Willamette (& egg on face)

Google Groups any help?

Dan

Highly suggest Archery Summit or Domaine Serene.

Ian, Regarding your stated choices: Argyle and Ponzi's wine bar are across the street from one another in Dundee. I'd recommend a stop at Ponzi for lunch in their "bistro," whereby you can also stop at their wine bar. I am not a great fan of Ponzi's wines, and I think that Argyle's wines are simple but pleasant, but both are fun places to stop.

For touring the Willamette Valley, I think that it's useful to divide it into "North" and "South" regions. The North region is centered around Dundee and Newberg in Yamhill County and is easily accessible by car from Portland. My recommendations there would be Chehalem (excellent whites) and Torii Mor (Pinot Noir). Others have recommended Dom. Drouhin, Dom. Serene, WillaKenzie and Archery Summit but they've been closed when I was there over Xmas. The "South" region in my terminology is located close to Salem in the Eola Hills, still accessible from Portland by car, but a longer haul to be sure. There, I've been told to visit Cristom, Witness Tree, Bethel Heights and St. Innocent. And in between you have Panther Creek in McMinnville.

For contact information, see:

There are also wineries further south in the Willamette Valley, around Eugene and Corvallis, but AFAIK they aren't in the same league with those I've mentioned.

Mark Lipton

Generally accepted wisdom is to eat at least one evening at Nick's in McMinnville.

If you like Riesling try Brooks Winery--I haven't yet tried their Pinot Noir but a friend raves:

My favorite Pinot Noir winery is Cameron.

Salut/Hi Dan Gravell,

le/on Tue, 07 Sep 2004 14:56:59 +0100, tu disais/you said:-

Grin..... piling Ossa on Pelion?

In fact, as I use an _offline_ reader, just going online to collect and send messages, it never occurs to me to use it.

Thanks, and when I next go online, I'll have a look at it and grab the info therein.

Salut/Hi Richard Neidich,

le/on Tue, 07 Sep 2004 14:59:02 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

Thanks very much Dick, and to the others who've replied both here and privately. I'll not be answering each and every one of you, to keep personal and repetitive posting down to a minimum.

After I've got all advice that's coming, I'll assemble a revised list (bye-bye Ponzi) and then contact each of the wineries to ask if they would accept a visit in the period 5th to 7th for the northern ones and 7th to

10th for the southern ones explaining who I am and so on. That may open doors to places that some of you weren't able to visit. I'll also give them a chance to veto any particular date. So, plans are afoot!

Brooks winery may not be open for a while, there is a report in the local paper the owner/wine maker just had a massive heart attack and did not make it ;-(

J~

cutecat wrote:

You might try this link Ian.

And Tina's in....wherever Tina's is (Newberg? Dundee?)

I'll put in a vote for Rex Hill.

Larry Coon University of California

Follow-up: It's in Dundee, right on the main highway.

Larry Coon University of California

That's the Umpqua Valley. I agree with your assessment. There are a couple that are okay (I think Henry Estate, if I remember right, is one). However, if you want a beautiful non-wine day trip starting from that area, take highway

138 from Roseburg to Crater Lake.

Larry Coon University of California

Oh, no. Very sad for the owner's family and sad for us lovers of West Coast Riesling as well. We just polished off a bottle tonight and it was wonderful.

Salut/Hi Bill Loftin,

le/on Wed, 08 Sep 2004 19:22:45 GMT, tu disais/you said:-

A special thanks to you, Bill. (and to Mark, for his

link). Both of these are a veritable MINE of information, which I haven't begun to tap properly.

I'll ask a supplementary, if I may, following up on information emailed to me.

As I understand it, some Oregon winemakers use a lot of oak. Obviously they've the right to make their wines any way they like, and people react to that as their taste takes them. Equally, I'd like to taste good examples of all wine styles - obviously it would be lunatic not to taste Oregon Pinot Noir, but I feel it would equally idiotic NOT to taste any of the other grapes. By the same token, it would be a shame _only_ to taste wines made in a self consciously "burgundian" style, or in an equally self consciously "non-burgundian" style.

So my question is, "Of the good wineries we've seen mentioned more than once (in no order whatsover) which use a LOT of oak, which a bit, which just a little?"

Christom Dom. Serene WillaKenzie Panther Creek Lange Domaine Drouhin Rex Hill Chehalam Archery Summit JK Carriere Torii Mor Patricia Green Van Duzer Cameron Brooks (may be closed)

And that will be my LAST question on this topic, I promise ;-)))

here is what release here in the paper....

OREGON WINEMAKER DIES

Oregon winemaker Jimi Brooks passed away Friday after suffering a heart attack. The 38-year-old Portland native was winemaker for Maysara Estate Winery as well as his own brand, Brooks Wines, both in McMinnville.

A memorial service will be Sunday, Sept. 12, at Hidden Springs Vineyard in Amity, according to The Oregonian.

J~ wrote:

[snipping other fine comments]

The Eugene-Corvallis area has a number of fine wineries which belong in the top echelon---namely, King Estate and Benton-Lane. Hinman Estate/Sylvan Ridge is very repectable if not stellar.

However, I'll agree that pickings are slim in this area. The northern Willamette has more great wineries than anyone could possibly visit in a month!

Another poster mentioned Southern Willamette as being in the Umpqua [River] Valley. This is incorrect. The Umpqua region is further south, near Roseburg. The warmer Umpqua region, which never made Pinot Noir of the character of northern Oregon, has lately discovered Syrah, and a number of wineries there are doing well with it.

My favorite Umpqua Winery is Abecela Cellars. You should seek out their wines while in Oregon, even if you don't have the opportunity to visit there.

They make a terrific Syrah, but the focus of the winery is on Spanish varietals---Tempranillo, Garnacha (Grenache), and the winery is one of only three in the USA I know of which makes a beautiful Albarino. [the others are Havens Cellars in Napa and Chrysalis Vyds. in Virginia].

---Bob