Talk about off the beaten (wine) path, StoneRiver Winery is hidden away on Pioneer Road in Talent. The one time Brookbank Farms, the oldest, registered farm in the area, was registered in 1914 and was a heritage pear orchard. Up until 2001 is was still a working orchard that sold fruit to the public from an antique barn.
Now, that same barn has been converted into their tasting room, but it still retains that historic, old-timey feeling. The walls are finished with recycled wood from the orchard. The interior walls are made from wood that once was old water troughs. The bar is festooned with wine bottle lights and the tasting room has a few items from days gone by - there is an old jukebox filled with classic tunes from the 50s & 60s, a free regulation shuffle board table and an upright piano.
The owners, Paul and Virginia Lange, bought the orchard over 28 years ago and shifted their emphasis to 30 acres of wine grapes in 2001. They had been selling most of their grapes to other wineries but now are producing Syrah, Merlot, Grenache, Temparnillo, Mourvedre, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier, and Pinot Gris.
We had a chance to sample a few and really enjoyed the 2003 Merlot which exhibited dark fruit and nice, smooth grain tannins and a fruity, spicy 2003 Syrah. The wines show great promise with excellent fruit and made by a true local artisan, Velocity Cellars Winemaker Gus Janeway. In addition to their own wines, they do offer samples of their neighbor, Aurora Wines (more on them in a future post).
The StoneRiver name comes from the old river that ran through where the vineyard is now; leaving fertile soil and an abundance of river rocks in its place. How can grapes not love such a setting. We know we can't, we had a great time, playing tunes, drinking a glass of the merlot and goofing around on the shuffleboard table. We look forward to going back soon and discovering what new, or old, surprises await us.
If you are looking for a place, a bit off the beaten path, where you and friends can enjoy wine and each other's company in a quiet, rustic setting - head over to StoneRiver.
CHEERS!
CHEERS!
