Where are we?

Can you identify which winery we are visiting?

Please comment below...

Shaking off winter's hibernation

Spring has sprung and a young man's fancy turns to wine tasting. (To steal a turn of phrase).

After a winter off, the time is rapidly approaching to start sampling the valley's bountiful wine offerings.

But, before we do, I have an article I have been working on for some time. I look forward to sharing the story of an amazing artisan, a gentleman who is quite talented at blowing beautiful, custom glass pieces.

Stay tuned, I will be sharing shortly.

CHEERS

Where are we?

Can you tell which winery we are at?

Early Harvest

My brother-in-law, Tom, and his wife, Carolyn, were in town this weekend for my father-in-law's "70-Sumtin" birthday. On Saturday, we took them to a few old haunts, first we took them out to Wooldridge Creek Winery so we could pick up our autumn release and say hello to old friends Kara & Greg, the winemakers, and Terry in the tasting room.  Then we were off to Red Lily Vineyards to introduce Tom & Carolyn to our of our favorite places.

This time of year is early harvest, the whites and early reds, such as Pinot Noir, are starting to work their way onto the crush pad. Harvest time at a winery means many long days and hard work as the wineries rush to battle nature's capriciousness. In addition to judging the perfect brix (or sugar levels) in which to pick the grapes, birds, bears, deer, rain and other sundry natural forces conspire against the harvest crews in getting the grapes in at just the right time.

When we arrived at Red Lily, owner and winemaker, Rachel Martin was still on the crush pad finishing up for the day. We wandered over to check her progress and get an update. Rachel explained that their newest addition,  a white grape, Verdejo, was doing great and the first of their famous Tempranillo was coming in.

As I said, harvest is hard work, long days and lots of beer (no wine can be made without copious amounts of beer). This year, Rachel battled a new scourge, bees. She said the bees were wildly abundant this year, having worked themselves into the grapes. She alone had gotten stung eight times (so far). She told us the grape press reverberated with the sound of bees as the grapes went through it.  Apparently bees are attracted to the sugary grape pulp, they do not, however, pollinate grapes.  Grapes are pollinate via air -borne pollen.

Harvest will be going on for sometime in the valley as the grapes do their slow, steady march toward ripening and their eventual plucking from the vine to be made into delicious Southern Oregon Wines.

To all of the winemakers, staff and harvest crews, I wish you a great harvest and look forward to the "fruits of your labor"!

WHERE ARE WE?

Can you tell which winery we are at?
Please comment below...

Autumn is neigh...

By all these lovely tokens September days are here, 

With summer's best of weather And autumn's best of cheer.
-Helen Hunt Jackson

Yes, Autumn is in the air. The days grow shorter and cooler, the nights crisper and the grapes... well, the grapes are well into Veraison, changing color, ripening, developing the complex sugars that will give them their wondrous flavor. The grapes sunning on the vine, enjoying the temperate nature of late summer/early fall, growing fat and fragrant.

This is a wonderful time to go wine tasting in the valley. The temperatures are comfortable, there is a buzz in the air at the wineries as harvest approaches and the colors are starting to change, the trees dressing in their autumnal plumage.

Get out, drive to one of the numerous wineries our area has to offer. It does not matter if it is a grand chateau or a little shack - explore, find the hidden treasures and experience firsthand the romance of wine. 

The Romance of Wine, it is not in the vineyard, that is farming. It is not in the winery, that is chemistry and hard work. It is not even in the tasting room, that is a commercial endeavor. It is in the glass, it is in the relationships between friends, and even strangers, in the enjoyment of the wine. 

 The wines that one best remembers are not necessarily the finest that one has ever tasted, and the highest quality may fail to delight so much as some far more humble beverage drunk in more favorable surroundings.
-H. Warner Allen

 So, my suggestion to you dear reader is to venture forth, take a Sunday drive any old day of the week, enjoy the wonderful weather and dare to experience an unknown wine. While you are there, take a look at the vineyards and imagine, if you will, the vintage that these grapes will become and the enjoyment of revisiting them in the bottle at some future date.

CHEERS

Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been brought to the greatest perfection, and it offers a greater range for enjoyment and appreciation than, possibly, any other purely sensory thing.

 -Ernest Hemingway

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.

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!!!

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!