Deal Ending Soon! 2 Tickets to the Taste of Harry & David for $20.

Limelight Deals is running a deal on tickets to this year's Taste of Harry & David event this Labor Day Weekend. Get two tickets for just $20! Deal ends Thursday at midnight, so hurry and get your tickets now.

Harry and David Rosenberg. Two Southern Oregon boys who brought us the most luscious pears the region had ever seen. Then came the Fruit-of-the-month Club with delights each and every month, followed by the legendary Tower of Treats. Now, over 70 years later, the company is better than ever and you can bet, they really know how to throw one great, tasty party.

Today’s deal gets you half off on two tickets to the Food and Wine Event of the Year, the fabulous 2011 Taste of Harry and David. Spend just $20 and get those two tickets--that’s BOGO with flavor! The event is on Labor Day Weekend, September 2 from 3-9 p.m. and on September 3 and 4 from 11:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. so get your tickets now and go on any one of those days you like!

With 40 wineries, 20 food booths, and 9 local chefs competing in the perfect pairing chef challenge as well as live bands, The Taste of Harry and David is the region’s premiere food and wine event. The entire Rogue Valley turns out to sample a delicious array of specialty foods, including exclusive chocolates, artisan cheeses, and premium wines. Check out a cooking class on September 3 or 4 with foods from Italy, a grilling class or the art of wine and cheese pairing. The Perfect Pairing Chef Challenge is a great competition too where local chefs team with wineries to see who can come up with the best pairing. You’ll also feel good as you give back to help restock ACCESS’s food bank. Get your half price tickets now for the tastiest event of the year!

The Fine Print:

Note: Deal is not active until a minimum of 12 deals are sold. Deals are not available to use until the day after the deal is over.

- Promotional value expires on last day of the event September 4, 2011
- Not to be combined with other offers such as the food drive discount
- No cash back for unused portion
- Full face value must be used at the time of purchase
- Non-transferable
- Only 1 Voucher per customer

Oregon Wine Board, Oregon Wine Press Partner to Recognize Top Oregon Wine Lists

Seventy restaurants receive Oregon Wine Superior Cellar Award

In an effort to spotlight Oregon restaurants that are strong advocates for Oregon wines, the Oregon Wine Board (OWB) and the state’s leading wine-focused consumer publication, Oregon Wine Press (OWP), are partnering to raise the visibility of OWP’s Superior Cellar Awards^TM.

“A growing number of fine restaurants currently carry wide selections of Oregon wines, and we applaud them, but there are still too many that do not”

The Superior Cellar Award is the only program in the state that provides consumer guidance on restaurants that feature diverse and broad selections of Oregon wines on their wine lists. The goal of the program is to help consumers find restaurants, both in Oregon and elsewhere, that strongly advocate Oregon wine and to encourage restaurants to carry and feature Oregon wines.

“A growing number of fine restaurants currently carry wide selections of Oregon wines, and we applaud them, but there are still too many that do not,” said Steve Burns, acting executive director of the Oregon Wine Board. “We believe that for those restaurant owners who choose to carry excellent Oregon wine selections, we should help them make sure consumers are aware. Many Oregon restaurants focus on local sourcing in their food, but have not chosen to do the same in their wine selections.”

OWP debuted its Superior Cellar Awards in September 2010, selecting 41 restaurants for the designation. Under the new partnership, the list of restaurants will be refreshed on a regular basis. Restaurants are encouraged to display the Superior Cellar Award logo on their websites and in their establishments.

“We started the Superior Cellar Awards in Oregon Wine Press a year ago,” said Hilary Berg, OWP editor. “We are thrilled to be partnering with the industry’s largest winery and vineyard organization to expand the program and increase its visibility and familiarity with consumers and restaurants.”

Twenty new restaurants have been added to the program while one has closed, bringing the total number of Superior Cellar Award winners to 60 in Oregon. In addition, 10 restaurants from outside the state have also been chosen as Superior Cellar Award winners for 2012. The entire list of restaurants and a complete explanation of the program can be found on the OWP website.

“Waverly Root (a longtime American food journalist and author) said, ‘Where there is good wine there is good food.’ That's been our focus here at Higgins,” said Greg Higgins, owner of Higgins Restaurant in Portland, a Superior Cellar award winner. “To embrace both local food and wine by recognizing Oregon wine lists, OWP and OWB are helping to encourage others to do the same."

The criteria for receiving a Superior Cellar Award was developed by OWP in consultation with the wine industry as well as members of the wholesale and retail trade. OWP editors evaluate wine lists for breadth, depth and balance as well as specific selections. Emphasis is also placed on waitstaff training and education; special tastings and other wine-related events are also taken into consideration.

Superior Cellar Award restaurants are regularly evaluated to assure wine lists maintain their Oregon integrity. Consumers are encouraged to suggest restaurants that should be considered for the designation. They can make those suggestions by emailing them to Hilary Berg.

About OWB:

The Oregon Wine Board (OWB) is a semi-independent Oregon state agency managing marketing, research and education initiatives that support and advance the Oregon wine and wine grape industry. The Board works on behalf of all Oregon wineries and independent growers throughout the state’s diverse winegrowing regions. The Oregon wine grape and wine industry contributes more than $2.7 billion of economic activity to the state economy each year, including more than 13,000 wine-related jobs.

Shocking Exclusion in Portland Monthly's "50 Best Oregon Wines" (or not?)

Portland Monthly cover story headline is very misleading. If "best" and "Oregon wine" are in your headline, you better have a broader selection than 100 producers in your tasting. With not one Southern Oregon or Columbia Gorge pick, I am thinking "best" is a bad choice of word. - Hilary Berg, Oregon Wine Press Editor via facebook (which inspired this post)

Want to see the injustice for yourself? Read the article.

Here is the magazine's explanation of "Why only Pinots," which I find very insulting. My blood pressure is rising just typing this.

Why only Pinots?

Where are all the other reds? As you scan this list, you’ll probably notice a trend: every single one of our 35 top red wines is a pinot noir. While Oregon’s production of “the other reds”—merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel, and others—is quickly growing, much of our state’s winemaking energy is still devoted to the granddaddy of Oregon grapes. The first varietal to be widely grown in the Willamette Valley, where the climate is ideal, pinot noir has put our verdant vineyards solidly on the radar of oenophiles around the globe. that means thriving markets for Oregon winemakers, which lead to greater investment in pinot production. But trust us: there are plenty of other delicious wines out there just waiting to be sipped.

My understanding of the tasting is you had to be "asked" to the table. How would these five so-called judges know everything and everyone to ask for? Even if a Southern Oregon wine couldn't break into the top 50 (which would be doubtful), they still should get a seat at the table. Of course the magazine still tried to sell ads to Southern Oregon wineries and associations. They aren't above our money, only our wines.

Janet Eastman Named Wine Writer for Mail Tribune

Congratulations to Janet Eastman for being named the new wine writer for the Medford Mail Tribune! She will be taking over for Cleve Twitchell who retired after writing the column for two decades. Janet is already such a great support to our local and statewide wine industry in her work as the Medford Wine Examiner, contributor to Oregon Wine Press, The Jacksonville Review and Southern Oregon Magazine. Her first column will debut next Wednesday.

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The Wine Trail Ends Here.

Six Wineries

One Location

Upper Rogue End of Wine Trail

slightly confusing name because they still have their 2nd Saturday events planned through November, but hey, any reason to drink wine...

Thursday, August 25th

5-8pm

Del Rio Vineyards, 52 N. River Rd., Gold Hill, OR

$10

Reserve your tickets now!

547-855-9819

Featuring:

Rogue Creamery Cheeses

The Butcher Shop - Meats

Friday or Saturday. C St Bistro. Be there!

Come eat and drink with Chris & Christine to celebrate their inaugural release!

C St. Bistro (the hottest new restaurant in Southern Oregon) announced the menu for this Friday & Saturday's wine release dinner. You can't get much fresher than setting the menu after you buy the ingredients from this morning's farmers' market. 

AMUSE BOUCHE
Cornmeal Fried Okra Stuffed with Caramelized Onion/Garlic Chevre and Heirloom Tomato Relish

FIRST COURSE

Watermelon and Sweet Basil Gazpacho with Smoked Halibut Cheek

Troon Vineyard 2010 Dry Riesling

MAIN COURSE

Maple Brined Natural Pork Chop with Cipollini Quinoa, Grilled Red Haven Peach and Balsamic Syrup

God King Slave 2009 Syrah - Tempranillo

DESSERT

Blackberry Cobbler
Bellini

$45 includes dinner and wine.
Bottles and cases available for purchase. 

C St. Bistro is located at 230 E C St. in Jacksonville.

Reservations recommended. 

Call 541.231.7368 or email godkingslavewines@gmail.com. 

Harry & David Wine Competition Winners Announced

The Taste of Harry & David, a staple Southern Oregon wine event taking place every Labor Day Weekend at the Harry & David Country Village, has announced their winners for this year's wine competition.

Come taste the local food and wines:

 Friday, September 2nd, 3-9 pm 

Saturday, September 3rd, 11 am - 6 pm

Sunday, September 4th, 11 am - 6pm

$15/person

The Gold Medal winners will be teaming up with a local restaurant to compete for the best food and wine pairing (using a Harry & David ingredient) as voted by professionals and event attendees.

Gold

2009 Bergstrom Old Stones Chardonnay, Best of Show ~ White

2009 Bergstrom de Lancelotti Pinot Noir, Best of Show ~ Red

2010 South Stage Cellars Sp. Muscat, Best of Show ~ Sweet

2009 Pyrenees Chardonnay

2009 Philanthropie 2x2 Viognier

2008 Illahe Pinot Noir 

2008 Foris Maple Ranch Pinot Noir

2009 Winderlea "Ana" Pinot Noir

2008 South Stage Cab Franc

2008 Agate Ridge Cab Franc

2009 Del Rio Claret

2008 Quady North 4-2-a Syrah

2010 Pebblestone Viogner

2005 Edenvale Syrah

Silver

2010 Philanthropie Suavignon Blanc

2010 Melrose Sauvignon Blanc

2009 Del Rio Pinot Gris

2010 Cuckoo’s Nest Pinot Gris

2008 Anna Maria Chardonnay

2009 Troon Chardonnay

2009 Cuckoo’s Nest Aromatique

2010 Quady Syrah Rose

2010 Pebblestone Syrah Rose

2009 Melrose Dolcetto

2009 Tesoaria Barbera

2009 Fly High Tempranillo

2008 Domaine  Paradox  Pinot Noir

2009 J. Scott Grenache

2009 Heritage Collection Grenache ~ Syrah

2006 McAuley Proprietary Red

2008 Eliana Red Blend

2008 Daniel Joseph GSM

2008 Roxy Ann Syrah

2006 Anna Maria Cab Sauvignon

2005 Lorelli Cabernet  Sauvignon

2010 Abiqua Wind Mueller Thurgau

2009 Slagle Creek Reserve Red

Bronze

2010 J. Scott Roussane

2009 Roxy Ann Pinot Gris

2009 Quady North Oxblock Viognier

2008 Ellie Viognier

2009 Ledger Princeps Chenin Blanc

2010 Ledger David Sangiovese Rose

2009 Tesoaria Dolcetto

2009 Tesoaria Tempranillo

2009 God King Slave Tempranillo/Syrah

2009 Anna Maria Pinot Noir

2009 Del Rio Pinot Noir

2007 Winderlea Estate Pinot Noir

2009 Pyrenees Meritage

2006 Lorelli Quattro Foglie

2007 Pebblestone Syrah

2005 Shasta View Zinfandel

2009 Troon Kubli Zinfandel

2010 Plaisance Syrah Rose

2010 Agate Ridge Weeknight White Blend

2009 Henry Estate Mueller Thurgau

Congratulations to the 2011 winners!

Cleve Twitchell bids farewell - Searching for the next wine columnist

Cleve Twitchell writes his farewell article as the former editor and wine columnist for the Medford Mail Tribune. The end of era opens up opportunity for the next...


Columnist bids farewell after 15 years

Today's Wine Talk is about the 490th I have written for the Mail Tribune. It also is my last.

August 17, 2011

By Cleve Twitchell

How on earth did I wind up writing a wine column in the first place?

DO YOU TALK WINE?

If you can sniff, swirl and sip and have a talent for writing bottled up, we have an assignment for you. The Mail Tribune is looking for its next biweekly wine columnist. Email a sample column with daytime telephone number to Food Editor Sarah Lemon atslemon@mailtribune.com. Applicants should not have any commercial connection to the wine industry.

Wine was not something I often thought about when I joined the Mail Tribune staff in 1961. I acquired the taste gradually.

If you've lived in the Rogue Valley for a decade or more, you may remember my weekly dining column, The Long Weekend. It often included coverage of wines served at various restaurants. Then as lifestyles editor — a hat I wore from 1983 to 1996 — I periodically wrote feature stories about the growing Southern Oregon wine industry.

The Tribune had for years published a weekly food page and, in the early 1990s, management decided to expand it into the weekly shopper as well, calling both A la Carte.

As time went on, several people thought it would be a good idea to have a wine column. Wine columns were available from wire services, but they rarely covered Oregon wines. When they did, it was about some Willamette Valley pinot noir and never about the Rogue Valley.

So I basically said, "OK, I'll do it." I took a crack at filling the gap, writing about local wineries.

Wine Talk was born. It became a regular fixture, starting in the mid-1990s, appearing on average every other week. When I retired in 2002, I was encouraged to continue writing the wine column biweekly as a freelancer.

But there comes a time when personal circumstances suggest it would be appropriate to make a change. That time, for me, has come.

The growth of the Southern Oregon wine industry has been amazing to watch. The first local wineries opened in the late 1970s. Today, there are more than 60 of them in the Jackson-Josephine-Douglas counties region. I will remain both a fan and a customer.

A New Independent Voice in Town

Oregon Wine Geeks, a team of three IT professionals (though the most social IT guys I've ever met) by day, wine enthusiasts by night,  have a mission to be the "independent voice of Southern Oregon wine." Their website, www.OregonWineGeeks.com, features a helpful buyer's guide, tasting notes, tour planning services, and blog of their adventures.

Recently:

• They conducted their first competitive tasting with a lineup of 10 local and import syrahs
• Toured the Applegate Valley 
• Reviewed over 30 wines for their buyer's guide

Check them out!

Personalize Your Wine Collection with Custom-Built Cabinets and Cellars

by Jess Huckins

Proper storage of wine bottles is crucial to the maintenance and enjoyment of a wine collection. White and red wines each have their own set of qualifications for storage temperature, humidity, and light, and it is not always easy to find the right balance while keeping the collection accessible and on display. Beginning wine collectors often find that they quickly run out of space in their kitchen wine rack. When that happens, it is time to consider upgrading to a wine cabinet or even installing a wine cellar.

The California-based company Vintage Cellars has 20 years of experience designing and constructing custom wine cellars and wine storage cabinets. They will work with you to figure out the best use of space in your home, whether you want to install a cooling unit in your pantry or turn your basement into a serious wine cellar.

If you feel like a wine cabinet will be large enough to house your wine collection (and Vintage Cellars' cabinets can hold up to 500 bottles!), they can help you decide which model works best for your home. They each have their own advantages; for example, the Vinotheque wine cabinets are virtually silent and create an ideal environment for aging wines, and the Le Cache wine cabinets come with CellarPro cooling and humidity management and are able to store larger bottles (such as magnum or champagne bottles). If you're looking for a completely custom option but do not need a full wine cellar, Vintage Cellars even offers a Build Your Own Wine Cabinet program. These kits are an easy and fun do-it-yourself project.

If even a 500-bottle cabinet isn't enough space for your blossoming collection, consider hiring Vintage Cellars to design and install a custom wine cellar in your home. Vintage Cellars recommends that customers use a contractor to complete construction on the walls and ceiling, and to help with installing HVAC ducting for the cellar temperature and humidity control system. They can refer you to contractors and work with your crew to ensure that walls and floor meet the specific needs of your wine collection. Once the cellar itself is complete, Vintage Cellars will install the rack system they designed just for you.

For more information, you can read up on wine storage techniques and information, then contact Vintage Cellars (by email or at 1-800-876-8789) for a free custom cellar design. Be prepared to discuss the style and size you might be interested in, and have an ideal budget in mind. Then, let the experts transform your wine cellar dream into a reality!

vintagecellarsonline@gmail.com

Vintage Cellars

904 Rancheros Dr. Suite G.

San Marcos, CA 92069

Big Reds & BBQ at Folin Cellars

Last Friday night 30 (or so) guests gathered in the Tasting Room at Folin Cellars for a little lesson in BBQ and Big Reds. Hosted by Tasting Room Personality, Steve, he poured 10 wines from around the globe paired with grilled shrimp, pulled pork, and brisket - all lovingly prepared by Wine Club member and barbecuing fanatic, Gayland Durett. 

I learned many valuable lessons from the evening:

Grilling = Hot & Fast

Barbecuing = Low & Slow

(many sexual references can be created to get this point across)

Gayland arrived at Folin at 5 am that morning to start the low and slow process. That's dedication. He also shared his tangy and spicy barbecue sauce recipe with guests. 

Grilled shrimp and vegetable ratatouille

Steve loves prosciutto wrapped dates

Gayland debuts the brisket

Folin Cellars regularly hosts wine tasting events like this one. Get on their mailing list, so you don't miss the next one! 

God King Slave Wine Release Party!

Join us at our favorite local restaurant for a very monumental event. 

- Chris & Christine

website    facebook

Local Wine Benefits Fire Department

It started with the Biscuit Fire in 2002, then the Blossom Fire in 2005, now Troon Vineyard releases their 2007 Humbug Fire Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve to support the Applegate Valley Fire District.

Winemaker, Herb Quady Each year wildfires are a threat in and around the Applegate Valley. Back in 2002, the Biscuit Fire burned rampantly through nearly 500,000 acres of Southern Oregon and Northern California landscape, the largest North American fire in documented history. While devastating homes and wildlife, it lent a smokey character to the Troon 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve; noticeable enough to add as a title to the wine. This limited 180 case production wine sparked widespread popularity among online and private wine collectors garnishing premium prices of $500-$700 a bottle. The wine also served as a memento to the firefighters who worked hard to combat the flames. In 2005 when another significant fire, the Blossom Fire, broke out, Troon Vineyard added a charitable component to the so named release.  A portion of the proceeds (over $2,800) of that wine went back to support the local heroes of fire district #9.  "The initial donation of over $1,700 went to purchasing new pagers for the 40+ volunteers in the Applegate Valley Fire District. Pagers are our sole form of communication with our volunteers, so it was a major purchase for us. It is a constant battle to keep our equipment and devices up to safety standards, so the second donation of $1,100 went to upgrading our antiquated fire tools and hose packs to fight the wild land fires," states Carey Chaput, administrator of Fire District #9. The latest release, the 2007 Humbug Fire Cabernet Sauvignon, continues the support of the fire department. In 2007, a fire started by sparks from fireworks burned 150 acres in the Applegate Valley. Fortunately, the ability of the crews prevented the fire from progressing in the direction of the  vineyards. This release is a very appreciative and personal thank you from Team Troon. The 2007 Humbug Fire Cabernet Sauvignon was released August 1st at Troon Vineyard's Applegate Valley Estate and Carlton Tasting Rooms. It will also be available online and in select Oregon retail locations. It is a rich, robust wine with notes of black currant, black plum, and tobacco. Extended 28 month aging in French Oak has provided smooth texture and a long finish. Retail price: $42. On October 1st, during Troon Vineyard's annual Harvest Party, Fire District #9 will be presented with the first check from the wine's proceeds.