Mini-Tour of Willamette Valley

The Magic Bus

I was fortunate enough to be invited to a Pre-WBC event tour the Willamette valley by Lynette Shaw of Soléna Estate. I’ve been on several of these type of events and I must say this trip knocked all the rest out of the park on the sheer fun meter, plus it did not hurt that the winery’s we visited were top notch as well.

To start the day off in style, we climbed aboard the flashy red double-decker bus from Portland. It was the maiden voyage for this little cutie and I hope we did not jinx it. The bus, a 1959 vintage had been completely restored and outfitted as a deluxe party bus complete with leather lounge banquets up top and a bar area down below. The view from the top deck was exceptional for taking in all those beautiful Willamette valley vistas. Adding to the thrill of the ride were the Voodoo Donuts a Portland gastronomic icon. Although I must admit those donuts looked more like hood ornaments than anything edible. Maybe they were "Mt. Hood" ornaments (Yuk Yuk).

Our first stop was Soléna located in Yamhill, Oregon. From the innovate design of the winery to the story of the “wedding gift grapes” there was a lot to take in. Danielle and Laurent Montalieu, the winery owners, greeted us. Laurent is the chief winemaker at Soléna. We also met Bruno Corneaux one of their winemakers from Grand Cru Estates.

Laurent and Danielle have one of the most unique stories I’ve heard about how they got the estate going. In lieu of traditional wedding gifts the couple asked for vine stock and received enough to plant their wedding vineyard. So where do you register for something like that? Crate and Wine Barrel? Nice way to start a marriage. But dare I ask what happens in the event of a divorce? Is Oregon a community property state? Lets hope one buys out the other and no ripping out of vines occurs. (just kidding, they seem very happy)

The Montalieu's are especially enthusiastic about their land. Laurent prides himself as being very hands on with the ability to take to the tractor and tend to the vines as needed. His daily immersion into the vineyard keeps him close to the changes that are occurring and alerts him to opportunities as well; such as planting on angles according to the declination of the sun for greater yields in the short but intense growing season.

One thing I’ve learned from visiting wineries is that you better love being out in the dirt as much as in the cellar if you want to make great wine.

After a tour of the open pavilion style tank room, built to have the flexibility of use, we adjourned to the cellar for some barrel tasting from vineyards located in the Willamette valley sub AVA’s: Hyland from McMinnville, Guadalupe-- Dundee Hills, Thistle –Dundee Hills, Monks Gate- Yamhill-Carlton District and Kalita – Dundee hills.

This was not your typical barrel tasting. It was a virtual “barrel buffet” in which we were all presented with our own personal thief’s and given free reign to taste and sample as we liked. I liked this unhurried approach to barrel tasting. Like hummingbirds with glass proboscises we dipped in and out of the samples at our own pace. I found it really gave you a chance to think about each sample and go back to compare and contrast among the barrels.

I liked the Hyland, Guadalupe, and Thistle, most, all of which feature volcanic soil. I liked this open tasting concept very much and it helped me to set the particular AVA’s in my mind and palate. I was struck by how vast the differences were between barrels.

We had a regal luncheon with food pairings created by chef Matthew Howard for each of the wines. It’s hard not to come away from something like this without a halo effect of affection, but I felt by tasting the barrel samples I got a good hit on the foundation of the wine they are making without the fancy package. Pairing the wines with food added dimension to the experience and for my goldilocks palate it was just right.

Next the bus grinded some gears up more picture perfect roads to Soter Vineyards. I just loved the look of this place--a simple rustic barn open on both sides to the most stunning views of the surrounding valley. Well, a simple rustic $7 million dollar barn probably, but who tallies theses things anyway. The impression was priceless. On arrival Courtney Sheilds handed us a glass of 2005 Brut Rose and led us to the tasting tables where we were able to sample the following:

2008 North Valley Pinot Noir

2006 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir

2007 Mineral Springs Ranch Pinot Noir

I preferred the 08 North Valley Pinot over the others which were both high point generating wines from Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate. I liked the body of the North Valley and it’s scent was filled with dark plum and earthy notes with and a bit sage and dust. Once again I find when placed sided by side I often favor the younger wines. Not to say that the Beacon Hill and Mineral Springs were not standouts as well, but my palate belongs to the Soter North Valley.

The atmosphere at Soter is very relaxing. Off to the side of the building I noticed the remnants of their hay bale Stonehenge; part of a celebration they had for the solstice. I get the feeling Soter is a more-fun-than-meets-the-eye kind of place. I felt a great sense of well-being on their land, and Mr. Soter seems to be one of the happiest wine guys I’ve ever met. There is something special in the air and in the soil up there at Soter. Go check it out.

Back on the bus we took a few pokes at the now half congealed Voodoo Donuts and next thing we knew we were at Anne Amie in Carleton.

The winery at Anne Amie looks like it could be the HQ for Swiss Miss. It’s a little bit Tyrolean. But the wines we tasted were far from the “braids and hot coco” esthetic the building might imply.

Wine maker Thomas Houseman has taken an interesting path to become a winemaker He was formerly a modern dancer. But as he says--art is art in whatever form you seek to create it. I was disappointed he did not do a few plie’s or rond de jambe’s in the barrel room or at the very least give us some Fosse “jazz hands” to spice things up, but the wine was jazzy enough, especially that Muller Thurgau, which for the rest of the day had me thinking of that movie Bad Santa where the kids name was Thurman Merman. (Don’t ask. Just know we all must seek to make sense of the world.) Anyway, we got to try some Pinot barrel samples with Thomas and based on what I tasted I think the Anne Amie Pinot's are worth waiting for.

The level of hospitality we experienced from all the wineries was exceptional and I can’t thank Lynette enough for organizing it all and also thanks to Thea @winebratsf for hooking me up. If the Pre-WBC was as far as I got on the road to the Walla Walla, Washington and the WBC, I would have gone home very happy indeed.

As always, it's the people in the group that really make or break it, and the biggest bonus of the trip was meeting new wine peeps with varied interests, backgrounds, and above all great sense of humor. Many of these folks have written about the trip more eloquently and in greater depth than I, so you might want to check out these posts as well:

http://www.vinotology.com/2010/07/willamette-details-post.html

http://lusciouslushes.com/2010/07/im-gone-to-ore-gon/

http://sticksforksfingers.blogspot.com/2010/06/pre-wine-bloggers-conference-petite.html

http://www.suburbanwino.com/2010/07/oh-places-youll-go.html

http://www.dallaswinechick.com/my-pre-wbc-conference-love-affair-with-oregon-wines/

The TSA Took My TorkScrew Away (Sung to the tune of the Ramones hit “The KKK Took My Baby Away”)

I only fly carry-on, never check bags even if I’m going away for a month. So I’m pretty clear on what can make it through the TSA check. But I had no idea the seemingly innocuous “TorkScrew” would cause so much trouble.

I was given a TorkScrew at #WBC10 Wine Bloggers Conference in Walla Walla by Neil Klindworth (@Torkscrew on twitter). The TorkScrew is a cork screw for opening screw caps on wine bottles. As Neil said; it “...adds some romance to the twist off.” Okay. I’ll go for that. I’m willing to try novel things. After all, in a moment of weakness, I did once buy one of those motion sensor talking trouts from Wall Mart.

Anyway, I gladly accepted the TorkScrew from Neil and went about my merry WBC way. I never really looked at it all that closely, I figured it was just a magnetic twist off device. I threw it in the bottom of my bag and forgot about it.

Fast forward to PDX. I had a 6 am flight to SFO and the TSA line was packed at 5:30 am. I’d removed any last bottles of wine, even gave one to the desk clerk at Aloft in PDX, and gave away my traditional corkscrews as well. But I’d completely forgot about the TorkScrew that was hiding in the corner of my carry-on.

Into the conveyor went my bag, but out the other side it did not come.

Next thing I know I’m being pulled aside and asked to open my bag.

The latex gloved agent delicately picked around my wine stained clothing and then plucked the TorkScrew triumphantly from it’s hiding place like Little Jack Horner pulling out a plum.

“What is this?”

“Um... It’s a TorkScrew.”

“A what?”

“TorkScrew sir. Says right there on the package.”

“And what’s it for?”

“It’s for opening wine bottles with twist off caps. Someone I just met gave it to me.”

As soon as I said that, I knew I was in trouble and never going to see the TorkScrew again.

“A stranger gave you this?”

“Um, well, sort of. I guess you could call him a new friend I had not met yet. But theoretically stranger would be correct.”

“Here in the airport he gave you this?”

“Ah no! It was in Walla Walla. At a wine bloggers conference.”

“M’am this has a knife on it and I’m sorry, but you cannot carry this on board.”

“It does? Let me see that.” And indeed it did have a foil cutter and traditional corkscew on it as well. “Hey that’s cool huh?” I said.

The TSA agent took back the TorkScrew and directed me to a secondary screening area. Next I got “wanded” and then was free to go. I have a feeling someone in Portland is going to get a very groovy TorkScrew as a gift very soon. If you want one too you can track down that agent or go here.

The Dangers of Pine Nuts

Have you heard of Pine Mouth? If you value your palate, or if your work depends on your ability to taste accurately, read on about this very disturbing condition. In the last year there have been reports that pine nuts imported from China have been causing unusual reactions in some people that range from a mild metallic taste in their mouths to a complete loss of taste for up to 14 days.

I've eaten pine nuts all my life and never had a problem till this past year. In the past 10 months I've had pine nuts from Sun Ridge Farms that are supposedly from Santa Cruz and experienced bad reactions with two different bags. But other times I’ve used Sun Ridge Farms and had no reaction. The bag states they are manufactured in Santa Cruz, but the package copy reads: “Our buyers travel extensively throughout the world to visit farms and ensure we pack only the freshest, most delicious and highest quality nuts and seeds available.” Well then that might explain the inconsistency in the packages. It seems that Sun Ridge Farms does not grow pine nuts, they just source them. Perhaps some of those “high quality" nuts came from China?

The same thing has occurred with pine nuts bought in bulk from Whole Foods. Sometimes they were fine and sometimes not.

How I used them did not seem to matter. I once made pesto and experienced a 12-day period of metallic taste and slight tingling burning sensation on my tongue. I also had a bad experience when I lightly toasted the nuts and tossed them over roasted broccoli.

It is only after I searched for the causes and symptoms of severe “metallic taste” that I came across the “pine mouth” posts (see more links below) that described my experience exactly. In addition to the bad taste, I noticed a slight swollen feeling and pale coating on my tongue.

In my case, the symptoms came on the day after and sometimes two days after eating pine nuts. In all instances the symptoms went away after 5 to 15 days, with my ability to taste as normal, increasing gradually each day.

The first time this happened it was very disturbing and I kept thinking it was due to tainted almonds or cheerios since that was what I ate when I first noticed the horrible taste. Subsequently, I was able to trace the common denominator of pine nuts in each occurrence.

If you are not sure if this ever happened to you, I can assure you it hasn’t-- because if it did, you would definitely know. It is not a mild annoyance by any means. It’s quite horrible. In fact, if this sensation could be purposefully induced, it would become the worlds best diet aid ever because you really can’t eat it’s so awful. It makes you avoid all food. Drinking wine while this is happening is impossible. It tastes like poison. Scary stuff.

So my big reason for writing this is to warn others. As much as I love pesto and using pine nuts in recipes, I have decided to delete them from my diet forever. I will make an exception when I am in Italy and the pine nuts are local. But otherwise it’s just too risky and who knows what the cause really is? We know so little about our food and where it really comes from. Unless we grow it ourselves, it’s impossible to know. We all know what happened with the pet food from China. I’m not going to gamble with Chinese pine nuts.

My advice to wineries…I would absolutely avoid the use of pine nuts in any recipes you serve for food pairings and forbid your caterers to use them at your events. It would be very easy for someone to mistakenly believe your wine is horrid, when what they are really experiencing is a reaction to pine nuts. None of my pine nut reactions have been instant, it’s always been a day or two later, but why take the risk?

Links for Further Reading:

Epicurious - Got Pine mouth?

Emergency Medicine

Daily Mail - Pine Mouth Puzzle

Pine Mouth” Syndrome. An Emerging Problem?

EXCERPT From Wikpedia-- Risks of eating pine nuts:

A small minority of pine nuts can cause taste disturbances, developing 1–3 days after consumption and lasting for days or weeks. A bitter, metallic taste is described. Though very unpleasant, there are no lasting effects. This phenomenon was first described in a scientific paper in 2001. Some publications have made reference to this phenomenon as "pine mouth". This is a relatively new phenomenon and appears to be most common in nuts coming from China. It has been theorized that the nut trees are absorbing something and passing it on to the nuts, or the nuts themselves are being treated with something before packaging. It is also possible that the nuts have spoiled and are rancid, causing the metallic taste disturbance. Also, it has been hypothesized that this bitter side effect is caused by an allergy that some people may have to pine nuts, but this does not explain the recent appearance of this syndrome. Metallic taste disturbance known as metallogeusia, are reported 1–3 days after ingestion, being worse on day 2 and lasting for up to 2 weeks. Cases were self-limited and resolve without treatment.

Local Flavors

There is nothing quite as nice as being able to walk out your front door and less than twelve minutes later be at a great local wine shop. In Sebastopol our local shop is the Wine Emporium, owned by Tom West. They have a wonderful wine selection and a fabulous tasting line up that changes monthly. They also host terrific events featuring local artists and musicians.

Last Friday we attend a reception for Charles Beck, a landscape artist we recently met on the open art studios tour. Beck’s work captures the essence of Sonoma. If you are a local and missed his open studio you can a view a sampling of his work at the Wine Emporium for the next month or so. An added bonus at the art reception was musician Tara Linda providing a lush musical accompaniment to the wine, art and edibles on hand. I was blown away by Tara’s relaxing, yet upbeat and eclectic style. Her music filed the space without overwhelming it. It was bistro with a beat, sensual and hip with a Cowboy Junkies meets Norton Buffalo sensibility. Anyway, I bought two of her CDs on the spot and have been listening to them ever since.

Naturally, the Wine Emporium features local wines from the area, but they also carry many international labels and I brought home a bottle of Naia, a Verdejo from Rueda in Spain, the purchase of which I think was influenced as much by the music, as what was in my glass. Never underestimate the power of pairing wine and music. The Naia was crisp and spicy with a grapefruit scent and a bright citrus top note. Perfect for a hot summer evening with some grilled chicken or tuna steaks marinated in a ginger-soy sauce. Have at it.

If you are in Sebastopol, or just passing through, take the time to check out the Wine Emporium. Pull up a chair at the wine bar, chat with Al, and let him take you on a mini tasting tour of the day’s offerings. You can even tell Al I sent you. He probably won’t know who you are talking about, but he will take special care of you regardless…it’s that kind of a place.

Pride of Palate

Domo in Paris by Lily Chou

Back in March I attend the Diageo Chateau & Estate Burgundy Tour tasting and wrote about it here. Recently I saw that a white burgundy I raved about at the tasting, the 2007 Domaine Philippe Colin Grand Cru Chevalier-Montrachet -- received 95 points from Wine Spectator.

I always say points or no points it’s what you like that counts. But I did feel quite smug and somewhat proud that I selected the same wine as something quite special. Even though I preach taste for yourself, it was somewhat validating to know that my palate knew it was on to something special and that wine "experts" agreed it was exceptional.

Here’s what I wrote about it back then:

The Grand Cru Chevalier-Montrachet 2007 gob-smacked me. I am still thinking about it five days later. It was classic and elegant like a signature scent. If Chanel No. 5 was a wine this might be it. Despite being 14% alcohol it had a food friendly demeanor with a long loving embrace of a finish. It was the essence of ambrosia. I was completely captivated by this wine.

My top three reds (all 2007's) also received high points:

Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot --92

Doamine de Courcel Pommard Grand Clos des Epenots --90

G. Rounier Morey-St.-Denis Clos de la Bussiere --91

I know it’s popular for wine bloggers to dis the old guard wine writers and especially those from the big glossy magazines, but I don’t feel that way. I just think you need to form your own opinions and not rely solely on points or reviews by others.

The most important thing you get from having a wide experience tasting many wines is confidence. If I’m at a winery and I don’t care for a particular wine, I feel I can really trust my palate. No need to second-guess it. Tasting rooms are sales rooms after all, and sometimes you can be swayed by more than what is in the glass. So pay attention to the wine first.

It’s been three months now and I’m still thinking about those wines of Burgundy. I seriously need to consider a journey to France and visit the land where they are made. (Sponsorship anyone? Please chime in.)

Photo Credit: Domo in Paris by Lily Chou

VinRoc Wine Caves-Digging Deep on Atlas Peak

It’s been over 15 years since I drove to the top of Atlas Peak in Napa valley. Back then I was pulling a horse trailer and going to three day events at the Wild Horse Ranch facility just below the peak. But last Sunday I drove up to visit the wine caves at VinRoc, a small boutique winery run by Kiky Lee and Michael Parmenter.

The area has changed a lot over the years. There is more development in the way of homes and oddly enough, a Pet cemetery at the lower end of the road. But as the road climbs higher and higher up the mountain it remains relatively open and unspoiled. Just past the ranch where I used to take my horse, nestled below the mountain peak, is VinRoc. The views across the valley from the estate are jaw dropping and the birdseye view of the open ranch land below is spectacular.

VinRoc is relatively new venture but the vision Michael and Kiky have had for the grounds and their wines have been in the works for over a decade. Their small micro vineyard, planted just below the home and cave, is only five acres and they currently produce three wines: the signature VinRoc Cabernet Sauvigun, a special red blend called RTW for Red Table Wine, and a Granache-Barbera Dry Rose under the Enjoie label.

The winery reception room and main residence are nearing completion and we were given a tour by Kiky, the mastermind behind the design. The main home is open and spacious with thick stucco walls that offer insulation from the hot summer days and cool nights. The structure is well integrated into the land. It almost looks as if it just sprouted up organically after a wild winter rain. It’s deep grey color and stone roof blend seamlessly into the rocky landscape, the gentle curves like open arms giving a warm embrace to the valley below.

Outside under a pergola overlooking the vineyard, we tasted some of the Enjoie label Rosé. It’s color was a light salmon and it had a delicate bouquet of violet and plums. Drinking it made me forget the cold wind and I could almost imagine it was a warm bright day. I always appreciate wine for the sense of place it brings to the table and the Rosé reminded me of an afternoon in Provence. Then Michael showed me the back of the bottle which mentioned how a sunny day in St. Paul de Venice at La Colombe D’or had inspired them to create their very own rosé for the summer table.

We also tried a 2007 cab/merlot blend called RTW, for Red Table Wine. The RTW had chocolate, plum and black cherry notes, with a smooth finish. After our picnic in the wind, we retreated to the caves to tour the facility and sample the 2006 VinRoc Cabernet Sauvignon. In addition to housing the barrels and wine making equipment, the cave also has many clever artistic touches by Kiky. The Atlas Peak AVA has volcanic soil, primarily tufa from material that has been ejected into the air and scattered about the land and most of the Cave was carved from tufa as well.

The VinRoc winemaking approach is based on super micro management. They literally make the wine by hand a ton at a time. By working in small batches each section of the vineyard can be harvested at it’s peak and optimal maturity. You can watch a video here made by a Japanese TV crew and hear Michael explain the process. Note: Michael's part is in English the rest is in Japanese.

The VinRoc approach to wine is one of patience and it seems to be working. We tasted the 2006 Cabernet and although it seemed a bit closed at first, it warmed up nicely with notes of dark berries, cedar, graphite and spice. I would have liked to try several more glasses, but the drive down Atlas Peak road was still waiting for me. I did buy a bottle of the RTW and Rosé for further tasting at home.

If you get the chance, I strongly suggest you give VinRoc a call and make an appointment to visit the caves. Michael and Kiky exude a relaxed, unhurried attitude that makes you want to hang out with them all day. Their great enthusiasm for the winemaking process is paired with a “Wow, this is pretty darn cool!” sense of awe and wonder. And their genuine respect and gratitude for what they have is reflected in their personalities and through their wines.

Hewitt Vineyards Cabernet

A few weeks ago I attended a release party for the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon from Hewitt Vineyard at the Provenance winery in Napa. A jazz combo played and Celebrity chef Joey Altman cooked for a captivated audience of wine club members out on the lawn, under white tents. (Note to non- Cabernet obsessed readers, keep reading to the end. Power of suggestion section may be of interest to you.)

In addition to the release of the Rutherford appellation 2007 vintage, there was vertical tasting of the 03, 05, & 06 Cabernet Sauvignons. All were priced the $85-$100 range. And all had high point ratings awarded to them from the usual wine rating suspects. But I try to ignore the numbers when I’m first trying a wine.

I found the 03 unbalanced, and rather quirky. I had a difficult time getting the nose on it and the finish was elusive as well. Over the course of a few hours I tried it several times and it was completely different at each taste, but still not appealing to me.

The 05 was more to my liking, fuller with big fruit flavors and a long finish.

I loved the 06. It was earthy and flinty almost dusty, with pronounced tannins.

But the 2007 from the Rutherford appellation was my favorite. Maybe I just like young wine, but I found it bold and balanced. I detected chocolate and tobacco notes with a kind of flinty fruit flavor.

Provenance Winemaker Chris Cooney agreed the 03 was challenging for some people and noted that that’s the whole point of tasting wine, to find what you like, not what someone tells you to like based on a rating. He admitted, of course, that all winemakers seek to get third party recognition and acknowledgment to give their wines a wider audience. But the ratings game is just an undeniable part of wine making.

An Oink, Oink, Here A Quack, Quack, There…

Later, seated at a table with some of the other guests, I sampled one of the dishes Chef Altman had just prepared. It was delicious with red cabbage, walnuts and balsamic vinegar and a main ingredient that I could not quite place. “What is this?” I said aloud to the others at the table. “It’s amazing. Is this beef?”

“No!” declared a woman at the table. “It’s pork.”

“Really? The flavor is most unusual for pork.” I said.

It was hard to really see the mysterious protein as it was completely coated in the balsamic and cabbage, and I wasn’t 100% convinced it was pork, but the woman was so adamant that it was.

I kept tasting it and puzzling over it.

“Are you sure this is pork?” I asked one more time. And the lady shot me an exasperated look and said. “Honey, I’m telling you this is pork. I make this recipe all the time. It’s PORK!” And then she got up and left in a huff.

So I took her word for it that it was pork and gobbled up the rest of it.

Then later, my husband and I went up to Chef Altman to ask him about the recipe and most of all to find out where he purchased the pork. For it was exceptional indeed.

And Chef Altman looked at us like we were nuts and said “That was duck.”

And as soon as he said “duck” it was like a flash of insight. Of course it was duck!! But I’d gone against my instincts and stopped trying to determine what it was when the lady at the table insisted it was pork.

I worried I might have a deficient fat receptor in my palate and made a note to myself to seek out the duck experience more often. (For research purposes of course.) But more troubling was the fact I let someone else’s opinion override my own sensibilities.

And I realized how the power of suggestion, and the power of numbers, by way of rating points, can sometimes carry you off track. So judge according to your taste, based on your own criteria, whatever it is. Trust your own palate! Even if you are wrong! After all, you know what you like.

But be it pork or duck or baloney, I think the 07 Hewitt Cab would pair perfectly with it. Then again why would you take my word for it? Go try it for yourself.