wine press northwest fall 2011 issue

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U.S. $5 Canada $6

01 cover wide.qxd 9/2/11 3:51 PM

02 Columbia Gorge Hotel 8/30/11 9:13 AM

03 CorkWest ad 8/30/11 9:14 AM

6 Wine NoseA toast to a one-of-a-kind man

8 A Distant PerspectiveB.C.’s greatness waits to be discovered

10 Market GrapevinePacific Coast’s best oyster wines

12 Swirl, Sniff & SipAdventures in grape growing

14 Urban SipsListen up, and peel me a grape

16 Poet LaureateConflict

18 10 Things to Do21 Northwest Wine Events22 Northwest Wine News74 Vintage Musings

Cuvée a legendary blend

DEPARTMENTSFEATURES

Fall 2011Vol. 14, No. 3WINE PRESS

N O R T H W E S T

28 Carlton, Ore.This once sleepy little town in Oregon is now the Wine Capital of Oregon

40 Winning Wine ListsIf you’re looking for a restaurant with a great wine list,check out the results of our 13th annual competition.

54 Unusually Good WhitesThese aren’t your boring been-there, done-that white wines.They’re different, in a good way.

64 On the RiversideThis waterfront restaurant in Hood River serves up somesurf and turf to go with local wines.

COVER STORYOn the cover and this page:Bucolic vistas await visitorsto Abbey Road Farm, one ofthe many attractions inCarlton, Ore.Story begins on page 28.

Photos by Jackie Johnston

COVER STORYOn the cover and this page:Bucolic vistas await visitorsto Abbey Road Farm, one ofthe many attractions inCarlton, Ore.Story begins on page 28.

Photos by Jackie Johnston

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FALL 2011 • WINE PRESS NORTHWESTWINEPRESSNW.COM 5

Wine Press Northwest is for those with an inter-est in wine — from the novice to the veteran. Wefocus on Washington, Oregon, Idaho and BritishColumbia’s talented winemakers and the wineries,vintners and restaurants that showcase Northwestwines. We are dedicated to all who savor the fruitsof their labor.

Editor-in-chief: Andy PerduePhone: 509-582-1405Fax: 509-585-7221E-mail: [email protected]

Managing editor: Eric DegermanPhone: 509-582-1404Fax: 509-585-7221E-mail: [email protected]

Editor at-large: Jon Bauer

Tasting editor: Bob Woehler

Tasting panel: Winnie Alberg, Kristine Bono, KateMichaud, Justin Michaud, Mike Rader, KenRobertson, Coke Roth, Dave Seaver, Paul Sinclair,Bob Woehler, Eric Degerman, Andy Perdue

Master facilitator: Hank SauerFacilitator: Daniel Skorski

Page designer: Jackie Johnston

Columnists: Jon Bauer, Dan Berger, Teri Citterman, Braiden Rex-Johnson, Ken Robertson, Bob Woehler

Poet laureate: Jordan Chaney

Contributing photographers: Jackie Johnston,Spencer Johnson

Contributing artist: Ken Susynski

Ad sales:Parker Hodge, 509-585-7257E-mail: [email protected]

To subscribe: Subscriptions cost $20 U.S. per yearfor four issues. Mail check, money order or creditcard number and expiration date to address belowor subscribe securely on our Web site.

Subscriptions and customer service: Hildanna Gerlach, 800-538-5619e-mail: [email protected]

Letters to the editor: We encourage your thoughtsand comments about our publication and aboutNorthwest wines in general. Write to us at theaddress below.

Fresh Press: Find fresh reviews of recently releasedNorthwest wines. The free weekly PDF can bedownloaded at winepressnw.com/freshpress

Free weekly newsletter: Sign up for our free PacificNorthwest Wine of the Week e-mail newsletter atwinepressnw.com

Address:333 W. Canal DriveKennewick, WA 99336

© 2011 Wine Press NorthwestA Tri-City Herald publication

WINE PRESSN O R T H W E S T

05 Masthead 9/3/11 2:43 AM

COLUMN the wine knows

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011 WINEPRESSNW.COM6

Let us pause a moment to honor a man who helpedmake a lot of things possible in the Northwest wineindustry.

Bob Woehler, Wine Press Northwest’s tasting editor sincethe magazine’s inception in 1998, passed away Aug. 24. Hewas 79, and he left us way too soon.

We called him “Big Woe.” He was 6-foot-6. He lived life in alarge way. He embraced it all and rarely held back. He bel-lowed with a loud, gruff voice, but he was a puppy dog onceyou got to know him.

Bob did not grow up appreciating wine. Instead, he sort offell into it. As the agriculture reporter for the Tri-City Heraldin Kennewick, Wash., he was assigned to cover the openingof a new winery in 1976. It was Preston Premium Wines northof Pasco. Back then, Washington had fewer than a dozen pro-ducers, and the modern wine business was barely in its infan-cy.

But that assignment sparked something in Bob, and he hada vision for what the nascent industry could become, so headded it to his beat.

Two years later, Bob talked the paper into letting him starta weekly wine column, and “Woehler on Wine” was born. Hewrote it from 1978 until 2010. He tended to look for thegood in people, and he wanted to recommend wines ratherthan trash on them. In the ’70s and ’80s, a lot of wine wasbeing made throughout the Northwest, and Bob tasted it all.He would find the few good nuggets and focus on them andnot dwell on the swill.

Bob wasn’t exactly an industry cheerleader, but in a way,he was its public spokesman. While others were writingabout Northwest wine, Bob was based in the heart of theColumbia Valley. He knew all the vineyards and all the peo-ple who ran them. Everyone was in his Rolodex — and hewas in theirs.

While he focused on Washington wine, he didn’t ignoreOregon, British Columbia or Idaho, traveling to thoseregions several times and becoming acquainted with suchlegends as Dick Erath, Harry McWatters, Dick Ponzi andDavid Lett.

I got to know Bob well over the past 22 years. I arrived in’89, not long out of college. A few months after I got to theTri-City Herald, I was invited to a dinner party and was taskedwith bringing the wine. Seeing as my favorite winemakerswere Bartles & Jaymes, I turned to the resident wine expertfor help.

I don’t think Bob really knew who I was at that point —he was winding down his newspaper career and didn’tbother to learn someone’s name until he knew they wouldstick around and it would be worth his effort. But he com-

manded me to go to a grocery and purchase two bottles ofMerlot from a young Yakima Valley winery. At that point, Iwasn’t sure if Merlot was red, white or otherwise, and I hadjust a vague idea where the Yakima Valley was. But I fol-lowed his recommendation, bought the wine and took it tothe dinner.

It was the first wine I ever tasted — since coolers hardlyqualify — and it was astonishing, a revelation, a thunderbolt.It was supple, fruit-driven and approachable. I can still tasteit. And while I didn’t drop everything at that moment andturn my life’s pursuit into wine appreciation, the genesis forwhat was to come was planted in my subconscience.

Bob didn’t realize it until years later, but that simple winerecommendation nudged me down a road I might not haveotherwise have traveled.

For the next several years, I continued to come back toBob for more wine recommendations and more thoughtsabout the wine industry. I even dabbled with the occasionalwine article for the paper. Bob retired from the Herald in ’94but continued to write his column on a twice-monthly basis.And through that time, our friendship grew.

In late 1997, Eric Degerman and I came up with the idea oflaunching a magazine that focused on the wines of the PacificNorthwest. The first person we brought in to brainstorm wasBob, and he provided several ideas that remain the bedrockof Wine Press Northwest.

Bob was an old dog in the wine journalism game, but hehad no problem learning new tricks. When he retired fromwriting his column last year, he picked up a digital voicerecorder and launched a weekly podcast. It hearkened backto his news radio days in the late ’50s in Omak, Wash., andit gave him the opportunity to talk to everyone in theindustry. He equally loved interviewing industry veteransand winemakers releasing their first vintage. Bob produced61 podcasts before he died.

The last two columns he wrote about wine appear in thisissue of Wine Press Northwest. One is called “Bargain Bob”and focuses on inexpensive wines; the other is called“Vintage Musings” and looks at wineries that have beenaround awhile.

One way we plan to honor Bob is with a scholarship in hisname. It will benefit students in the Viticulture & Enologyprogram at Washington State University’s Wine ScienceCenter in Richland. You’ll read more about this in the nearfuture.

So let us all raise a toast in honor of Bob Woehler. His lega-cy will live on in every word we write about Northwest wine.

ANDY PERDUE is editor-in-chief of Wine Press Northwest.

A toast to a one-of-a-kind man

BY ANDY PERDUE

06 Wine Knows 8/30/11 4:30 PM

07 Maryhill 9/3/11 2:43 AM

In a rut? Tired of the same old wine flavors in the same“big, rich, concentrated” style that has thrilled the num-ber mongers? Tired of flabby wine? Seeking a change of

pace? Want a fresh outlook on your (wine) life?I did. It was a midlife crisis and came for me nearly 20 years

ago at the home of a friend who had just come into posses-sion of a particularly famed Chardonnay from a soon-to-beiconic lady winemaker who is still lionized in some quarters.The bottle was expensive, and my former friend wanted toopen it even though I had warned him I wasn’t sure I’d likeit.

He persisted. So we both watched, hushed, as the ice-coldliquid slipped inside the crystal. We then lifted our glasses toour philtrums (this is a great Scrabble word!) and sniffed.

I winced; he had paroxysms of joy.The wine, it was an abomination, a manipulated mess that

could have been made from any grape and whose malolacticaroma had notes of rancid butter. The acid, if it had any, wasso soft it left it without a food with which to serve it. And theoak! Had the wine been poured on a smooth surface and leftto dry, you could have made a small table from the leftovers.

I immediately began to rethink this political correctnessthat had become so pervasive, of people swooning for allsorts of wines that had little to recommend them except thatthey left palates believing they had just had a kind of liquidyzabaglione, complete with the sugar.

Coincidentally, it was just about then that I had my firsttaste of wine from the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Itwas a revelation. It was a Riesling from Gehringer Brothers,and I was so smitten by it that I inquired where I could getsome. I was advised to forget it. Unless I was prepared to goto Canada, the wine would never be available down here.

Since I live in California, and since my onetime “winemule” is an attorney who’d rather not be disbarred, myaccess to Okanagan Valley wines is limited. Which is a shame,but I can understand why B.C. wineries would not want tosell their wines in the United States.

I can think of numerous reasons, one of which is theSisyphusian three-tier marketing “system” we have in thiscountry that has a wholesale tier more focused on sales ofspirits and beer than in wine brand development.

If you are reading this publication, you may well have moreaccess to the wines of the Okanagan Valley than almost anyother American. And for that you should be thankful.

But if you are not actively seeking ways to get this stuff,you’re missing a treat. Why should you want it? Glad youasked.

In particular the excitement is about white wine. Pinot

Blanc is usually pristinely complex; Pinot Gris, a much-maligned wine (and appropriately so in most cases) is usuallyfar more distinctive than the usual bland stuff coming out ofCalifornia, and Riesling can be an utterly superb white wineof depth and complexity.

OK, you are saying, but Oregon and Washington both cando brilliant things with all three varieties. Right. But with asmuch naturally balanced acid levels? Rarely. B.C.’s cool nightsforce winemakers to make balancing decisions based on acid,and many wineries get it right so often the wines are stellar.

It’s one reason why I always accept an invitation to judge atWine Press Northwest’s Platinum Judgin each fall: I get achance to taste some of these sensational wines.

But it was at a Wine Press Northwest judging some yearsback when I sampled one of the most dramatic reds I hadever tasted, the terrific Kettle Valley Syrah from the NaramataBench, a region I now realize has astounding potential forred wines.

I won’t go into much detail here about which specificbrands are worth seeking because in most cases this is vin-tage-dependent and I frankly haven’t had a huge amount ofexperience with the wines in formal evaluations since last fall.

Still, what I have seen from B.C. has been so excitingbecause of the fact that the wines taste great when young butalso show the aging potential to develop amazing characteris-tics when they get to be a few years older.

Can you tell the difference between a B.C. wine and oth-ers? Not as often as you might imagine, but one of the hall-marks of these wines is their adherence to superb acid bal-ance. Even if a white wine has a trace of residual sugar, youmay only be able to detect that in the entry. The finish of thewine, based on good acidity and a nice low pH, usually dis-plays simply superb balance.

This means that it is not only possible to age the wines abit, but if also consuming them young, the crispness in theaftertaste is appropriate for food — unlike so many of thehigher-alcohol wines of other warmer regions.

The bottom line of all of this is that any resident ofWashington or Oregon who has a chance to get some of thisstuff should take the opportunity. (And if you live in Canada?You have no excuse for not trying these exciting wines.)

There is an excitement in Canadian wine that few people inthe United States know anything about.

DAN BERGER is a nationally renowned wine writer wholives in Santa Rosa, Calif. He publishes a weekly commen-tary Dan Berger’s Vintage Experiences(VintageExperiences.com).

B.C.’s greatness waits to be discovered

BY DAN BERGER

COLUMN a distant perspective


08 Berger column 8/30/11 4:31 PM

09 Esquin ad 8/30/11 9:18 AM

COLUMN northwest edge


“Oysters are a celebration ... romantic, sexy, luminous.The right wine makes them even more so.”— Sheila Lukins

The task seemed daunting. Five flights of four white wines,as many Kumamoto oysters as we cared to down, and onehour to choose the top-10 West Coast wines to pair with rawoysters on the half shell.

It was all part of the 17th annual Pacific Coast Oyster WineCompetition, held last spring at Anthony’s Home Port onShilshole Bay, just outside of downtown Seattle.

Created and organized by Seattle seafood expert JonRowley, who calls the competition his “annual dating servicefor West Coast wines and oysters,” it’s sponsored by TaylorShellfish Farms of Shelton, Wash., which provides all the oys-ters for judging in Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

More than a dozen Seattle food-and-wine professionals —plus a Japanese writer and his interpreter who flew in just forthe event — and I gathered on an appropriately oyster-grayday to blind-taste 20 wines accompanied by 70 dozenKumamotos fresh from Taylor’s beds in South Puget Sound.

We were strictly instructed to first smell and then thor-oughly chew the oyster. Only then were we allowed to smelland taste the wine in order to rate its “bliss factor,” or thewine’s affinity with the oyster.

Most experts prefer clean, crisp, dry white wines that don’tfight with the inherent sweetness (glycogen), briny, sea,cucumber and mineral flavors found in oysters. Wines thatsip well on their own often don’t make suitable oyster wines.

In years past, when pairing wines with oysters on the halfshell, sommeliers defaulted to crisp, dry white wines, such asFrench Muscadet or Chablis. Anything red, rosé, oaky, sweet,hot (high in alcohol), full-bodied or overly flavorful in com-parison to the oysters was a no-no.

“The aromatic consonance with the oyster can be just asimportant as the taste,” Rowley says. “The wine should exaltthe next oyster by not getting in the way. We are looking forclean, crisp-finishing wines.”

Rowley’s oyster wine competition is important because itoffers domestic options for raw oysters on the half shell —an increasingly popular menu item.

Judging isn’t as cushy a job as one might imagine. I had dif-ficulty switching off my brain’s “wine monitor” and focusingon the oyster first, then the wine.

And, after the first two plates of half a dozen oysters, plus10 wines, I was ready to cry “Uncle!”

But press on I did, although by wine No. 15 I was experi-encing a slight buzz (even though I was spitting most of mywine). And by wine 18, sensory overload and palate fatigueset in and I was ready to call it a day.

I marvel at the preliminary oyster wine judges — veteranswho consumed 1,200 Kumamotos and 119 wines fromWashington (22), Oregon (17) and California (80) — over the

course a single week.This year’s field of oyster wine contestants was smaller

than in years past, but Rowley felt the finalists were “especial-ly brilliant.”

He was grateful that no red wines were submitted (as inyears past) and only one rosé. Wineries that enter the contestare (finally!) beginning to understand what qualifies as apotential oyster wine, he said.

So which wines won? Four crisp Sauvignon Blancs, four refreshing Pinot Gris and

two oyster-friendly blends, with three hailing fromWashington, two from Oregon and five from our neighborstate to the south.

2011 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition winners

WashingtonCadaretta 2010 sbs, Columbia ValleyChateau Ste. Michelle 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Columbia

Valley **Hogue Cellars 2009 Pinot Grigio, Columbia Valley *

OregonKing Estate 2009 Signature Collection Pinot Gris, Oregon **Van Duzer Vineyards 2010 Estate Pinot Gris, Willamette

Valley *

* Prior winner** Multiple prior winner

Braiden Rex-Johnson is a Seattle-based cookbook author,food-and-wine columnist and blogger. Visit her online atwww.WithBraiden.com.

Pacific Coast’s best oyster wines

BY BRAIDEN REX-JOHNSON

Wine Press Northwest columnist Braiden Rex-Johnson, left,participates in the 17th annual Pacific Coast Oyster WineCompetition. (Photo © Spencer Johnson)

10 Market Grapevine 8/30/11 4:31 PM

11 Ste Michelle ad 8/30/11 9:24 AM

COLUMN swirl, sniff & sip


How do cool coastal areas such as Vancouver Island and the U.S. SanJuan Islands manage to produce wines from local grapes when it’s oftena struggle for warmer climates such as Eastern Washington and BritishColumbia’s Okanagan Valley?

Growers in cool-climate areas have adopted a number oftactics, some of them almost as old as agriculture and wine-making, others as fresh as produce picked this morning.Among the tactics are practices as old as rocks and soil.

On Vancouver Island, for example, the vineyards at CherryPoint Estate Wines have fist-sized rocks stacked around thevines to soak up heat on sunny days and hold it into theevening. In the spring, newer technology allows Cherry Pointand other vineyards to wrap the vines in heavy clear plasticthat protects the vines from late frosts but allows the springsunlight to come through.

Using techniques such as these and with careful site selec-tion, Vancouver Island is having some remarkable successwith Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. This past summer duringVictoria’s annual celebration of wines, one of the events,called Vancouver Island vs. the World, a group of about 40wine lovers, in a blind tasting, compared four island wineswith wines from elsewhere in the world.

Most surprising to me were the Pinot Gris and Pinot Noircomparisons. A Pinot Grigio from Averill Creek was tastedwith Cloudline Winery’s Pinot Gris from Oregon. Having tast-ed lots of high-acid wines from Vancouver Island since 2006, Iwas surprised at how well winemaker Andy Johnston kept itsacids in check and at its display of mango and tropical fruitaromas and luscious honeydew melon flavors. The crowdliked it better than the Cloudline, but both were impressive.

In the Pinot Noir comparison, between a New Zealandwine from Ata Rangi and from Starling Lane’s 2009 vintage,the island wine again was much preferred. I frankly have littleexperience with New Zealand Pinot Noir, but the B.C. winewas awfully well made.

The island climate also produces Maréchal Foch, one of thebest French red wine hybrids, and several German andAustrian wine grapes, many of them bred specifically in thepast century for the cool climates of those two countries.

Among the best are Siegerrebe, a cross between MadelineAngevine and Gewürztraminer; Ortega, a cross betweenSiegerrebe and Müller-Thurgau; and Zweigelt, a crossbetween Blaufränkisch and St. Laurent.

Though little known in the United States, all three arerather widely grown in British Columbia, and in Austria,Zweigelt is the most popular red wine grape, with more than16,000 acres planted to it as of 2008.

Lopez Island Vineyards in Washington’s San Juan Islandshas had some notable success with its Siegerrebe, winning ahighly coveted double platinum award in 2007 from WinePress Northwest with its 2006 and a double gold with its 2007in the magazine’s 2008 platinum tasting.

In addition, the variety is being offered by several wineriesin B.C.’s Fraser and Okanagan Valleys, on Vancouver Islandand on Washington’s westside, including such well-knownbrands as Blue Grouse Vineyards, , Gray Monk Estate Wineryand Mount Baker Vineyards.

Ortega has joined its German relative in the offerings ofmany B.C. wineries because it also is a dependable cool-cli-mate white that produces good yields and can be made in avariety of styles to suit a summer patio, fresh Northwestseafoods and even curry dishes.

Zweigelt and its relative Blaufränkisch suffer in spades fromthe same problem facing many German-named wines — weEnglish-speaking types have trouble pronouncing theirnames. But you shouldn’t let that make your wine-tastingdecisions for you. Instead, taste them.

Eastern Washington residents have been drinking delightfulBlaufränkisch under the better-known name of Lemberger, asmade by Kiona Vineyards on Red Mountain, since 1980. Boththese reds make into versatile wines with some spicy aromas,bright cherry, raspberry and blackberry aromas and flavorsand are typically earthy and fruit-forward. It’s popular with anumber of wineries such as Arrowleaf Cellars and SummerhillPyramid Winery near Kelowna in B.C.’s Okanagan Valley,Zanatta Vineyard on Vancouver Island and Garry Oaks Wineryon Salt Spring Island.

Wine words: Crémant and Mousseux

Ah, we return to France for these delightful words, more nec-essary than ever since the champions of Champagne now insistwe should apply that term only to wines made in the region ofFrance that proclaims itself the creator of the world’s firstsparkling wines. Whether the French actually should get credit isa matter for another day.

What’s really important to wine lovers is Champagne is not theonly region of France that makes fine sparkling wines; thus, theGallic purists have blessed us with two delightfully descriptivewords for sparkling wines made in the hinterlands at the handsof outlanders — Crémant, derived from the word from whencewe get creaminess, and Mousseux, similarly found in our wordmousse (think chocolate). Wines designated Crémant must beaged for at least one year and harvested by hand. And they areless bubbly than Champagne, as a rule.

For what it’s worth, the Germans and Austrians call theirsparklers Sekt, the Italians Spumante, the Spanish Cava and thePortuguese Espumante. So long as it’s méthode champenoise,not that cheap sparkling impostor also created by a Frenchman— Charmat, which is fermented in a large vat, not in a single bot-tle — it’s all more than likely to be pretty good.

KEN ROBERTSON, a Wine Press Northwest columnist sinceits founding, is a retired newspaperman who has been sip-ping Northwest wines and writing about them since 1976.

Adventures in grape growing

BY KEN ROBERTSON

12 Swirl Sniff Sip 8/30/11 4:32 PM

13 SMWE ad 8/30/11 9:28 AM

COLUMN urban sips


I hear this all the time: Some wines, like some people, feelthat no one wants to really know them. Without thought,people just drink them. Lavish in their loveliness, then forgettheir name and move on.

So, let’s take a little time and really get to know these wines.Swirl like nobody’s watching. Swish with reckless abandon! Suckit in and roll it around like that kiss you see only in movies.

Sometimes it’s worth it. And sometimes, it’s not. And some-times you come across those wines that have a little too muchconfidence, are a little too random or are a little too friendly.More is more, I say.

I spent some time on my deck this summer with a bottle ofGilbert Cellars 2008 Left Bank. I was really digging the ripe tan-nins and bold blackness, and I was dying to know more.

ME: Gilbert, what do you want people to know about you?GILBERT: Well, you know I love boat shoes!ME: OK, I’m not sure I need to know more about that. So,

when people describe you, what do you want them to say areyour best characteristics?

GILBERT: Moral constipation. I’m not talking politics. Noton our first date, not on our 200th date.

ME: OK. But just to be clear, I didn’t ask about politics, andwe’re not on a date.

GILBERT: Oh whatever. I mean, I have opinions, but I havebetter things to do than rant about the state of the union.

ME: If you could suggest how people should describe you,what would you say?

GILBERT: Like the small of a woman’s back.ME: Wow, that’s pretty sexy. GILBERT: Yes, but if you let your dog lick you on the

mouth, we're probably not going to get along.And ... moving on.I was drinking a glass of SYZYGY 2007 Red Wine and anticipat-

ed authenticity and creativity. I delved deeper.ME: Tell me, what’s the one thing you want people to think

about when they first taste you?SYZYGY: Amuse me or lose me!ME: Interesting. Would you consider yourself complex?SYZYGY: Pop me a cork, French me a fry.ME: Um, does that mean you’re a Bordeaux blend?SYZYGY: Just entertain me. Champagne me!ME: Champagne seems like a weird descriptor. But then

I’m talking to a bottle of wine, so who’s the weird one? Howwould you describe yourself?

SYZYGY: Best way to cheer me? Cashmere me.ME: Does that mean you consider yourself full of bright

fruit? Dark fruit? Maybe soft? Maybe a little smooth?SYZYGY: Love me and leave me in luxury’s lap!ME: So don’t take this the wrong way, but it seems like

you’re quoting a Diana Krall song.SYZYGY: I’m getting hungry! Peel me a grape!ME: I’m sorry. That just seems wrong.

And, there you have it folks! Give it up for SYZYGY, thewine that’s fun to say but has cannibalistic tendencies!

Next, I sidled up to a bottle of Pandora 2009 Syrah at theAuction of Washington Wines.

ME: How’s it going?PANDORA: I’m an incredible catch.ME: Really? And as subtle as a gun.PANDORA: Well I like guns. And God! And Gold’s Gym!ME: Kudos, for the alliteration. What is the one thing you

want people to know about you?PANDORA: First, we would have a pre-dinner cocktail at a

hip establishment where only the finest couples go andengage in meaningfully, deep conversation. Then, we wouldcontinue on to dinner, where I would order the finest wine.My focus will be on you! Only you! Always you!

ME: You sound like you want people to know what you’dbe like on a really awkward first date. Do you consider your-self silky and spicy or more of a rich fruit bomb?

PANDORA: I gotta go! Sorry, my VCR is busted and I don’twant to miss Murphy Brown. I’ll call you! I promise, baby.You seem like the kind of girl who will treat me bad andbreak my heart, so then I can write a country song andbecome famous.

Moving on again. So, last on my list was a Helix 2009 Aspersafrom Reininger Winery in Walla Walla. I really was looking for-ward to trying this wine and WOW, was it an experience!

ME: Helix, how are you?HELIX: I like you already.ME: Well, thanks, I like you, too. What’s not to like about a

lovely blend of Chardonnay, Viognier and Semillon?HELIX: Well, once you go white, you never go back.ME: That’s an interesting way of saying it. What’s the one

thing you want people to know about you?HELIX: Well, you seem pretty sharp and quick-witted, so I

have to point out that I don’t drink. ME: You don’t drink? Now might be a good time for me to

point out that you’re a WINE!HELIX: Yeah, I’m thinking this must be fate!ME: What?HELIX: I’m a sucker for hair that has a mind of its own.

You’re totally my type!Funny. I’m really not. I learned in college that beer goggles had their place.

Lately, as an adult, it seems I need little reminders a little toooften. Cheers!

With sass and attitude, TERI CITTERMAN is a Seattledweller and an eager wine enthusiast. She is the author ofthe latest edition of Best Places to Kiss in the Northwest andthe Northwest Wine Journal. She writes An Urban Sip WineBlog at anurbansip.com.

Listen up, and peel me a grape

BY TERI CITTERMAN

14 Teri Citterman 8/30/11 4:32 PM

15 NW Food Wine ad 8/30/11 9:29 AM

COLUMN poet laureate


I’d like to propose a toast ...

to dreamsand to the bold

Men and Womenthat dare to dream themto the wild-eyed visionariesthat plant seeds in theirhearts with hopesto one day see themcome to pass

for prayerssweeter than papayasthat rise from thedeepest darkestdepths of our cellarswhere my heartis pumping outprayers like mass

to the foresightthat illuminates ourforeshadows thatwhirl in the glassof our soulsto those robustfarm workers cladin jeans, flannelshandkerchiefs and hats

for all the Mamas and Papas thatwear their skin like worn leatherwho are wrinkled and red like raisinsand whose wrinkles hold stories like

wine jugsand whose woes are ten miles deeper

thanany winemaker’s pocket book

this one’s for them

for all of the grandmasand grandpas that look like stuccowhose eyes look like ice wineswith frost outlining their irises for the crow’s feet perchedperfectly on their eye lidsand their white hair flowinglike broken clouds passingthrough windmill slicesfor century-old spines like gnarly

vines in vineyards for lilac diamondsto the god-like eldersfor our aging wines andtheir timeless guidance

this one’s for floral notessung by the brown folksfor the flower vendorthe one that putsthe rose in rosaryfor a gorgeous culturethat rose from dirt so openlyfor arms that open like blossomsfor womb-like palms that deliverthe grape from bondageand carry it fromconception to fruitionand beyond the gobletfor the seed that dreams itselflarger than grapes and transcendswine, song, couplet and sonnet

to cherry pickers likerebels with barreled chestswaging war with their wageswho hurl their dreamslike Molotov cocktailsinto our amber waves of grainwhose knuckles aregnarled and strainedfor the work of a dreameris stainless and honest

for the protagonist, the antithesis, thesubplot

and most importantly the conflict

you seeI know copper-skinnedwomen and menthat work for pennies

I know Mothers thatnever feel beatenmachine-like Mothersthat clean hotels by daysell Avon at nightand work the fieldson the weekendsso this one’s for freedom

for children with eyes like plumswhose hair looks like dark chocolate

waterfalls pouring out and catching thesun

for precious sunflowerswith green thumbs thathave never been embarrassedof their hardworking parentsthat pick pears and pluck asparagusthis one’s for the families that get

scatteredfor work all across the Americas

it’s uglyI know a girl that washeld for ransom at birthjust beneath the borderby bad men knownas Coyotes who yougotta pay to smuggle dreamsinto this country

it’s beyond uglyit’s heart crushing

so this ones for the underbellyfor the juggling of children over riversfor dodging dogs & militiasfor sliding dreams passedthe law writers passinglaws higher than thebarbed wire their castingthe people they’re pruningand the hopes they’re smashing

to the Mighty Migrant Workermay your hands and spinealways nurture the vinemay the cups of all your tomorrowsbe filled with the fruits of your laborand may the dreams you dream of find

freedomin the land of your neighbor

To you

Jordan Chaney is a spoken-wordpoet who lives in the heart ofWashington wine country. His firstbook is Double-Barreled Bible, and hehas released Mighty Peasant on MP3and CD.

Conflict

BY JORDAN CHANEY

16 Poet Laureate 8/30/11 4:33 PM

17 Sunshine Wine ad 8/30/11 9:31 AM


WINE COUNTRY activities

BY ERIC DEGERMAN

When this column of thingsto do in Northwest winecountry got off the ground

in 2005, the vines could be ratherlight at times.

That’s far from the case now.There’s such a cornucopia of eventsto choose from there are just asmany that I regret leaving out forvarious reasons — even after writingup the item weeks, sometimesmonths, in advance. I collect ideasand news releases throughout theyear, saving them either in an emailfile or a folder in my hard drive inhopes that a “second annual” wineevent does well enough to become a“third annual.”

Grab your family and/or friendsand see what is out there in thisworld of wine. Because none of usknows if this vintage will be our last.

1Corks and canvas. There must bereams of book clubs in theNorthwest that use wine as the car-

rot to lure folks into joining. Then thereare Lisa Cryder and Stefanie Hare, fans ofWashington wine who created a businessthat blends tasting with painting.

“We don’t offer painting classes, weoffer painting parties,” Hare says.

This month marks the first anniver-sary of Corks and Canvas, and the land-scape has grown to acrylic paintingseminars each month at three tastingrooms in the Puget Sound — Apex atAlder Ridge Tasting Room inWoodinville, Urban Enoteca in Seattleand VoVina Wine and Vodka TastingMartini Bar in Kirkland. More wineriesare lining up to stage events, too.

Cost is $45, which includes instruc-tion, supplies and “the first glass ofwine for inspiration.” Go to corksand-canvasevents.com for listings.

2B.C. food meant for B.C. wine.Looking for British Columbia’s ver-sion of Taste Washington? It’s the

seventh annual Chef Meets Grape.

One detail that sticks out to this Yankis “attendees must be 19 or older.” I’mguessing most teens who go to WesternWashington University are keenly awareof the drinking age in B.C. The food-and-wine pairing event Sept. 22 returnsto the Vancouver Convention Centre,where chefs from 12 of the Ocean Wisepartner restaurants will be serving.

This year, more than 75 wineries areoffering more than 250 wines, all pairedwith B.C. cuisine. Among those pouringare Black Hills, Burrowing Owl, Cassini,CedarCreek, Gehringer Brothers, GrayMonk, JoieFarm, LaStella, Nk’Mip Cellars,Road 13, Stag’s Hollow, Tinhorn Creek,Township 7 and Wild Goose.

Cost is $91. Go to winebc.com.

3Stomp your way to the world title.Willamette Valley Vineyards, our2011 Oregon Winery of the Year,

would love to say they helped find thisyear’s World Grape Stomping Champion.And on Sept. 24-25, the Turner wineryplays host to the 21st Oregon GrapeStomping Competition.

Each two-person team — a stomperand a swabber — pays $10 per heat. Pre-registration and reservations are required.The tandem that produces the most juicewins a trip for two to beautiful SonomaCounty, home of the international finals.My money would be on those twoVikings from the credit-card commercial.

Admission is $10, which comes with afree Riedel glass. The stomping is held inconjunction with the winery’s HarvestCelebration, so there will be plenty ofaward-winning finished juice to sample.

For additional pressings, go towvv.com/whatsnew.

4Kickstand for Kiwanis. Few places inNorthwest wine country are as wellsuited to serious cycling winesters

as the Yakima Valley. An ideal weekend tojump into the saddle and hit the road isfor the annual Kiwanis Wine CountryTrek, which is Sept. 24-25.

It’s a two-day, 120-mile round-trip fromYakima to Prosser and back to Yak. Theride starts at 8 a.m. Saturday and ends at6 p.m. Sunday, taking in Yakima Valleyvineyards, hop fields and orchards.Registration is $110 and includes aSaturday gourmet dinner, admission tothe balloon glow, overnight camping inProsser, Sunday breakfast, support vehi-cle and break stops. Proceeds go to theApple Valley Kiwanis for community andyouth service projects.

This event hits particularly close tohome with the sudden passing of WinePress Northwest tasting editor BobWoehler, whose civic activities includedserving as a Kiwanis lieutenant governor.Pedal over to applevalleykiwanis.com.

5Brats and kraut in Spoke. Since1982, Mike Conway has been post-ing low scores at the golf course

and getting high scores with his wines atLatah Creek in Spokane.

On Oct. 1-2, he’ll be giving his clubs arest as he and his family celebrateOktoberfest at their winery near theSpokane Valley Mall. In addition to theirlineup of deliciously affordable wines,Mike will serve up bratwurst and sauer-kraut for guests. Go to latahcreek.com.

6A new meaning for Canoe wines.Confused by Canoe Ridge the win-ery in Walla Walla, Canoe Ridge the

vineyard, Canoe Ridge the place whereChateau Ste. Michelle red wines aremade and Canoe Ridge the spot over-looking the Columbia River named bythe Corps of Discovery?

great things to doin Northwest wine country10

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WINE COUNTRY

Here’s a chance for the public to gainfirst-hand knowledge of Canoe RidgeEstate in Washington’s Horse HeavenHills for the first time. In 1991, ChateauSte. Michelle and vineyard managerMimi Nye began planting Canoe RidgeEstate. Two years later, Ste. Michelle builtits red winemaking facility not inWoodinville but near this vineyard.

This year, Chateau Ste. Michelle want-ed another venue for revenue so it creat-ed a seasonal public tasting gallery at itsCanoe Ridge Estate Winery. No appoint-ment is required, and tastings of CSM’ssingle vineyard and Ethos lines are com-plimentary.

On Oct. 8, during harvest, there willbe two tours of the facility. Admissionand samples are free, and El Gaucho willsell appetizers. Want a complimentarytasting glass? Send an RSVP through ste-michelle.com. Otherwise, the gallery isopen Thursdays through Sundays beforeit shuts down for the season Oct. 16.

7Your passport to Idaho. Severalwine regions in the PacificNorthwest have enjoyed success

using “passport” programs for touring.Now the Gem State has one.

The Idaho Wine Commission hasjoined forces with the Idaho Statesmannewspaper to encourage readers in theTreasure Valley to become drinkers andsupport their wine industry.

Those who visit each of the 20 partici-pating wineries gain access to exclusivedeals. Passports are sold through theStatesman for $30, and the promotionsare good through April 30. The grandprize given to the lucky bearer of a fullpassport is a bottle from each of the 20wineries. Go to idahostatesman.com/contests or contact the wine commissionat idahowines.org.

8Offering a LOT of help to children.There are too many children leftbehind, but fortunately there are

folks such as those at Olive Crest — aWest Coast organization founded in1973 — who provide a helping hand toPuget Sound foster children.

On Oct 12, LOT No. 3 in Bellevueplays host to Olive Crest’s 10th annualGrape Expectations Wine Procurement

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WINE COUNTRY

Party. That night, each guest brings adonation of outstanding Northwestwine to be auctioned at Olive Crest’s2012 One Life at a Time Gala at theWestin Bellevue. Each donation valuedat $100 or more is parlayed into a com-plimentary glass of wine, hors d’oeuvresand free parking. The previous nineyears raised nearly $500,000. Go toolivecrest.org/pnw to get your form.

9King Cab. Most of us won’t turndown a glass of great CabernetSauvignon. After all, it’s the wine

of kings. Here’s a chance to taste andjudge a bunch of Cabs side-by-side.

On Oct. 26, Bell Harbor on Seattle’swaterfront — the home of severalNorthwest wine events — will stage thethird annual Cabernet Classic. Lastyear’s event gathered more than 100Cabs and Cab-based blends from 35Washington wineries. The three-hourevent serves as a fundraiser for RotaryFirst Harvest, a food bank program.Cost is $50. Go to firstharvest.org.

10Dining above Timberline. Lastyear marked the return toMount Hood by one of the

Northwest’s most accomplished andwine-minded chefs.

Jason Stoller Smith resigned from thePonzi-owned Dundee Bistro to succeedhis mentor, Leif Erickson, as executivechef at Timberline Lodge.

Each fall, Stoller Smith begins conduct-ing arguably the most remarkable wine-maker dinner series in the Northwest.These meals are not staged in the lodge,but rather the Silcox Hut — under thechairlift on the Palmer Snowfield. Theseries resumes Oct. 13 and runs once amonth through July. These are intimateevenings as the hut seats just 24. Cost is$175. Apparently, there are no hard feel-ings because Ponzi Vineyards has beenfeatured twice. Start your climb at timber-linelodge.com/winemakers-dinner-series.� What is your favorite thing to do in

Northwest wine country? Send yourideas to [email protected].� Have a Northwest wine item to poston our free online Wine Events calen-dar? Go to winepressnw.com/events.

18-21 calendar 8/30/11 3:57 PM


events WINE COUNTRY

September24 Taste of the Harvest, Caldwell, Idaho. This College of Idaho event funds scholar-ships for migrant workers’ children. Call 208-459-5011 or go to collegeofidaho.edu.24-25 Catch the Crush, Yakima, Prosser, Tri-Cities. Harvest celebrations fromYakima to the Tri-Cities. Call 866-360-6611 or go to wineyakimavalley.org.

OctoberSept. 30-9 Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, Okanagan Valley, B.C. More than 165events stretch over 10 days. Call 250-861-6654 or go to thewinefestivals.com.1-2, 8-9 Lake Chelan Crush, Lake Chelan, Wash. Ten days of a “berry to bottle”fest in the Northwest’s youngest appellation. Go to lakechelanwinevalley.com.15 Entwine Grand Auction, Walla Walla, Wash. This auction at the MarcusWhitman Hotel supports arts, wine and education. Go to wwcc.edu/entwine22 Food, Wine & Wishes, Portland. Portland Art Museum assists Make-A-WishFoundation of Oregon and Clark County. Call 503-292-2280 or go to orwish.org.

November4 Walla Walla Wine Auction, Walla Walla, Wash. This is the 30th annual fundraiserfor Planned Parenthood of Walla Walla. Go to plannedparenthood.org/ppgwni4-5 Tri-Cities Wine Festival, Kennewick, Wash. One of the Northwest’s largest winefestivals is at Three Rivers Convention Center. Go to tricitieswinefestival.com.5 Northwest Wine & Food Festival, Portland. This sixth annual event moves to theDoubletree Lloyd Center. Go to nwwinefestival.com.5 Gusto! Everett, Wash. More than 30 wineries and 10 restaurants raise funds atComcast Arena for Everett Community College. Go to everettcc.edu/gusto.10-13 Whistler’s Cornucopia, Whistler, B.C. Whistler’s 15th annual extravaganzaof Northwest wine and cuisine. Go to whistlercornucopia.com.11 Epicurean Delight, Spokane, Wash. This 30th annual gala benefits the InlandNorthwest Blood Center. Call 509-232-4567 or go to epicureandelight.org.11-12 ¡Salud! Dundee and Portland. This annual Pinot Noir auction benefitsOregon’s vineyard workers. Call 503-681-1850 or go to saludauction.org.11-12 Taste of Tulalip, Tulalip, Wash. More than 60 Washington wineries pour atthis award-winning young event at Tulalip Resort Casino. Go to tulalipresort.com.12-13 Passport Wine Tour, Olympic Peninsula, Wash. The Olympic PeninsulaWineries’ annual fall wine-touring event. Go to olympicpeninsulawineries.org.18-20 Holiday Wine Festival, Spokane, Wash. A weekend of wine, art and foodannually staged the weekend before Thanksgiving. Go to spokanewineries.net.25-27 Thanksgiving in Wine Country, Yakima Valley, Wash. Tour Washington’s old-est wine region. Visit wineyakimavalley.org.25-27 Wine Country Thanksgiving, Willamette Valley, Ore. More than 150 wineriesof the Willamette Valley celebrate the holidays. Go to willamettewines.com.25-27 Lake Chelan Fall Barrel Tasting, Lake Chelan, Wash. Get a peek at winesfrom the state’s 11th American Viticultural Area. Go to cometothelake.com.25-27 Idaho After Thanksgiving Barrel Tasting, Caldwell, Idaho. More than a dozenSnake River Valley wineries open up following the holiday. Go to idahowines.org.26 Apple Cup at Wine World, Seattle. Wineries with ties to the University ofWashington or Washington State University pour before or during the footballgame, depending kickoff. Tickets cost $25. Go to wineworldwarehouse.com.

December2-4 Holiday Barrel Tasting, Walla Walla, Wash. Enjoy a weekend visiting the winer-ies of the Walla Walla Valley. Go to wallawallawine.com or call 509-526-3117.2-4 St. Nicholas Day Open House, Woodinville, Wash. Woodinville wineries opentheir doors for this passport-style event. Go to woodinvillewinecountry.com.

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Editor’s note: Bob Woehler, the dean of Northwest winewriters, passed away Aug. 24. This is his final “Bargain Bob”column.

BY “BARGAIN BOB” WOEHLER

Old Bargain Bob finds himself boxed in this time, sur-rounded by boxes after boxes of wine.

Bag-in-a-box wine was developed in Australia in 1969. Theearly efforts were rather crude, with a tough plastic bag filledwith wine, sealed shut and put in a box. To get to the wine,you had to cut a corner in the box, snip off the corner of theplastic, let the wine pour out freestyle, and then try to seal itup again with a clamp.

This soon gave way to the modern-day bag in the box thathas its own spigot.

Bag-in-a-box wines are generally low-priced wines, buthigh-quality versions can be found, especially in the PacificNorthwest. The spigot allows no air into the bag, so the winetends to not spoil. Generally, a true varietal characteristiccomes across in the glass.

Box wines come in 3-liter containers, which are the equiva-lent of four regular bottles or 4-liter boxes, which equal sixregular bottles. Many supermarkets carry a nice variety of box

wines. Here are a few to try when you have a lot of folks overfor pizza or chicken.

All of these wines come out to between $4.50 and $5.70 abottle.

Brown Box Merlot, $17 for 3 liters: Made by Silver Lake Wineryin Woodinville, this has won praise in blind tastings.

Badger Mountain Pure Red and Pure White, $20 for 3 liters: Bothare organic with no sulfites added. The red offers chocolateand red currant aromas and flavors, while the white showsoff blood orange and Crenshaw melon notes.

Washington Hills Washington Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay and Merlot,$18 for 3 liters: Zesty citrus shows off the Pinot Grigio; nec-tarines and lime highlight the Chardonnay, and plums andblack cherries define the Merlot.

Tefft Cellars Chardonnay, $29 for 4 liters: A bit off-dry, thisshows off peaches and citrus and would satisfy those look-ing for a cocktail wine or something to sip on while makingdinner.

Black Box 2009 Riesling, $18 for 3 liters: Made in Californiafrom Washington grapes, this has nice sweetness and flavorsthat include honey and tangerines.

NORTHWEST W INE

Bag-in-a-box wines perfect for Bargain Bob

22-25 FOB 8/30/11 3:45 PM


NORTHWEST W INE

BY KEN ROBERTSON

John Schreiner is a nice, white-haired, precise and soft-spoken manwhose personality shines through in his

writing. When hetalks, he’s inter-esting andentertain-ing and hiswriting

voice echoes that.This latest book complements

his Okanagan Wine Tour Guide,which he has written three edi-tions of since 2007. And, as anenthusiastic consumer of winesfrom the Victoria area and theGulf Islands since 2006, I have tosay, John, it was about time.

Yes, there are many morewineries in the Okanagan, wherethe wines tend to be more pol-ished, more diverse and often ofsurprising quality. But the Coastal areashave their own story to tell, andSchreiner, as the dean of B.C. winewriters, is the perfect person to tell it.

He appropriately starts out bydescribing the history of wine onCanada’s West Coast and then launchesinto the individual stories behind eachwinery. As someone who’s followedWashington wineries since I moved tothe state in 1976 — when there were

only six bonded wineries — I found hisstories about each both interesting andmore than a little familiar, for theysound much like Washington state’sstruggle for recognition 30 and moreyears ago.

For the coastal wineries, as Schreinernotes, mostly have“remarkably lowprofiles.” Indeed,despite more than30 years of sippingwines fromWashington,Oregon, Idaho andB.C.’s Okanagan, Ihave to admit Ididn’t taste my firstVancouver Islandand Gulf Islandwines until 2006.

Since then, I’vetried to make up

for that by regular trips to Victoria. Andin all my future visits, John’s new book(or subsequent editions) will accompa-ny me. Anyone who wants to pretendto know and understand Northwestwines can no longer afford to ignorethe Coastal B.C. wineries.

From Auxerrois to Zweigelt, John hasdone an excellent job of outlining thestory to date. His new book is wellworth the price.

Head to B.C. islands, coastwith Schreiner’s latest book

John Schreiner’s BCCoastal Wine TourGuide, $19.95 CDN,Whitecap Books,Copyright 2011

22-25 FOB 8/30/11 3:44 PM

NORTHWEST W INE


BY JON BAUER

With recent turmoil in world finan-cial markets, everybody from GlennBeck to your Uncle Mike has told youto buy gold. But you’d rather lay in asupply of Tempranillo or Viognier.

You can do both now.All that glitters on the bottles of

three wines by Osoyoos, B.C., wine-maker Moon Curser Vineyards isindeed gold, all 22 karats.

You won’t miss it on the wineshop shelf. Silhouettes of forest crea-tures lurk in the night against a bandof gold on the winery’s bottles ofTempranillo, Viognier and Dead ofNight red blend.

But the gold isn’t there as aninvestment strategy. It’s all part ofthe name behind the winery and thestory that unfolds on the label.

Beata Tolley and her husbandChris left initial careers — she as achartered accountant, he as a soft-ware engineer — to launch theirwinery, which included a year ofstudy for both in viticulture andoenology at Lincoln University inNew Zealand.

After scouting locations in BritishColumbia, the couple settled on theOkanagan Valley.

“We wanted to do reds, and Osoyoosseemed the best spot in the valley”Beata Tolley said.

In 2005, the couple, wanting to work

with less frequently used varietals,planted six acres of Tempranillo, Tannat,Carmenere, Viognier, Roussanne andMarsanne on the Osoyoos East Benchand made arrangements with MartinPlut’s nearby vineyard for Chardonnayand other grapes.

And Twisted Tree Vineyards was on itsway to its first vintage.

Twisted Tree?“At the risk of sounding naïve, we did-

n’t give much attention to the name,”Tolley said. “Our focus was on the wine,and that remains our focus.”

But it didn’t take long to see that thename Twisted Tree didn’t say muchabout the winery or the wine and wasprone to confusion with a host of otherwines and products.

“There was enough twisting goingon,” she said.

Working with wine marketing special-ist Bernie Hadley-Beauregard of

Vancouver, B.C.,-based BrandeverStrategies, the Tolleys and Hadley-Beauregard researched the history ofthe border town to find a name thatbetter reflected the winery’s terroir.

The 1858 Fraser Canyon Gold Rushprovided a colorful story of gold prospec-tors as well as night-owl smugglers who,looking to escape the attention and taxesof border agents, would rather curse themoon than be exposed by its light.

Hadley-Beauregard took the nameand story to Maryland-based visual artistand animator Andrea Dezsö, who usedher paper-cut silhouette work to illus-trate a tale of animal-like smugglerstraveling under cover of night.

The illustration is rich, with darkimages of pine forest and lake with ateam of animals and humanlike beasts: afox with a bag of gold, a donkey with ashovel over its shoulder, a bear cubleading a pack mule and an owl carryinga lantern to light the menagerie’s way.

The design wraps 360 degrees seam-lessly around the bottle. Several vari-eties display the artwork on paperlabels, but the labels for the Viognier,Tempranillo and the Dead of Night (aTannat and Syrah blend), feature thedesigns silkscreened onto each bottleusing 22-karat gold.

It’s not a cheap bottle to produce,Tolley admitted, “but we just had to.”

The ambiguity of the creatures wasintentional, Dezsö said, to add to themischief done at night, but also to allowthose enjoying the wine to craft theirown stories. Are they humans disguisedbehind animal masks, or animals takinghuman shape to protect their treasure?

It’s a bottle that begs to be held andturned in the hand as one sits in a can-dle-lit dining room enjoying the wine.

“The more fingerprints on a bottle,”Hadley-Beauregard said, “the happierwe are.”

Moon Curser Vineyards: www.mooncurser.comAndrea Dezsö: andreadeszo.com

Nom de vine: Stories behind wine names

All that glitters is gold at B.C.’s Moon Curser

Climate Controlled Self-Storage rentals with 24-7 access.

Dometic “Silent Cellar” wine cabinets for home storage.

Unique Wine Accessories and Necessities.

Steel Racks, Wood Bins, WineSafe Luggage & Lead-Free Crystal.

306 SE ASH ST. & MLK503/231-1121

WWW.PORTLANDWINE.COM

22-25 FOB 8/30/11 3:48 PM

25 Woehler scholarship 8/30/11 3:54 PM Page 17

F IND A W INE

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 201126

Find a wineLooking for a good bottle ofwine? Use our handy flowchartto find a wine rated“Outstanding!” in our weeklyFresh Press online newsletter

START HERERed,white

or pink?

Mealor

cocktail?

Main courseor

dessert?

Hard to find?

Serving withfood or in a hot tub?

Pink

Cocktail

Yes

No

DessertMain course

Whi

te

Mea

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Food

Hot tub

JoieFarm2010

Re-Think Pink

Seven of Hearts2010 Rosé

of Pinot Noir

Dry Falls Cellars2009 SemillonTraditionelle

Martin-Scott2010

Viognier

Chateau Ste. Michelle2010

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Koenig Cellars2009

Riesling Ice Wine

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F IND A W INE

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011 27

Weekendor

weekday?

Who’sbuying?

OwnApplestock?

In-laws or

pizza night?

Diningout?

Dateor spouse?

Is he/sheangry

with you?

Red

Pizza

In-la

ws

Me

Father-in-law

Weekend

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No

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Spouse

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Yes

No

No

Pendulum2007

Red Wine

Dusted ValleyVintners 2008

Tall Tales Syrah

Milbrandt Vineyards2008

Traditions Merlot

Ash Hollow2007

Headless Red

Chateau Faire Le Pont 2007

Tre Amore

Eliseo Silva2008 Malbec,

$14

Southard Winery2008 Whipping BoyCabernet Sauvignon

Northstar2007 Merlot,

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26-27 Find a wine.qxd 8/30/11 3:59 PM

CarltonThe wine capital of Oregon

WRITER ANDY PERDUEPHOTOGRAPHER JACKIE JOHNSTON

s recently as two decades ago, Carlton, Ore.,was not much more than a tiny dot on amap, an afterthought, a small town in

Yamhill County that was a quaint slice of Americanabecause of its remote location. An hour from Portland, itwas a cultural backwater, a dying town with shutteredstorefronts that was known as “the S-curve to nowhere.”

Today — thanks to wine — Carlton is a lively destina-tion with tasting rooms, restaurants, B&Bs and a diversi-ty of businesses. In a short period of time, it has trans-formed itself into the Wine Capital of Oregon.

Kathie Oriet, mayor of Carlton since 2002, haswatched the transformation since she arrived in the1970s.

“Back then, it was a wonderful place to raise kids, asafe place,” she said.

But its future seemed in doubt.

“There were a lot of empty storefronts.”Carlton has been an incorporated city for more than a

century. It’s been a logging community and has a longhistory in agriculture, particularly seed crops, berries,corn and wheat. And as the wine industry began todevelop around it in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s, Carlton wasmostly untouched, even as vineyards were planted in thesurrounding hills.

Then, Ken Wright came to town.Wright, arguably Oregon’s most celebrated winemak-

er, came to prominence when he moved to Oregon fromCalifornia in 1986 and launched Panther Creek Cellars inMcMinnville. Almost instantly, Wright began selling outhis wines on futures. Had he not taken on an investorand gotten into a legal battle that ultimately forced himto sell Panther Creek in 1994, he might never havemoved to Carlton.

Just before harvest in ’94, Wright was without a placeto make wine. He heard about a leather glove factory inCarlton that was going out of business, so he took overthe building on Main Street and launched Ken WrightCellars.

“What attracted us to Carlton was it was far enoughaway from Highway 99W to provide a slower pace oflife,” he said. “It felt far more rural than Dundee orMcMinnville. It hadn’t been spoiled by franchises, whichhas happened to so many communities.”

About the same time, Jay McDonald arrived from New

A

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Stainless steel wine tanks arestored outside of The CarltonWinemakers Studio until theyare needed come harvest time.

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York City. He had visited in 1991 and was looking for alifestyle change.

“I’d had enough of New York,” he said.He’d long enjoyed wine as a hobby and was enrap-

tured with the small towns of the northern WillametteValley. He spent three weeks in late 1994, lookingaround Yamhill County before settling in Carlton.

“Everyone in the wine industry said, ‘You’re making abig mistake — you need to be on 99,’ ” he said. “But 99is a potty stop on the way to the coast or the casino.This is a destination.”

McDonald bought the old bank building on Main Streetand opened The Tasting Room in 1995, a wine shop thatfocused on such hard-to-find Oregon classics as KenWright Cellars, Domaine Drouhin Oregon and Bergström.In 1998, he created his own label, called EIEIO.

“I got really drunk, and a bunch of us were having agood time,” he said with a laugh.

They thought naming it after McDonald — or at leastthe “old MacDonald” nursery rhyme — was funny. Andwhen they sobered up the next morning, it still soundedlike a good idea.

EIEIO started as a negoçiant label, with McDonald pur-chasing wine from various producers and blending it. By2002, he was ready to start making his own wine andsecured grapes from many top vineyards in the northernWillamette Valley.

For the first few years, The Tasting Room and Ken

Wright Cellars were the only wine businesses in town,and visitors happening through couldn’t count on a mealthat amounted to much more than a bag of chips at thesmall grocery store. But then something happened toCarlton, not unlike what has occurred in Walla Walla,where early wineries such as Leonetti, Woodward Canyonand L’Ecole drew others like a magnet.

In 1995, Dave Grooters sold his software company inPennsylvania to come to Oregon wine country, nudged bylongtime Army buddy Nick Peirano — owner of famedNick’s Italian Café in McMinnville.

“He introduced me to the winemakers and their greatPinot Noir,” Grooters said.

He started as a volunteer at Ken Wright Cellars, thenmanaged Canary Hill Vineyard for two years. He contin-ued to work for Wright and created his own small labelwith the 2001 vintage. In 2003, he planted a vineyard,and in 2007, he struck out on his own, opening CarltonCellars in an old warehouse not far from Wright’s place inCarlton. For three years, Raptor Ridge Winery shared hisfacility, and today he rents space to J Albin, Barking Frog,Ghost Hill, Youngberg Hill and Angel Vine, all small pro-ducers.

Not far away on the edge of town, Gino Cuneo, whohad been making wine elsewhere in Yamhill County, builta beautiful, Tuscan-themed winery. Now under differentownership, it’s called Cana’s Feast Winery. Next door,winemaker Eric Hamacher opened Carlton Winemakers

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Studio in 2002, now homeStudio, which includes AndrewRich Vintner, Trout Lily Ranchand Lazy River Vineyard.

Not long after, fine diningcame to Carlton in the form ofCuvée. Owned by FrenchmanGilbert Henry, Cuvée’s hautecuisine was an anomaly onMain Street when it openedmore than a half-decade ago.But it, too, drew others, andnow such restaurants as TheHorse Radish, Cielo Blu andThe Filling Station share MainStreet with Cuvée, each offeringa different niche.

In 2005, the Yamhill-CarltonAmerican Viticulture Area wasapproved by the federal govern-ment. It was named for the twotowns in the region, thoughironically, the appellation is ahorseshoe shape that surroundsbut does not include Carlton orYamhill. It is based on eleva-tion, and the cities are below300 feet. But it helped continueto establish Carlton as a winedestination.

Soon, more wineries wereflooding in, wanting to takeadvantage of the critical mass

that was forming in the town of2,000. Even wineries fromSouthern Oregon began open-ing tasting rooms, includingTroon Vineyards, Cliff CreekCellars and Folin Cellars.

“It was a mystery to me whythey were opening up their tast-ing rooms on Main Street inCarlton when they’re makingtheir wine in the Umpqua andRogue,” Grooters said. “Butthey like it here, and it’s addedanother dimension of wines thatpeople can come and get, so it’snot just Pinot.”

Barking Frog and Angel Vineadd an even more interestingdimension, as most of theirgrapes come from vineyards inWashington. Angel Vine focuseson Zinfandel, while BarkingFrog produces Sangiovese,Syrah and Cabernet Franc (aswell as Oregon Pinot Noir).

In all, about two dozen tast-ing rooms now inhabit Carlton.It certainly isn’t at Woodinvillelevels — the Seattle suburbnow boasts about 80 wineriesand tasting rooms — and that’sjust fine with everyone in town.

“We’ve tried to be a benefit to

Carlton in general,” Grooterssaid. “Not just for the touristtrade, but all the way around thecity. For the most part, the townlikes the presence of the winer-ies. We’re really careful aboutthe alcohol and the drinking andall those negative sides of it. Wetry and keep very clean in termsof our operations at the wineryand in the vineyards. So we’vebeen good neighbors.”

Nearly everybody points toWright as the genesis of Carlton’srebirth, and not just because ofhis star power. Several years ago,he and his wife, Karen, pur-chased several buildings indowntown Carlton. They’ve solda couple, and they own otherswith business partners.

This has given the Wrightsthe ability to control growth andrecruit the kinds of businessesthat will attract quality tourism.They don’t want every storefrontto be a winery, so they havebrought in such businesses asHonest Chocolates, Republic ofJam and Karen Brock Studio.

“It’s important,” Wright said.“For people to want to come toCarlton and stay and hang out,

it needs diversity. It’s importantto have businesses compatiblewith the wine industry. We arenew partners in the communitywith wagon train families andmany others who have givenback and built our communityover many years.”

“It’s a great little town,”Mayor Oriet said. “It’s our slo-gan, and it fits us well. Now, wehave basically no empty store-fronts. It truly has blossomed.It’s really evolved quite a bit inthe past 20 years, and tourismis mostly focused on wine.”

Carlton is a destination —you don’t just happen upon thetown. Ample parking makes iteasy to go from winery to win-ery. And the slower, happierpace of life is enticing to travel-ers and locals alike.

Thanks to the wine industry,Carlton has come back from thebrink and now thrives as theWine Capital of Oregon. �

ANDY PERDUE is editor- in-chief ofWine Press Northwest.JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance pho-tojournalist, is a regular contributor andthe page designer for Wine PressNorthwest. Her website is atWineCountryPhotos.com

carlton

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011WINEPRESSNW.COM

Winemaker Ken Wright Gilbert Henry, Cuvée owner

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Is there a better example ofwine country in the Pacific

Northwest than Oregon’s tinytown of Carlton?

Seven years ago, Alsace-bornchef Gilbert Henry and his wifesold their downtown Portlandrestaurant to create fine diningon Main Street within twoblocks of a grain silo embla-zoned by the town’s logo.

Just around the corner,laughing children splash aboutin the community pool as theirparents watch from under theshade of trees in Upper Park.

“People have asked me aboutcoming to Port Townsend(Wash.) and Seaside (Ore.), butwe’ve got a house here that’shalf a mile from the restaurant,”Henry said. “I walk to work andknow everybody and say ‘Hi’ toeverybody. And there is somenew blood in town now, whichis helping.”

Famed Pinot Noir producerScott Paul Wines shares itsblock with that silo. And kitty-corner on Main Street is TheTasting Room, a retail bottleshop that doubles as JayMcDonald’s storefront for EIEIO & Co. The most expensivebottles are displayed in a walk-insafe because 100 years before,this was Carlton Savings Bank.

There’s plenty invested in thistown, and everyone seems to bein it for the long haul.

Locomotives stopped inCarlton for several decades onruns between Portland and theOregon Coast — thanks to theinitial efforts of Wilson Carl.The train depot was shutteredfor decades until famed wine-maker Ken Wright purchasedthe building. Two years later, in2003, he’d transformed it into apublic tasting center for his newTyrus Evan label, his world-renowned Pinot Noirs and someneighboring wineries.

32 WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011 WINEPRESSNW.COM

Touring CarltonBY ERIC DEGERMANPHOTOS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

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Down the block are City Halland the police station, not thatthere seems to be a need forpeacekeepers in Carlton.

All that is within eyesight ofMain Street, which doubles forthree blocks as Highway 47, thetwo-lane road that slowly makesits way through Carlton withoutneed for a traffic signal. Ventureoff Main Street one block to thenorth, south, east or west andthere’s more in store.

The trip calls for a thought-cleansing drive out in the coun-try, which urban dwellers maywell view as therapeutic. Andupon arrival, there’s the luxuryof leaving the key fob for yourvehicle next to your pillow forthe weekend.

That’s because Main Streetand Carlton, population 2,015,can provide nearly all thenecessities — delicious food,wines crafted by some of theNorthwest’s biggest talents,lodging, live music and even alocal watering hole.

“Things have worked out soincredibly well for me,” saidJulie Davis, who last year tookover and invigorated The HorseRadish, a restaurant, cheeseshop and wine bar. “I get towork with my family and in atown like this where local busi-nesses are so supportive ofeach other. And it’s been fun toget to know the people that workthe tasting rooms, make theconnections and make friends. Ican tell you the smiles andlaughter are genuine.”

One doesn’t need to enjoywine to appreciate Carlton,though. There is a chocolatier, ahandful of spots providing fresh-brewed coffee, a maker of artisanjam and shops devoted to localartists. All are interspersedamong the tasting rooms of MainStreet and along the side streets.

To get a quick feel for thepulse of Carlton, go the corner

of Kutch and Main. That’s wherewinemakers, growers and winetourists swing into The FillingStation Deli and CommonGrounds Espresso for theirbreakfast and/or coffee.

Remember to bring a thirst foradventure. The closest thing to afranchise in Carlton might be theJohn L. Scott real estate office.

WineriesFour of Oregon’s top winemak-ers – Joe Dobbes, LaurentMontalieu, Lynn Penner-Ashand Ken Wright – have a pres-ence here, which explains why agrowing number of wineriesfrom Southern Oregon joinedthe scene with tasting rooms inCarlton.

More than a dozen wineriesand tasting rooms are clusteredwithin a block north or south ofMain Street and along a four-block stretch of Highway 47,which is slowed to 20 mph.

Those who really want tostretch their legs can do so bywalking five blocks north of

Main Street to visit Cana’s FeastWinery and The CarltonWinemakers Studio.

Alexana WineryTexan cardiologist Madaiah

Revana owns two wineries –one for Bordeaux varieties inNapa Valley and this house forPinot Noir in the WillametteValley. Lynn Penner-Ash craftsthese stylish wines, and while aretail space and winery willopen in the Dundee Hills, man-agement said it has no plans toclose this tasting salon, whichpours daily.

116 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, alexanawinery.com.

Barking Frog WineryRon Helbig interned with the

skilled Laurent Montalieu. In2005, Helbig went off on hisown and quickly adopted glasscorks. The name is, in part, areference to his legal battle witha California game warden aftergigging for frogs. The award-winning wines include PinotNoir from the Willamette Valley

and warm-climate reds fromEastern Washington. The Syrahdessert wine is remarkable, andthe tasting room sits below thebalcony of the long-forgottenmovie theater.

128 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, barkingfrogwinery.com

Cana’s Feast WineryThere’s an early sense of

Tuscany, starting with the bocceball court and continuing withPatrick Taylor’s wines. Hissources for Italian and Bordeauxvarieties include famed Ciel duCheval Vineyard on RedMountain in Washington, but healso makes Pinot Noir fromacclaimed Meredith MitchellVineyard in nearby McMinnville.Among the products is a fasci-nating expression of Chinato, adessert-style vermouth madewith Nebbiolo off Coyote CanyonVineyard in Washington’s HorseHeaven Hills.

750 W. Lincoln St., Carlton, OR, 97111, canasfeastwinery.com

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Jay McDonald keeps the mostexpensive bottles at The TastingRoom in an old bank vault.

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Carlton CellarsDave Grooters and Nick

Peirano served in the Armytogether. Grooters made his for-tune in the software industry,while Peirano helped bringOregon fame at Nick’s ItalianCafé in McMinnville. Theyremained friends, and Grooterswent from vineyard manager forKen Wright to planting his ownvines. In 2007, he launchedCarlton Cellars.

This also serves as the tast-ing room for four other wineries— Angel Vine, J Albin, GhostHill and Youngberg Hill. Anexpansive lawn and patio makeCarlton Cellars a prime spot fora picnic, too.

130 W. Monroe St., Carlton,OR, 97111, carltoncellars.com

Cliff Creek CellarsThe Garvin family has farmed

the Rogue Valley for more thana century, and although winegrapes are a relatively new cropfor them, they wisely hired JoeDobbes to be their winemakerfrom the start. They use onlyestate fruit, specializing inBordeaux and Rhône varieties.

258 N. Kutch St., Carlton,OR, 97111, cliffcreek.com.

Folin CellarsHere’s another satellite tasting

room for a Southern Oregonwinery. The wines are grownand made near Medford, andthe focus is on Petite Sirah,Syrah, Tempranillo andViognier. They also have adopt-ed glass cork as their closure.

118 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,folincellars.com

Mouvance WineryOwner/winemaker Lonnie

Krawl is based in Boise, Idaho,but he began making wine in2008 from his estate JulonVineyard in the Eola-Amity Hillswith guidance from his friendsat Coeur de Terre Vineyards.

258 North Kutch Street, Suite A, Carlton, OR, 97111,mouvancewinery.com.

Scott Paul WinesIn a former life, folks on the

East Coast knew him as theradio disc jockey ShadowStevens. That life introducedScott Wright to the world ofwine. When he and his wifeMartha partnered with KettleChips founder Cameron Healyin 2003, they invested heavily inCarlton. They bought two his-toric buildings. One used to bea creamery and the other was

home to Madsen Grain Co. Inaddition to making OregonPinot Noir, they also importwines from Burgundy.

128 S. Pine St., Carlton, OR,97111, scottpaul.com.

Seven of HeartsByron Dooley gave up a soft-

ware career in California for thelife of one who makesacclaimed Pinot Noir from hisown Luminous Hills Vineyard inthe Willamette Valley. Since2008, he’s shared the tastingroom with a branch of his wife’sHonest Chocolates business.

217 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, sevenofheartswine.com.

TerraVina WinesThe folks at Cuvée Restaurant

lease space next door to theDingers to use for tasting,which is called “The LULURoom.” Their estate Dalla TerraVineyard is in the ChehalemMountains.

214 B W. Main St., Carlton,OR, 97111, terravinawines.com.

Troon VineyardIn Carlton, this Grants Pass

winery showcases its Zinfandeland many of the other 20 vari-eties grown on its estate. Acourtyard beyond the tastingroom plays host to a summer

concert series ranging frombluegrass to jazz to the youngreggae band Sol Seed.

250 N. Kutch St., Carlton,OR, 97111, troonvineyard.com

WildAire CellarsA bottling from renowned

Shea Vineyard highlights MattDriscoll’s lineup of small-lotPinot Noir. His wines are madeat Illahe Vineyards, Wine PressNorthwest’s 2011 OregonWinery to Watch.

128 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, wildairecellars.com

J. Wrigley Vineyards/Noble Pig

Two families with new plant-ings in McMinnville joinedforces and built a diminutive“tasting cottage” for theiryoung, Pinot Noir-focusedwineries.

407 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, wrigleywines.com,noblepigwine.com.

Ken Wright CellarsPerhaps no winemaker is

more passionate in the pursuitof Pinot Noir than our 2005Pacific Northwest Winery of theYear. And Ken Wright doesn’tseem to be slowing down, creat-ing 10 vineyard-designate winesfrom the 2010 vintage – the

34

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Cana’s Feast WineryWinemaker Joe Dobbes Cheese plate at The Horse Radish

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35

25th of his career. The winery isopen to the public only duringthe weekends of Thanksgivingand Memorial Day, but KWCwines are poured at the TyrusEvan Tasting Room, which isopen seven days a week.

236 N Kutch St.,Carlton, OR97111, kenwrightcellars.com.

Tyrus EvanWhat started as an experi-

ment in 2003 has evolved intoan acclaimed project named forCody Tyrus Wright and CarsonEvan Wright – sons of KenWright. The focus here isBordeaux and Rhône varietiesfrom storied vineyards inOregon and Washington.Meanwhile, Cody Wright hasforged out on his own with thePurple Hands label.

120 N Pine St, Carlton, OR97111, tyrusevanwine.com

The Carlton WinemakersStudio

Stylish and LEED-certified,CWS ranks among the mostfascinating wine operations inthe Northwest, serving as a co-op, incubator and model forothers since 2002. It waslaunched by Eric Hamacher –husband of Luisa Ponzi – andnow managed by Ellen Brittan.

She and her husband, RobertBrittan, recently moved to theWillamette Valley following hisstoried career at Stag’s LeapWinery in Napa Valley. He andHamacher make their own winesand share space with the likesof Andrew Rich, a renter herefrom the start.

Customers are charged bythe ton of fruit they bring in toprocess, and there are predeter-mined tonnage limits. Alumniinclude Penner-Ash, Scott Pauland Soter.

While there are more than adozen labels, no more thaneight are poured in the tastinggallery. Several, includingDukes and Trout Lily, are madeby rising star Kelly Kidneigh.Outside seating comes withtableside service. It’s an experi-ence not to be missed.

801 N. Scott St., Carlton, OR,97111, winemakersstudio.com.

RestaurantsCuvée

Little did Gilbert Henry knowback in the summer of 2004that he didn’t pick Carlton.Rather, Carlton picked him.

“We did some market research,and Ken Wright was the first per-son my wife talked to,” Henry

recalled. “It turns out he sentsome spies out to my restaurant(Winterborne) in Portland. One ofthem came in and said, ‘We wantto make sure about you. And yep,your food is good.’ ”

Now, when Wright bringsguests to Carlton, he takes themto Cuvée. The theme is quiteFrench, incorporating seafood,nearby ingredients and localwines. He’s only open for dinnerand just Wednesday throughSaturday. It’s a schedule thatallows him to ride his bike,sometimes competitively, alongcountry roads and vineyards.

214 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, cuveedining.com.

The Horse RadishJulie Davis and her family

transformed it into a hub offood, wine and fun soon aftertaking it over April 1, 2010.

“It was a good April Foolsjoke, and then the next day wasmy birthday,” Davis said with achuckle. “I just turned 30, so itwas my 30th birthday present tomyself!”

Davis moved from Bend, butas a Linfield College grad, sheknew the area and quicklybegan recruiting her family.

Her husband, Sean, assistantwinemaker at David Hill in

Forest Grove, is one of the fewfamily members not involved inThe Horse Radish. Her brother,Ryan, has taken over theNorthwest-centric wine list, runsthe wine shop and features adozen wines by the glass, whichare changed out each Friday.

Their mother, Jennifer, lordsover the West Coast cheesecase and makes a meanMarionberry pie. And sisterAndie’s sandwich with CarltonFarms smoked ham, Swisscheese and fig jam ranks amongthe top lunches to be had inNorthwest wine country.

There’s patio seating in theback, and on the weekendnights, live bands from Portlandand Salem bring a professionalsound.

“They tell me they love play-ing out here because it’s morelaid back and because peopleare actually listening to theirmusic,” Davis said. “InPortland, these bands mightend up as just backgroundnoise because the audiencetalks right over the music.”

Spend a weekend in Carltonand find yourself hitting the HRmore than once.

211 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, thehorseradish.com.

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Ron Helbig, Barking Frog Winery

Sol Seed plays at The Horse Radish

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Cielo Blu Italian GrillThe historic brick walls give

this restaurant a feel as if it hasbeen open for decades, but theCravens launched it in 2007.Hearty fare, large portions, bigtables and a family atmospheremake this a pleasant alternativeto the big Italian chains you’dfind near the city shopping mall.Local wines are displayed.Pasta dishes feature approach-able sauces, and lovers of egg-plant or veal will have choices.Adding to the enjoyment is halfof the tables offer a view intothe kitchen, giving a sense ofthe hustle and bustle of serversand cooks.

119 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, cieloblurestaurant.com

The Filling Station DeliThose who don’t stay at a

B&B can still find a deliciousway to start your day withbreakfast, thanks to Ken Meeksand Bobbi Hartwell’s retrofit of agas station five years ago. Theyproudly serve Portland-basedStumptown coffee. They offerwifi and seating inside or on thedeck to enjoy your fare spreadacross tabletops over wine bar-rels. In the morning, considertheir Breakfast Burrito or Bagel& Lox. Their assortment of

made-to-order sandwiches –especially the Highway 47 andthe Belly Dancer — will temptyou to return for a sit-downlunch inside or take-out for pic-nics. Local wine also is avail-able for purchase. Open sixdays a week 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.Closed on Wednesday.

305 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, fillingstationdeli.com.

The Pied Piper PubIt’s Carlton’s version of

Lumpy’s Tavern in nearbyDundee, the spot where localsgo to shoot pool, watch footballon Sundays and get away fromthe touristas. Winemakers callahead for the tasty, made-to-order burgers during crush. It’scash only, which explains theATM near the front door.

325 Main St., Carlton, OR,97111, 503-852-5560.

CoffeeCommon Grounds Espresso

This cute drive-through,about the size of a Tuff Shed,serves up a remarkable Mexicanmocha that’s nice on the spiceand light on the sweet. Theypride themselves on usingbeans roasted daily byLongbottom Coffee and Tea in

Hillsboro, Ore., which supportscertified free trade. Those whowalk up and order have theopportunity to sit outside underan umbrella. It shares a parkinglot with The Filling Station Deli.

305 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111.

Carlton Coffee Co.Located inside the building

that houses Cielo Blu, this isnot a particularly convenient oreasily spotted coffee outpost.And even though Italian restau-rant’s dinner guests can see thestand for this small operation,those craving a doppio withdessert will go disappointed.Carlton Coffee Co., shuts downthe stand at 3 p.m.

119 W. Main St., Carlton, OR,97111.

Wine shopsThe Tasting Room

The Tasting Room in Carltonoffers hard-to-find labels andcollectible Pinot Noir, includingowner Jay McDonald’s EIEIObrand. There are special in-store pourings by visitingwineries, and he owns thedomain pinot-noir.com.

ActivitiesWalk in the Park

Perhaps the best time to getthe full Carlton experience isduring the weekend of Walk inthe Park. The town’sWennerberg Park comes aliveas wineries, restaurants, artistsand musicians – highlighted bythe eclectic March FourthMarching Band — gather for afestival that raises money forcommunity groups and civicprograms.

For more information, go tocarltonswalkinthepark.com.

Honest ChocolatesHonest Chocolates features

delectable goodies, and DanaDooley sells them for less thanone might expect for handmadechocolate, which are made onthe premises. This is one ofthree retail locations, but sheshares this storefront with herhusband Byron, owner/wine-maker for Seven ofHearts/Luminous Hills Winery.

217 W. Main St., Carlton, OR97111, honestchocolates.com.

Republic of JamIt would seem that wine

lovers and teetotalers couldreach a bi-partisan agreement

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Breakfast at The Filling Station Deli Wines for sale at The Tasting Room

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37

on one topic – a love of jamsand preserves. Republic of Jamand its lip-smacking work withmore than a dozen differentfruits from local growers willsatisfy both camps.

211 W. Main St., Carlton, OR97111, republicofjam.com

Karen Brock StudiosThere are two commercial art

galleries on Main Street --Karen Brock Studios andMelton Gallery & Studio. Brockuses apparel as her canvas bypurchasing used or discardedfabrics then ships those itemsand her patterns to SoutheastAsia, where she works closelywith the same family of textileworkers.

Find her new items throughher Facebook page.

Violet RoseOne of Carlton’s youngest

businesses is Violet Rose, a giftshop owned by twin sisters whocarry candles, jewelry and otherlocal art.

Find them on Facebook.

LodgingMaybe the lone missing

ingredient in downtown Carltonis hotel accommodations, andthere’s no sign of any coming

down the road because of theaging water system. That posesa bit of an obstacle for Yanksreluctant to stay at a boutiqueinn or bed & breakfast. Thosewho appreciate the pamperedattention wine-country innkeep-ers provide will want to staydowntown to drink in whatCarlton has to offer withoutworrying about driving.

Carlton LoftsStay in the Carlton Lofts and

you may have some weekendnighttime entertainment becausethe rooms are on the secondfloor overlooking the sidewalksof Main Street. These are threewell-appointed studiosowned/operated as vacationrentals through Ken WrightCellars’ website, however thekeys are handed over to guestsat Tyrus Evan.

The Carlton Inn B&BPerhaps the ideal lodging for

Carlton’s Walk in the Park isThe Carlton Inn B&B, built in1915 by lumber mill owners.

Go to thecarltoninn.com.

R.R. Thompson HouseThree blocks north of Ken

Wright Cellars is R.R.Thompson House, a five-suiteB&B built in the 1930s. Some

rooms feature a jet tub. Gluten-free breakfasts are available byrequest.

Go to rrthompsonhouse.com.

Carlton CottagesThe Carlton Cottages, within

a stone’s throw of The CarltonInn, offer a great alternative forcaravanning couples. It featuresa pair of 2,000 square foot bun-galows remodeled in 2005 tosleep between two and six peo-ple.

Learn more at carltoncottages.com.

Abbey Road FarmAbbey Road Farm requires a

five-minute drive west ofCarlton and combines a beauti-ful pastoral setting, a view offamed Guadalupe Vineyard andcomfortable lodging in theirsignature silo suites. Breakfastbrings Judi Stuart’s delectablegoat cheese.

Go to abbeyroadfarm.com.

Brookside InnFarther south on Abbey Road,

Brookside Inn offers a choice ofnine suites and features occa-sional winemaker dinners.

For more information go to brooksideinn-oregon.com.

More infoYamhill-Carlton AmericanViticultural Area

This portal serves both townsin the appellation, offeringremarkable materials to educateand guide your touring. It hastopography maps, wine touringmaps, a list of wineries, restau-rants, lodging and events.

Go to yahmillcarlton.orgThe city of Carlton’s govern-

ment site is at ci.carlton.or.usand there’s also carltonbusi-nessassociation.com.

The Yamhill Valley VisitorsAssociation refers to the regionas “Oregon’s Stomping Ground”and operates a helpful site atyamhillvalley.org.

Willamette Valley Wineries,which gathers up the region’ssix sub-appellations, includingthe Yamhill-Carlton AVA, runswillamettewines.com.

The Oregon Wine Board sitecan help you find worthy stopsbefore and after Carlton at oregonwine.org. �

ERIC DEGERMAN is Wine PressNorthwest’s managing editor.JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance pho-tojournalist, is a regular contributor andthe page designer for Wine PressNorthwest. Her website isWineCountryPhotos.com

carlton


Corkscrew collectionat The Carlton Inn

Bottles of beerfrom Carlton’s FireMountain Brewerycan be found atlocal restaurants.

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AWARDS the herbies


42-51 winelists.qxd 8/30/11 3:39 PM

AWARDS


BESTNORTHWEST

WINE LIST� SUN MOUNTAIN LODGE,

WINTHROP, WASH.

PROGRAM: Don Elsing’s 34-page

book is led by Washington, whileOregon is well-represented for PinotNoir. British Columbia icon MissionHill has some library wines, andthere’s an Idaho ice wine from Ste. Chapelle.

POLICIES: Mountain logo goesnext to entries from the growingNorth Central Washington region.

PRESSINGS: There are 98Washington, 27 Oregon wineriesrepresented, an increase from lastyear. Three sparkling wine houses inWashington appear here.

604 Patterson Lake Road, Winthrop, WA, 98862, 800-572-0493, sunmountainlodge.com.

OCEAN CREST RESORT SHARES A TRADITION WITHThe Herbfarm as restaurants spotlighting wines made inthe great Pacific Northwest better than the rest.

Unfortunately, they now have another thing in common— a devasting fire.

On June 20, the Moclips, Wash., destination lost itsaward-winning restaurant and its extensive collection ofNative American artifacts. The cause remains unclear, butco-owner Rob Curtright said indications are that it wassparked by an electrical problem within the ceiling in themiddle of the restaurant.

Fortunately, they only lost about 20 percent of theirwine inventory because the bulk of the library washoused off-premise.

“We want to continue the wine program,” saidCurtright, whose parents founded the resort in 1953. “Itwas quite successful and brought us a lot of business.”

One benefit of the blaze is a more clear view of thePacific.

“We lost a few trees in the fire, so our view will beimproved,” Curtright said. “But we will have a brand newbuilding. The original building was part of our house thatwe’d added to several times over the years, so we’re look-ing at this an opportunity, and we’re excited about it. Itdid take us a couple of months to get over the trauma. Itwas quite emotional for us because of the NorthwestAmerican art that can’t be replaced.”

Meanwhile, the family placed executive chef AndyBickar on salary because it didn’t want to lose him.

“All the demolition is done, the site is clear and we are

working with the architect on the new building,”Curtright said with optimism. “We hope to start construc-tion in October and be open in April or May. That’s theplan. Everyone has been very supportive.”

Their long-standing series of Northwest winemaker din-ners probably won’t resume until the fall of 2012.

So this year, we’ve given our “The Herbie” to SunMountain Lodge, the four-season Methow Valley resort inWinthrop, Wash.

Wine director Don Elsing boasts a 5,000-bottle invento-ry that’s rich with wines from Washington and Oregon aswell as a smattering from British Columbia and Idaho.Elsing and executive chef J. Russell Bradshaw continue tostage regular Northwest winemaker dinners, and they’vereceived recognition from Wine Press Northwest for BestWashington or Outstanding Northwest wine list for morethan a decade.

In 2008, we named the competition “The Herbies” -- atribute to The Herbfarm and its co-owner RonZimmerman, a combination in Woodinville, Wash., thatwon our top award for eight straight years. Their runbegan four years after a soul-crushing blaze of the originalHerbfarm.

And so this marks the first time in 12 years that arestaurant other than The Herbfarm or Ocean CrestResort is given the top award.

Each year, we use the Wine Press Northwest/Herbfarmwine list competition to determine candidates for futurerestaurant profiles. Restaurants among our Match Makeralumni are denoted with an “�.”

The HerbiesWine Press Northwest’s 13th annual Great Northwest Wine Lists Competition

BY ERIC DEGERMAN ARTWORK BY KEN SUSYNSKI

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AWARDS the herbies


OUTSTANDINGNORTHWESTWINE LISTS

BONNEVILLE HOT SPRINGS RESORT,BONNEVILLE, WASH.

PROGRAM: There’s a blend of localwineries and more pricey Northwestproducers.

POLICIES: Each Friday, there’s a 1-hour pouring of Columbia Gorgewines joined by Oregon goatcheese, fruits, nuts and breads.

PRESSINGS: Pacific Crest DiningRoom has menu that appeals to spapatrons with healthy alternatives.1252 E. Cascade Dr., North Bonneville,Wash, 98639, 509-427-9711, bon-nevilleresort.com.

BLUEACRE SEAFOOD, SEATTLE

PROGRAM: Founders of SteelheadDiner in Pike Place, Kevin andTerresa Davis, buy only fish caughtin U.S. waters via responsiblemethods. And the wine list ismostly Washington andOregon.

POLICIES: Many of the winesby the glass are less than $10,rather amazing in downtownSeattle these days.

PRESSINGS: Nice little findsinclude Brandborg Gewürz,Browne Family Cab, CorvusSyrah• Petite Sirah, KyraChenin Blanc and Treveri bub-bles (by the glass). 1700 Seventh Ave., Seattle, WA,98101, 206-659-0737, blueacre-seafood.com.

BRIDGEWATER BISTRO,ASTORIA

PROGRAM: Tony Kischner hasbeen in the area nearly 30years, most of them at theShoalwater on Washington’sLong Beach Peninsula. Hisfocus now is on Oregon, butnot just Pinot Noir from theWillamette Valley. He featuresSouthern Oregon and theColumbia Gorge. And there are

nearly two dozen dessert wines fromthe Northwest.

POLICIES: It’s easy to spot a redwine by the glass for less than $10.

PRESSINGS: Most items on menucan be made gluten-free.

20 Basin St., Suite A, Astoria, OR, 97103,503-325-6777, bridgewaterbistro.com.

� COPPERLEAF RESTAURANT,SEATAC

PROGRAM: The list is brief, but it’sdedicated to the Northwest. Oregonchecks in with producers such asAdelsheim, Domaine Drouhin,Lange, Ponzi. Wineries employingsustainable practices show on listwith green leaf.

POLICIES: Glass pour offeringsshow more thought than most.

PRESSINGS: Refreshing to see SkyRiver — a meadery near theSkykomoish River — represented.

Cedarbrook Lodge, 18525 36th Ave. S.,Seattle, WA, 98188, 206-901-9268, cedar-brooklodge.com.

42ND STREET CAFE, SEAVIEW

PROGRAM: Pound-for-pound,Blaine Walker’s quick list ranksamong the best as it’s virtually 100percent from Oregon andWashington.

POLICIES: The menu highlightsseafood, so the list targets fruit-for-ward, high-acid wines such as AmityDry Riesling and Barnard Griffin’srosé of Sangiovese.

PRESSINGS: There’s Tempranillofrom wineries near the Canadian bor-der (Mount Baker) and the Californiaborder (Abacela).

4201 Pacific Way, Seaview, WA, 98644,360-642-2323, 42ndstreetcafe.com.

RN74, SEATTLE

PROGRAM: While there’s certainlya world perspective, this new open-ing in Seattle by international rock-star chef Michael Mina is ramping upits Northwest component. Huge fansof Andrew Will, Cadence, DomaineDrouhin, Gramercy and Scott Paul.

Sun Mountain Lodgein Winthrop, Wash.


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POLICIES: Flashing lights on wall-mounted menu boards indicateinstant changes to the wine list, sodiners can see when the last bottleof Chinook Cab Franc is gone.

PRESSINGS: Mina, with a growingempire of 19 restaurants across thecountry, was born in Egpyt but raisedin Ellensburg, Wash.

1433 Fourth Ave., Seattle, WA, 98101,206-456-7474, rn47.com.

SIX SEVEN, SEATTLE

PROGRAM: Focus on seafoodexplains presence of wide-rangingNorthwest whites, especially asglass pours, and 20+ Oregon PinotNoirs.

POLICIES: Rising younger winer-ies Buty, Saviah, alongside fabledproducers such as Adelsheim,Leonetti, Quilceda Creek, KenWright.

PRESSINGS: Dining room for his-toric Edgewater Hotel offers stun-ning view of Elliott Bay and OlympicMountains.

2411 Alaskan Way, Pier 67, Seattle, WA,98121, 206-269-4575,edgewaterhotel.com.

BESTWASHINGTON

WINE LIST� CAMPBELL’S BISTRO, CHELAN

PROGRAM: No establishmentshows more pride in its award thanCampbell’s Resort. At the top of thewine list it reads “Wine PressNorthwest Magazine’s BestWashington Wine List” since 2004.And eight is not enough.

POLICIES: Most restaurants burytheir half-bottle selections. Not thisone. And his prices remain lower thanmost, including near retail for thosefrom Long Shadow in Walla Walla.

PRESSINGS: Smiley faces symbol-ize personal favorites, and Van Overloves Syrah. He used 4 of his 16 onthis variety.

104 W. Woodin, Chelan, WA, 98816, 800-553-8225, dineatcampbells.com.

OUTSTANDINGWASHINGTON

WINE LISTSBARKING FROG, WOODINVILLE

PROGRAM: The devotion to

Washington state is obvious, startingwith the impressive array of beauti-fully, large-format bottles near thefront of the restaurant.

POLICIES: It must be difficult topick from the 70+ wineries withnearby tasting rooms, but only abouthalf make this list.

PRESSINGS: Affable chef BobbyMoore hit the 10-year milestone atthe Barking Frog this year.

Barking Frog, 14580 NE 145th St.,Woodinville, WA, 98072, 425-424-2999,willowslodge.com/wine_dine/

CAFE FLORA, SEATTLE

PROGRAM: A hand-picked list thatfeatures Seven Hills’ outstandingwork with two less Bordeaux-vari-eties -- Carménère and Malbec.

POLICIES: Wines noted as veganor sustainably farmed are highlight-ed, including Basel Cellars, Kyra andOregon’s Montinore Estate.

PRESSINGS: This year marks the20th anniversary of this veganrestaurant.

2901 E. Madison St., Seattle, WA, 98112,206-325-9100, cafeflora.com

CHURCHILL’S STEAK HOUSE,SPOKANE

PROGRAM: There are a few morewhites offered than one mightexpect at a steakhouse.

POLICIES: Support remains forSpokane wineries Barrister,Mountain Dome, Robert Karl andWhitestone.

PRESSINGS: Fans of Cayuse willfind a short veritcal of En CeriseVineyard Syrah.

165 S. Post, Spokane, WA, 99201, 509-474-9888, churchillssteakhouse.com.

FAT OLIVES, TRI-CITIES

PROGRAM: Their slogan: “Localwines, local vineyards, the pride ofWashington.” Most wines made with-in an hour’s drive of Tri-Cities.

POLICIES: Corkage $2.50 per per-son. No corkage on Wednesdays.

PRESSINGS: Rob Griffin (BarnardGriffin), Charlie Hoppes (Fidelitas)recently staged winemaker dinners.Home of the 28-inch pizza.

Copperleaf Restaurant

Bonneville HotSprings Resort


AWARDS the herbies


255 Williams Blvd., Richland, WA,99352, 509-946-6404, 300 N. Ely,Kennewick, WA, 99336, 509-735-5533,fatolivesrestaurant.com..

MASSELOW’S RESTAURANT, AIRWAYHEIGHTS

PROGRAM: Spokane wineries leadat Northern Quest Resort & Casino’sdining room, an assortment thatincludes Latah Creek’s deliciousHuckleberry d’Latah, yet there’s alsoBookwater’s SubPlot series andBoomtown Syrah.

POLICIES: Wednesdays duringsummer bring half-price on selectbottles.

PRESSINGS: This is billed as theInland Empire’s only AAA FourDiamond dining room.

Masselow’s Restaurant, Northern QuestResort & Casino, 100 N. Hayford Road,Airway Heights, WA, 99001, 509-242-7000, northernquest.com/dining/mas-selows.

� PICAZO 7SEVENTEEN WINE BAR& RESTAURANT, KENNEWICK

PROGRAM: Trina Cortez built thelist matriculated from Prosser toKennewick’s Southridge area thisspring. There are 20 wines availableby the glass, and each of the state’s

11 appellation will be representedamong those glass pours.

POLICIES: Corkage is $10, but itjumps to $25 if the wine was madein California.

PRESSINGS: Wine countrychef/owner Frank Magaña continuesto operate Mojave in Prosser forDesert Wind Winery.

3617 Plaza Way, Kennewick, WA 99357,509-987-1607, picazo717.com.

PURPLE, BELLEVUE

PROGRAM: Tasting flights generallyplace one NW wine with 2-3 fromelsewhere. The selection ofWashington Sauv Blancs (Efeste,Substance, Woodward Canyon)make for an interesting choice.

POLICIES: If they don’t carry thatwine, corkage on first bottle iswaived.

PRESSINGS: Leave yourself thetime to enjoy thumbing through theeclectic 68-page beverage list.

430 106th Ave. NE, Bellevue, WA, 98004,425-502-6292, thepurplecafe.com.

PURPLE, KIRKLAND

PROGRAM: Katelyn Peil overseesthis assortment, among them wasthis flight of NW Vine Project(Chardonnay), Four Graces (PinotGris), Amavi (Semillon) and Tempus(Riesling).

POLICIES: Try before you buywhen it comes to the glass pours.

PRESSINGS: Among the fresh newfaces here are O’Shea ScarboroughMain Event and Reynvaan Family’sUnnamed Syrah.

323 Park Place Center, Kirkland, WA,98033, 425-828-3772, thepurplecafe.com.

PURPLE, SEATTLE

PROGRAM: Directing this list isChris Horn, same as in Bellevue.The choices were trimmed by about20 percent to 70 pages, but it’s stillthe biggest, and his flight of fourWashington reds — two Cabs andtwo Merlot — is quite a learningtool.

POLICIES: Many of these winescan go out the door for 40 percentoff list price.

PRESSINGS: A mere trio ofWashington Rieslings seems toobrief.

1225 Fourth Ave., Seattle, 98101, 206-829-2280, thepurplecafe.com

� PURPLE, WOODINVILLE

PROGRAM: Support for theirneighborhood is evident as morethan 40 wines from Woodinvilleappear.

POLICIES: Buy a case of your fave?Ask them about retail pricing.

PRESSINGS: Gone is the glossaryof terms in back.

14459 Woodinville-Redmond Road NE,Woodinville, WA, 98072, 425-483-7129,thepurplecafe.com.

THE MELTING POT, SPOKANE

PROGRAM: Walla Walla wineries,particularly Cougar Crest, receive alot of attention. Local placingsinclude Arbor Crest, Barrister, Coeurd’Alene, Grande Ronde, Robert Karl.Tri-City boutique Anelare a pleasantsurprise.

POLICIES: Wine DownWednesdays means 50 percent dis-count on bottles when ordering afour-course fondue dinner.

PRESSINGS: Among those to par-ticipate in corkage-free programwith Spokane-area wineries.

Crescent Building, Second Floor, 707 W. Main Ave., Spokane, WA, 99201,509-926-8000, spokanemp.com.

TULALIP BAY RESTAURANT, TULALIP

PROGRAM: Tommy Thompsonoffers 200+ wines from Washingtonas well as Oregon Pinot Noir atTulalip Resort Casino’s fine-diningspot.

POLICIES: Each multi-course din-ner by Perry Mascitti can be orderedwith wine pairings. List of winemak-er dinners includes Spring Valley,Betz, Quilceda, DeLille, Lachini,Andrew Will, Barage, Grand Reve.

PRESSINGS: Nice touch to carrymany of Northwest Totem Cellars’acclaimed wines.

10200 Quil Ceda Blvd., Tulalip, WA,98271, 360-716-1500, tulalipresort.com

Picazo’s Trina Cortez


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WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011WINEPRESSNW.COM 47WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011

TUSCANY RUSTIC ITALIAN BISTRO,PROSSER

PROGRAM: Focus is Prosser-areawineries, including Coyote CanyonSangiovese and Desert WindBarbera.

POLICIES: Wines on list priced atnear retail.

PRESSINGS: Chef/owner JessieAyala, born/raised in Prosser, wentthrough South Seattle CC acclaimedculinary program.

602 Sixth St., Prosser, WA, 99350, 509-786-7600, eattuscany.com.

� VALLEY CAFE, ELLENSBURG

PROGRAM: Gregory Beach madecommitment to pair cuisine withWashington wines in 1981.

POLICIES: List is 90 percentWashington. Featured winery of themonth includes public tasting dur-ing First Friday Art Walk.

PRESSINGS: Wine shop in adja-cent deli. String of awards fromWashington Wine Commission goesback to 2003, and from Wine PressNorthwest to 2000.

105 W. Third Ave., Ellensburg, WA,98926, 509-925-3050, valleycafeellensburg.com.

VISCONTI’S RESTORANTE ITALIANO,LEAVENWORTH

PROGRAM: More than half of the500+ list is Washington, whichincludes 100 entries from theColumbia Cascade region.

POLICIES: Affordable pricing oflocal wines.

PRESSINGS: Co-owner/chef DanielCarr continues to oversee the wineprogram.

636 Front St., Leavenworth, WA, 98826,509-548-1213. viscontis.com.

VISCONTI’S RESTORANTE ITALIANO,WENATCHEE

PROGRAM: Candy Mecham’s origi-nal restaurant sticks closer toWenatchee-area wineries. Back isloaded with big Washington reds.

POLICIES: Nice snapshots of oldervintages from some Walla Walla leg-ends.

PRESSINGS: Restaurant celebratedits 25th anniversary Jan. 1.

1737 N. Wenatchee Ave., Wenatchee, WA,98801, 509-662-5013, viscontis.com.

��WILD GINGER, SEATTLE

PROGRAM: Syrah and Cab-basedreds from Washington easily foundamong 30,000-bottle collection thatbegan in 1989 and includes magnumof Woodward Canyon 1994 OldVines Cab ($205).

POLICIES: Not afraid to explore,for example, listing this issue’srather obscure Match Maker wine —Memaloose Idiot’s Grace CabernetFranc, cellared in Lyle, Wash.

PRESSINGS: Perlage system usedon sparkling wines, Enomatic systemon stills. Opened second restaurantin Bellevue.

1401 Third Ave. Seattle, WA, 98101,206-623-4450, wildginger.net.

BEST OREGONWINE LIST

� THE JOEL PALMER HOUSE,DAYTON

PROGRAM: The focus is pairingmushrooms and truffles withOregon Pinot Noir, which fills two-thirds of the wine list.

POLICIES: Christopher Czarneckitook over in the kitchen for hisfather/owner, Jack, and now theyproduce truffle oil.

PRESSINGS: Peter Rosback ofSineann calls this “Oregon’s PRE-MIER fine dining destination.”

Joel Palmer House, 600 Ferry St.,Dayton, OR, 97114, 503-864-2995, joel-palmerhouse.com.

OUTSTANDINGOREGON WINE

LISTS� CASCADE DINING ROOM AT

TIMBERLINE LODGE, MOUNT HOOD

PROGRAM: Program managerDavid Villali once received our “BestOregon” award five straight years.This will feel like heaven for sup-porters of Patty Green, PeterRosback and Ken Wright.

POLICIES: Ask server to arrangefor wine tasting, tour of cellar. Don’texpect to find bargains because oftransportation/storage difficulties.

PRESSINGS: Reservations arerequired for dinner.

The Cascade Dining Room, TimberlineLodge, OR, 97028, 503-622-0700, timber-linelodge.com.

� CELILO RESTAURANT AND BAR,HOOD RIVER

PROGRAM: Columbia Gorgeremains a centerpiece, listing morethan a dozen wineries.

POLICIES: Corkage is $20/ $40 formagnum.

Celilo Restaurant and Bar


PRESSINGS: Among reserves is a2000 Cab from Syncline, one of firstvintages the Mantones made in theGorge.

Celilo Restaurant and Bar, 16 Oak St.,Hood River, OR, 97031, 541-386-5710,celilorestaurant.com.

COLUMBIA GORGE HOTEL, HOODRIVER

PROGRAM: GM Paul Robinson con-tinues to restore this property, firstbuilt in 1904, and renewed its reputa-tion for supporting Northwest winer-ies. Permanent site of the NorthwestWine Summit competition.

POLICIES: Corkage waived onTuesdays if your bottle is from theColumbia Gorge AVA.

PRESSINGS: In 1981, RichCushman planted his small block ofRiesling almost directly across thefreeway.

Columbia Gorge Hotel, 4000 WestcliffDr., Hood River, OR, 97031, 800-345-1921, columbiagorgehotel.com

� DUNDEE BISTRO, DUNDEE

PROGRAM: Wines throughout

Oregon featured in this wine coun-

try restaurant/wine shop owned by

the Ponzi family.

POLICIES: Weekly wine seminars

required for staff. Each wine is

poured into Riedel.PRESSINGS: Christopher

Flanagan, who succeeded JasonStoller Smith as chef, grew up innearby Carlton.Dundee Bistro, 100-A SW Seventh St.,Dundee, OR, 97115, 503-554-1650, dundeebistro.com.

JORY, NEWBERG

PROGRAM: The Allison Inn & Spapit Burgundy vs. Willamette over thecourse of a 37-page wine list, withnearly 200 Oregong Pinot Noir tochoose from.

POLICIES: Thursdays are“Celebrity Wine Tender Evenings”when winemakers or winery ownerspour an hour for guests.

PRESSINGS: One features on listpays tribute to “Women WinemakersWe Love.”2525 Allison Lane, Newberg, OR, 97132,503-554-2525, theallison.com.

FIVE SPICE SEAFOOD & WINE BAR,LAKE OSWEGO

PROGRAM: Lakeside spot paystribute to Oregon Pinot Noir with

AWARDS the herbies


WOODINVILLE, Wash. —

I’ve long believed that misfortune can be trans-formative. So it was when we lost our restaurantto fire.

Climbing back was tough. We worked out of atent; then a winery. Finally, forced to sell our landor face bankruptcy, we sold the farm, spun a newdream, and pushed on.

As we built up our wine program, we expandedinto famous international selections. These classicsbrought notoriety. They also added an unanticipat-ed — and welcome! — halo of respect to our deep,sometimes eccentric, collection of Oregon andWashington wines.

We won a wall of wine awards. The national pressgave them to us for the cults and classics. WinePress Northwest honored our regional scope.

Building a cellar of known rarities takes time,doggedness, and, of course, money. But discover-ing the new and budding flower, that takes curiosi-ty and dedication.

And that, is it not, is where the real story runs. Itis not in chasing powerful wines made in an inter-national style, wines of everywhere that say nothingto us in particular. Rather, it is coming home, hav-ing travelled the world, to find what we were seek-ing was always here, right there at our own feet,visible with new eyes.

So it is that I rededicate our cellar to this region:to the men and women who plant the vines, waitthe years, struggle with weather, and squeeze thegoodness of grapes autumn by autumn. This istheir story as well as yours. Push down those roots.Pull up the essence of this place. Put your worldnot just in the mouth, but in our collective heartsand souls.

— RON ZIMMERMANPROPRIETOR, THE HERBFARM

Embrace,appreciate those closest to you

Jory at The Allison Inn & Spa


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vineyard-specific bottles.POLICIES: Tip from subscriber in

Portland raved about Sunday nightswhen wines are 50% off.

PRESSINGS: GM Tim Mattera dou-bles as wine director.

315 First St., Suite 201, Lake Oswego,OR, 97034, 503-697-8889, fivespicerestaurant.com.

��RIVERSIDE RESTAURANT, HOOD RIVER

PROGRAM: Jan McCartan supportsColumbia Gorge wineries on bothsides of the Columbia, listing 33wines made locally or using localgrapes.

POLICIES: Most bottles availablefor less than $50, including BeauxFrères 2009 Les Cousins Pinot Noir($42).

PRESSINGS: House wines, craftedby Hood River native RichCushman, are grown within 5 milesof hotel.

Hood River Inn, 1108 E. Marina Way,Hood River, OR, 97031, 541-386-2200,hoodriverinn.com.

BEST B.C.WINE LIST

��LOCAL LOUNGE • GRILLE,SUMMERLAND

PROFILE: Undoubtedly the mostfocused wine list in the Northwest.All wines are within 100 kilometersof the restaurant, with distance from

Local Lounge • Grille listed. POLICIES: Only wines with

Vintner’s Quality Alliance earn spot.More than 20 available by the glass.“Bin ends” category a resourcefulway to handle closeouts.

PRESSINGS: One of the most fash-ionable restaurants in BritishColumbia — perhaps PacificNorthwest wine country — now has

Riverside Restaurant’s Cebu Lounge


AWARDS the herbies


a website to match.

12817 Lakeshore Dr., SummerlandWaterfront Resort & Spa, Summerland,BC, V0H 1Z1, 250-494-8855, thelocalgroup.ca.

OUTSTANDINGB.C. WINE

LISTS

BISTRO 101 AT THE PACIFICINSTITUTE OF CULINARY ARTS,

VANCOUVER

PROFILE: Granville Island acade-my instructs students with regionalingredients, so provincial winesdominate. This summer, the instruc-tor showed their knowledge of the

Okanagan by featuring 2 sparklingwines by 8th Generation.

POLICIES: Approximately half ofthe wines available by bottle andglass.

PRESSINGS: Menu changes daily.

Bistro 101 at the Pacific Institute ofCulinary Arts, 1505 W. Second Ave.,Vancouver, B.C., V6H 3Y4, 604-734-4488,bistro101.com

FETCH RESTAURANT, UCLUELET

PROFILE: Luxury resort onVancouver Island’s remote westcoast gears cuisine/list to provincialingredients.

POLICIES: Wine cellar, whichseats 80, is carved into coastalrocks and temperature controlledby seawater.

PRESSINGS: One travel writerlikened this $50M complex to some-thing owned by a James Bond vil-lain.

Fetch, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort,Marine Dr., Ucluelet, B.C. V0R 3A0, 250-726-4800, blackrockresort.com

MIRADORO RESTAURANT, OLIVER

PROFILE: The on-premise restau-rant of Tinhorn Creek Vineyardscomes with a stunning vista of theGolden Mile and Black Sage Bench.Only Tinhorn Creek. wines are avail-able as glass pours, and there are adozen on offer.

POLICIES: If it’s not from B.C.,it’s not on this list. Pentâge, ourB.C. Winery of the Year, andSilkscarf earn repeat placements, asdoes the new Clos du Soleil inKeremeos.

PRESSINGS: Sommelier JustinMcAuliffe’s inventory includesSandra Oldfield’s full library, datingto 1994. Closed January, February.

32830 Tinhorn Creek Road, Oliver, B.C. V0H 1TO, 250-498-3742, tinhorn.com

O’DOUL’S RESTAURANT & BAR,VANCOUVER

PROGRAM: Listel Hotel jazz clubcontinues to spotlight BlueMountain, Burrowing Owl, Joie,Kettle Valley, LaFrenz, Wild Goose,with growing presence by 8thGeneration.

POLICIES: A glass of ColumbiaCrest Grand Estates Cab for $9.

PRESSINGS: Each summer, theListel serves as official hotel for the10-day Vancouver International JazzFestival.

1300 Robson St., Vancouver, BC V6E 1C5, 604-661-1406, odoulsrestaurant.com.

BEST IDAHOWINE LIST

� THE ORCHARD HOUSE,CALDWELL

PROGRAM: If it’s not made in the

O’Doul’sRestaurant& Bar


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Snake River Valley AVA, it won’t besold here.

POLICIES: Bottles sold virtually atretail prices.

PRESSINGS: Long list of Idahowinemakers show up as friends ontheir Facebook page.

14949 Sunnyslope Road, Highway 55,Caldwell, Idaho, 83607, 208-459-8200,theorchardhouse.us.

OUTSTANDINGIDAHO WINE

LISTS� BRICK 29 BISTRO, NAMPA

PROGRAM: Idaho takes centerstage with more than 20 in-statewineries represented, includinghard-to-find reds from FraserVineyard.

POLICIES: Wine and dine on

Monday means 2 can get an entreéand a house pour for $29.

PRESSINGS: Dustan Bristol hasmade semifinals for NW James BeardAward 3 straight years.

320 11th Ave. S., Nampa, ID, 83651, 208-468-0029, brick29.com.

� RED FEATHER LOUNGE, BOISE

PROGRAM: Past award winnerreturns with renewed focus onNorthwest wines and local farm-ers.

POLICIES: “Probably the No. 1restaurant in Idaho educating cus-tomers on all the great wines inIdaho, Oregon and Washington,” anominating winery owner wrote tous.

PRESSINGS: Ultra-hip wine cellaravailable for casual dinner or partyrental.

246 N. Eighth St., Boise, ID, 83702, 208-429-6340, justeatlocal.com.

THE SANDBAR RIVER HOUSE,MARSING

PROFILE: Fans of Ste. Chapellecan find 10 of their favorite wines,none priced at more than $19.

POLICIES: Remains perhapsNorthwest’s least expensive winelist. More than 30 wines available,only one is more than $30 — DavisCreek Tempranillo ($30.95.)

PRESSINGS: Restaurant overlooksSnake River with distinctive LizardButte rock formation just beyond.

18 Sandbar Ave., Marsing, Idaho,83639, 208-896-4124, sandbarriver-house.com.

ERIC DEGERMAN is managing editor of Wine PressNorthwest. Email him [email protected] SUSYNSKI is a Seatt le art ist who special izes inwine countr y art and whose artwork has accompaniedthis competit ion’s results since 2001. His website issusynski.com.

Brick 20 Bistro


WINE COUNTRY: WALLA WALLA VALLEY

We produce elegant Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlotfrom our Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge estate

vineyards. These luxurious wines showcase the distinctive terroir of the Walla Walla Valley.

Pepper Bridge Winery1704 J.B. George Road, Walla Walla, WA 99362

509-525-6502Open daily 10 am - 4 pm • www.pepperbridge.com

Now also open in Woodinville, behind theHollywood Schoolhouse!


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WINE COUNTRY: WALLA WALLA VALLEY

840 "C" St.Walla Walla, WAWe are dedicated tomaking the finest

wines in the WallaWalla valley for thatspecial occasion with

friends, family or both.Open Sat. 10-4 Special Events

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WINE COUNTRY: LAKE CHELAN


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56-59 unusual whites.qxd 8/30/11 3:18 PM

We are not aregion thatdrinks just

Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Gris.We are a region that explores newand unusual grape varieties.

Really, discovery is the joy of wineappreciation. And in the PacificNorthwest, we have so many small-production varieties to try. Muscat inits various forms has been grownhere for more than a half-century,and many newer German grapesdeveloped in the past 100 years havebeen planted in some quantity inBritish Columbia.

For this judging, we gathered 48wines from all four regions of thePacific Northwest that use 20 differ-ent grapes — none of which couldbe considered mainstream varieties.In fact, our expert judges were unfa-miliar with many of them, whichmade this tasting particularly enjoy-able for them.

Our judges were Winnie Alberg,David Seaver, Paul Sinclair and BobWoehler, all members of our tastingpanel who regularly judge competi-tions throughout the PacificNorthwest.

On to the results:

OUTSTANDINGJoieFarm $23 CDN2010 Muscat, Okanagan Valley DryMuscats are rare to find; simply put, they justaren’t made. And dry Muscats this delicious

are a treasure, but we come to expect great-ness from Heidi Noble and Michael Dinn,who make some of the most beautiful winesanywhere. This wine, made with the rareYellow Muscat grape, opens with amazing aro-mas of delicate orange blossoms and rosewa-ter, followed by dramatic flavors of orangesand lemons. The acidity is simply stunning,and everything about this wine is balancedand beautiful. (453 cases, 11.4% alc.)

Best buy!Kramer Vineyards $15NV Celebrate Semi-Sparkling Müller-Thurgau, Yamhill-Carlton District Morethan 25 years ago, the Kramers began plant-ing Müller-Thurgau on their estate near thenorthern Yamhill County town of Gaston. It’san unusual variety, especially in this light,bright and delicious semi-sparkling style. Thenose shows off aromas of apricots, mangoes,pineapples, lemons and apples, and thepalate is frothy and fun, with flavors ofpapayas, oranges, peaches and apples. Thiswine is a lot of fun, and we wish more winer-ies invested effort in this style. (195 cases,10.5% alc.)

Mount Boucherie Family Estate $16 CDN2010 Ehrenfelser, Okanagan Valley Thisvariety was created in 1929 as a cross betweenSilvaner and Riesling and is named after BurgEhrenfels, a medieval castle on the RhineRiver. Though the grape is rarely grown any-where in the world, it is successful in BritishColumbia’s Okanagan Valley, where it is usedto make everything from dry to ice wines.This is a superb example, with aromas ofapples, oranges, honeysuckle and honeydewmelons. On the palate, it’s a light-bodied wineloaded with fruit flavors such as sweet peach-es and apples with underlying mineral notes.(300 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Barnard Griffin $172010 Orange Muscat, Columbia ValleyMuscat is actually a family of grapes, of whichthere are more than a half-dozen differentvarieties. Orange Muscat, which revealsorange aromas and flavors, is one of therarest. Barnard Griffin in Richland, Wash., hasmade an Orange Muscat for a few years with

great success. This opens with tell-tale aromasof orange blossoms, as well as cloves, rosewa-ter and baklava. On the palate, it offers flavorsof orange zest and strawberries. It’s an off-drywine that is delicious and well balanced. (288cases, 13.2% alc.)

Best buy!Arrowleaf Cellars $15 CDN2009 Snow Tropics Vidal, Okanagan ValleyThis hybrid grape was developed in France inthe 1930s and is seen a bit in Canada.Arrowleaf, which is north of Kelowna nearOkanagan Centre, won a Platinum from us forthis exact wine last winter, so it is showingremarkable consistency at a high level. Thisopens with aromas of flowers, oranges andshaved almonds, followed by easy-drinking fla-vors of lemons, oranges, apples and grape-fruits. It’s a luscious wine from first sip throughthe memorable finish. (670 cases, 12% alc.)

Agate Ridge Vineyard $212009 Estate Roussanne, Rogue ValleyRoussanne is a versatile wine in its nativeRhône Valley. It stands alone in the south andis blended with Marsanne in the north. Thisexample from Southern Oregon opens witharomas that reminded us of fresh-out-of-the-oven apple pie, complete with cinnamon. Onthe palate, it provides bright, edgy flavors oflimes, grassiness and minerality. Pair thisbeauty with creamy seafood bisque. (84 cases,12.6% alc.)

Abacela Vineyards & Winery $182010 Estate Albariño, Umpqua Valley Thisracy white wine is at home on the IberianPeninsula, perhaps most famously in Spain.Abacela owner Earl Jones is helping to bring itto prominence in the Pacific Northwest, andhis latest vintage is another beauty. It is clean,crisp and inviting on the nose, with refreshingaromas of honeydew melons, lemons, pineap-ples and cucumbers. On the palate, the acidityis simply dazzling with amazing brightness andflavors of limes and quince. This is a beautifulfood wine, and we can easily imagine it withoysters or a crab dip. (1,259 cases, 13.1% alc.)

Summerhill Pyramid Winery $20 CDN2009 Ehrenfelser, Okanagan Valley Near

WHITESUNUSUALLY GOOD

TAST ING RESULTS


BY ANDY PERDUE � PHOTOS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

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TAST ING RESULTS unusual whites


Kelowna, B.C., on the banks of OkanaganLake, New York native Steve Cipes has createda unique wine destination. His wines, pro-duced from organic grapes, are just as expres-sive as his ideas. This bright and lusciouswine opens with aromas of mangoes, peachesand limes, followed by hedonistic flavors oflimes, quince and minerality. It’s easy to imag-ine pairing this with grilled halibut toppedwith peach salsa. (3,000 cases, 12.5% alc.)

EXCELLENTCarpenter Creek $242009 Late Harvest Siegerrebe, PugetSound This wine, created in 1929 inGermany, is a cross of Madeleine Angevineand Gewürztraminer, and its name means “vic-tory wine.” Purportedly, the grape wasbrought into North America by the owners ofBainbridge Island Winery west of Seattle, so itshistory in the Puget Sound region is lengthy.This version is superb, revealing aromas oflimes and apples, followed by sweet, ripe fla-vors of orchard and stone fruit, all backedwith bright acidity. (140 cases, 12.1% alc.)

Hogue Cellars $252010 Terroir Series Andrews & RowellVineyard Muscat Canelli, Horse HeavenHills Co Dinn, director of winemaking at thislarge Yakima Valley winery, uses the TerroirSeries to play with varieties that might other-wise get lost in the shuffle of producing a half-million cases of wine. Thank goodness he didbecause we would not want to miss out onthis. It opens with gentle aromas of rose petals,honeydew melons, pears and orange water, fol-lowed by sweet, elegant flavors of oranges andripe peaches. (418 cases, 10.2% alc.)

LaStella Winery $20 CDN2010 Moscato d’Osoyoos, OkanaganValley Just over the border in B.C.’sOkanagan Valley is this up-and-coming pro-ducer. That it chose to focus its efforts on therare and often-overlooked Muscat grapespeaks to its courage and focus. This is a gor-geous effort, with pretty aromas of appleblossoms, peaches and pineapples, followedby flavors that are bright, sweet and delicious.(366 cases, 9.2% alc.)

Best buy!Maryhill Winery $142010 Moscato di Canelli, Columbia ValleyOf all the Muscats in Washington, MuscatCanelli is the one we see the most, and thislarge family-owned winery in the ColumbiaGorge has given it a fanciful Italian-stylename. It’s a charmer, with aromas of peaches,rosewater, lychee, oranges and peaches, fol-lowed by flavors of peaches, honey and tropi-cal fruit. (746 cases, 13.2% alc.)

Oliver Twist Estate Winery $19 CDN2010 Oliver’s Choice Kerner, OkanaganValley Created in 1929 in Germany, Kerner isa cross of Trollinger and Riesling. It oftenshows off aromas and flavors reminiscent ofMuscat, but this example seems to play off itsRiesling roots. It opens with aromas of limes,mineral and apples. It’s an easy drinking

white with flavors of bright citrus, apples andeven Rainier cherries. It has just a touch ofsweetness to round out the mouthwateringacidity. (725 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Coyote Canyon Winery $222010 Albariño, Horse Heaven Hills Thiswinery with estate vineyards in the HorseHeaven Hills and a tasting room in Prosser,Wash., is quickly earning our admiration forthis variety (and plenty of others). The 2009version was our top wine last year in a judg-ing of Iberian varieties, and it later won aPlatinum from us. This isn’t far behind, withcomplex aromas of limes, lemons and some-thing that reminds us of a country road aftera spring rainstorm. On the palate, it’s beauti-fully balanced with lime and mineral flavors,great acidity that is rounded out with a bit ofsweetness, a rich mouth feel and great length.(483 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Best buy!Arrowleaf Cellars $15 CDN2010 Bacchus, Okanagan Valley Namedfor the Roman god of wine, this variety wascreated in 1933 in Germany by crossingMüller-Thurgau with a cross of Silvaner andRiesling. While Bacchus tends to be grown incooler, wetter climates, it’s found a homearound the 50th parallel in the arid OkanaganValley. This example opens with aromas oflimes, apples and minerals, followed by brightflavors of lemons, apples and limes. It showsoff great acidity, leading us to pair it withseared scallops. (780 cases, 12.2% alc.)

Best buy!Montinore Estate $122010 Organic Estate Müller-Thurgau,Willamette Valley This variety was created in1882 by Dr. Hermann Müller in the Swiss can-ton of Thurgau, who crossed Riesling withMadeleine Royale. It is Germany’s second-most-planted grape (after Riesling) and a fairbit is grown in Oregon and Washington westof the Cascade Mountains. This version openswith aromas of apples, limes and minerals,followed by round, plump flavors of ripepeaches and sweet apples. It’s a fun, tastywine. (999 cases, 10.2% alc.)

Best buy!Abiqua Wind Vineyard $122010 Chloe’s Breeze Estate Müller-Thurgau, Willamette Valley While all thefocus in the Willamette Valley tends to be onthe western side of the valley, vineyards eastof Interstate 5 are quietly producing superbwines of their own. Here’s a great examplefrom vines planted some three decades ago.The aromas on this wine reminded us ofroses, minerals and crushed oyster shells, andthe palate was a good blend of flavor, acidityand mouth feel. It is well rounded, thanks toa bit of residual sugar, which helps the flavorsof pears, pineapples and peaches shine. (269cases, 11.5% alc.)

Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery $18 CDN2009 Siegerrebe, British Columbia Thosewho grow grapes this far north are nothingshort of heroic, and the folks at Recline Ridgeare crafting superb wines from cool-climate

grapes. This Siegerrebe offers aromas of rose-water, apples, orange blossoms and gardenias.On the palate, it’s an off-dry wine that providesflavors of ripe cantaloupes, freshly pickedapples and Rainier cherries. It’s a bright anddelicious wine. (250 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery $18 CDN2009 Kerner, British Columbia This aro-matic white variety is grown in small numbersin British Columbia, and this winery in thenorthern end of the Okanagan Valley is craft-ing a superb example. It opens with aromasof pears, white peaches, honey and exoticspices, followed by flavors of apples and ripepears. It’s a dry and delicious white. (200cases, 13.8% alc.)

Best buy!Kramer Vineyards $102009 Estate Müller-Thurgau, Yamhill-Carlton District This family operation innorthern Yamhill County is a favorite. Trudyand Keith Kramer started the winery in the1980s, and daughter Kimberley has joinedthem in the cellar as a winemaker. ThisMüller-Thurgau opens with aromas of melons,apples and white pepper, followed by bright,pleasant flavors of pears, apples, limes andmelons. (285 cases, 11.7% alc.)

St. Hubertus Estate Winery $17 CDN2010 Chasselas, Okanagan Valley Outsideof its native Switzerland, Chasselas is mostoften found in France’s Loire Valley and (of allplaces) Turkey, where it is grown as a tablegrape. This winery near Kelowna, B.C., hascrafted a delicious and approachable versionwith aromas of bright, fresh tree fruit andcrisp flavors of Asian pears, lemons, starfruitand apples. (400 cases, 10.1% alc.)

Chehalem Wines $212010 Grüner Veltliner, Ribbon RidgeKnown primarily in its native Austria, Grüneris starting to find a home in western Oregon.The grapes for this example were grown inthe Northwest’s smallest appellation, which isin the northern Willamette Valley. It openswith aromas of limes, lemons and minerals,followed by bright, edgy flavors of limes andapples. It shows great acidity and would pairbeautifully with shellfish in a light sauce. (207cases, 12.9% alc.)

Barnard Griffin Winery $202009 Roussanne, Columbia ValleyOwner/winemaker Rob Griffin admittedlydrives his staff a little nuts with the vast arrayof wines he crafts, but it’s hard to fault himfor wanting to experiment with so many greatgrape varieties. This white wine most oftenassociated with France’s Rhône Valley is start-ing to pop up all over the Northwest, espe-cially in Washington’s Columbia Valley. Thisversion opens with aromas of pears, honey,apples and something that reminded us ofSunday morning waffles. On the palate, it’s adry wine with flavors of lemons, apricots andAsian pears. (112 cases, 13.3% alc.)

Agate Ridge Vineyard $202009 Marsanne, Rogue Valley Oftenthought of as Roussanne’s cousin because it’s


unusual whites TAST ING RESULTS


usually blended with it in its native France,Marsanne can stand alone, too. This examplefrom Southern Oregon opens with aromas oforange blossoms, hay and green apples. Onthe palate, it offers flavors of limes, pears andapples. We can see drinking this with spicyMexican food or even buttered popcorn. (118cases, 12.5% alc.)

Hester Creek Estate Winery $19 CDN2010 Trebbiano, Okanagan Valley Alsoknown as Ugni Blanc, Trebbiano is the sec-ond-most-planted wine grape in the world,grown mostly in France (where it makesCognac) and Italy (where it goes into bal-samic vinegar). It is rare indeed in the PacificNorthwest, so this is a real treasure. It showsoff aromas of lemon curd and Nilla wafer,followed by flavors of lemons, oranges andsweet spices. It’s a well-balanced and easy-drinking wine. (850 cases, 13.8% alc.)

Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery $17 CDN2008 Optima, British Columbia The namefor this German cross comes from the Latinphrase “the best.” It was created in 1930 fromRieslaner (itself a cross of Riesling andSilvaner) and Müller-Thurgau. This versionfrom the northern Okanagan Valley is per-fumy with aromas of limes and herbs, fol-lowed by clean, bright flavors of herbs, figs,persimmons and lemons. Just a touch ofresidual sugar helps round out the edges.(200 cases, 12% alc.)

Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery $18 CDN2008 Ortega, British Columbia ThisGerman variety was created soon after WorldWar II (in 1948), when Müller-Thurgan andSiegerrebe were crossed. It provides aromasof minerals, lemons and pears, followed byflavors of melons, orange zest, sweet herbsand spices. (500 cases, 12.3% alc.)

Domaine Trouvere $282009 Indigene, Dundee Hills This is themost interesting variety of the bunch. It is amutation of Pinot Gris that was discoveredand propagated near the town of Lafayette,Ore., making it indigenous to the DundeeHills. The variety does not yet have a name,but owner/winemaker Don Lange has nick-named it “Pinot Pierre.” It opens with fasci-nating aromas of apples and pears, followedby rich, round, delicious flavors of grapefruitsand apples. (20 cases, 13% alc.)

3 Horse Ranch Vineyards $192008 Estate Roussanne, Snake River ValleyViticulturists in the emerging Snake RiverValley are experimenting with new varieties tosee what will grow in their high-altitude vol-canic soils. This Roussanne offers aromas oflemons, oranges and grapefruits, followed byrich flavors of bold, delicious lemons. It’s alovely wine. (386 cases, 13.2% alc.)

RECOMMENDEDZerba Cellars $202010 Estate Roussanne, Walla WallaValley This white Rhône variety from a topOregon winery in the Walla Walla Valley

opens with aromas of butterscotch, almondsand apples, followed by flavors of walnutsand fresh orchard fruit. (96 cases, 14.2% alc.)

Agate Ridge Vineyard $172008 Marsanne/Roussanne, Rogue ValleyThis is made in a classic northern Rhônestyle. It offers aromas and flavors of melons,peaches and a touch of oak. It’s a deliciousversion from Southern Oregon. (130 cases,14.1% alc.)

Stag’s Hollow Winery $18 CDN2010 Tragically Vidal, Okanagan ValleyThis French hybrid is used in Canada’sOntario region, and a bit also is grown inBritish Columbia. This offers aromas of wal-nuts and apples, followed by sweet flavors ofripe pears, butterscotch and spices. (370cases, 13% alc.)

Alexandria Nicole Cellars $282010 Destiny Ridge Vineyard EstateRoussanne, Horse Heaven HillsOwner/winemaker Jarrod Boyle has crafted adelicious southern Rhône-style wine fromestate grapes in the Horse Heaven Hills. Itprovides aromas and flavors of orange creamand is round and rich. (218 cases, 13.4% alc.)

Recline Ridge Vineyards & Winery $16 CDN2007 Shuswap Serenade, BritishColumbia In the northern Okanagan Valley,Recline Ridge makes this wine by blendingMadeleine Angevine and Madeleine Sylvaner.It is an off-dry wine that reveals aromas ofapples and peaches and expressive flavors ofapple cider, lychee and dried mangoes. (200cases, 12.8% alc.)

Hard Row to Hoe $182010 Marsanne, Yakima Valley WinemakerJudy Phelps brings these grapes from theYakima Valley to her winery on the shores ofLake Chelan. This delicious wine provides

aromas and flavors of apples, lemons andtropical fruit. (270 cases, 14.5% alc.)

Chateau Lorane $162008 Huxelrebe, Oregon This rare varietywas created in 1927 in Germany by crossingChasselas and Courtiller Musque and is growna bit in the southern Willamette Valley. It is anutty wine with aromas and flavors of orangesand minerals. (107 cases, 13.9% alc.)

Best buy!Mount Baker Vineyards $122007 Estate Siegerrebe, Puget Sound Thevineyard for this wine is so close to theCanadian border, you nearly need to knowthe metric system to drink it. This shows offaromas and flavors of pineapples, apples,oranges and strawberries. (208 cases, 11.1%alc.)

Troon Vineyard $202010 Vermentino, Applegate Valley Thiswhite grape is widely planted in Sardinia, aswell as the Piedmont region of Italy andsouthern France. This version comes fromSouthern Oregon and offers aromas and fla-vors of lemons, apples and pears. Its a plush,delicious and approachable wine. (90 cases,12% alc.)

Amity Vineyards $202009 Sunnyside Vineyard Auxerrois,Willamette Valley Primarily grown in Alsace,this grape is thought to have the same ances-try as Chardonnay. In the Northwest, we see afair bit in British Columbia, so it’s exciting totaste a version from Oregon, too. It shows offaromas and flavors of melons, lemons,pineapples and mangoes. (61 cases, 13.9%alc.)

Arrowleaf Cellars $14 CDN2009 Bacchus, Okanagan Valley We seethis German variety in British Columbia andnowhere else in the Northwest. This is a deli-cious version with aromas and flavors ofCrenshaw melons, mangoes, lemons and can-taloupes. (780 cases, 12.5% alc.)

De Ponte Cellars $242010 D.F.B. Melon de Bourgogne,Willamette Valley Melon de Bourgogne isnative to Burgundy and is most famous in theLoire Valley, where it can become Muscadet. Itis most likely a cross of Pinot Noir and GouaisBlanc. This opens with aromas of pears, mel-ons and limes, followed by flavors of applesand Asian pears. (766 cases, 12.5% alc.)

Best buy!Bridgeview Vineyards $122010 Semi-Sparkling Muscat, SouthernOregon One of Oregon’s largest wineries iscrafting a wine in the style of Asti Spumante,which we applaud. This is a fun and tastywine with aromas of orange zest and flavorsof fresh peaches. �

ANDY PERDUE is editor- in-chief of Wine PressNorthwest.JACKIE JOHNSTON , a freelance photojournalist, is aregular contributor and the page designer for Wine PressNorthwest. Her website is WineCountryPhotos.com

W I N E R A T I N G S

All rated wines are tasted blind then placed in thefollowing categories:

OutstandingThese wines have superior characteristics andshould be highly sought after.

ExcellentTop-notch wines with particularly high qualities.

RecommendedDelicious, well-made wines with true varietal char-acteristics.

Best Buy!A wine that is $15 or under.

Prices are suggested retail and should be used asguidelines. Prices are in U.S. dollars unless other-wise noted.

CDN: Canadian dollars.



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MATCH MAKERS

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011 ➤ FOR MORE PAIRINGS ➤ WINEPRESSNW.COM/PAIRING64

Chili MarinatedCalamari with Lentilsand Romesco is pairedwith Viento’s 2010Sangiovese Rosé.

64-69 matchmakers.qxd 9/3/11 2:14 AM

MATCH MAKERS

WINE PRESS NORTHWEST • FALL 2011➤ FOR MORE PAIRINGS ➤ WINEPRESSNW.COM/PAIRING 65

Two decades ago, Rhode Islandchef Mark DeResta joined apack of college buddies on a

summer vacation destined for HoodRiver, Ore. — an outdoor paradisehe’d only been told about.

More than 25 years ago, JanMcCartan also left the East Coastand came upon the Columbia Gorgewith little knowledge of PacificNorthwest wines.

Judging by their success and satis-faction at the Riverside Restaurant, itseems as if neither will soon leavethe Hood River Inn.

“I had a friend in college whowas out here windsurfing in thesummer and he said it was a greatplace,” DeResta said. “So five ofus packed our bags, rented a U-Haul and drove across thecountry for a month.

“We got to Hood River on aSunday night. I went up to thetop of that ridge on mymountain bike on a Monday,and Tuesday at four o’clock Iwas in a kitchen and startedworking that night,” he con-tinued. “ That was 1993 and Ihave never left. Why wouldyou leave?”

The Hood River Inn — aBest Western Plus property— features 158 guest rooms.The adjacent RiversideRestaurant seats 100 dinerswith 75 in the Cebu Lounge.McCartan serves as wine

director and catering manager.“One of the things people don’t

realize about a Best Western is theyare all independently owned andoperated,” McCartan said, “andwe’re committed to upgrading theproperty and making it moretrendy.”

They’ve accomplished those goalsas recent renovations to the CebuLounge and the Riverside Restaurantseem to transport the guest down-river to the big city.

“Our goal is to offer that type offeel and cuisine that you might find

in downtown Portland, only witha more casual Gorge style andfeel,” McCartan said. “Whetheryou come in your shorts or comeoff the water or come off themountain, we want you to feelcomfortable and have a great

meal.”DeResta has been providing

those since he landed inHood River, starting at theSixth Street Bistro — one ofthe first in the PacificNorthwest to showcaseregional cuisine andNorthwest wines.

“That was one of the onlyplaces in town in ‘93, and Ithink now there are 63,”DeResta said.

Sixth Street bartenderBrian McNamara subse-quently recruited DeRestato create the food program

A river runs through itHood River Inn’s Riverside Restaurant

BY ERIC DEGERMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY JACKIE JOHNSTON

W I N E

Viento Wines $122010 Chukar Ridge VineyardSangiovese Rosé, Columbia Valley

—227 cases produced, 12.6% alcohol

R ich Cushman proudly adopted “Bornin the Gorge” as his tagline and

named his winery Viento in reference tothe Spanish word for “wind.”

His roots literally run deeper than mostin Hood River, Ore., having plantedRiesling in 1981 at his vineyard calledColumbia Gorge Vineyard.

Thirty years later, he’s got one son,Peter, making wine with him. Another son,Joe, is closing in on his horticulturedegree, with a focus on viticulture, fromOregon State — his alma mater.

“Maybe we’ll have a dynasty,” Rich said.His first job as head winemaker came in

1986 at Chateau Benoit, and he beganworking on his own label soon after. He’slong made the wine for Phelps CreekVineyards and its Mt. Defiance Wine Co.,brand, as well as Dry Hollow, Mt. Hoodand the new Ziegler Vineyards. He buildssparkling wine, embraces Grüner Veltlinerand adopted screwcaps early on.

“I hate cork,” he said. “Even mysparkling wine will be under a crown cap.”

He sources grapes from Allegre Vineyardin Hood River and Underwood (Wash.)Mountain Vineyard. And in 2005, he beganrelying on Chukar Ridge Vineyard for theSangiovese he uses to make his dry roséthat casts off notes of strawberry and Indianspices. Dennis and Becky Beeks’ namedtheir vineyard in Dallesport, Wash. — justeast of the Columbia Gorge AVA — for thegame birds that frequent their property.

“I drink rosés all winter long, and this ismy favorite of all the rosés I’ve made,” hesaid. “It has the highest acidity and thelowest alcohol, and it’s at 0.7% sugar, but itcomes off as totally dry because of thatacidity.”

By Thanksgiving, Cushman hopesViento will be in its new tasting room adja-cent to his vineyard on Country Club Road— across Interstate 84 from the ColumbiaGorge Hotel. In the meantime, VientoWines are poured and sold out of anannex behind the historic Gorge WhiteHouse along Hood River’s Fruit Loop.

Viento Wines, 2265 Highway 35, Hood River, OR, 541-490-6655, vientowines.com.



at Brian’s Pourhouse. Then in 2001,DeResta and a business partnerlaunched Abruzzo Italian Grill. Their36-seat restaurant closed after aneight-year run.

“It was open five nights a week fordinner only, so you could get therebetween 12 and 1 p.m. to startpreparing for dinner,” DeResta said.“For a single guy in this town, youcouldn’t have it any better. Play allday and work all night.”

Chuck Hinman, general managerof the Hood River Inn for more than20 years, soon hired him as execu-tive chef at the Riverside, andDeResta seems to appreciate the jobsecurity and a large staff that pro-vides food service for the 400-seatconference center.

“I have a family now — marriedwith a 3-year-old daughter and an11-year-old step-son — so I am busyfrom the time I wake up to the timeI go to bed,” he said with a smile.

However, the Riverside embracedColumbia Gorge wines years beforeDeResta, thanks to McCartan.

“For a lot of folks, they think ofthe Columbia River Gorge and howit divides Oregon and Washington,but when you visit the Gorge, yourealize it is a region. It’s not, ‘I’m inOregon’ or ‘I’m in Washington.’ Andit’s exciting to have a lot of greatwineries to work with on both sidesof the river.”

Summer is the high season, andthat broadens out into the outdoordeck seating. The shoulder seasonsare short because of the proximityto skiing on Mount Hood. There’s

little time for DeResta or McCartanto take a breather because of thecontinued growth of the conferencecenter.

McCartan also moved from theEast Coast and started working atTimberline Lodge in the mid 1980s.

“I just happened to arrive whentheir wine program took off, andthat’s when the light bulb turned onfor me,” she said. “They were doinga lot of intensive training, and I hadthe privilege of doing tastings withpioneers such as Bob McRitchie(Sokol Blosser, Willamette ValleyVineyards) and David Lett (TheEyrie), who would come toTimberline and give mini-seminars.”

Her path took her to Salishan,then to the Columbia Gorge, whereshe helped open Skamania Lodge.After five years at the resort inStevenson, Wash., she arrived at theHood River Inn.

“I started the wine program fromthe ground-up, and I’ve had theprivilege of management being verysupportive and allowing us to growand work with local wineries,”McCartan said.

Several years ago, McCartanshowed enough confidence in herwine program to begin enteringWine Press Northwest’s annualGreat Northwest Wine List competi-tion. And it’s been fascinating to seewhere McCartan has taken it.

“I’ll change the menu and she’llchange the wine list,” DeResta said.

This summer, about half of the 80wines on the list are either locallymade or made with local grapes, and20 Columbia Gorge wineries are rep-resented.

“We have great things to workwith,” she said. “The tagline for theColumbia Gorge Wine GrowersAssociation is ‘A World of Wine in 40miles.’ That really is true, startingwith Celilo Vineyard that has PinotGris, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminerand Riesling on UnderwoodMountain, which you can see rightoutside our front door. As you creepto the east, we are growing Rhône

MATCH MAKERS

R E C I P E

Chili Marinated Calamariwith Lentils and Romesco

Serves 4 as an appetizer

1 pound calamari tubes and tentacles,cleaned and dried (Note: Large shrimp may be substituted for calamari)

2 tablespoons minced garlicred chili flakes

4 tablespoons Pimentón smokedpaprika, portions divided

salt and pepper, to tasteolive oil

11⁄2 cups tiny green dried lentils2 ribs of celery, finely diced1 large carrot, finely diced1 small onion, finely diced1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled

and seeded3 plum canned tomatoes2 cloves garlic, peeled1⁄2 cup whole roasted almonds3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1. In a small mixing bowl, mix cala-mari with minced garlic, 2 tablespoonsPimentón, a generous pinch of red chiliflakes, salt and pepper and olive oil.Allow to marinate in the refrigerator forat least one hour and up to 24 hours.

2. Place lentils in a small stock potwith 6 cups of cold water. Bring to aboil over high heat and reduce to a sim-mer. Cook until lentils are tender yetstill firm, approximately 15-20 minutes.Add a generous pinch of salt to waterduring final five minutes of cooking.When lentils are cooking, sauté celery,carrots and onion in olive oil until ten-der, but not brown. Drain lentils, addto vegetables and mix well. Set aside.

3. To make the romesco sauce, placebell pepper, tomatoes, garlic, almonds,vinegar and 2 tablespoons of pimentonin a blender or food processor. Blenduntil smooth. With blender running,drizzle in approximately 1⁄3 cup of oliveoil. Season with salt and pepper. Setaside.

4. Preheat a barbecue or cast-irongrill pan to high heat. Remove calamarifrom marinade. Cook over high heatfor 1-2 minutes on each side until cala-mari is cooked to medium. Be carefulnot to overcook. Serve with lentils andromesco sauce. Jan McCartan


MATCH MAKERS


varieties to Italian varieties.”Her attention to detail goes

beyond that of most wine directors,including making sure of the properaccent mark of famed Pinot Noirproducer Beaux Frères. No still wineoffered is priced higher than theLeonetti Cellar 2008 Merlot, andabout half of the reds come to thetable for $40 or less.

Arguably the best deals for dinerscome from the “Riverside Selection,”a remarkable house wine programwith Hood River winemaker RichCushman.

“When Mark joined our team 2 1/2years ago, he said he wanted to havean inexpensive wine by the glass orliter as they do in Europe — some-thing the guest can enjoy for a rea-sonable amount of money andsomething we can call our own,”McCartan said. “I immediatelythought about Rich and Vientobecause his winery is just five milesaway, he’s a Hood River native andwe’ve featured his bottled wines foryears.”

Cushman provides two wines forRiverside — a Pinot Gris and ahouse red made with Sangiovese,Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah.McCartan and DeResta collaborateon the blending. A glass of each is$7. Order a half-liter and it’s $15.The charge for full liter is $27.

“The wines are never bottled,”McCartan said. “They stay in thewinery in storage and as we needthem, Rich fills a 15-liter canisterfor us that is refillable and brings itto us. We push the wine throughnitrogen, so there are never anybottles, no boxes and no corks. Weestimated that we saved about1,400 bottles from recyclng or thelandfill just last year. We’re veryexcited about that.”

Fruit for those wines also is local.The Pinot Gris is from HubertVineyard on Underwood Mountainwhile the reds are sourced withinthe Columbia Gorge AmericanViticultural Area (AVA).

The proximity to skiing on Mount

Hood helped the Hood River Innweather the recent economic down-turn. More important long-termgrowth might be in the form of winetourism.

“People are coming to the areabecause they’ve read about thewines, and we find folks aren’t justvisiting the Columbia Gorge, butalso the Yakima Valley, RedMountain, Walla Walla and theWillamette Valley, making it a winevacation,” she said. “They are greatguests to have because they like todine out and drink good wines.”

While DeResta has transitionedfrom line cook to executive chef torestaurant owner into now a corpo-rate chef, the one constant in his lifeother than the kitchen is being inthe bike saddle.

“The bike has always been mypassion,” he said with a smile. “Irode to work today. I’ll ride home.I’ll ride in the rain. It doesn’t mat-ter. I try to do a couple of ‘cen-turies’ — 100-mile rides — everysummer, but my three- and four-hour bike rides seem to be gone. Idon’t have that much time.”

His collection ranges from theItalian-built Bianchi road bike andto the all-terrain Santa CruzNomad, but DeResta admitsresponsibilities of adult life keep

him closer to the ground.“There’s a big free-ride population

here and I was doing that for awhile,” he said. “Every ride was witha full-face helmet and pads andstunts, but I have since gone back tomy cross-country days with a smallerhelmet and no pads. The restaurantand the family make you changeyour ways a bit.”

When it came to the Match Maker

R E C I P E

Pan Roasted Veal Chops with SherryVinegar Pan Sauce

Serves 2

4-6 small Yukon gold potatoes, halvedolive oilsalt and pepper

4 large garlic cloves, slicedred chili flakes (optional)

11⁄2 cups fresh spinach leaves4 tablespoons unsalted butter2 natural bone-in veal loin chops,

12-14 ounces1⁄4 cup high-quality sherry vinegar1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms,

soaked in 2 cups of hot water

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Toss thepotatoes in 2 tablespoons olive oil witha pinch of salt and dash of pepper. Layside-up on baking sheet and roast untilbrown and tender, approximately 20-25 minutes.

2. Saute garlic in olive oil until justbrowned, then add a pinch of chiliflakes, a pinch of salt and dash of pep-per. Add spinach and cook until entire-ly wilted. Drain excess liquid.

3. Place a large heavy-bottom skilletover medium high heat. Add 2 table-spoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon ofbutter and heat until butter begins tobrown. Aggressively season both sides ofchops with salt and pepper. Place chopsin skillet and sear until one side is nice-ly browned. Turn chops and place skil-let in 400° F oven for 12-14 minutesfor medium doneness.

4. Remove chops and allow to rest forminimum of 10 minutes. Drain excessfat from pan. Place pan on high heatand add vinegar and mushroom stock.Reduce by half and swirl in 3 table-spoons of butter. Serve chops with pansauce, potatoes and spinach.

Chef MarkDeResta


MATCH MAKERS


assignment, McCartan andDeResta were tempted to spot-light Riverside Selection PinotGris, “but we didn’t like thethought of how having a canis-ter shot in the magazine wouldlook,” she said with a chuckle.

They chose to serve Viento2010 Sangiovese Rosé fromChukar Ridge Vineyard inDallesport, Wash., withDeResta’s signature squidappetizer.

“I realized the calamaridish is what I’ve done for14 years in this town, andthere are locals that comedown to see me and knowthey will get that,”DeResta said. “It’s got thisgreat chary flavor of thecalamari on the grill, thesmokiness of the paprikain the romesco and themeaty lentils. We tried alot of wines with it, but

that rosé really had a nice brightnessto it and matched the romescowell.”

When it came to the other pairing,DeResta went off the board andback into his mother’s kitchen bypreparing veal with the Memaloose2007 Idiot’s Grace Cabernet Francfrom the Columbia Gorge.

“We love the name and it’s grownlocally in the Gorge,” McCartan said.“It’s not very fruity, and a bit subdued,while it does feature the characteris-tics you would expect for a Cab Franc— a little bit of an herbal nature, butpleasantly so. And the dark mochacharacteristic seems to also work wellwith the veal chop.”

The key feature, DeResta said, isthe pan sauce with vinegar.

“I try to keep around a little bit ofwhat I grew up with, and that’s theway my mom always made it —pork chops with vinegar. I’ll neverforget that, and I use it in a lot ofother dishes, but it really stands outwith the veal. I remember being a

kid standing at the stove with thepiece of bread sopping up thesauce.

“The pairing with theMemaloose Cab Franc seemedeasy, and it’s a big dish,” he con-tinued. “There’s a big chop with abig bone in it, so it looks prettygrand. The veal is robust, and sois the wine. With the spinach,you get the earthiness that tiesto the wine, and the vinegar inthe dish doesn’t bother thewine at all. It’s a really nicematch.”Riverside at the Best WesternPlus Hood River Inn, 1108 East Marina Way, Hood River, OR, 97031, 541-386-4410, riversidehoodriver.com.�

ERIC DEGERMAN is Wine PressNorthwest’s managing editor. Have asuggestion for a future Match Maker? E-mail him at [email protected] JOHNSTON , a freelance photo-journalist, is a regular contributor and thepage designer for Wine Press Northwest.Her website is WineCountryPhotos.com

W I N E

Memaloose Wines $252007 Idiot’s Grace Cabernet Franc,Columbia Gorge

—165 cases produced, 13% alcohol

B rian McCormick wondered about thedirection of his life when he graduat-

ed from Dartmouth after studying philoso-phy and religion.

In this case, mother knew best. Barbara— a chef in Carmel, Calif., — took her sonto France for a week. The trip proved to bea life-altering experience for Brian, inspiredby the French culture of food and wine.

“He was a vegan before that,” said RobMcCormick, his father and co-owner ofMemaloose Wines in Lyle, Wash. “Then hefell in love with all the organ meats —sweetbreads, kidneys, tripe. So when felloff the wagon, he fell WAY off.”

Brian went on to earn a graduate degreein viticulture and enology from University ofCalifornia at Davis. He trained in Alsacebefore working in Sonoma.

“He’s very European-oriented with hisapproach and really wanted to get out of theheat of California, so our wines are low-alco-hol and with no new oak. We are highly anti-Parker,” Rob McCormick said with a chuckle.

By 2002, the McCormick family moved tothe Columbia Gorge and began plantingvineyards across the Columbia River fromeach in Mosier, Ore., and Lyle, Wash. Robfarms the Washington blocks, Brian those inOregon where his wife is a family physician.

The McCormicks’ five vineyards are fivemiles apart as the crow flies. In between isMemaloose Island. Lewis & Clark docu-mented their time on the island, and theMcCormicks used their journal entry as thelabel of Memaloose Wines.

Their first commercial vintage of 2006produced 250 cases. By 2010,Memaloose had jumped to 1,600 cases.Some of those white wines are available attheir new tasting room just east of theKlickitat River Bridge in Lyle.

The 2007 Idiot’s Grace Cabernet Franchails from the McCormicks’ certified organ-ic farm in Mosier and spent 16 months inFrench barrels aged 2-5 years.

Hear the late Bob Woehler’s entertaininginterview with Brian McCormick, BobcastNo. 43, at winepressnw.com/bobcast.

Memaloose Wines, 34 State St., Lyle, WA, 360-635-2887, winesofthegorge.com.

The view from Riverside’s deck


MATCH MAKERS


Pan Roasted Veal Chopswith Sherry Vinegar PanSauce is paired withMemaloose Wines 2007 Idiot’s GraceCabernet Franc.

64-69 matchmakers.qxd 8/30/11 4:30 PM

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38- ... Label ads 8/30/11 10:06 AM

WINE COUNTRY: PUGET SOUND & WESTERN WASHINGTON


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Editor’s note: Bob Woehler, the dean of Northwest winewriters, passed away Aug. 24 after writing about wine for 35years. This is the last article he wrote.

To call Myles Anderson a legend of Washington wines isputting it mildly.

Anderson, who co-owns Walla Walla Vintners andcreated the Institute for Enology and Viticulture at WallaWalla Community College, has helped more than 1,600 stu-dents to embrace Washington’s burgeoning wine industry.

Anderson was honored as a Legend of Washington Wine onAug. 12 at an annual awards ceremony in the new WalterClore Wine Center in Prosser.

Anderson is in a unique position to be named aWashington wine legend. He helped create one of the earliestWalla Walla wineries and was a self-taught winemaker.

But what makes him unique is he used his educationalbackground that included a doctorate in psychology to con-vince himself he could put together a curriculum at WallaWalla Community College to create one of the mostacclaimed enology and viticultural programs in the country.

Today, he’s semi-retired from both academia and winemak-ing.

He’s in august company, joining Bill Preston, a ColumbiaBasin winery owner and grape grower; John and AnnWilliams and Jim and Pat Holmes, pioneer Red Mountaingrape growers; Stan Clarke, winemaker, wine writer and wineeducator; John Anderson, a businessman who helped formthe Washington Wine Commission; Bill Powers, first to becertified as producing organic wines; and David Lake, Masterof Wine and longtime winemaker for Columbia Winery ofWoodinville.

I hold Anderson in great esteem because of his verticaltasting of Walla Walla Vintners wines.

A vertical tasting includes several vintages of the samewine. Anderson has done it in the past with Merlot andSangiovese. Earlier this year, he offer up 11 vintages of hishighly regarded Cuvée, an expressive red blend.

Anderson and winery co-owner Gordy Venneni have puttogether vertical tastings because they are interested in theevolution of their winemaking and blending techniques.

“Is it a kitchen sink approach to blending or a measuredcalculation to obtain a style and goal?” Anderson asked.

It wasn’t easy, as Walla Walla Vintners wanted a blend thatwas consistent even though the blends involved differentgrapes and a variety of vineyards from year to year.

“We are always fine tuning this blend,” Anderson said.Those of us who attended the vertical felt the fine tuning

was working quite well.“We focused on vineyards sources and terroir,” Anderson

said.

It started with the 1996 Cuvée, which was 55 percentCabernet Sauvignon, 40 percent Merlot and 5 percentCabernet Franc from four non-Walla Walla Valley vineyards.

By the time the 2008 Cuvée was bottled, the blends camefrom eight vineyards that included Walla Walla Valley sourcesand seven different grapes.

Here are my notes from the vertical:1996 Cuvée: Still showing excellent acidity and was one of

the lighter-styled red blends in the tasting. Componentsincluded vanilla and cedar with raspberry and basil flavors.

Walla Walla Vintners didn’t make a cuvée in 1997 and 1998but brought it back after customers kept requesting it.

1999 Cuvée: Bright with dark huckleberries and milk choco-late. Most of the grapes were from the Walla Walla Valley.

2000 Cuvée: Called one of the most requested of the cuvées,this one came out big, offering chocolate and cigar box aro-mas and dried fruit and ripe blackberries flavors. At the time,it was called a blockbuster. Alas, it’s faded a bit now.

2001 Cuvée: This is a Bordeaux-style blend, with CabernetSauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a dash of Petit Verdot.Creamy caramel and chocolate along with loganberries makethis a tasty treat.

2002 Cuvée: All Walla Walla fruit is blended together, includ-ing grapes from Seven Hills and Spring Valley. It has devel-oped an exotic spice box nose, which carries through intothe flavors.

2003 Gordon Grove Cuvée, Yakima Valley: A break from the tradi-tion of past cuvées, as this is from a Prosser vineyard that isone of Walla Walla Vintners’ favorites. Made of Merlot andCabernet Franc, it has enough chocolate characteristics to fla-vor vanilla ice cream.

2004 Cuvée: There are seven vineyards and five grape vari-eties in this blend, which includes 25 percent CabernetSauvignon from Cold Creek, Goose Ridge and Dwelley Jones.Vanilla bean nose, berry jam and a length finish distinguishthis wine.

2005 Cuvée: Like the 2004, this contains Syrah and adds atouch of complexity with Malbec and Petit Verdot, as well asgrapes from the Wahluke Slope. It’s a heavyweight withexquisite flavors of fruit and spices.

2006 Cuvée: Termed smooth and seductive when firstreleased, this blend of seven grapes includes Carménère, anobscure Bordeaux variety mostly grown in Chile today. Itoffers deep color and a dark chocolate midpalate.

2007 Cuvée: This includes seven varieties from eight vine-yards and includes a spicy mincemeat characteristic thatwould be a perfect match with Thanksgiving turkey.

2008 Cuvée: Like many of the earlier Cuvées, this one sells inthe $28 range. It offers black currant aromas and flavors andfinishes with rich, chocolate-covered cherries.

Cuvée a legendary blend

BY BOB WOEHLER

COLUMN vintage musings

74 Vintage Musings 8/30/11 4:34 PM

75 Marcus Whitman 8/30/11 4:15 PM

76 TCVCB 8/30/11 9:27 AM

wine press northwest fall 2011 issue

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