Britt Festival Schedule Announced!

I am daydreaming now: warm, summer day - lounging in the grassy amphitheater -  listening to amazing music - glass of wine in hand. Perfect.

As of 16 minutes ago, the 2010 Britt Festival schedule of performances was posted! If you're like me, you have been eagerly awaiting the schedule in order to plan your summer around all the great concerts!

The Britt Festival is a staple to Southern Oregon life. In its 48th year, it is the premiere outdoor summer concert (and performing arts) festival attracting up to 70,000 music lovers to historic Jacksonville each year. Britt brings in world-class artists in classical, jazz, blues, folk, bluegrass, world, pop and country genres.

"25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee"- Ashland Independent Film Festival

Every Spring, Southern Oregon is buzzing with the excitement of the Ashland Independent Film Festival. Over 6,000 film-lovers gather at the historic art-deco Varsity Theatre in downtown Ashland to watch over 90+ films in five days.

This year marks the 9th Annual Ashland Independent Film Festival from April 8-12th. Check out the full schedule online with links to film synopses and trailers. General film ticket prices are $10, but student and senior discounts are available

Filmmakers of the documentaries, features, and shorts come from around the world to engage with the audience after each screening. The festival hosts an Opening Night Bash and Award Celebration with local wine, beer, and gourmet food.

The film festival is one of the reasons Ashland is included in the popular travel guide A Thousand Places to See Before You Die.

*Photos courtesy of Rory Finney Photography

The Steroid Vines of Valley View Winery

On the drive out to a hike in the Red Butte Wilderness area, Chris and I got distracted as we saw Valley View Winery's huge grape vines on the right-hand side. Look at these Cabernet Sauvignon veteran vines:

We gained composure and talked ourselves back into continuing to Stein Butte for a fabulous 9.4 mile hike in 70 degree weather. However, visiting Valley View didn't escape our mind, so we returned the next day to see these steroid vines up close and see what kind of wine they produced. Valley View Winery has been on our "to-visit" list for quite some time, but it bumped up in priority when Chef Bill Huebel of The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House mentioned their Tempranillo as a favorite of his.

The dreary day was brightened the minute we stepped into Valley View's cozy Tasting Pavillion and were greeted by Adrian. We tasted through their Anna Maria label Viognier, Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc, and Port. Chef Huebel was absolutely right as the Tempranillo ($26) was incredible and the definite standout in the offering.

While tasting we were reminded that Valley View Winery was originally established by pioneer Peter Britt in the 1850's. The winery ended when Britt died in 1906 and was restored in 1972 by the Wisnovsky family for their vineyard and winery planted in the Applegate Valley just nine miles from Jacksonville.  Twelve acres of vines were planted in 1972 and an additional thirteen in 1976.

The Tasting Pavillion showcases the early vintages of Valley View, which is really fun to browse through and see the evolution of their brand. The bottles pictured on the left are from the mid-seventies.

The Valley View Winery Tasting Pavillion is open daily from 11 a.m. -5 p.m. I am anticipating my return to Valley View this summer for a glass of Tempranillo prior to attending a Britt Festival concert- to pay homeage of course! Which reminds me, the schedule of Britt Festival performances will be released in two days (March 31st)!

Spangler Sweeps "Greatest of the Grape" Award

The wines of Southern Oregon were the stars of last Saturday's Greatest of the Grape event held at Seven Feathers Casino Resort & Spa.

A sold-out crowd of 850 guests and volunteers attracted to the oldest wine celebration in the state of Oregon. This year's tribute to "40 Grapeful Years" featured vintages from 28 Umpqua and Rogue Valley wineries along with food pairings from 14 area restaurants.

The 2010 wine competition was judged by Sara Schneider, Wine Editor for Sunset Magazine, David Seaver of Wine Press Northwest, and David Tomsic, Sommelier at Feast Restaurant.  Throughout the event guests enjoyed voting to name the "People's Choice Awards" for their favorite wine and wine & food pairings.

Food Awards
Winner:
Umpqua Community College Culinary School, Thai Chicken Sausage Canapes with Fresh Mango Salsa


First Runner Up:
Tomaselli's Pastry Mill & Café, Grapefruit Poached Scallops in Mascarpone Cream & Black Pepper Strawberries

Wine Awards
Platinum:
Spangler Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Malbec

Gold:
Troon Vineyard, Applegate Valley, 2006 Old Vine Meritage
Girardet Wine Cellar, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Bonnie's Barrel Zinfandel
Foris Winery, Rogue Valley, 2008 Riesling
Bradley Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Dry Riesling
Cliff Creek Cellars, Rogue Valley, 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Silver:
Brandborg Vineyard & Winery, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Pinot Gris
Anindor Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2007 Pinot Gris
Melrose Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Viognier
Daisy Creek Vineyard, Rogue Valley, 2008 Sangiovese Rosé

People's Choice Awards
Best White Wine
Winner:
Trium Winery, Rogue Valley, 2008 Pheasant Hill Vineyard Pinot Gris

Runner Up:
Becker Vineyard, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Muller Thurgau

Best Red Wine
Winner:
Palotai Vineyard, Umpqua Valley, 2006 Attila

Runner Up:
Abacela, Umpqua Valley, 2005 Tempranillo Reserve

Wine & Food Pairing

Winner:

Troon Vineyard, Applegate Valley, 2006 Old Vine Meritage with Rumaki-Date & Almond Wrapped in Bacon by Aromatica's Feast

Runner Up:

Abacela, Umpqua Valley, 2005 Tempranillo Reserve with Braised Pork Shoulder with Molé by Carlos Restaurante

The "Greatest of the Grape" Award
Spangler Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Malbec

Found: The Best Pizza in Southern Oregon with a HUGE Surprise!

"The best things in life are unexpected- because there were no expectations." - Eli Khamarov

During one of Chris and I's wine tasting extravaganzas in the Rogue Valley we had an urge to escape the crackers, cheese and one-ounce pours and go straight for a slice of pizza and a cold beer. Kaleidoscope Pizzeria off Crater Lake Highway in Medford popped up first on the Google search and off we went. 

We walked into a packed house, but the host eagerly squeezed us in at a booth in the bar section. As if in competition, Chris and I reached for the drinks menu and to our huge surprise it was full of wine. A pizzeria with 150 unique varietals and vintages including many from Southern Oregon? Shocking (pictured on the left)! I would expect such a list from a white linen restaurant. Kaleidoscope does have a large selection of regional beers on tap as well. 

As quoted from Kaleidoscope's website, "Nothing complements a gourmet slice of pizza, a hearty bowl of homemade soup, or a fresh garden salad like a... perfectly paired glass of wine." With pizza selections like Thai Chicken, Chipotle Steak, and Mediterranean it is no wonder why they need such a variety of wines and to pair. 

It didn't take long for Chris to pick out the pizza of his dreams. The Kaleidoscope Avalanche has pepperoni, blackened chicken, bacon, red onions, mozzarella, provolone, chedder cheese and homemade barbecue sauce (he subbed out the BBQ for marinara). Chris has the appetite of a competitive eater and even he could only polish off two pieces. We returned to Kaleidoscope last Thursday and he got much wiser by ordering the individual size (pictured)! 

Pizza is the staple of Chris' diet and he has declared Kaleidoscope as the best pizza he has ever had, which I am in total agreement with. Sometimes it is tough to tell whether Chris is joking when he brings up the idea of a spontaneous three and a half hour road trip for pizza. Most days I say it would be worth it :)

Southern Oregon Vineyards Spring Update

The weather in both the Umpqua and Rogue Valley AVAs has been dry, dry, dry this year. They have received only about one third the average rainfall. The weather has been consistent with predictions made by Climatologist Greg Jones, and is due to El Niño currents that cause a warming trend. This has also meant that bud break is likely to be very early, which has winegrowers in the valley very concerned, since early bloom means greater potential for frost damage. According to Michael Moore, Operations Manager for Quail Run Vineyards (who has 10 vineyards sites in the area) and South Stage Cellars, "Our buds are swelling, especially in the warmer sites, but haven't yet pushed. We've got our fingers crossed that temperatures will drop and bud break will be delayed until early April."

Warmer weather will induce bud break and if that happens Harvest will be earlier. But overall, having Harvest come earlier is not worth the stress and headache of trying to ensure that frost doesn't damage the vines. Because if the buds are out and the temperature drops too low they die. If they re-bloom, Harvest is pushed way back and the grower might not have the opportunity to harvest grapes at the level of maturity thats needed to make a balanced wine.

Slagle Creek has a Claret with a Kick

Bob Denman is a true representative of wine, thinking of it at every turn. He purchased his land in the Applegate Valley in 1980 and immediately thought of a vineyard. So much so 

that he planted his vineyard before he built his house.

"I knew it was something I wanted to do and if I didn't do it right away it would slip away. I couldn't let it fall to the wayside."

His 5 acres are nestled in the heart of the Applegate Valley. His first vintage in 2001 produced just 200 cases of Merlot. Since then his production has grown to ten times that! The wines produced are predominately of the Bordeaux variety, but also a Chardonnay and a lil ol' Syrah that I can't wait to get my hands on. His wines can be found typically at Ray's Food Place, Market of Choice, Fred Meyer and the Ashland Food Co-op. Bob was gracious enough to share his 2006 Claret with us, which happened to win a bronze medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition this year.

The Slagle Creek 2006 Claret is a force of nature. When that cork is released it rushes out of the bottle gasping for air like a 10 year-old in a public pool. The wine opens up nicely once the alcohol odor blows off to produce a wonderfully complex nose. Between Christine and I, we detected deep cocoa, bold coffee and caramel, slight cinnamon, faint anise, a slight draw of baked cherries, and some polished leather aromas. The wine has great texture and mouthfeel as it glides smoothly across the palate with very little astringency which is surprising considering the grapes involved: 45% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 20% Cabernet Franc. The only drawback was the high alcohol content. There was a slight burn on the way down, which may not sit well with some, as it makes it a harder wine to just have a glass of. I however, appreciate a heavy duty wine with a slight kick to it.

Beyond the Kitchen with Chef Heubel of The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House

The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House lives by the motto, “Old Friends and New Friends.” It’s a place where you can come and feel welcome. While they strive to provide an unpretentious dining experience, they also created the standard for Southern Oregon fine dining. Here, you can come in for that 50-year wedding anniversary dinner and be sure that no small detail of your experience is over looked, or come in wearing your kick back blue jeans and say howdy to some of the same faces you have seen working here for decades.

The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House has two separate menus. The Dining Room menu is geared towards more of a white tablecloth experience, while the Bistro menu is more of a casual dining experience. Both menus and dining areas exude the Jacksonville Inn charm and tradition, and both offer great value for the dining experience. While you can find traditional menu items that have been offered here for decades, with recipes that are over a half century old such as our Jacksonville Inn Prime Rib or Veal Scaloppini, you can also find more innovative items such as the 36 hour braised beef short ribs cooked sous vide, or bacon wrapped pork tenderloin with maple roasted butternut squash puree and pine nut green beans in an apple cider reduction. These last items are on the newly created “Chef’s Specialty Selections” portion of the menu that is highly seasonal and focused on locally produced items and change frequently with seasonal availability. It’s a great way to stay connected with the farmers, foragers and ranchers in the area.

Bill Heubel is essential in creating the description above as the Executive Chef of The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House. When asked what inspired him to become a chef Bill explains, “For as long as I can remember, I have always been interested in food and cooking. I lived next door to my elementary school so, as young as 10-11 years old, I would start a basic dough before school and leave it out to proof, and at lunch time, I would walk home and make hot dog pizzas with the dough. I cooked the family Easter dinner almost exclusively by myself when I was 13. From there, all career paths pointed to chef.”

Heubel came to work at the Jacksonville Inn almost one year ago after working in North Carolina at the Old Edwards Inn and Spa. He was looking to return back to his native West Coast and decided to apply for The Jacksonville Inn position. He rose to the top of the list beating out 300 other applicants.

Since moving to Southern Oregon Heubel has discovered how great Southern Oregon is from a culinary standpoint. “There are more specialty agriculture products here in Oregon then I had previously imagined. I love to be close to areas that produce great products. We have a fantastic emerging wine industry, great artisan cheese makers, on the cusp of a budding olive oil industry, pears, wild mushrooms, hazelnuts, local grain mills, small, family farms and ranches, truffles, crab, bay shrimp, razor clams and other seafood specialties, gosh, I could go on…”

Chef Heubel plans to dedicate more time to checking out Southern Oregon wines in the following months. The inn boasts a 2,000-label wine cellar selected by the owner, Jerry. Heubel cannot even fathom how he handles the feat. Currently, Heubel is very impressed with Valley View’s Anna Maria Tempranillo from the Applegate Valley.

The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House is host to many fabulous winemakers dinners throughout the year, like the sold out one taking place tomorrow evening to kickoff The Oregon Cheese Festival. Heubel receives wine samples and creates food to compliment the wine. Heubel adds, “Wine dinners, for me, are all about the wine. My food will take a back seat and be used simply as a vehicle to elevate the wine to it’s full potential.”

Heubel concludes, “As I approach my one year anniversary here in Oregon, I am only now realizing all this area has to offer and I feel that great things are happening.”

Stay up-to-date with Heubel's creations through his blog Beyond the Kitchen and Twitter.  And be sure as peak tourism season is approaching to book your reservations at The Jacksonville Inn Dinner House.

We Will Start a Winery. We Will Be Quite Rich.

While reading my regular wine blogs this morning, I found this one posted by Jim Gullo on b/t/w. Watch what happens when one hipster New York City sommelier decides to sell everything, start a winery, and be rich.

"We will make lots of money making wine that tastes like dirt."

"I want to give up my skin tight 7 jeans for the freedom and movement of Carharts."

Lets do an experiment! "The Hand" vs. "The Land"

I am proposing a Southern Oregon wine experiment! Who is with me??

Here is how it will work: Five top-notch winemakers will share their grapes and create an incredible experiment. Each of the winemakers will send a barrel's worth of single-vineyard fruit to the others and each will make wines with the vineyard names. I am electing for Syrah to be the varietal chosen.

The result will be a collection of 25 wines, sourced from the same five vineyards, that demonstrate what each winemaker brings individually to the expression of the wines made from that fruit. "The Hand" vs. "The Land," so to speak. A portion of the proceeds from the sell of the collection will go towards charity.

It would be a great addition to any cellar (especially my growing one)!

Five winemakers from the Willamette Valley (Laurent Montalieu, Lynn Penner-Ash, Ken Wright, Ted & Terry Casteel, and Steve Doerner) did the first Oregon cellar crawl with Pinot Noir that was released last July at the annual International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC).

Who do you think the five Southern Oregon winemakers should be? What varietal would you chose? I will gladly compile the recommendations and propose it to the Southern Oregon Wine Association.

The Book of my Dreams?

Possibly. But, I'll have to read it first!

I have been in agony lately trying to find a book on the topic of wine that captures my attention. There are just so many dull ones on the shelf. But, I have the inclination that Michale Gelb's new book, Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Unocrk Your Creative Juices will not be the case. It sounds like the perfect read for a book club (or should I say wine club)? If anyone is interested in reading the book along with me, email me.

I am so anxious to get this book in the mail that I am regretting choosing Amazon's standard 3-5 day shipping! Look for my review of the book in the coming month(s).


What writers of influence are saying:

There are more books on wine available now than ever before, but this one is special. In Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices, Michael Gelb has taken a totally differenct approach to understanding and having fun with wine by combining poetry, philosophy, art, music, and science. This is a not a book just about wine but the many people who have enjoyed the pleasures of wine throughout history. It is also filled with valuable information on buying, storing, and serving wine, along with his ultimate wine and food combinations. In the process, Gelb inspires us to enjoy a more creative approach to the art of living and drinking.
- Kevin Zraly, author of The Complete Windows on the World Wine Course


Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices is an essential addition to your wine library. Michael Gelb's unique "right brain" approach makes wine appreciation easy and fun. This book offers exceptional insights into the creative process and a truly delightful way to bring people together. It will bring thunder to your world!
- Gary Vaynerchuk, host of Wine Library TV and author of Crush It!


Few things in life are as invigorating as great wine and bold ideas. And only Michael Gelb could combine the two into a single masterful book. Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking: Uncork Your Creative Juices is an engaging and inspiring guide for everyone who wants to drink well and thing big.
- Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind

Oregon Cheese Festival Dishes up a Delicious Event!

At the 6th Annual Oregon Cheese Festival on March 20th, thousands of visitors will sample cow, sheep and goat cheese from Oregon and North California creameries. Held at Rogue Creamery in Central Point from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m., the event will allow guests to mingle with cheesemakers in a farmer's market format. Among the creameries participating are Fraga Farm, Juniper Grove Farm, Pholia Farm, Tumalo Farms, Silver Falls Creamery, Siskiyou Crest Dairy, Tillamook County Creamery, Willamette Valley Cheese Company, Fern's Edge Dairy, Rivers Edge Chevre, Ancient Heritage Dairy, Cypress Grove, Vella Cheese and Rogue Creamery.

Other culinary artisans expected to participate are Lillie Belle Farms, Dagoba Organic Chocolate, Gary West Meats, Rising Sun Farms, Applegate Valley Artisan Breads, Butte Creek Mill and Pennington Farms, Wandering Aengus Ciderworks, Deux Chats Bakery, Dry Soda, Cascade Peak Spirits and Rogue Ales. Wineries pouring include Slagle Creek Vineyards, Paschal Winery, Madrone Mountain Vineyard, EdenVale Winery, Valley View Winery, Agate Ridge Vineyard, and Daisy Creek Vineyard.

To commence the festival, a Meet the Winemakers and Cheesemaker Dinner will be held at the Jacksonville Inn on Friday, March 19th at 6:15 p.m. Each course will showcase a cheese made by one of the festival's vendors and be paired with local wine. The dinner is $75 per seat and proceeds will benefit the non-profit Oregon Cheesemaker Guild.

Admission to the festival is $10 and for an additional $5 guests can taste wine and will received a logoed wine glass. For more information contact Rogue Creamery at 1.866.396.4704 or www.roguecreamery.com.

Welcome Back Farmers' Markets!

After months of being forced to shop at the grocery store, the Southern Oregon growers' markets are returning to bring back pleasure in shopping and planning for weekly meals!

There are always a great selection of local fruits, vegetables, cheeses and baked goods to pair with your favorite Southern Oregon wines. I am hoping the garlic guru will be back at the Grants Pass Saturday Farmers' Market this year. He had over 15 varieties of garlic!

Artisans and musicians are abundant as well. Last year at the same market I bought a t-shirt from Elemental Designs and got a free CD. Its folky tunes have become my summer soundtrack (The Sleeping Owl by Itchy Itchy Ickabod).

Of course Chris likes to go so he has an excuse to eat pulled pork sandwiches at 9:00 a.m. :)

Southern Oregon boasts eight weekly markets:

Ashland Tuesday Market- Opens March 16th
Ashland Armory
8:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Ashland Saturday Market, Opens May 1st

Lithia Way & First Street

9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Grants Pass Saturday Farmers' Market, Opened March 6th
4th & F Street
9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Grants Pass Wednesday Farmers' Market, Opens June 6th
Riverside Park
9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Jacksonville Saturday Market- Opens May 1st
C Street
9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.

Klamath Falls Saturday Farmers' Market, Opens June 6th
9th Street
10:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Medford Thursday Market- Opens March 18th
Medford Armory
8:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Roseburg Saturday Farmers' Market, Opens April 3rd
Roseburg Valley Mall
9:00 a.m.- 1:00 p.m.

Shop Local.

All the Ingredients for a Great Night

Although not strictly related to Southern Oregon wine, Chris and I attended a book reading of The Grail at Lange Estate Winery in the Dundee Hills last Saturday. I originally read Brian Doyle's book last winter and it was one of my inspirations to dive into the Oregon wine industry so intently. Brian spent about two years chronicling the people, vines, and activities of Lange- mainly Jesse Lange, a second generation winegrower. Brian read the honest and quirky accounts of hanging with Jesse or being told to sit alone and to not disturb anyone/anything during Harvest. Jesse piped in at times and before you know it an hour and a half had passed and what could have been a live re-enactment. During the reading we sipped on the deliciously toasty 2007 Lange Estate Winery Pinot Noir and giggled with Rob and Carey of my favorite blog, Corks and Caftans (He loves wine; She loves fashion).

Afterwards, we tagged along with Rob and Carey to Farm to Fork for food, wine and conversation. We started off with the impressive 2006 Genius Loci Pinot Noir, a bottle Rob picked up at Genius Loci earlier that day. Next up, after starring at the abundant wine list Farm to Fork offers for what seemed like ten minutes, I spotted the 2006 Abacela Estate Tempranillo and knew it was the perfect bottle to cap off a perfect evening. The tempranillo was deep red with bold flavors of black fruits, spice and a hint of smoke. No surprise this 91 point wine by Wine Enthusiast was loved by all.

All my favorite things were summed into last Saturday evening- great people, an interesting book, fabulous wine, food, and memorable conversation- to easily make one of my favorite nights of the year! It was so great to meet such an amazing couple who share so many of our interests.  Chris and I can't wait until we get to explore wine country again with Rob and Carey (please, please, please come back soon, in fact, just move here already!). Until then, we will resume our hunting of great Oregon wines (easy task) to recommend for them to review and post on their blog. If you haven't checked out Corks and Caftans then you MUST. No one can capture a bottle of wine with words and photos like Rob and Carey. Quote me on that.

- Christine

* Photos snatched from @CorksandCaftans via Twitter

Southern Oregon Wine Institute Hires Leading Winemaker as Instructor

As reported by Douglas County The News-Review, Umpqua Community College has named a new interium enology instructor who will join two others hired to fill in for the former head of its wine program.

Linda Donovan of Pallet Wine Company and L. Donovan Wines will teach the Science of Winemaking III course in the Spring term, which begins March 29th. Donovan is not new to working with UCC, as she partnered with the school last year to produce a premium Merlot that was sold through the UCC foundation.

Chris Lake, Director of UCC's Southern Oregon Wine Institute, says, "We are delighted to have an enologist of Linda Donovan's caliber on our faculty. She has made some of the finest wines produced in this region and has a solid track record of teaching at Oregon State University Extension as well."

Donovan is the third adjunct instructor hired this year after the young wine program lost its Assistant Director, Rebecca Ford-Kapoor, when she moved back to her homeland New Zealand to attend to family matters. UCC is still searching for a permanent hire to fill the vacancy for next year.

Donovan is a founding partner of Medford's Pallet Wine Company, a custom crush facility created to serve Southern Oregon's rapid growing wine industry in 2009. Last year, the facility reportedly processed more than 180 tons of wine grapes, far exceeding their expectations.

Donovan earned her enology degree from the University of California at Davis. She has worked at leading wineries including Robert Mondavi, Beaulieu Vineyard and Flowers Vineyard and Winery. In 2000, Donovan came to Southern Oregon and established a 10-acre vineyard and launch a consulting company, L. Donovan Wines.

About the Umpqua Community College Southern Oregon Wine Institute:
Prompted by demand from winemakers and vineyard managers, Umpqua Community College's Southern Oregon Wine Institute is "preparing a new generation for thousands of jobs expected over the next decade," according to Dana Tims of The Oregonian.  Southern Oregon is projected to add nearly 5,000 jobs directly or indirectly related to the wine industry in the coming decade.  That translates to $115 million in added annual labor income.

The institute, spanning a 7-county area, contains a 5-acre teaching vineyard in Roseburg with plans to build a $7 million educational winery once the appropriate money has been fundraised. The Southern Oregon Institute focuses on its native warm-climate varietals, which differs from the cool-climate focused Northwest Viticulture Center in the Willamette Valley. The program offers a one-year certification program in Viticulture and Enology, Wine Marketing Assistant Pathway Certificate, and two-year Viticulture and Enology Associates Degree.

7 Southern Oregon Wineries Win Terroir-Based Awards!

What sets the Grand Harvest Awards apart from the rest? Terroir! Established in 1990, the Grand Harvest Awards is the only wine-judging event in North America based on terroir- "a group of vineyards (or even vines) from the same region, belonging to a specific appellation, and sharing the same type of soil, weather conditions, grapes and winemaking style, which contribute to give its specific personality to the wine."  Judges tasted wines with other wines of the same appellation, and judged them based on the context of their viticultural region, thus removing cross-region competition. Twenty-three judges evaluated over 1,500 entries.

Applegate Valley AVA


Silver Medal
Schmidt Family Vineyards, 2007 Soulea ($34)
Schmidt Family Vineyards, 2007 Syrah ($34)
Schmidt Family Vineyards, 2008 Viognier
Schmidt Family Vineyards, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon ($36)

Bronze Medal
Schmidt Family Vineyards, 2007 Merlot ($30)
Schmidt Family Vineyards, 2008 Chardonnay


Rogue Valley AVA


Gold Medal
Del Rio Vineyards, 2007 Claret ($35)


Silver Medal
Del Rio Vineyards, 2008 Pinot Noir ($28)
Del Rio Vineyards, 2007 Syrah ($35)
Del Rio Vineyards, 2008 Chardonnay ($20)


Bronze Medal
Del Rio Vineyards, 2007 Merlot ($28)
Del Rio Vineyards, 2008 Pinot Gris ($16)


Southern Oregon AVA


Silver Medal
Spangler Vineyards, 2008 Malbec ($28)


Bronze Medal
Spangler Vineyards, 2008 Sauvignon Blac ($17)
Spangler Vineyards, 2007 Sage's Hill Estate Syrah ($35)


Umpqua Valley AVA


Gold Medal
Melrose Vineyards, 2008 Viognier ($18)


Silver Medal
Melrose Vineyards, 2008 Pinot Gris ($16)
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, 2008 Timnah Bloc Tempranillo ($26)
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, 2008 Reserve Tempranillo ($38)
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, 2008 Masada Bloc Syrah ($32)
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, 2008 Reserve Syrah ($38)


Bronze Medal
Delfino Vineyards, 2007 Vin Gris de Zinfandel ($16)
Delfino Vineyards, 2007 Syrah ($26)
Delfino Vineyards, 2007 Zinfandel ($23)
Girardet Wine Cellars, 2008 Chardonnay ($16)
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, 2008 Pishon Bloc Pinot Noir ($31)
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards, 2008 Reserve Pinot Noir ($38)

Tonight is an Albariño night!

In honor of Abacela's facebook post:

The 2009 white and rosé wines are in the bottle... next up is the 2008 Dolcetto and Garnacha!


Here is a video with the Tasting Room Manager, Linda, talking about Abacela's signature white wine, Albariño. Abacela is the only winery in Oregon growing this white Spanish varietal. Wines made from Albariño are very aromatic, often having scents of almonds, apples, peaches, citrus, grass or minerality. It is a great pairing for seafood according to Jancis Robinson because of its "razor-sharp acidity." Albariño should be enjoyed in its youth due to tartness that does not age well. The 2008 Abacela Albariño ($20), although sold out in the Tasting Room, can still be found in bottle shops to hold us over until the 2009 is released. We found three bottles at the Press Wine Bar in Dundee, Oregon. Looks like tonight will be an Albariño night! 

New Oregon Winery Legislation- Land Use and Nonwine Sales

A popular topic in Oregon wine news for the past few months has been Senate Bill 1055. The Oregon Legislature passed the bill last week allowing them to decide what private events will be allowed at Oregon vineyards and how much nonwine sales are permitted (25 percent). State senators adopted the House amendment that would sunset the bill in 2012, what's left unexplained is who will be responsible for making sure wineries abide by the new rules.

Yesterdays Medford Mail Tribune article titled, "Winery legislation levels the playing field,"states that Southern Oregon winery owners are in support of the new bill. Chris Martin of Troon Vineyard and president of the Southern Oregon Winery Association said, "It provides clarification, regardless of where you stand on the issue." He continues with "It levels the playing field and we can all move forward."

In drafting the bill, wine growers said they wanted to preserve the nature of rural vineyards and wineries and prevent them from becoming event centers, yet also provide opportunities for creating a sustainable bottom line. Some counties felt weddings didn't have much to do with the wine. I can see their point as wineries usually mandate a dollar or case amount of wine to be purchased for the wedding and the party often buys the cheapest of the winery's wine to serve their guests, leaving poor representation of the winery. However, wineries are beautiful settings for events such as weddings and reunions and it enhances the romantic feel around wineries, which does connect customers with the winery's brand and products.

The bill compromises the two sides by allowing the nonwine events sales to 25 percent, which is a safeguard to keep the majority of the wineries business activities focused on wine production and sales. Even if the bill went in the opposite direction allowing all wineries wide open use, I doubt many wineries would shift their focus away from the wine for events. Having equal permissions between counties and state is necessary. But, one thing to be determined is who will enforce the bill? The bill should have little effect on Southern Oregon wineries as winery owners state that their nonwine sales do not even come close to the new cap.

'Tis the Season for Wine Festivals- Next up- SIP

With the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival, Newport Seafood & Wine Festival and now SIP- the 17th annual McMinnville Wine & Food Classic- every weekend has become a wine weekend! SIP will be held at the Evergreen Space Museum in the heart of the Willamette Valley's wine country March 12-14th. It will feature superb cuisine, local artisans, chef demonstrations, live music, wine education seminars, and wine tasting from some of the best wineries and vineyards in Oregon (forget Newport, this is my kind of wine festival!). General admission is $15 and does not include wine tasting fees, which vary by vendor. Festival hours are Friday: 3-9:30 p.m., Saturday 12-9:30 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.- 5p.m.

Many Southern Oregon wineries including Abacela, Cliff Creek, Crater Lake Cellars, Edenvale, Girardet, Henry Estate, Hillcrest, Marshanne Landing, Melrose, Palotai, Spangler and Troon will be pouring. This will be a great opportunity to showcase premium Southern Oregon wines up north. 

In fact, Southern Oregon already earned 10 medals in the festival's wine competition. 

Gold Medal

EdenVale Winery, Rogue Valley, 2003 Pear House Reserve Cabernet Franc

Spangler Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Malbec

Spangler Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2007 The Terraces Petite Syrah

Silver Medal

EdenVale Winery, Rogue Valley, 2005 Pinot Noir

Girardet Wine Cellars, Umpqua Valley, 2007 Frostbite Gewurztraminer

Melrose Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Viognier

Bronze Medal

Cliff Creek Cellars, Rogue Valley, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon

Cliff Creek Cellars, Rogue Valley, 2006 Merlot

Girardet Wine Cellars, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Baco Noir

Melrose Vineyards, Umpqua Valley, 2008 Pinot Gris

Patotai Winery, Umpqua Valley, 2006 Arany Szarvas