Reprinted with permission of Eugene Daily News Written by Julia Crowley

Last week I mentioned I was going to be busy taking advantage of Eugene’s many wine related events that happen on a weekly basis, so starting on Wednesday evening, some friends and I hit the town.It wasn’t quite what we expected. Our plan was to meet at Cafe Soriah at 4 pm to take advantage of their Wine Wednesday 1/2 off bottles of wine from their impressive wine list, but when we got there, we realized they didn’t open until 5 pm. As we stood in the pouring rain, we quickly came up with an alternate plan when we saw that Hot Mama’s Wings, just a few doors down, was open for business.

Once we were inside, we settled into a comfortable booth and browsed the menu. Hoping for wine, their wine list was simply house reds and whites, and we soon found out that the wine was boxed wine, made by Black Box Wine. Since I was determined to have a glass of wine, I put my fears of boxed wine away, and ordered a glass of the Pinot Grigio to go with the Thai Peanut Chicken Wings, the next best alternative to a Riesling with a Thai based dish.

Although the Pinot Grigio was not comparable to the much anticipated Oregon pinot noir I was planning on ordering at Soriah, it wasn’t all that bad. It displayed aromas of lemon and melon, and had a crisp apple flavor with a lightly lingering finish. There wasn’t much depth of character, but it was better than I thought it was going to be, and it actually went well with the delicious Thai Peanut chicken wings. I was very impressed with the food, atmosphere and service, and this won’t be the last time I write about Hot Mama’s Wings.

After we were finished with our wings and boxed wine, it was past 5 pm, so we braved the pouring rain again to head back over to Cafe Soriah-where the wine list literally made my mouth water. But, before we could order a bottle of stellar pinot noir, we were informed that their Wine Wednesdays had been changed from every Wednesday to just the last Wednesday of the month, so no 1/2 off for us. Disappointed, we settled on ordering a glass instead of a bottle, and although their available wine by the glass did not offer an Oregon pinot noir, they just happened to have a bottle of Oregon’s Artisanal Wine Cellars  pinot noir open, so the bartender offered us a taste of the French pinot noir on the menu and the Artisanal pinot noir. They were both excellent, but I undoubtedly ended up with a glass of the Artisanal pinot noir, which was close enough to what I had originally planned on ordering and chock full of the beautiful flavors of Oregon fruit.

Even when things don’t always go as planned, it’s no difficult task to enjoy the splendors of wine in Eugene. After Wednesday, Friday night was spent sipping the delicious Stone’s Throw pinot noir at Territorial Vineyards and Wine Company, and Sunday was spent looking out over the valley from the tasting room at near by Noble Estate Vineyard. Life is good.

Reprinted with permission of the Eugene Daily News

written by Julia Crowley

Whether you’re a seasoned wine connoisseur or just now starting to explore the world of wine, there are a plethora of wine related events happening in our beautiful southern Willamette Valley. Eugene knows how to keep us wine enthusiasts enthusiastic about the beverage of our choice. Read the rest of this entry »

Re-posted with permission of Eugene Daily News

Written by Julia Crowley

Look at ALL the fun things for us to start the New Year with!! Cheers!!

June Restaurant and Bar: Wed. 5-6 pm, NEW~Wine Wednesdays featuring 25 percent off of all bottles from their Northwest focused wine list. Tue. – Sat. 5-6 pm Happy Hour. 1591 Willamette St., Eugene.

16Tons (Taphouse): Thu. 4-6 pm. Flat Tail Mustache Rye’d Release and Free Tasting. They will tap their last keg of Local’s Only Plum Wit and at least 3 other unique Flat Tail Beers. 265 East Thirteenth Ave., Eugene.

16Tons (Supreme Bean): Thu. 6-9 pm, Eugene Pinot Club, free wine tasting. Join Jessica and guests for free tasters of several great wines. Artisan cheese plates and specials. 2864 Willamette St., Eugene. Read the rest of this entry »

By Andy Perdue, Tri-City Herald

It was a busy and exciting year for Northwest wineries as they battled Mother Nature as well as political and economic winds. The industry lost some giants to death, and the heads of Washington’s and Oregon’s industries left their positions. Here are the top wine stories of 2011.1.

1. Washington voters pass Initiative 1183. In November, voters did away with Washington’s state liquor stores by passing the Costco-backed Initiative 1183. Many wineries, wine shops and groceries are still trying to sort out the full effect of the new law, but the bottom line is that Washington’s largest wine retailer — liquor stores — are going away.

2. Dean of Northwest wine writers dies. Bob Woehler began covering the industry in 1976, and he never stopped. He was the Tri-City Herald’s wine columnist from 1978 to 2010 and was Wine Press Northwest’s tasting editor from 1998 until his death in August, just a few days after he turned 78. While he focused his efforts on Washington, where he lived, he also covered the Oregon wine industry in its early days and greatly enjoyed writing about British Columbia and Idaho.

3. Vintage 2011. Following 2009 and 2010, which provided plenty of challenges, 2011 was even more difficult for most of the Northwest. A bad winter in Washington shortened the grape crop by 20 percent, and a late start to spring left growers and winemakers scrambling all summer and well into November. Western Oregon growers had an even more harrowing time getting their grapes ripe. Tonnage was up a bit in British Columbia, where weather conditions weren’t quite as dire as elsewhere. In Idaho, tonnage was down, but wineries weren’t quite as stressed out as their Washington and Oregon counterparts.

4. Winery deaths. In 2011, the wine industry lost a few of own. On Sept. 11, longtime Northwest wine executive Glenn Coogan died of heart failure. He oversaw Northwest operations for Ascentia Wine Estates, which put him in charge at Columbia and Covey Run wineries in Washington and Ste. Chapelle in Idaho. On Sept. 26, maverick winemaker Mike Moore, owner of Blackwood Canyon Vintners on Washington’s Red Mountain, died after a brief illness. Cathy Stoller, co-owner of Stoller Vineyards in Oregon’s Dundee Hills, died Nov. 30 after a fall She also was a co-owner of Chehalem Wines. And Forrest Klaffke, longtime winemaker for Willamette Valley Vineyards in Turner, Ore., died Dec. 26 after a battle with cancer.

5. Changes at top for Washington, Oregon. In June, Jeanette Morgan stepped down as executive director of the Oregon Wine Board after just a few months on the job. She was replaced in December by Tom Danowski, a former executive for Ste. Michelle Wine Estates and Seattle’s Best Coffee. In October, Robin Pollard, executive director of the Washington Wine Commission, announced she would leave at the end of the year. She had been in the job for six years.

6. WSU Wine Science Center gets industry funding. In June, the Washington wine industry pledged $7.4 million to help build the Wine Science Center at Washington State University’s Richland campus. This was the biggest contribution yet to the $23.25 million center, which would provide education to prospective winemakers and research for the industry. Land for the project is being donated by the Port of Benton. The university hopes to begin construction in spring 2013.

7. AVA news. In December, the federal government approved Naches Heights near Yakima as Washington’s 12th American Viticultural Area, or AVA. In terms of vineyards planted, it is the smallest in the state at fewer than 40 acres. Also in 2011, the Idaho wine industry applied for its second AVA, the Clearwater Valley, which would be in the Lewiston area.

8. Winery closures. In the midst of a difficult economy, a small handful of wineries closed in 2011. Olsen Estates in the Yakima Valley closed its doors early in the year, and the Olsen family returned to growing wine grapes only. Also in January, the assets for Whitman Cellars in Walla Walla were seized by Community Bank, and the winery shut its doors.

9. Winery sales. A few Northwest wineries changed hands in 2011. In January, Banfi Vintners of New York purchased Pacific Rim Winemakers in West Richland, Wash. In February, longtime Idaho winery Camas Prairie was sold to Jeremy and Heidi Ritter. Also in February, Precept Wines in Seattle purchased two longtime wineries, Canoe Ridge in Walla Walla and Sagelands in the Yakima Valley. And in April, Betz Family Winery in Woodinville was sold to a South African couple.

10. L’Ecole No. 41 changes iconic label. Rarely does a label change make headlines, but it did in March when L’Ecole No. 41 in Lowden, Wash., went through a makeover, changing its iconic label. The children’s drawing of the schoolhouse/winery had served the winery well since the mid-1980s, but owner/winemaker Marty Clubb said a more serious label was needed as L’Ecole expands into new markets.

Andy Perdue is editor of Wine Press Northwest magazine. Reach him at 582-1405 or editor@winepressnw.com.

Components of A Wine Glass

All wine glasses will have a base, a stem, and a bowl.  Today, there is one exception – the
new stemless wineglasses pioneered by Riedel. The new Reidel “O” comes in a white wine
stemless wine glass and a red wine stemless wine glass.

The base, obviously, allows your glass to stand upright. The stem allows you to hold your wine
glass without the heat from your hands warming your wine, and without creating smudges on the
bowl which will distract from the visual enjoyment of your wine.

The bowl serves a very important purpose and it is here you will find most of the variation
in wine glasses.

ISO Wine Tasting Glass
The ISO (International Organization of Standardization) has standardized a series of
wine tasting glasses: stemmed with elongated tapered bowls with a capacity of
120ml, 210ml, 300ml, 410ml.

Champagne Glass
Champagne glasses have the smallest mouths and long bowls to retain the carbonation
and keep the wine sparkling longer.

Narrow Mouthed White Wine Glasses
For lighter, fresher white wines where oxidization is less desirable, narrow mouthed glasses
are used reducing the suface area, keeping the wine crisp and clean.

Wide Mouthed White Wine Glasses
Wide mouthed glasses are used for wines that need rapid oxidization altering the flavor
of the wine. These glasses are best used on wines such as oaky Chardonnays.

Bordeaux Glass
A Bordeaux glass has a broad bowl that is designed for full-bodied red wines that directs the
wine to the back of the mouth.  This is best for Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.

Burgundy glass
A Burgundy glass is wider at the base and more narrow at the top to focus on the delicate
wine aromatics.

Dessert wine glass
A dessert wine glass should be smaller to direct the wine to the back of the mouth so the
sweetness doesn’t overwhelm. Dessert wines generally have a higher alcohol content,
making the small glass perfect for a smaller serving.

Boccalino
A Boccalino is a mug used in Ticino, Switzerland, to drink local wine (Merlot or similar). It has a
volume of 0.2 liters. The Boccalino is also a popular souvenir for tourists.

And last, but not least, the Pinot Noir Glass -

Oregon media and marketing company Pelican Productions. Inc., has
announced it will present the SavorNW Wine Awards in 2012 and it’s social
media channels on Facebook and Twitter will showcase Northwest wine, winery
news and events year-round.
“The SavorNW Wine Awards are designed to showcase the bounty of
Northwest wines and the unique wine regions of Washington, Oregon,
Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska,” said founder Gary Hayes. SavorNW
also recently launched its social media channels on Facebook and Twitter
that are designed to promote winery news and events year-round. Pelican
Productions is based in Seaside, Oregon and is the producer of the Savor
Cannon Beach Wine & Culinary Festival and publisher of Northwest travel
guides and magazines.
The SavorNW Wine Awards are open to all types of wines made commercially
in the Northwest that are available for retail sale, or are scheduled for release
during 2012. Winners of the SavorNW Wine Awards will be announced in early
March, prior to the opening of Savor Cannon Beach festival, scheduled for
March 8-11, 2012. Entry information for wineries can be found at SavorNW.com
Northwest wine appreciators can follow SavorNW on Facebook and Twitter for
regular updates on winery news, awards and events with links to content by
Northwest and national wine media.

Fantastic info from our own Julia – Reprinted with permission of Eugene Daily News

In between Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating, Christmas tree hunting and Christmas movies, I’ve actually managed to attend some of the many stellar beer and wine related events going on this December here in Eugene. It’s never too hard to juggle the mom-writer-chauffer-shopper-foodie-wino-beer loving lifestyle! Well, never is a pretty strong word; however, even in the busiest of times, I somehow always manage to squeeze in a little me time.

This past week, I visited two establishments that I’ve heard many great things about: Authentica Wine Shop and The Bier Stein.

On Saturday, I visited Authentica Wine Shop for a wine tasting of the highly rated wines produced by Evening Land Vineyards, out of Amity-Eola Hills. Not only was I blown away by Evening Lands incredible wines, but the shelves that lined Authentica’s exposed brick walls and stacked wooden crates were filled with remarkable selections. From affordable to expensive, the wines were hand selected by owner, Steve Baker, and I was clearly impressed with his expertise. I’ll share the details about the excellent Evening Land Vineyard wines with you in an upcoming article about my visit to Authentica. Read the rest of this entry »

Reprinted with permission of NW Wine Anthem

By, Kelsey Ivey

Just a few days before Halloween, Abbelone Vineyards in the South Willamette Valley harvested with scary potential.

Just love this post by our own Julia Crowley – reprinted with permission by Eugene Daily News

Halloween is right around the corner, and whether you’ll be celebrating All Hallow’s Eve at a friend’s ‘house of horrors’ or hosting your own ‘haunted house’ , I’ve got some wicked wine suggestions that you’ll just be dying to share with your ghoulish grape loving witches and warlocks.

Starting with some wickedly savory wines that are made right here in Oregon, my number one suggestion for Halloween wine fun is Owen Roe’s 2009 Sinister Hand. With a label that’s got your eyes hooked on the bloodied severed hand, there’s actually a story behind the creepy drawing that’s sure to be a conversation piece:

“On this label the family crest depiction of a severed left hand tells the story of a rowing competition among the O’Neill’s & the O’Reilly’s (Owen Roe was an O’Neill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword to cleave his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king.” 

Owen Roe’s 2009 Sinister Hand Read the rest of this entry »

The Red Agave Restaurant & Cantina has been on the top five list of restaurants in the Eugene area for at least five years. We hadn’t been out for a nice dinner since last year, due to our busy schedule and babies. But, with the help of a friend, we were able to venture out last night where we were served by the owner, Brian Hebb, and chef Mike Meyer a simply fantastic meal.

ed Agave was originally opened and operated by friends Katie Marcus-Brown and Sara Willis. They also owned El Vaquero at the 5th Street Market and Asado. They sold all of these restaurants, and at the end of 2010 started a new venture in south Eugene called June. Brian Hebb purchased the Red Agave in 2008 and has made his own mark on the decidedly Central American cuisine, with chef Mike Meyer. Brian has introduced a seasonal focus to his diners, along with interesting dining experiences like his Longtable Dinners. In 2010, Brian entered into a partnership to open Cowfish, a coffee house by day, nightclub by night, on Broadway in downtown Eugene. Read more