Time to step in the way back machine.

Jill and I love to go out to Jacksonville, do a little shopping, some noshing, wine tasting in the surrounding areas. Back in 2011-2012, we enjoyed visiting Corks Wine Bar in town. Fred, Carol, Tracy and Ken were always hospitable and featured great wines.


Well, this day we popped into Corks and Jill felt like a Chardonnay. The only one they had on hand was one we had never heard about - 2010 Schultz Homeward Chardonnay. As we were unfamiliar with it, Ken informed us that it was a new winery and they had just won Best Chardonnay at the annual World of Wine Fest (more on that later). Jill trusted Ken's recommendation and gave it a whirl and absolutely loved it. We were blown away that an absolute newcomer could come this far, this fast.  We were able to find the wine in our travels, but they did not have a tasting room for us to explore.


Fast forward to this weekend and I had learned that they had opened their tasting room and we decided to go for it. We headed out to the Applegate Valley and found the former cattle ranch, now Schultz Glory Oaks® Vineyard, on Slagle Creek Road.

  

Upon arriving, we found an unpretentious tasting room with one group and the two owners, Debbie and Greg, in attendance.  

Greg greeted us at the door with genteel southern charm and invited us in.  Greg had a soft Louisiana accent, having spent a good amount of time there. I inquired about the accent and how he came to be a winery in Southern Oregon.  He explained that he was actually born in Oregon and his wife, Debbie, was born in Oklahoma.  They had decided that they wanted to go into the wine business, took some classes at LSU (Geaux Tigers), and then moved on to Cal-Davis for the Winemaking Certificate Program. As to Southern Oregon, they had no real connection to Washington or California, and as Greg was from Oregon, they found the Rogue Valley appealing. They liked the geography, geology and climate and after 7 years, they are loving it! I shared with him the story of our first exposure to his wine and he said, Fred's place, Corks! He explained that they named that wine Homeward to represent Greg's coming home to Oregon.

Greg went over the current plantings and plans for this year (more Bordeaux varietals being planted) and said that Linda Donovan at Pallet Wine Co. is still producing his wines.  The vineyard was designed to have a low-impact and sustainable approach to the land, they have their LIVE certification and they have a huge commitment to proper land stewardship.


They have a 60-acre site and produce approximately 700 cases per year, representing 8 varietals. They are taking a careful, measured approach, which fits their overall outlook and personalities.

 

They use native yeasts, utilize malolactic fermentations, do not filter and minimally handle the wine, and leave many of their wines on the lees in neutral oak barrels for a wonderful mouthfeel and flavor profile. Their wines exhibit a great sense of place, terroir.


Tastings are casual, they have about 7 wines available and you can taste any 5 for $5. Jill and I, as usual, varied slightly, but both thoroughly enjoyed the Viognier, Merlot and the Tempranillo Rose` (the Rose` is sure to be a major hit this summer). Of course, Jill still loves the Homeward Chardonnay. 😋





Greg and Debbie were wonderful hosts and we met some locals from Grants Pass who were great fun. Joe and Debbie have a Contemporary & Classic Rock Music duo called Ellipse and they play at local wineries. Joe is from Argentina and has some great stories and they both have wonderful, engaging personalities. We cannot wait to see them play (next is Friday April 6, 2018 - 5:00 to 8:00 pm, Schmidt Family Vineyards).

We are looking forward to returning and tasting more of their wines and seeing the new plantings grow and mature.  Oh! I promised more on that first vintage Chardonnay at the World of Wine... the story goes that not only did the Homeward Chard win Best Chardonnay, it was also one of two contenders for the Best of Show, ultimately won by JoePa at Plaisance Ranch for their 2010 Ginet Rose` (Plaisance will be another story so you will have to wait on that one!)


I will be blogging again as we begin to go tasting this spring, so please be on the lookout for new entries. I hope you enjoy our adventures and discover some of the wonderful wines (and stories) Southern Oregon has to offer. 

                                                                 CHEERS!

Waterfront Depot, Florence, Oregon

Another trip to the coast, another tale to tell…

With the Rogue Valley having been socked in due the smoke from Southern Oregon Wildfires, we decided enough was enough and decided to head for the coast. Our normal haunts were all booked up. Apparently the whole valley had the same idea and reservations were getting scarce. On a whim, I took a look at the map of the Oregon Coast and, for some reason, Florence, OR, just jumped out at me. I booked the first room I could find, told my better half we had reservations and off we (and the dog) went on Saturday morning.

I haven’t been to Florence since the mid to late 90s, so expectations were low. A clean room and a good dinner would suffice. The room at the Lighthouse Inn was basic, comfortable and clean. Cotton (our yellow lab) settled right in and we set out exploring the town. After asking the locals, we were informed that we should dine at the Waterfront Depot and to get reservations with a quickness.

 I called and all they had was 9pm. Ok, fine, we would have time to take the dog to the water, get cleaned up, have a nice glass of Wooldridge Zinfandel that we brought with us and then sit at their bar and have a glass of wine while waiting.

We pulled up to what was once the Mapleton Train Depot. It had been slated for demolition some forty years ago and was rescued and brought to its current location on the Siuslaw River in Old Town Florence.  The current owner opened a charming little restaurant serving seafood, meats, burgers and pasta - very eclectic menu, to be sure. We had read and heard that their signature dish, a Crab Encrusted Halibut, was not to be missed.  

 Since we had arrived early, I inquired as to obtaining a table with a view and sitting at the bar while we waited. The bar was full, but the excellent hostess found us a seat off to the side. The room was warm, friendly, sophisticated with a urban touch. Giant artwork adorned the wall above the windows facing the river and the other open wall had a giant blackboard with the menu in chalk.

 We immediately felt right at home. We opened with a J. Scott Viognier, a full-bodied, rich, ripe, fruit –forward wine with bright acidity, leading itself to a wonderful balance. J. Scott is Silvan Ridge winemaker, Jonathon Oberlander’s private label, and I had not had it since the mid-2000s when I sold it wholesale.  I highly recommend Jonathan’s wines, he is a very talented winemaker. The winelist was perfect, they had a nice selection of wines by the glass and a well-rounded list of wines by the bottle from the Eugene area, Oregon, California and a smattering of imports thrown in for good measure.

We had no sooner taken our first sip of viognier when our hostess informed us that our table was ready.  We had a nice view of the river and the Siuslaw River Bridge. 

We opted for a lime pepper shrimp for an appy that was very tasty, but the salad blew me away. I am not a salad guy, but this was so good. The viognier added just the right amount of acidity and fruit, complimenting the dish beautifully. Of course, I had to have the House Specialty, so I ordered the Crab Encrusted Halibut and a glass of Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc. Normally the Nobilo, being a typical New Zealand Sauv blanc, shows a huge note of grapefruit and tropical notes and high acidity, which I like, and it did not disappoint. Paired with the fish and chili cream sauce, the wine countered the slightly sweet sauce and let the crust and fish shine through, a gorgeous pairing.

The Depot was packed on Saturday night and the staff was kept running all evening, but despite that they still did a bang up job, displaying poise and professionalism throughout. I would like extend a special thank you to our server, Wenonah, she was amazing, keeping up the communication and being attentive amidst the chaos going on around her.  The hostess was equally gracious, she found a wonderful table for us, and got our wines for us. If you go, be sure to call ahead for reservations, it is not a large restaurant and they are very popular.
We will definitely be back to both Florence and to the Waterfront Depot

Cheers!!!

Rosella Vineyard & Winery and others...

This weekend saw us revisiting many of our favorite haunts.  On Friday, we went to Dunbar Farms/Rocky Knoll Vineyards to checkout out their Belgian Draft horses, Bonnie & Clyde, they are using to cultivate their land. While there, we also enjoyed a nice glass of Rocky Knoll Dunbar Red, a very nice, easy to drink Cab Sauv, Cab franc & Merlot blend.

Afterward we went to to RoxyAnn for Friday night music where we were treated to TC & the Reactions rocking the house. Catch these guys, they are a vary talented band that performs "Power Rhythm & Blues". We enjoyed the RoxyAnn Viognier, always a tasty and refreshing wine on a hot summer eve, and got to share in some bubbly (not sure what we were drinking at that point, too busy dancing and visiting with the old gang).

On Saturday, we were off to the beautiful Applegate Valley. Local legend has it that there are more airline pilots per capita living there than anywhere on the west coast. Apparently, when flying from San Francisco to Portland and Seattle, there is always a break in the clouds over this little valley, revealing an amazing view from above. Upon visiting you can experience it yourself; the weather is beautiful, they have more blue sky days than the Rogue Valley and it is a gorgeous valley, unspoiled by development and "progress". It is also home to a growing number of excellent wineries. One can make a day of visiting the various tasting rooms, each with their own, unique story.  We spend a lot of time out there, as the in-laws are Applegate residents, so you will be hearing more about the Applegate in the future.

We enjoyed the day with the in-laws (out-laws?!) and ended up at Rosellas Vineyard and Winery.  Rex and Sandi Garoutte opened it back in 1998, concentrating on making quality wine from self-grown fruit.  They currently grow Cab Sauv, Merlot, Chardonnay, Zin and Syrah.  They produce nice, smooth wines with great fruit and low tannins. Rex achieves great balance with his wines and are always quite tasty.

I absolutely love going to Rosellas, it is the most unadorned, unassuming tasting room, very intimate... it must be 12' x 15' inside, but  Rex and Sandi have such effusive personalities, it feels much larger.  It may be small, but it is not lacking in the fun factor. Especially when Rex is holding court. He is a kick with a wealth of knowledge about grapes, farming, wine and the Applegate.

On this particular trip, we got to revisit his Merlot Blush. Wow, we loved it, it possesses great fruit, just a touch of sweetness and bright acidity with a light strawberry color. Rex has been kegging this wine for sale at the Britt Festival and was a huge hit last year!  His Cab Sauv is coming along great, the vines have been in the ground long enough that they are now well established and showing off some of the terroir of the property. Rex had a new wine, a sherry called Wai Kula "Liquid Gold", a fortified white blend. Amber in color, it shows nut and vanilla with spicy notes. It will make a great aperitif or as a special treat with some chocolate at the end of the evening. Rex called drinking the the Wai Kula, "running with scissors", meaning it is dnagerous- goes down easy and packs a bit of a wallop! Rex did assure us we can open it, put the cork back and forget about it, no hurry to finish this bottle, savor and enjoy!

We thank Rex and Sandy for their hospitality and friendship; do not miss this winery when you venture out to the Applegate. You will not be disappointed.

We will be back on the wine trail in coming weeks and we will share with you. Until then...

CHEERS!

DANCIN VINEYARDS

After the craziness of the Memorial Day/Opening weekend, we ventured back out to Dancin Vineyards with a group of friends.

They stay open until 8pm on Fri & Sat, later than most vineyards, and we made an evening of it. We sat on the patio that provides a great view of the valley, but one of the day's frequent rain showers drove us under the covered alcove by the front door. Offering table-side service, we sat down to enjoy a few glasses of wine. The day's flight had a great offering of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Malbac and Malbec Rosé. Dancin is the only tasting room I know that serves in the big, beautiful Pinot Noir glass. Along side they have a small carafe in which they serve the 5 oz. glass pour. All in all, it is a wonderful presentation, classy and very unique.

We watched with great interest as a party left the wine cave. As curiosity overcame us, we just had to go see what was in there.

 Dan, one of the owners (Cindy being the other) offered to show us the Cave. We expected a giant, deep cave carved into the hillside. Instead we were treated to a beautiful, intimate, tastefully appointed room with a gorgeous dark wood dining table running down the middle that can seat 10 people. Dan informed us that they could serve more with different configurations. At this time, rental is based on food and wine sales, but Dan said they were customizing the rates for each occasion. We were intrigued and look forward to have a small party there in the near future.

As some members of our group departed for further

adventures, Dan came out an chatted with us, covering a wide range of topics from wine making philosophy, Cave rental, tastings and fees, wine club, the use of chickens, plans for music and more. Dan is the the wine grower and assists Eric Weisinger in the winemaking. It is good to see Eric back from New Zealand and being involved in this project. 

 Behind the gorgeous Tuscan-style tasting room is a lovely lawn area shaded by a Black Walnut and other big mature trees. Along side is an unusual Chicken Condo, where they rotate chickens out to mobile Chicken coops, called tractors,  in the vineyards. The tractors are large enough that the chickens can move about, scratch up the weeds and their waste helps fertilize the vineyard. The chickens seem to be a major hit, kids and adults alike are fascinated by their antics.

Dan told us, they they will be concentrating on making top flight Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays, but are augmenting their line-up with Velocity Cellars wines- Velocity, Malbec and the aforemention Malbec Rosé (my drink of choice for the evening, that's right- Real Men Drink Pink!). The also have a delicious Dana Campbell Viognier and there are plans to add a Rosenblum Zinfandel. Love what they are doing, there is a certain synergy to their offerings that works great.

In addition to the wines, Dan's wife Cindy (Dan+Cindy= DanCin) runs a stunning little food service with fresh baked artisan breads, thin crust pizzas made in a wood-fired pizza oven, desserts, cheese and deli plates and a host of other delectable delights. Their tasting notes offering food pairings for each wine, so you can best experience the tastes.

Dan and Cindy have been together 17 years and have figured out what makes them function best. Dan said that within the name DanCin, they are "fine as long as they stay between the 'n & c'." In other words, perfectly balanced right down the middle. This shows through in their wines, food and atmosphere. It is a comfortable place with attentive staff that really puts it best foot forward. 

The logo itself encompasses their winery. The seven dots along the top represent the 7 Pinot Noir clones they use, the Dan and Cin and two distinct boxes, surround by one box, unifying them together.

We had a brilliant evening with our friends and Dan certainly added to the enjoyment of discovering Dancin Vineyards. We would certainly like to thank him for opening a very special bottle of Rosenblum 2001 Maggie's Reserve Zinfandel, it was a special treat and greatly appreciated. The wine has held up great and is delicious to the last sip.

For more information, please visit the...

Dancin website

Dancin Facebook page

QUADY NORTH

We recently popped into Quady North in Jacksonville. What a fun, funky little place. From the outside, it looks like the typical turn-of-the-century building in J'Ville. Inside, it is an intimate room with whitewashed walls, modern, colorful furniture and a cool, breezy air about it. The first thing I learned- it is pronounced Qwah-Dee, not Qwāy-Dee, as I've always thought.

Jeannie took us through a tasting, I was particularly fond of the 2011 Rose`, a Syrah/Granache blend that epitomizes the “new style” of American Rose`s- clean, dry with a great nose and supple acidity. In other words, a perfect summer wine.

I got chatting with a wonderful couple from McMinnville who told us of a guy up there making oak stave furniture (from used wine barrels), in particular, an Adirondack chair that had notched arms for wine glasses- brilliant! This let to a story that owners Herb & Melanie Quady had a baby last year and had received a cradle made from a wine barrel. Wow, talk about starting them young. Future winemaker there, or at least an aficionado.

Speaking of children, Herb makes a great Syrah called 4-2,A, a term created by his daughter. Little Margaux was blending juice and water and called her concoction 4-2-A, or fourtooay (she thought of chardonnay, Cabernet, Viognier). If not winemaking, she has a bright future in marketing.

One last trick I learned- if using a wine barrel as a planter, put plastic gallon jugs on the bottom as fill to make the planter lighter. This still gives you plenty of soil. I wish I thought of that before I planted my tomatoes. But, luckily my ½ barrel is on castors, so I can roll it into the sun for best exposure.

SOUTH STAGE CELLARS

We had a great time popping into South Stage Cellars on a recently Saturday afternoon/eve. Located in downtown Jacksonville, this historic location has a rustic charm all its own. With brick and rough hewn woodwork, a great fireplace and many hand-built pieces of locally built furniture, the tasting room is warm, inviting and homey.

The owners, Don and Traute Moore and their son Michael, own over 300 acres of grapes, many of which are sold to top winemakers throughout Oregon. The tasting room features many of these wines, as well as South Stage Cellars wines which are all crafted from the original Quail Run Vineyard.

There is a mantle along one wall that houses mason jars full of the various soils from each of the Moore's vineyards, giving customers a visual reference as to why same varietals grown at different sites taste different.

The Tasting Room is a cultural hub of Jacksonville, with a rotating artwork display, Wine & Dine Wednesday Nights (you must make reservations- it sells out), Friday Happy Hour, music on Friday and Saturday nights and a host of other, fun intriguing events that Manager Porscha Schiller dreams up. On this day, there was a wine club release being held in the garden out back. The deck and garden was full, but not crowded, and everyone seemed perfectly content. A special for the wine club was an offering of the new Carmenere, one of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux, France; now mainly found in Chile. It was being offered for a limited time and then being shipped back to the library for further aging. Unfortunately, I did not have a chance to sample.

Connie who was working the Tasting Room was professional and very personable. She even gave some great advice for our dinner that evening. Upon hearing a tasting request, we decided a skosh is slightly more than a smidgen, just for future reference.

I happened upon Michael Moore who said the vineyards look great for so early in the spring. He told me they had budbreak all on the same day throughout the vineyards, regardless of elevation or location. He seemed quite happy and was optimistic for the growing season.

We had a few tastes and then a glass of South Stage Cellars Viognier, always one of my favorites, while listening to a gentleman singing and playing guitar. It was a perfect way to end the afternoon before dinner. 

South Stage Cellars Website 

South Stage Cellars Facebook Page