Music in the Vines Concert Series at Deer Creek Vineyard

MUSIC IN THE VINES CONCERT SERIES DEER CREEK VINEYARDS 6 TO 9PM $10.00 for most events

Come out and enjoy Deer Creek Vineyard's new music venue!  Bring your lawn chairs, blanket, grab a glass and take in the surroundings while listening to renown artists. Katherine Bryan,  the new owner of the vineyard, has worked hard to assemble a  diverse collection of talent fitting to celebrate her inaugural year  and give people plenty of reason to visit the Illinois Valley.  SATURDAY MAY 28TH BROH TAYLOR BAND website: www.broh-taylorblues.com 2009 Winner of the Best Contemporary Blues Act 2009 & 2010 Winner-Joanne Broh for Best Female  Vocalist-Rainy Day Blues Society SATURDAY JUNE 4TH: NATTYBONES website:www.reverbnation.com/label/stevegrove#!/nattybones 2010 Winner New Blues Act Rainy Day Blues Society SATURDAY JUNE 18TH: BEN RICE BAND website: www.benricelive.com 2010 Winner of New Blues Act Instrumentalist SATURDAY JUNE 25TH: TASTE OF SOUL website.www.reverbnation.com/stevegrove#!/tasteofsoul Sophisicated, Tasteful, and Old SChool R&B SATURDAY JULY 2ND: REED TURNER www.reedturner.com Austin, Tx. younghollywood.com says. "Reed Turner's folk-rock-acoustic  fusion is perfect for kicking it on the back porch as the sun  goes down." SATURDAY JULY 9TH: LAURA CURTIS www.lauracurtismusic.com Up and Coming Preeminent Singer and Songwriter in the  Americana and Folk music scene SATURDAY JULY 23: HIRED GUN BAND website: http://hiredgunsite.net/ Rockin' Rogue Music , created in the wilds of the Rogue  River country, their music flows like the river itself, wild  and savage, yet can be cool and calm... SATURDAY JULY 30TH: MOJO CHILD website: www.mojochild.com A Tribute to the Doors! MojoChild brings to life the Magic,  Passion and Hypnotic Rhythm of The Doors. SATURDAY AUGUST 13TH: JASON JOHNSTON &  MICHAEL BORON http://www.myspace.com/jasonjohnstonlive Southern Oregon's Premier Country Sound SATURDAY AUGUST20TH:PETEHERZOG www.peteherzogmusic.com Herzog is a treat for the ears, offering up a mix of  Mississippi Delta Blues and Appalachian Folk SATURDAY AUGUST 27TH:NATTYBONES www.reverbnation.com/label/stevegrove#!/nattybones 2010 Winner New Blues Act Rainy Day Blues Society SATURDAY SEPT 10TH: THE MIXERS BAND website:www.myspace.com/themixersswing Southern Oregons own little big band The Mixers Band  are a swing, jazz and east/west coast jump blues band  that gives you both music and a show SATURDAY SEPT 17TH: BLUE LIGHTNING www.myspace.com/bluelightningrocks SATURDAY SEPT 24TH: TBA

Del Rio Summer Concert Series

Del Rio Vineyards & Winery is excited to announce their annual Summer Concert Series schedule. For 2011 they are offering a fun lineup featuring great Southern Oregon talent.Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner to enjoy on the tasting room grounds. Wine will be available for purchase by the glass or bottle. Admission is $7.50 for the general public & $5.00 for Del Rio Wine Club Members. Please no outside alcohol.

JUNE

June 24th - Broadway Phil & The Shouters – 6:00-8:30pm
Broadway Phil and the Shouters have been rocking concerts and clubs since 1994. Building on a long tradition of West Coast blues, R&B and roots rock, the Shouters remain a hard–driving mainstay of the independent music scene in Oregon, California and beyond.

JULY

July 8th - Sweet Town Little – 6:00-9:00pm
Sweet Town Little is a new emerging, energetic, country band based in Brookings Oregon. A four man crew, the band is known for their country & progressive rock sound.

July 22nd – Mercy – 6:00-9:00pm
"Mercy" covers classic soul, R&B, rock and blues pumping fresh new life into them with the extraordinary vocal prowess of Lynda Morrison.

AUGUST

August 5th - Kites & Crows – 6:00-9:00pm
Kites & Crows, an indie folk trio, fresh off of Fall West Coast tour, are local favorites on Jefferson Public Radio's Folk Show with their new self-produced Golden Room ep released in November 2010.

August 19th - The Roadsters – 6:00-8:30pm
The Roadsters are an energetic, interactive, dynamic country/rock band whose strong male and female vocals offer variety & versatility. With a tight, hard-hitting rhythm section, they capture the best in classic & contemporary country, as well as vintage rock.

Roam the Rogue Spring Passport Tour

Join each of the Upper Rogue Valley winemakers to introduce their newest wines and share their creative inspiration while pairing delicious appetizers with some of the best wines from each of these wineries:

Agate Ridge Vineyard

Cliff Creek Cellars

Crater Lake Cellars

Daisy Creek Vineyard

Del Rio Vineyard

Folin Cellars

Madrone Mountain Vineyard

RoxyAnn Winery

Saturday, May 28th - 11:00am to 5:00pm

Tickets are $25 per person and include a commemorative Reidel glass, delicious appetizers and wine tasting at all 8 participating wineries. Purchase your tickets online here.

Troon Vineyard launches new culinary program, Troon to Table

Troon Vineyard announces an innovative culinary program, Troon to Table, headed by Chef Tim Keller. Debuting Memorial Day Weekend and running through Labor Day Weekend, Troon will host a menu focused on estate grown and local ingredients paired with Troon wines each Saturday and Sunday from 12-4 pm. Chef Tim Keller, formerly of The Nunan House, The Jacksonville Inn and Firefly of Ashland, brings years of experience to Troon's kitchen. Creations like an Applegate Garden Salad with Blue Fox Farms Greens, Rogue Creamery Blue Cheese, Candied Walnuts and 2009 River Guide White Poached Pears drizzled with Wine Reduction and Plaisance Ranch Sliders served on sourdough bread from Troon's own starter, demonstrates Chef Tim Keller's commitment to supporting local.  Chef Tim Keller preparing Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Syrah-Soaked Watermelon "From the opening of our facility in 2005, we had always aspired to great heights in our culinary program.  It is truly a time where, with the help of Tim and our dynamic staff, we can reach those heights" said owner Chris Martin. Troon Truffles made with 2009 Kubli Zinfandel In addition to the weekend Troon to Table service, Troon has also released its inaugural Troon to Table product, mustard harvested from the vineyard's cover crop. The jars of mustard will retail in the Tasting Room for $5 or at select retail partners around Southern Oregon. Troon plans to add lavender lemonade and lavender salt made from plants grown on the estate, as well as curing meats in the wine cellar. Mustard cover crop Troon Cellar Dweller Members will have the opportunity to learn some of Chef Keller's tips and tricks at a bi-monthly Cooking with Tim series. The lessons will cover a wide-array of topics including cooking with wine, barbequing, and cooking with ingredients sourced within 30 miles. Cooking with Tim will be held every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month. Troon will also be partnering with their neighboring artisan producers in their Sunday Grower Spotlight each week. Local farmers and artisan producers will be at the winery in a farmers' market-style setting discussing and selling their bounty. Looks like it will be a well-feed summer at Troon Vineyard!

Harry & David Wine Sale Begins Friday!

Applegate Wineries Prepare Wine Thieves for Upcoming Barrel Tour

Make a special effort to join 14 of the Applegate Valley wineries on May 22nd from 11 am - 5 pm for their annual Spring UnCorked Barrel Tour when they open their doors for barrel tasting and delicious food and wine pairings.

The wine thieves (the tool used to extract wine from the barrel) will be ready as each winery will be barrel tasting an unreleased wine giving guests a chance to experience wine as it tastes during its aging period and get a glimpse of what's to come in the future.

Tickets are $39 per person and will include a commemorative glass and tasting at all 14 participating wineries. Designated drivers are welcome to a complimentary sampling of the foods at each winery. Tickets can be purchased at the Applegate Wine Trail website.


I had the pleasure of attending the Fall UnCorked Barrel Tour. Read the recap of my itinerary here!

Chris Martin of Troon Vineyard
opens barrel room for guests

Duncan uses a wine thief to sample
Tempranillo at Schmidt

Troon Vineyard

Barrel Tasting: 2010 Kubli Bench Zinfandel

Featuring: 2009 Kubli Bench Zinfandel paired with Baked Touvelle Cheese and Red Grape Tart

Valley View Winery

Barrel Tasting: 2007 Anna Maria Cabernet Franc

Featuring: 2008 Anna Maria Chardonnay paired with Wild Mushroom and Brie Quiche

Fiasco Winery

Barrel Tasting: 2008 Zinfandel

Featuring: Fattoria Bianco paired with Mediterranean Shrimp

Plaisance Ranch

Barrel Tasting: Merlot

Featuring: Seafood Mac & Cheese

Soloro Vineyard

Barrel Tasting: Marsanne/Viognier blend

Featuring: 2010 Thunderegg Cut paired with Chicken, Spinach & Mushroom Roulade and Cheesy Corn

Wooldridge Creek Winery

Barrel Tasting: 2005 Vintage Port

Featured: 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Roasted Orange Braised Beef

Schmidt Family Vineyard

Barrel Tasting: 2010 Pinot Noir

Featuring: 2008 Zynphony paired with Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sauce

Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden

Barrel Tasting: 2008 Syrah 74

Featuring: 2009 Sullivan Steele Sauvignon Blanc paired with Mango and Blue Cheese

Rosella's Vineyard

Barrel Tasting: 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

Featuring: Rosso's Meatball Sliders

John Michael Cellars

Barrel Tasting: 2008 Claret

Featuring: Gorgonzola Polenta

Devitt Winery

Featuring: 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon paired with Mushroom Puff Pastry

Longsword Vineyard

Barrel Tasting: 2009 Dolcetto

Featuring: 2009 Accolade paired with Accolade Shrimp Salad

Cricket Hill Vineyard

Barrel Tasting: 2009 Cabernet Franc

Featuring: 2006 Midnight Diamond Merlot paired with Appetizer Chilled Corn and Coconut Bisque with Lime

Earl Jones only US Panelist at Tempranillo Event

The Spanish have invaded the Americas again! Well at least San Francisco and New York; their mission being, to promote Tempranillo wines from the world-famous Rioja wine growing region of Spain. Toward this end they held a series of tastings and seminars on their noble Tempranillo grape and wines in these cities.

Earl Jones, of Abacela Winery in Roseburg Oregon, was asked to join them in San Francisco. He was the only American producer invited to sit on the seminar’s prestigious five member panel of Spanish wine makers and wine journalists. The extensive “Vibrant Rioja” Seminar and Grand Tasting were both held at the Westin St. Francis hotel in San Francisco on Monday May 2, 2011.

In the early 1990's Earl and his wife Hilda pioneered the production of Tempranillo in America at their vineyards in southern Oregon's Umpqua Valley. Although late to arrive in the New World, this noble Spanish wine grape is now planted in 20 US states and Tempranillo wine is produced by over one hundred US wineries. 

In the past decade Earl founded the Tempranillo Advocates, Producers, and Amigos Society (TAPAS) and served three terms as president of this national trade organization. Today TAPAS, with over 100 members in several states, is actively promoting and educating Americans about domestically produced wines from Tempranillo, Albariño, Garnacha and other winegrapes and wine styles native to Spain and Portugal.

Southern Oregon gets some Indie Love

The Portland Indie Wine Festival is one of my favorite wine events of the year. Big statement. Why, you ask? Because it celebrates Oregon's craft winemaking. The event brings together Oregon's up-and-coming producers, where you can discover limited production wines and taste food from Portland's incredible culinary community.

In the festival's 7th year, the Indie Wine Fest is bringing back some notable 30 alumni, including Southern Oregon's own, Folin Cellars, Madrone Mountain and Quady North, as well as its 14 new juried wineries to pour on the May 14th event in NE Portland.

Reposted from the Portland Indie Wine Festival's blog:

The Willamette Valley is a media hog. Don’t get us wrong, we’re grateful for the amazing wines being produced less than an hour from the Big City, but Oregon is full of wine regions that go under-appreciated in the shadow of the Northwest corner of the state. Take the humble Southern Oregon wine community – a geographically rich location producing some truly world-class wines. The natural riches of Crater Lake, the Oregon Caves, ancient redwood forests, and the mighty Rogue and Umpqua Rivers are the backdrop of many amazing wineries and agricultural havens.

The river and mountain valleys and diverse climates of Southern Oregon allow for the growth of a wide variety grapes. “The cooler areas of Southern Oregon produce wonderful Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer,” according to the Southern Oregon Winery Association, “while the warmer, more arid regions ripen big reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Tempranillo, Merlot, Malbec, Dolcetto, Zinfandel, Grenache and Syrah. Many other unique varieties such as Albarino, Pinot Blanc, Gruner Veltliner, Marsanne, Rousanne, Baco Noir, Marachel Foch, Mourvedre, Semillon, Petite Sirah and Viognier are also grown; making Southern Oregon one of the most diverse winegrowing regions in the world.”

Several of our juried Indie Wine fest alumni and new wineries hail from the lower half of our great state, including Quady North (from the State of Jefferson), Madrone Mountain (foothills of the ancient Siskiyou Mountains near the California-Oregon border), Folin Cellars (Rogue Valley AVA, north of Medford), and J. Scott Cellars.

Can’t muster a trip to the Rogue River valley? Try the best of the small-production Southern Oregon wines at this year’s Portland Indie Wine and Food Festival, bringing the best of the state to Northeast Portland on May 14th. Buy your tickets today!

Support craft winemaking! It's why Oregon wine is so great. 

Rosé Season Has Arrived!

70 degrees and sunny today here in Southern Oregon. This signals the arrival of rosé season!

What is your favorite local rosé?

My favorites from 2009 included Abacela Rosado, Quady North Rosé, Cowhorn Winery Grenache Rosé, Folin Cellars Tempranillo Rosé, South Stage Cellars Morning Blush, and Red Lily Vineyard Tempranillo Rosé.

I'm looking forward to trying Herb Quady's new approach to rosé in his 2010 edition. In the past his rosé was a blend of the "saignees" from the Syrah that went into the 4-2, A, but now he has begun incorporating early picked Grenache with his favorite Syrahs (this year's blend is 40% Grenache and 60% Syrah).

Others on my must-try list are the Ledger David Cellars 2010 Sangiovese Rosé and Del Rio Vineyards 2010 Rosé.

Enjoy drinking pink!