zack at Willamette Valley Vineyards, the countryside was both covered and quieted with fog thick as a shroud. Becky arrived ready for Oregon rain fully decked out in her trendy yellow galoshes free to splash in puddles as her heart so desired (missed photo opp number one).

Willamette Valley Vineyards is all about location, location, location. Just south of Salem, and ideally situated directly off I5, its sloping vineyards and watchtower facility regularly lure travelers from their destinations. Founded by visionary Jim Bernau in 1983, Willamette Valley Vineyards lies on a 50-acre estate of red Jory soil, where originally a plum orchard, blackberry bramble and scotch broom blanketing the land. The winery was built in 1989—that and the underground cellar were carved into an ancient volcanic flow (also part of what makes the soil so rich). Now owning more than 300 acres, Willamette Valley Vineyards has grown to become one of Oregon’s largest and most recognizable brands.

The winery offers public tours every day at 1:00 pm, but we were a bit early so we passed on the tour and stayed to taste—though I bet the tour would have been great and really feel like I missed something (if you plan to visit, keep this in mind)! Willamette Valley Vineyards is extremely focused on wine education and they’ve also built a new Wine Center in McMinnville complete with maps and information about the regional soils.

Katie, one of the friendly tasting room staff, greeted us with a pour of their 2006 Griffin Creek Viognier first and then their Chardonnay along with the classic story about how guests always say they don’t like Chardonnay until they try this Chardonnay… hmmmm, haven’t heard that one before. One thing about tasting with friends is you get honest feedback. I was tasting something unpalatable and indefinable in their Chardonnay which my friend Becky accurately termed “funk.” This is why I love tasting with friends. They not only tell you like it is, they even give you the words to accurately describe it—thank you Becky! Clearly not my favorite (or Katie’s, as she actually honestly admitted to us before our tasting – go Katie!!). My preferred wine was their 2007 Tualatin Estate Pinot Noir, smooth yet luscious, beginning with a huge nose of black cherry, blackberries and vanilla and following with a mouthful of strawberries, cranberries, smoke, graham and spice.

When it was time to leave, I followed my friends for a change, as they were endowed/armed with internet and GPS. Driving along washboard dirt roads, my Jeep was smiling as she was getting splattered with mud, feeling at home again after years of city driving. Zack was enjoying his German automobile a bit too much and I was struggling to keep up with him, but he eventually led us directly to Ankeny Cellars and the all the glorious surprises in store for us there, thanks Zack.

If you’re ever in the market for a winery “experience” go to Ankeny Cellars. This time of year (winterish), the outdoor ambiance is more imagined, but located next to Ankeny Wildlife Refuge, one could envision sitting on their deck sipping wine while watching predatory and migratory birds flying overhead. In the dead of winter and pre-dawn of spring, it was still just a graveyard of trellis and vine beholding all the promise of the coming season.

Kathy “The Wine Duchess,” as she’s been nicknamed by Ankeny’s winemaker Andy Thomas, graciously poured for us. Planted in 1982 by Joe Olexa (who has four college degrees, none of which have anything to do with growing wine), the vineyard is located on the southernmost slopes of the Salem hills producing roughly 2,000 cases annually all from estate fruit (they also sell grapes to Kings Estate, Redhawk and Brooks). As Kathy poured us the 2006 Hershey’s Red Pinot Noir, she told us how Hershey the dog has sadly been missing since November 2009. A beautiful tribute to Hershey though, and at $15/bottle, this wine with cherry and tobacco flavors was a tremendous value.

Another wine easy on the wallet and of particular interest was the 2006 Ankeny Crimson. With its strong Port nose, this Marechal Foch-Pinot Noir blend was inky and heavy with dark fruit. It was truly an unexpected combination, and in the words of Kathy our host, “it’s like two wines in one” … fascinating, and at $12.00 bottle, not a real risky investment either. I didn’t particularly care for it, but my companions thought it was good. We all have different palates.

Kathy told us we could take a hike—up the hill that is, past the grapevines, goats, cows, llamas and emus, to a one-acre clearing of 85 marked and 12 unmarked graves comprising Cox Pioneer Cemetery. I later learned that the cemetery was founded by Thomas Cox, Salem’s first storekeeper, and that his wife Martha was the first person buried there in 1949. An old barn from 1851 still stands on the property today, which I didn’t see and am still remiss about that lost photo opp too… another time, perhaps when the weather is fairer.

My friends and I parted ways as they continued to explore some regional favorites while I had the sweet wines of Honeywood Winery on my radar. I ventured back into the Salem hills once again GPS-free and flying by my own instincts and the seat of my pants. Quite miraculously, and without so much as a wrong turn, I arrived at Honeywood’s Salem winery.

Honeywood Winery officially opened the day after prohibition ended making it the oldest continually operating winery in Oregon. Founded in 1933 by Ron Honeyman and John Wood, it was originally called Columbia Distilleries (producing brandies, cordials and liquors), and though they objected to the merging of their names, somehow—and naturally—Honeywood stuck.

The winery offered an enormous selection of wines (18 different varietals!), above and beyond the mead and 34 fruit wines they’re famous for. When you’re handed a list with over 50 wines and told to select five, even the experienced taster is overwhelmed. I had no idea what I wanted to taste, I’ve never been there before—I really wanted to taste it all… or most of it. Well, actually I really don’t want to taste 34 different fruit wines (how many ways can you spell berry, ugh?), but five wines really didn’t give me enough of a chance to taste what the winery has to offer either. Of what I did taste, I enjoyed a non-vintage Muller Thurgau tart with lime and a touch of warm anise. As I drove away, I started thinking about those fruit wines and how I bet they’d be great for cooking—sauces, syrups, dressings and marinades of the most memorable kind! Hmmm, great thought… too bad it was moments too late.

I also thought more on tasting in the southern Willamette Valley. In addition to enjoying some great Oregon wines, you won’t break the bank and you’ll also find educational tours, history, hikes and beautiful settings to enjoy it all. I always treasure my drives through wine country; the roads are open and long and even with the windows closed, there’s this sense of having the wind in your hair—I guess it’s a feeling of freedom. I saw a huge Red Tail Hawk on a fence post right off the road, so I pulled over to try and capture his magnificent image on digital film. He sat still while I changed lenses on my camera and he sat still while I slowly and casually approached him. And as soon as I got close enough and brought my camera up towards my face, he was off with the swiftness of a glider, the grace of a ballerina and the sheer power of an airplane. I pouted a bit thinking the day’s theme seemed to be about missed opportunities, but as I saw the hawk flying off into the distance, I realized it was really about the glorious gift of freedom instead. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

Oregon Winemaker Tributes Valentine Break-Up With Nefarious Pinot Noir

You could feel the excited energy stirring about Patricia Green Cellar’s winery, warming up the cold facility rarely open to the public. Guests stood poised to taste her illustrious wines and with an odd twist of irony, I found myself alone on Valentine’s Day afternoon—a day typically spent honoring relationships, love and togetherness—celebrating Patricia Green’s 10-year anniversary punctuating her divorce from Torii Mor instead. In homage of the dispassionate occasion (one of the best break-ups on history I might add) Patty released her wickedly sinful, 2008 Nefarious Pinot Noir.

The 2008 Nefarious Pinot Noir ($85) was as beguiling as it was balanced. The wine opened with a soft fruit and lightly floral nose. In my mouth, blackberries gave way to ripe cherries, a touch of spice and playful acids, which swept across and awakened my sleepy tongue (it was barely noon, but already wine-o’clock for so many). The tannins were firm, showcasing the moderate structure, yet supple enough to provide a lush, velvety feel despite the wine’s youth. It was a nice wine, yes. But was it worthy of its lofty $85.00 price tag? Of that I’m not so sure.

I liked the wine and I loved the name, but for me, it was still missing a key component—a good label to tie it all together. It might seem trite to you, but being a graphic designer and marketing specialist, what it all boiled down to was that I was confused when I looked at the bottle. The wine’s called Nefarious, which means infamous by way of being extremely wicked, but the front label shows a soft, sweet and simple muted oil painting of Patty with her nose in a wine glass—is that supposed to signify nefarious? The label design felt like an afterthought, even more so when I looked up and saw the painting larger than life on the cellar wall… a bit incongruous and disappointing if you ask me. To come up with such a great concept and then fall through on the visuals and packaging felt like an enormous waste of a tremendous opportunity and my mouth was (and still is) literally salivating over the potential of such a campaign. Moving on and off my soapbox now.

The 2008 Notorious Pinot Noir ($70) showed similar themes of sweet and spice as Nefarious, but with more intensity and greater depth. Black fruit and plums immediately introduced themselves to me, while tart cranberries, truffles and a captivating white pepper finish snuck up from behind and made their presence known. I preferred Notorious to Nefarious and actually thought it seemed more wicked, more sinful and more decadent with its seductively ripe fruit and sneaky yet showy spice.

One of my favorite wines of the day was the 2008 Estate Old Vine Pinot Noir ($40) with wild berries, violets, great acid, subtle minerality and a brilliant, long finish. A showstopper in my book; the wine possessed tannins substantial enough to benefit from a little age, but to enjoy a bottle now would certainly be no crime. Patricia Green’s wines are consistently lovely and, if I had generous disposable income, I probably would have been right there alongside the others loading cases into my expensive car to take home and age in the temperature-controlled cellar. But, sadly I don’t… so feeling a bit like I was on The Walk of Shame, I left the winery escorting a lonely bottle of Old Vine Pinot Noir back to my practical Jeep instead… making my own small tribute to Patricia Green and the strength it took her to walk away.

We all know breaking up is hard to do. And in the professional setting, it can be that much harder. Patty’s tumultuous relationship with Torii Mor is one example of some of the unseen and unspoken challenges of working in the “glamorous” wine industry, and how ultimately to make it work to your benefit. Wineries are often small Mom-and-Pop shops, run by very passionate people (often families) with little room and even less stability for outsiders. People can easily become commodities and are far too easily replaceable (the line goes clear around the block, believe me!). Personally and unfortunately, I’ve been witness to and victim of some very unethical treatment in this industry and it’s probably for that reason I hold Patty in even higher regard, admiring her for taking a risk, believing in herself as a winemaker and stepping out on her own—may she serve as a model to us all. As if a message from the wine goddess, I happened to notice the bumper sticker on the car next to me— “Nullum Vinum Flaccidum” —and took note (and a photo) as I reminder to look up later. I learned the expression is Latin for “No Wimpy Wines;” almost poetically appropriate, no? Here’s to strength! Until we sip again…

Cheers!