Wine is often thought of as something to be tasted with your senses. Your eyes, nose, and mouth can all sense how delicious (or not) the wine is. Right?! But how many of you have been transported by your brain to a place, seen a color, or heard a song? I tend to see wine as my way to escape the whine in my house. It’s cheaper than a vacation and a whole lot more practical when you are trying to get through your 3^rd year of college, while parenting 2 young children. As the empty bottle knows, sometimes I need a little help just to stay sane.

Now I’ll be honest, the whole color thing has never actually happened, but it could. Right now I’m attempting to find a color to paint the main hallway in my house. My house is full of neutral colors; tan, beige, chocolate brown, sage green. I want a pop of color, I want to be that eclectic person with the cool house. Also at the moment, I’m starting an internship and need a topic to write a blog (this blog) about wine. Voila! Topic idea! Can wine (not whine) help me with my color dilemma? Let’s try picking a color through a flight at the nearest winery!

Since drinking wine alone isn’t my thing, I decided to pick up my retired mother on the way up. As we headed up to Sarver Winery I explained my thoughts and was gifted with a confused look and the typical motherly, “Ok Dear, Whatever you think”. Gee thanks, mom. At this point I wasn’t feeling too confident, but I was going to do it and see where it takes me.

(Note: Sarver is our go-to winery for two reasons, the close proximity to our houses and their amazing barrel-aged Pinot Gris)

This was our tasting list and the colors I “saw” when I tasted each one:

Gewurztraminer: Pastel (no singular color came to mind). It was very light and subdued, but fruity and delicious.

Estate Stainless-Steel Aged Pinot Gris: Sunset Orangy-yellow. This was bright and summery, and made me think of a beautiful tropical sunset.

Estate Pinot Noir Rose:  Deep tropical-ocean blue. This still carried the bright and fruity note, but it had more depth than the previous two.

This was the spot in the tasting where my mom’s confusion changed and she finally understood what I was doing. “Hallelujah, we have lift-off!”

Estate Pinot Noir: Rust. (Note: The reds were much tougher to pin colors to) This one had the depth and spice, but it also had some mellow, brighter notes to it as well.

Estate Pinot Noir Select: Chocolate Brown. Deeper & a bit more complex than the previous Pinot, but still carried the mellow notes.

Sarver Cuvee: Deep Pumpkin Orange. I really thought this would’ve been red but it just didn’t quite reach the true deep, dark red that would truly translate to the color red. It was nice.

Estate Barrel-Aged Pinot Gris: Lime Green. (I don’t think it was just coincidence that my favorite wine made me think of my favorite color). This wine is bright, fruity and amazing. This is the epitome (in my world) of a clean summer (or always) wine.

The take-away from this little experiment: I’m capable of blogging. My mother needs a few moments to understand where my creativity is headed. Barrel-aged Pinot Gris, is still one of my favorites. AND… I’m not eclectic and cool. I’m classic and traditional. I’m neutral, like Switzerland. I think I’ll get my pop of color with throw pillows instead (but maybe in ALL the colors hidden in Sarver’s wines).

Cheers!

Reprinted with permission by WineJulia.com

By Julia Crowely

Just outside of Eugene, Oregon, in the rural town of Cheshire, there’s a very small,  family owned and operated nine acre vineyard: RainSong Vineyard. Six of the nine acres are Pinot Noir, one acre is Chardonnay and two acres are Pinot Meunier – the three main varietals used in the production of champagne. Less than 1,500 cases are produced each year.

Although RainSong produces an excellent sparkling wine made in the traditional Methode Champenoise style, their 2009 Pinot Meunier seriously blew me away. I was expecting a highly tannic and acidic wine, something close to the only other Pinot Meunier I had ever tried; however, what I experienced was very much the opposite. Beautiful aromas of cherries, raspberries and forest floor led to extremely well balanced flavors of dark cherries, cassis and licorice. Flavors flowed flawlessly from front to back, leaving a silky mouth feel and medium lingering finish, and wow, was I ever impressed. No longer are my views of Pinot Meunier negative – a new door has opened.

Written by U of O Seniors Jenna Ritter and Emily Vande Wege

If you’re planning to join the 10th annual Barrel Tour on June 16th (and as of today, there are still a handful of tickets available) , you are in for a real treat. Not only are the wines outstanding, but the stories behind them.

Noble Estate: “The One-Man Show”.

For Mark Jurasevich, wine making is his number one passion. And I can see why. His property is jaw dropping with his vineyard and tasting room surrounded by lush forests and overlooks Fern Ridge Lake. The property used to grow Noble Fir trees and after he decided to change to vines, the name stuck.

As a self-taught winemaker, he spends his days in the vines, the lab and the cellar. He even puts the labels on. Everything is hand done and done on site at this winery. He touches the product about 12 times, before the wine is released. One of Noble Estate’s top sellers is “Passion”. This sweet and sassy wine is a blend of reds and white and really is “passion in a bottle”. Mark Also stays busy attending about 50 events annually. So make sure to stop by and see him at the next one.

Brigadoon Wine Company: Come Taste in Our Living Room

Chris Shown has always been a farmer at heart. He grew up in Napa Valley helping his father establish Rutherford vineyards. Since he’s been in the wine business his whole life, he can do most of the jobs in his sleep. Matt Shown, his oldest son is the winemaker. Just recently he convinced his dad to plant a half acre of Riesling. His winning argument: “If it doesn’t work out, we can drink that much ourselves!”

Chris and his wife Sheree (a phenomenal chef) used to do all the tastings in their living room, up until last season. They recently had a tasting room built, but want to produce the same feel that tasters “are a guest in their home”. With only 500 cases produced a year this is a winery stop you won’t want to miss. Besides wine, Chris’s number one passion is sports. And what do you know… his favorite varietal is Pinot Noir.

J. Scott Cellars: “I moved here for the Pinot.”

California born and raised, Jonathan Oberlander moved to Oregon in 2004. He started making wine for Silvan Ridge and now has his own label. J. Scott Cellars released their first wine in 2005.

This one man show along with his other projects keeps this father of two very busy. He likes to “blow peoples mind” with varietals you normally don’t see in Oregon. Besides his passion for wine making he loves to sail, fish, snowboard and travel.

From Germany With Love

Rolling hills and lush grapes hold a special place in Dieter Boehm’s heart. After growing up in a wine region outside of Dresden, German, Boehm “fell in love with that landscape” and sought out something similar in Oregon when he made the move in 1978. With a degree in business and a passion for wine, Boehm decided to fuse the two to create High Pass Winery. And while he sells most of his grapes to other wineries High Pass Winery is still able to produce around 1,000 cases of wine annually. What is most unique about Boehm is that he shares his German culture with Oregon by producing German varieties that no one else has. In fact he is the only person in the United States to grow the white Huxelrebe grape used in dessert wine. When he is not producing wine Boehm enjoys traveling and finding new inspiration to incorporate into his vineyards!

Eugene Wine Cellars Wine Bar b2 – Locally Grown, Nationally Known

With unique glass lighting, swanky seating, and premium wine tasting, a visit to the B2 Wine Cellars instantly transports you from Eugene to Manhattan’s trendy SoHo district. What you may not know is that their head of sales and distribution, Bev Biehl, is a retired elementary school teacher. The transition from pupils to Pinots was drastic but when it comes down to it, Bev “loves being around people” so hosting wine tastings is her favorite part of the job. It also doesn’t hurt that her coworker is her brother, Bruce, who owns and operates a vineyard management company. Eugene Wine Cellars winery has been in business since 1999 and produces around 6000 cases a year. With 30 years experience and experience with planting over 100 wineries, Bruce clearly knows what people want from their wine. While most of his grapes come from sellers in the Willamette Valley, some grapes, like a special varietal used in the new Recess label, come from as far as Washington! Not in the Eugene area? No Worries! Eugene Wine Cellars distributes to markets and markets from Arizona and Wisconsin to Washington D.C. and Georgia so no excuse not to stock up!

Pfeiffer Vineyards – Open House

Pfeiffer Winery used to be the family sheep ranch until the French tried to buy the property in the late 70′s to grow Pinot Noir.  Husband and wife duo, Robin and Danuta Pfeiffer tend to 70 acres of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Merlot and Muscat. With the 10% they don’t sell to King Estate, they tenderly ferment, bottle, cap and label every every drop by hand. Not distributed to stores or restaurants, their elegant wines can only be purchased in their Tuscan cave tasting room, or through their wine club. Experience Robin’s private “Pinot Clinics”  in a secluded grotto or their wine making dinners in their Villa home. Pfeiffer is open year round, 7 days a week and offers a stunning Water Garden in the summer or a cozy, fire-lit tasting room in the winter.

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 »

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.

A Sam’s Party Shuttle Extravaganza

As described on their Facebook fan page, “Sam’s Party shuttle is the Premier Destination Fun Bus!” It’s true, and I know first-hand because I joined in on one of these premier destination parties: Girl’s Day Out. Read the rest of this entry »

Temperature, the unseen and often neglected factor, can bring the best and worst out of a bottle of wine in 2 areas: storing and serving wine.

Storing wine and useful tips:

Sadly, many great wine collections have been damaged because of instability in temperature and moisture. High temperature (>65ºF) causes the wine to age prematurely, thus losing its flavor and balance. When chilled too cold, the wine also loses its flavor and aromas. Keep the wines away from sunlight and heat exposure; store them in cellars, wine fridge, and or temperature controlled rooms. Wide fluctuation in temperature will damage the wine and the cork. Ideal range of temperature for storing red wine is 50-55ºF or 10-16ºC. White wines can be stored at lower ranges at 45ºF. The serving temperature chart below provides optimal storing and serving temperature by grape variety.

Humidity is another important fine balance. If the humidity is too high, mold can grow and cellar woods and wine labels can be damaged. If the environment is too dry, the cork will crack and air will leak into the bottle, again ruining the wine. Ideal humidity for wine storage ranges from 60-75% RH.

full article can be found at BetterTastingWine.com

And the Number One reason to visit the wineries of the South Willamette Valley……. Read the rest of this entry »