Linda Donovan Wines

Wine tasting comes in many forms.  It can be a friendly tasting with friends at home, it can be a big wine event, it can be at the local store as reps ply you with their latest releases, or it can be at a winery or tasting room.  Even within the confines of the tasting room, there are a myriad of approaches to presenting the wines. Some tasting rooms offer tastings and then wines by the glass and bottle for on-site consumption, often with musical accompaniment, food and other attractions to round out the experience. Others still take a more simple approach, invite you in, taste the wine, enjoy, tell the story and maybe sell you a bottle or twelve.

The latter approach is what is offered up at Linda Donovan’s new tasting room. Linda is an accomplishe winemaker who runs Pallet Wine Company in Medford and produces her own labels as well as labels for small wineries  throughout Southern Oregon. Pallet is a humming, busy place, but it does not offer wine tasting. Initially there were plans to do a tasting room at the facilities, but time and space concerns dictated otherwise.

Recently, Linda decided it would be good to open a small, simple tasting room where she could serve her wine and tell her story. She chose a site on her sister’s Valley View Orchard, right next door to the orchard’s historic farm stand. It has an open air feel with a large roll-up door, a bright, basic room and a wonderfully expansive vista overlooking Ashland. 

The Linda Donovan Wines Tasting Room takes a basic approach – it is only open Thursday – Sundays, from 1pm - 6pm and no glass or bottle consumption is available. She prefers to let the wines be the center of attention and the stars of the show. She certainly has accomplished this style. We had a great time sampling wines, playing with her large yellow lab Finnigan and taking in the information Linda was all too happy to share with us.

We opened with a 2011 “Le Jeune Chien” Sauvignon blanc. I love a nice, crisp sauv blanc and this did not disappoint. I had to ask as to the name and Linda explained that a while back, she had two old dogs that she had been with many years. After their passing, friends kept saying get a new dog, so she ended up living up to the belief that you should adopt, don’t breed or buy. This dog became Le Jeune Chien or the young dog.  

Next up was a 2011 Late Bloomer Dry Gewurtztraminer, which had “nothing sweet about it”. It was dry, dry, dry for a Gewurtz, a perfectly crisp wine on a hot day or for pairing with food.

We moved on to reds with a 2008 Linda Donovan Tempranillo, made with grapes from Fortmiller Vineyards, which always produces smooth, delicious fruit. This rich wine was a mouthful with beautiful, smooth-grain tannins. After the Tempranillo, we had a chance to taste a 2010 Long Walk Vineyard Mouvedre, grown on property at Valley View on the Corner Vineyard. Mouvedre is rarely a single variety, often paired as a GSM, but this wine is gorgeous with earthy spicy tones and a (savory) umami mouth feel. As a special treat we had the opportunity to sample the 2010 Orchard Red, a blend of Long Walk Vineyard consisting of 29% Mouvedre, 14% Gernache, 29% Cinsault and29% Carignan, a unique wine with surprising depth and character.

Before we left, Linda offered us a sample of her value label, Pick Me. These are the perfect Tuesday night wines, with a Pick Me White, a blend of Semillion, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc and the 2009 Pick Me Red Merlot. Priced at $8 each, these wines are perfect for the non-occasion occasion, a second bottle or a quick nip.  :-)

It is my belief that every wine producer in Southern Oregon would be well served to offer $8 bottles of wine, but that is for a later post. Linda subscribes to this theory as well, much to my delight.

So, for a simple, laid back and totally relaxing tasting, and great wines to boot, I highly recommend visiting Linda Donovan’s Tasting Room at Valley View Orchard in Ashland. 

I do not think you will be disappointed.

p.s. While camping at Howard's Prairie last weekend, we ran out of wine! A quick jaunt to the HP store and we found the Pick Me Red and White, which was enjoyed around a roaring campfire with wonderful company.

Wooldridge Creek Winery

St. Patrick's Day is an enchanted time - a day to begin transforming winter's dreams into summer's magic. -Adrienne Cook 

And that could not have been more true as we headed out to the Applegate Valley to WooldridgeCreek Winery to pick up our Spring Wine Club Release. Yes, and our Winter Release, we haven't been as prompt since my immobility.

The day was clear blue skies with fluffy white clouds and just a hint of a nip to the air. Of course, Wooldridge had their fire pits and heaters blazing away on the patio amid clusters of wine tasters. People were also sitting in the lawn chairs, enjoying the sunshine, as traditional Irish music was wafting in the background.

We went in the Tasting Room, a small, rustic, intimate room, to pick up our releases where we saw Winemaker Greg Paneitz holding court, as is his custom. It is always great to see Greg, he is personable, humble and knowledgeable.

Greg and his partner Kara Olma have been innovators since they arrived in the valley. They were amongst the first to put me on the path to discovering wine and I thank them for the knowledge, passion and friendship they have inspired.

Greg and Kara's newest innovation was putting wine in kegs for wholesale restaurant sales. It is a remarkably brilliant idea, keg the wine, keep it pressurized, guaranteeing a long shelf life, as well as being affordable to the establishment and the customer. In addition to the sales aspect, it also keeps the winery costs down as there are no bottles, corks, labels, boxes or foil to buy, not counting the cost of bottling and storage.  

Needless to say, this program has been a huge success in the Rogue Valley as more and more places support the local wine industry. To this end, Greg informed me that the building under construction behind the winery would be for keg storage as they ramp up their efforts into their next innovation. They are currently working with the Oregon Wine Board to put bulk wine into grocery stores. If all goes well, you will be able to bring in your container (or purchase one there) and buy wine by the ounce from the deli, like buying cheese or lunch-meat. Details are being worked out. The model for this is last year's Britt Festival, where this service was offered for the first time to great response.

During our conversation Greg and his attentive staff poured us some of their other wines, I particularly liked the 2009 Pinot Noir. It had great body, not too thin, wonderful depth and flavor with just the right amount of spicy zing.

After chatting with Greg and picking up our wine, we wandered outside to enjoy the nice day and try the release wines and accompanying appetizers. We tasted the 2011 Dry Gewurztraminer, a nice crisp, dry Gewurtz that Greg suggested to pair with the Corned Beef and Cabbage dinner we had later that evening. The Gewurtz was sampled alongside a Tandoori chicken and rice sample.

Then it was off to taste the red, a 2009 Zinfandel, a rich, full, not too jammy, Zin that paired nicely with a Grilled Flank Steak with Chimichurri Sauce and Anchovy Butter. Yes, Anchovy butter, it sounds weird, but WOW! it was good and I am not an anchovy fan.

We sat down and visited, enjoyed another taste or two of the Zin and the sun before heading off to a traditional St. Patty's Day dinner of corned beef and cabbage. Greg's recommendation was spot on, the Gewurtz stood up to the cabbage and balanced the meal nicely. It was the perfect pairing of food, wine and friends.

Sláinte!