StoneRiver Winery

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!

Directions to StoneRiver, 2178 Pioneer Rd, Talent, OR ‎

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!

Where Are We?

Where are we?

Can you tell which winery we at by this photo?

Please comment below.

Cheers!

STAY TUNED, MORE TO COME...

STAY TUNED, MORE TO COME...

This will be a Wine Weekend. We are heading a number of places this weekend and I will have some new stories to share. Be patient, a good wine tale takes a while to develop, much like a good wine. :-)

My better half and I and our partners in crime are looking forward to another season of wine tasting. We just completed spring training and are gearing up for the task ahead. Our palettes are ready, our noses are clear and, of course, our tummies are always ready to taste and enjoy.

Talk to ya soon,

CHEERS1

Joe

An Evening at REDFISH in Port Orford

An Evening at REDFISH in Port Orford

On our recent trip to the Central Oregon coast, we decided to have dinner at Redfish in Port Orford.  Redfish specializes in fresh, local, modern seafood cuisine and has an extensive wine list, a very impressive list, I might add.  The decor is artsy and modern, the staff professional and attentive, without out being intrusive.  The restaurant affords you a beautiful view of the ocean.

While we settled in, our server, Charlie, asked if we would like to start with something to drink. Why, of course!  I had my eye on some Oregon Pinot gris' to pair with the impending seafood order.  I inquired which of the three he would recommend, as I was looking for something with nice acidity and brightness and light on sugar. He excused himself to ask his amazing wine stewart, Robbie Hayden.  Upon returning, I asked which one and his answer, to my surprise, was none of them.  The recommendation was a Four Graces Pinot gris from Dundee. Upon first taste, I thought it might be too rounded, almost like a Chardonnay. But as the food arrived, I began to understand why Robbie had recommended this brilliant wine. It paired beautifully with the various seafood courses, adding depth and complexity to the dishes.  I have since found out the 2012 Pinot gris won a Silver Medal from Sunset Magazine.  

There was a couple sitting across from us that obviously were vinophiles and where enjoying Robbie's recommendations greatly. As we awaited our appetizer, the gentleman approached our table and asked if he could ask a favor. Of course, what can we do for you, we replied and he explained that he was a Willamette Valley winemaker and he was personal friends of the Four Graces management.  He introduced himself as Robert Brittan and his wife Ellen Brittan of Brittan Vineyards

He wanted to take a picture of us with the bottle to share with his friends. He explained that he loved the wine and Redfish was one of his favorite restaurants on the coast.  He informed us that the four names encircling the foil capsule was the names of the winery owner's children - Alexis, Juliana, Vanessa and Christiana. He was most gracious and I look forward to the day that we can visit his winery and enjoy his outstanding wines as well.

We thoroughly enjoyed a delicious meal and as we sat sipping the last of the Pinot gris, Robbie asked what we thought of the wine. After platitudes and formal introductions, he invited Jill and I to inspect his wine cellar. It was, in actuality, a small room located just off the main dining area. Small in stature, but not in selection. Oh my!  He had some very nice wines from Oregon, California and an impressive assortment of what he called his Collector List. He had rare and highly desirable wines, it took my breath away. He proudly walked us through the wines and told us about his philosophy of great wines at a reasonable price, eschewing the traditional huge mark-up seen at many fine dining establishments..  He also explained that he had been awarded the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence.  Along with the great bottle and glass selection, Robbie had cultivated a very nice split program, which I always appreciate. 

Who would have thought to find such a fabulous wine selection and talented wine stewart in such a sleepy little fishing village such as Port Orford.  

All in all, we had a wonderful time, ate some great food, drank some very tasty wine, made some new friends and had a memorable experience. 

Sorry for the lack of publishing, the past year has been full of interesting twists and turns.  I am back at it and ready to start posting again.

Thank you for your patience, I promise I have some good stuff coming up. I have two reviews to finish and a slew of new "Where Are We" to share with you.

This was a bottle of Illahe Pinot gris we enjoyed on a recent trip to the coast.  We found this at the most amazing wine shop - Tiffany's Wine Shop, located in Tiffany's Drugs in the Bandon Shopping Center.  In this unassuming little local drug store, they have a surprisingly evolved wine selection. I could have spent hours perusing the wines available, but alas, we were en-route to our final destination. We choose this and a Ken Wright White Label Pinot Noir. Both were delicious!  We look forward to stopping in again on our next trip through Bandon.

Well, more to come, stay tuned.

CHEERS!

WHERE ARE WE? 

Can you tell which winery this is, just by this pressing photo?

 

 

Please make your response in the comment section below...

(it may say no comment  or comment and a #, just click on comment)

WHERE ARE WE?

Can you tell which winery this is, just by the fabulous view?

 

Please make your response in the comment section below...

(it may say no comment  or comment and a #, just click on it

and you can enter you name and guess)

WHERE ARE WE?

Can you identify which winery this is by this photo?

Please post your answer in the comment section below...

More Winery posts coming, stay tuned. Thanks!

WHERE ARE WE?

Can you identify this winery by

the brief shot provided?

Please answer in the comment section below....

WHERE ARE WE?

Starting this week, we will be posting weekly pictures of 

Southern Oregon Wineries. 

Our challenge to you is to tell us "Where We Are" by the snippet we provide.

Please answer in the comment section below...

Can you tell us Where We Are?

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

EARLY BIRDS GET THE (WINE) WORM…

The 10^th Annual World of Wine Festival will be August 22-25^th this year. A tip for all of you planning on attending- Tickets are $75, if you are a wine club member, check with your winery and see if you can get early insider tickets for $65.

For those of you who don’t know, WOW is a celebration and competition of local wines. Over 60 wineries participate; the only stipulation is the wines entered must be made from southern Oregon grapes. This means we get winemakers from all over the region involved, as well as, our local favorites.

I worked this event for a number of years as a server and arranging auction item donations and I always had a great time. When I worked the event, it was held at Del Rio Vineyards. Now they have moved to Jacksonville, where they have been able to grow the event from 1 day to a 4 day event, offering more opportunity to truly discover Southern Oregon Wines.

This is a terrific way to experience the fabulous wines that Southern Oregon has to offer. In addition to the wines, you also get a souvenir wine glass and chance to sample the area’s culinary delights- pizza, beef, jerky, cheese and chocolates in particular. There is a silent auction, raffle and wine wheel for added fun. I believe the entry fee is worth every cent.

We enjoy this event so much we have a framed collection of WOW posters hanging in our living room to commemorate the great times we have spent there.

I highly encourage you to consider the Grand Tasting Event, at the very least, on Aug. 25^th. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

http://www.worldofwinefestival.com/home

https://www.facebook.com/WorldofWineFestival

Madrone Mountain Winery

Post Script...

How could I be so remiss.  I had found out that Madrone Mountain has closed up shop in Central Point and they have landed at Red Lily.  Red Lily will be tasting and selling the tasty Madrone Mountain Dessert wines.  In addition Madrone Mountain will be having their wine club releases in the barn at Red Lily.

I had a chance to speak with Don during their first wine club release at Red Lily over a few samples. He seemed genuinely  happy with the arrangement. It gives him a popular outlet close to home and it rounds out and compliments the Red Lily offering.  

Don & Bret make wonderful artisanal dessert wine. Just don't call them ports!  They may have some Iberain vines, but they are from the Applegate, not from Portugal.  (Maybe Apports?) It is technically illegal to call a fortified wine not from Portugal a Port. Much like the rules governing Champagne. In addition the Madrone Mountain wines are not as heavy, sweet or having a high alcohol content as tradition ports. Rather they are lighter with a high acidity, smooth balance and better suited to pairing with food.

Don was sampling during their wine club release and I had a chance to taste the new  2009 Starthistle Cuvée, a brilliantly clean Reisling with just the right balance of sweet and dry. This is great little food wine. Perfect for a savory appetizer or sturdy German fare.  I do enjoy Madrone Mountain's wine and look forward to sampling more upon our next trip to Red Lily.

Madrone Mountain Website

Madrone Mountain Facebook Page

RED LILY

Jill and I went with some friends to Red Lily last weekend and had our first opportunity to check out the Red Lily “Beach”.

We stopped in Red Lily’s gorgeous Tasting Room for a quick flight to decide what bottle to take down to the seating along the river.  We decided on the Ghost Lily Viognier and the Red Blanket Tempranillo. 

The Red Blanket is the little sister to Red Lily’s signature wine, The Red Lily Tempranillo.  The Red Lily is a big, bold, chewy wine and the Red Blanket is full-bodied, yet more approachable. The Red Lily needs time and or aeration, the Red Blanket- pour and enjoy!

Red Lily is named for a rare lily, Bolander Lily, found in the Siskiyou Mountains and for their bold and daring daughter, Lily!

The Red Blanket moniker comes from an old mining legend here in Southern Oregon. Legend has it that a prospector named Ed Schieffelin, who made a fortune in Arizona by discovering the Tombstone Lode, found a huge gold strike on Days Creek and marked it with a red blanket.  But, Ed passed before he could file a claim.  Some say it existed, some say no; there was some rich ore samples in his cabin when they found him, but only Ed knows if he really struck it rich again. So, if you are ever in the Rogue River area up by Days Creek, keep your eyes peeled for an old tattered shred of red blanket.

So, after we got our wine, we moseyed on down to the “beach”, a sandy stretch on the Applegate River set up for wine tasting and picnicking.  We pulled out our pic-a-nik basket, poured some wine and had a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon.

Rachael and her staff have a beautiful place with a fun, hearty, warm atmosphere with delicious wine and a magnificent setting.  They have not missed a thing in designing, building and running this fabulous tasting room and winery. It is one of my favorite Wineries.

Red Lily Facebook

Red Lily Website

DanCin Vineyards Tasting Room

Jill and I went to the Grand Opening of DanCin Vineyards over the Memorial Day Weekend.

What a beautiful place! The Tasting room is done in a Tuscan style and there is plenty of outdoor seating surrounding the Tasting Room overlooking the gorgeous vineyards.  

DanCin currently offers Chardonnay and Pinot noir, both of which are excellent.  They also offer food (pizza!) and gourmet coffee.

As the Memorial Day weekend was jamming, we did not do a flight, instead we enjoyed a few glasses of delicious wine.  We will go back soon and do a proper review for you.

The view from the front patio facing northeast, toward Medford.

Jill in front of the Wine Cave

The sign on South Stage Road

DanCin Facebook Page

DanCin Website

CHEERS!

Have you seen Merlove, "... a documentary celebrating Merlot wine in response to the movie Sideways."

For more information, please visit their website

This is my review of it... (Amazon.com 2/10/10)
"Merlove is a truly enjoyable movie from the first sip to the last drop.
I love that fact that the film educates and promotes Merlot, but not at the expense of any other varietal. As a matter of fact, the film makers go to great lengths to encourage wine lovers to explore the multitude of wines available.
It is obvious that the film makers love Merlot and thoroughly enjoyed making this film. The photography was great, the characters engaging, the story informative and amusing, and the subject near and dear to my heart.
All in all, a great film, giving us insight to the history, process and passion that is Merlot.
Cheers!"

STACKED... how convenient!
Oh wow, have you heard about this?  They now make STACKED. 4 individual wine glasses filled with Chardonnay or Merlot and stacked to mimic a 750ml bottle of wine.  No wine keys, corkscrews, additional glasses, etc....
What do YOU think? Genius, a great Britt product, meh or just plain silly?
Check it out here.

5/17/12 UPDATE...
Stacked's Facebook Page announced they have release their Pinot gris.

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 

Here is a tip for all you tasters. 

When you go tasting, do you rinse your glasses between tastes?  

Please don't rinse. The average taste is around an ounce, not much liquid at all.  

When you rinse, water is left in the glass due to the adhesive nature of water.  Enough is left to dilute your next sample of wine.

 

Most wineries pour from lightest to heaviest wines, so you should not have to rinse between tastes. If the wines leave some stuff (we call this MOG- matter other than grapes) in the glass, you should either rinse it with the next wine or ask for a new glass.  Same thing if you happen to go backwards from a heavier to lighter wine, say from a cab to a Pinot noir. 

If you've had a dessert wine, get a new glass before venturing on.

Another factor to consider is the chlorine in water, it can affect the taste of your wine.  Generally you don't have to worry about this when glasses are washed, they are normally left to air dry and the chlorine blows off quickly.

Well, until next time...

Try something new this week.

CHEERS!

The Egyptians were the first to make glass containers around 1500 B.C.E.

PACIFIC WINE CLUB

We went a bit off the beaten track and didn't even leave Medford. We found ourselves at the Pacific Wine Club (PWC) last Saturday. Although it was initially a bit tough to find, it certainly was worth the effort.

I got a kick out of our server, Jim. He was a regular customer when I worked at RoxyAnn and it was fun to be on the other side of the bar. Jim regaled us with stories of his time in Italy in the 70's as he did a masterful pouring.

The PWC certainly is generous with it pours. Whereas most tasting rooms seem to pour ¾ to 1 oz., they are closer to an 1 1/2oz to two oz. This is so you get a better mouthfeel and a good sampling of the wine.

The PWC is unique because they are a full tasting room, a retail shop, internet ordering and a warehouse. They have some wonderful wines from around the Northwest, as well as wines from around the world, all at competitive prices. I found a Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo that I fell in love with- smooth, polished and great with food. In the warehouse, they have an amazing selection of grocery store type wines at great prices. I saw an old favorite, Gruet Sparkling Wine, that is on the shopping list.

The store started as an online store and just had a warehouse. But then, owners Victoria and Ken decided to expand and a hit was born. The tasting room features full tasting flights, themed tastings and specials, great wine club options, music, wine by the glass or the bottle (provided you purchase it there) and even beer.

The atmosphere is cozy and has big over stuffed chairs to relax in. The warehouse is fun to peruse for great deals. There are also a number of wine clubs offered, sure to fit anyone's tastes. (pun intended)

The PWC is off Biddle across form the airport behind the hotel. Although we (almost) got lost, it was a discovery happily made.

Music on Friday, hmm...!

PWC Website

PWC Facebook

Давайте выпьем за то, чтобы мы испытали столько горя, сколько капель вина останется в наших бокалах!

(May we suffer as much sorrow as drops of wine we are about to leave in our glasses!)

PASSING OF AN ERA...

Lorn at work

Well, it is a sad day indeed. Lorn Razzano is selling Ashland's Wine Cellar.  It has always been nice to go downstairs and see Lorn holding court in his chair by the register.  

He always shared great tales, advice and samples. Lorn has been an institution in Ashland since the '80s, with his shop, his column in the Daily Tidings and his wine appreciation class at SOU.

I don't what is in store for my old friend, but I wish him well where ever life's path takes him next. I say thank you, Grazie, for imparting your love and knowledge of wine with me and generations of students and customers.

Cheers and ciao, Paisano!

I wish good tidings (pun intended) to the new owners.

To read the Ashland Daily Tiding's article, by Sam Wheeler, click HERE

Rocky Knoll

Dunbar Farms, aka Rocky Knoll Vineyard, has started its farm stand for the spring with a great offering of veggies, bread, olive oils, and such. On Friday night, they had a small gathering to show the progress of their new Tasting Room/Farm Stand.

My better half had ordered some organic produce and farm fresh eggs and we popped in to sample their two red wines, the 2007 Dunbar Red and the 2006 Rocky Knoll Claret. I must say, wow! the Claret is aging nicely, really full bodied, great fruit and nice balance. We chose to have a glass of the Dunbar Red, the Claret's little brother. I had not tasted it in about a year and was delighted to see that it is holding up great with rich fruit and just the right amount of oomph! Easy to drink, very enjoyable. Of course a bottle made it home, but sorry to say, not through the night.

Tasting Room with a view...

The new tasting room/farm stand should be open by late summer, bureaucracy notwithstanding, and looks to be well thought out. It is very spacious with room for the tasting room, the farm stand, and a deck out back. The deck has a gorgeous view of the property, the western hills of Medford and the Table Rocks. The tasting room proper shares the view with expansive windows, making the room very open and bright. The doors leading to the deck are retractable, giving Rocky Knoll the ability to turn it all into one big space for events. The farm stand will have an honor box for self-service with a glass-front cooler and dry bin displays.

Retractable doors on the deck

David Mostue and his mother Emily, have great plans for the tasting room, keeping with the organic/sustainable theme of the farming operation. David's organic operation has evolved very well, he has added ancient grains and is having them milled the old fashion way. In turn, he is having bread made with the grains and sells the grains at the farm stand. No mechanical, modern operation is this, he does much of his farming with huge draft horses. It is this commitment to a simpler, arguably better way of living that guides the farm and vineyard in all of their efforts.

This promises to be a comfortable, relaxing and low-key atmosphere. Perfect for enjoying wine, fresh locally-grown produce, and the simpler things in life. A throwback, perhaps, but I think it genius. Aren't we all looking to find a way to step back from the day to day hassles of modern life? Rocky Knoll's tasting room and farm stand is sure to transport you back to a day when life was much more simple.

For more information, please visit... http://www.dunbarfarms.com
and http://www.rocky-knoll.com/ 

Night time at Rocky Knoll