A Beautiful Afternoon at King Estate Winery

Last weekend I was asked to speak at The University of Oregon to students from the entire Oregon University System who were about to study abroad. I've done this a few times now and it's one of my favorite reasons to visit Eugene. I say that because now I have a new favorite destination; King Estate Winery.

My speaking engagement wasn't until 1:30, so the plan was for Josh, Alyssa, and I to hit up King Estate when they opened at 11. I had never been there before, but Josh had been talking it up for the better part of a year and what better way to check out a winery than at the minute they open? As we scaled it's long, winding driveway, we were greeted by this view:

Did I mention that it just so happened to be the most beautiful day of the year?

As you can see, King Estate isn't your average tasting room. In fact, it's a tasting room (technically two), vineyard, full service restaurant, and self-sustaining farm. We'll get to those last two points later. On to the wine!

We walked up to the tasting bar and were greeted by both Randy and Jill. Jill, who has been with King Estate for about a month, was receiving some words of advice from Randy, who is a veteran of the wine industry for approximately 21 years. As he put it, even his experience is old enough to drink. We certainly appreciated this as both were incredibly warm, friendly, and open to any questions we may have had. While talking about blogging, the Oregon wine industry in general, and of course King Estate, we had the opportunity to sample a dozen or so wines.

2007 Domaine Pinot Gris
This organic, 100% estate grown pinot gris is one that immediately jumped out to Josh. It's picked up quite a bit of hardware lately and I'm always excited to find a great pinot gris. This one certainly stood up to its reputation as possibly the best pinot gris I've ever had. While crisp like most Oregon gris, this one deviated from the standard green apple and pear hues by also incorporating those of more tropical fruits, such as tangerine and pineapple. Definitely worth picking up.

2008 next: Oregon Pinot Noir
King Estate's next line is their own foray into the under $20 wine market. What made this pinot noir stand out? It's a $18 pinot noir with all of the characteristics of one twice as much, just toned down a bit. I've found that many entry-level pinots feel a bit unfinished with a ton of tart, but not this one. Randy mentioned that this was specifically made to be a great pinot and not just what they had left over with a new label slapped on it. I highly recommend this one as well.

2007 NxNW Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
King Estate's NxNW line of wines is a really intriguing concept. Like many wineries who source grapes from the Columbia Valley or Walla Walla AVAs, it's sometimes not always clear which state your grapes are actually from. The solution? Embrace it with a new label celebrating your grapes' diversity! Their Walla Walla cab, for instance, sources from 11 vineyards. Their Columbia Valley cab, while completely different, sparked my interested with its unique hues of dark cherries, coffee, and plum.

With all three of us now equipped with full glasses of the previously mentioned cab sauv, Randy graciously offered to give us a tour of the facility. It's tough work, but we're semi-professional wine bloggers, so we had to agree.

Our first stop was outside looking over the estate while Randy explained what exactly we were looking at. The various plots of grapes were obvious, but what none of us realized is that they also grow various orchards of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and even bees for honey! About 30% of this is used in-house at their restaurant, while the remainder is all donated to FOOD for Lane County. Definitely cool and always encouraging to see the great things our local wineries do for their communities.

Next up was to check out their production facility. On the way we learned about the King family themselves, who were the original founders of King Avionics. I didn't think avionics had much to do with winemaking until we saw how incredibly high tech their production facilities were. Not only were they spotless, but they're all connected to an internet-based monitoring system where the winemakers can view statistics from the comfort of their homes and change settings as needed.

From there we saw their bottling facility, the original tasting room, and this beautiful barrel room

I was running short on time at this point, so it was time for lunch! Randy handed us off to Tara, who was our server for the afternoon. As Randy put it, they essentially grow everything on-site aside from the beef (which is from 5 miles down the road) and cheese. I was immediately sold on their house-cured pastrami placed on house-made bread and house-made sauerkraut with a side of house-made chips. The verdict? The best pastrami sandwich I've ever had. Josh had the KE Burger, which also happened to be the best burger I've ever had. All in all lunch for three (minus drinks) was only $28. By far your best bet if you're anywhere near Eugene and want a phenomenal meal.

When we were done with our meals, Tara stopped by with what was described as a mispour of their pinot noir from the bar. It otherwise would have had to have been poured out, so might as well give it to us! We obliged and did our part to aid King Estate's conservation efforts.

All in all one of the best winery experiences I've had. A HUGE thanks goes out to Randy, Jill, and Tara for making our afternoon so memorable. King Estate is definitely a gem worth visiting for phenomenal wine, great people, and some of the best food I've ever had. 

It's Nick, and a bottle of Pend d'Oreille Cabernet!

After a long day of work toiling in the coal mines today, Rick and I got in the Japanese Carmobile to come home. Upon arriving at Chateau de Drunko (our house), we found a vagrant and vagabond sitting on our coach smoking a cigar and holding a bottle in a paper bag. None of that, we said, as we pushed his shopping cart aside and realized it was actually Nick, a friend from Pullman! What a nice surprise! Oh yea, we forgot that the told us he was coming and in fact, we told him where the key was approximately 15 minutes earlier. There was no cigar, either.

To celebrate this monumental occasion of having a special friend from Eastern Washington in our humble abode, we decided to crack open a bottle of wine we knew would be good and we had been wanting to review for some time. Nick is NorCal boy, straight from the streets of Napa or Napcompton as we call it here in the hood. All joking aside, we decided to open a sweet bottle of wine and get Nick's perspective with his California palate.

Sitting on the rack was a bottle of 2006 Pend d'Oreille Cabernet Sauvignon. This bottle, from the Terrior Series, is from Mike Berghan's vineyard in the Walla Walla River area of Washington. Bottled in Sandpoint, Idaho, we've loved literally everything that we have tried from Pend d'Oreille so were very excited that they sent us this bottle.

[pause for an interlude....well the interlude is actually me spilling half a bottle of wine on the wall and floor while writing this post. Don't tell the landlord.]

We cracked open the bottle, and poured [another] glass. Here's Nick's assessment:

Upon smelling this wine, I really have...I...have to admit that my nose is the weakest of my five senses. I don't know how to describe it, but it tastes good. A bit of an aftertaste that makes me pause, building in joy as it dissipates off of the palate. The best part is the middle.

Rick spruced up his palate and shared his perspective:

I smell a bit of spice with currants, and cranberry or pomegranate. The flavor is not as prominent as the nose, with a melding of fruit flavors deconstructing with spice on the finish. Solid Cabernet Sauvignon, reminding me more of a Southern Oregon wine as it's a bit tamer than many Walla Walla cabs.

All in all, another winner from Pend d'Oreille. They put out great stuff. This tastes like a little lower heat Cab and is very drinkable.

Again, let us emphasize, we've never had a wine from PO that we haven't enjoyed.  I can't wait to check out the winery in November.  If you get a chance, try their stuff.

StoneCap 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

This last week has been quite the long week for me, and this current week is shaping up to be just as long.While running some errands one day during the week I stopped by my neighborhood Grocery Outlet. The Vice-President of my division knows about my affinity for wine and has lately shown me the extent of their wine selection. The only downside to their wine selection is that there are not a lot of Northwest wines, but other than that, their choices are very impressive. But I digress.

I found a couple of bottles of a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon from StoneCap, a place I had never heard of. I did some reading of the bottle and some website research and found that this wine actually comes from Goose Ridge Vineyards in Kennewick, Washington, located in the Columbia River Valley. Based on the website, “StoneCap Wines are handcrafted entirely from estate grown grapes from the renowned Goose Ridge Estate Vineyard in Washington State's Columbia Valley. This expansive (1300 acres) and highly regarded vineyard allows the Monson Family to produce stunning quality wines while remaining sensibly priced.”

This particular wine is cork-less. I do recall some conversations being had about a movement about wineries going cork-less. I think part of it can be attributed to situations like Josh described in his post below. More commonly, some wine makers are moving away from corks due to cork “tainting.” An August 22, 2007 Time Magazine article writes about this movement here. I will admit that there is a stigma associated caps verses corks (I am sometimes guilty of falling into that stigma, but I am getting better). I tried to find anything on the StoneCap website about why their wines might be cork less, but to no avail.

I opened this bottle of Cab Sauv and let it sit for over an hour while I did some work in my apartment. Upon pouring this vine for my first glass, I caught the very deep rich cherry red type color that came from the bottle into my stem-less glass. Secondly I was struck by the scent of this wine. I was sitting on my couch and had the wine bottle and glass on my coffee table, at least a foot away and I could start to smell this wine. While not overly strong yet (I have not brought the glass to my nose), I can smell the fruit of this wine. When I bring the glass to my nose, I smell a full wood scent. I can smell the grapes, but not in a fruity way. The nose of this is very full. The swirl and legs on this Cab Sauv are thick and somewhat even.

All of the previous things led me to have quite high hopes for what this wine will taste like. I will admit that Cabernet Sauvignons are really hit or miss with me, so I acknowledge that potential bias. But what I am finding I like about this wine is that I like it because it isn’t an overpowering wine on the palate. It isn’t completely bland, but it isn’t this outstanding wine, although I think it is great because you can really just sit and enjoy it. I don’t feel guilty about drinking this while just munching on some crackers and doing some work. This is a great wine because it just is. The nose, and hue, and way it rests on the palate make this a great just everyday kind of wine. And for me, this proves to be a good way to put a cap on a long week, and laying a stone in the foundation of a week to come.

Until next time…

A Nose Knows?

On our relatively recent trip to the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla Region of Washington, one of our stops brought us to the Fidelitas winery. This winery is located in the Red Mountains, nestled near Kiona and not too far from Terra Blanca in Benton City, Washington.

One of the wines we tasted was the 2005 Cabernet Savingnon. I liked this wine enough to purchase it and recently opened the bottle during my weekly Sunday tradition. I love the nose on this wine - it is a rich and full bodied. You can smell the oak and an almost romantic way. There was a rich deep hue to this wine, which peaked my interest. In inhaling this wine, I was looking forward to a wonderful taste on my palate.

But oh how badly I would be let down.

Despite a wonderful oak filled noise that gave you a picture as to what the fermentation process might have been like, I was disappointed to find the taste very tart and unappealing. I am aware that it takes a while for the palate to appreciate everything that a wine has to offer, but the only possible thought that went through my mind was that maybe I had a not so good bottle (which perplexed me given the nose). The very first sip was incredibly bitter, sour almost. While the subsequent tastes and glasses (yes, I finished the bottle with the help of a colleague who felt so-so about the wine), eased up on the bitterness, it just didn't get much better.

I found it hard to believe that a wine that could have such a rich nose be so less than desirable. Let me say this - I am more than willing to give this wine another chance (I firmly believe in 2nd chances for wines), but until I acquire another bottle, this will be what I have to go on. I encourage you all to get a bottle for yourself, it could have just been my palate.

Until next time...

2004 Silvan Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve

Friends, my apologies, I have been lax in upholding my Oregon Wine Blog responsibilities... This and my recent birthday required opening something special, something big, something red. A bottle of 2004 Cabernet Reserve from Silvan Ridge (http://www.silvanridge.com/) fit the bill, especially because a new stainless BBQ graced the backyard and awaited two beautiful New York steaks and some asparagus!

The nose on this bottle was very, very smooth; vanilla, cinnamon, and anise notes dominated the nose and palette. The first sip did have a slight bite at the very back of the mouth, which was lost completely when paired with the steak. However, the peppery flavor of the steaks brought forward similar notes from the glass. These spices were not present at the first sip-a great example of wine making the meal and the meal making the wine!

Such a pairing is standard with Bordeaux varietals and has been sighted previously on the Oregon Wine Blog however, this Rouge Valley red is something special to me. Syrah's are still supreme, but this Cabernet is exceptional and I will be looking for the next Cab Reserve from Silvan Ridge- luckily only a ten minute drive south of Veneta on Territorial highway will get me (and you) to the winery!

With only 150 cases produced, this a rare bottle in the age of 1000+ cases/vintage/year. This particular bottle was received as a house warming gift so I don't have a price quote, but I would guess $30 to $40 would be a good guess-not cheap, but this is a very good Cab that is worth a spot in someone's special selection.

CORRECTION- I received some valuable input from a Silvan Ridge insider. The 2004 Silvan Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve described above retails for $20 to $25, which makes this bottle a bargain for people who like big reds! Cheers!

2005 Keever Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

I’ve been lucky to share a lot of special memories with my Grandpa while growing up, but I recently realized we have never enjoyed quality conversation over a glass of good wine. This past Christmas my wife and I gifted my Grandpa a spin-off of the program “Meals on Wheels”, where we’d schedule one monthly home-cooked meal for him at our home, or his. What better way to resolve this void in our relationship.

At our January meal, I served a bottle of Willamette Valley Vineyards (WVV) Riesling with our dinner, capping off the meal with the WVV Frizzante to go with a chocolate mousse (yes – just like the Oregon Wine Blog’s Christmas Dinner). I always knew my Grandpa liked wine, although I was more familiar with his typical Restaurant choice – Zinfandel. I figured the Riesling would be a good conversation segway to my newfound wine appeal.

My Grandpa took interest in my new hobby, explaining long-time family friends of he and my Grandma’s, (The Keevers) are Vintners at a Winery in Napa Valley – Keever Vineyards. My Grandpa didn’t know much about the winery, but I made mental note – thinking of “what could be” for February’s meal.

At the conclusion of the meal, and after saying goodbyes, my first priority was to locate Keever Vineyards online, which I did. Navigation through the website revealed an address for the winery, and showed a 100% Estate Grown, Cabernet Sauvignon, priced at $68.00. I penned a letter to Bill Keever (Owner/Operator), explaining the circumstances regarding our “Meals on Wheels”, and told him I’d be purchasing their wine in the near future, while asking for two special requests. I requested my bottles be signed, and that he write a brief note to my Grandpa, which I’d present at February’s meal.

A week after sending the letter, Bill Keever wrote back, with anticipation for what our February meal had in store. A short week later, two bottles of wine arrived, signatures and all, in addition to a personal note addressed to my Grandpa.

Our February meal occurred last Friday, and figuring my Grandpa’s positive reaction, we invited my parents and brother’s family to enjoy in the occasion.

I went to present my Grandpa with his bottle of wine, card and all, and was overwhelmed with his response. His gratitude and appreciation was something I’ll never forget. We opted to pop the cork on the bottle, utilizing a decanter to aerate the wine.

Now, to accurately assess the Keever Cabernet Sauvignon, and to hold some level of objectivity, I asked my dad and brother to bring a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, representing the Northwest Viticulture. What arrived were a Silver Lake 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon (Rattlesnake Hills AVA) and an Idaho wine, Sawtooth - 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon.

My wife and sister-in-law assisted in serving up a traditional blind taste test, which resulted in a hands down favorite being the Keever Cabernet; superior in taste, but also its aroma, development and finish, neither my dad, brother, nor I, noted any flaws.

Sitting in the glass, the wine evinced its elegance, showing off a satiny smooth structure, distinguishing itself as the Varsity member of the trio at hand. An array of fruits presented themselves in the nose, most prevalent to us being spiced plum and dark cherries. Winemaker Celia Welch Masyczek describes the wine as “Classically elegant at entry with very fruit-centered flavors up front”. I couldn’t agree more. I respected the 100% Estate Grown Cabernet grapes, and felt some indebtedness to a wine with such close ties to my lineage.

While comparing Napa grown wine to Washington/Idaho wines may have been comparing apples to oranges, I can say that drinking the Keever Cabernet opened my eyes to the world of quality, exquisite wine, and as such, has raised the bar for wine reviews to come.

Thank God I have that second bottle!

Update and 2004 Columbia Crest Grand Estate Cab

Here at The Oregon Wine Blog, there are times of the year in which we are limited in our ability to post as a result of the jobs that actually pay us. It is the downfall of our staff pretty much all working in the same industry -- university administration. Being the start of the school year, this is one of those times. Sorry. Things will settle down in a week or two and the posting traffic will pick back up. And, if anyone would like to pay me to do THIS, email me - josh@theoregonwineblog.com :)

Last week I was in Bend with some friends, and we cracked open a bottle of wine that I was familiar with previously although it's allure had fallen into a forgotton corner of my palate: 2004 Columbia Crest Grand Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Columbia Crest is another Eastern Washington winery, located in the Horse Heaven Hills of the Columbia Valley (Paterson, WA). Columbia Crest markets under three labels -- Reserve, Grand Estate, and Two Vines. I have consistenly been impressed by the Grand Estate offerings, their middle-tier wines which are available as a quite reasonable price point.

Tasting notes from the winemaker are pretty darn accurate: "Slight spice, chocolate, and hints of coconut and black cherry aromas lead into a subtle and harmonious balance of oak and fruit on the palate. This supple wine trails into a slightly spiced cocoa finish.” The chocolate notes and cocoa finish were particularly prominent for me. It's a very drinkable wine and you can't go wrong for $12.99. Seriously. We bought another bottle the other day and it's nearly gone. While the 2004 is pretty widely available at retailers, the 2003 in my opinion is even better. I haven't seen this on the shelves lately but it looks like it is still available at the winery. Darn it, I want to buy some now.

With that, I'll leave you all to vinification bliss. On a final note, if there is something you would like to see on The Oregon Wine Blog, leave a comment or send me an email.

Willamette Valley Vineyards

Today brought a trip to Willamette Valley Vineyards, perhaps one of my favorite wine producers due to their great service, famous Pinot, and diverse portfolio of varietals--all done well. In fact, I'm such a fan, I'm a stockholder (see the bias coming out?) WVV is the largest producing winery in the state of Oregon and was one of the founders of this appellation. They are known for their Pinot Noir's, they have a darn good Pinot Gris (Wine Spectator best buy), a good Riesling, and an up-and-coming Chardonney. For the dessert wine conniosuers, can't beat their semi-sparkling muscat frizzante...marketed under the Tualatin Estate label.

The trip today was to pick up the most recent shipment from the Oregon Wine Guild premier cru, a wonderful wine club that bring a red and a white every other month, with no membership fees, free reserve tastings, and a 20% discount on the shipments plus all wine purchased through the winery. Today's shipment included the 2006 Riesling as well as a 2004 Griffin Creek Cabernet Franc. Of course, stopping by the winery, a tasting was required. For some reason they were opening the really good stuff for us--we got into the 1998 Freedom Hill Pinot and the 1999 Karina Vineyard Pinot, in addition to the standard fare. After the winery, a group of us proceeded to the Vina's for a BBQ, and that is where we cracked open the wine that I'll be reviewing today -- 2002 Griffin Creek Cabernet Sauvignon.

Griffin Creek is the label WVV uses mostly on the bigger reds, as the grapes come from the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon so the Willamette Valley label can't be used. This cab is a gorgeous dark red, almost burgundy, and as could be expected from a big red like this had good legs on it. The nose had strong peppery notes, and on the second glass after it had opened up a bit I started picking up some toffee and leather aroma. Upon tasting, it has a warm spicy feel with a lingering finish. After opening up, I detected a jammy fruitiness that could be overpowered by the bold spice if you aren't careful. For the technical details...the wine retails for $35, fermented in 100% stainless and barrelled in 50% new oak. It's 14.6% in alcohol and 886 cases bottled. This is a great wine meant to be consumed with heavy food.

That's it for now--you'll be reading more about WVV in the future though (we have a lot of their wine to drink).