From Willamette's East Valley; Hanson Vineyards

Hanson Vineyards is one of 16 wineries that make up the East Valley, a Willamette Valley wine producing region that lies east of the I-5 corridor. While the area is a relatively new wine destination, some of the families have been farming that side of the valley for a good long while. Hanson Vineyards is one such long-standing winery and has been growing Niagara and Concord grapes since the 1920s. The wine making got serious in 2000 when Clark Hanson started to plant vinifera root stocks.

The Hanson family, Clark and his son, Jason, are looking to make a wine accentuated by their terroir. The vineyards are planted along the cool water Cascadia creeks, which elements add a unique character to their wine. Clark and Jason are currently making four wines: a Pinot Noir, a Chardonnay, a Pinot Blanc, and a Riesling. Though they generally agree on how the wines should be made, they disagree on Riesling, as Clark prefers a sweeter Riesling while Jason likes them really dry. As a compromise they change the style every year, alternating between about 2% residual sugar and a bone dry Riesling.

Hanson Vineyards is a small winery and they plan to stay that way, with designs on maybe making a few hundred cases of each varietal. In addition to being small, Hanson does their own thing, not pressured to follow any particular formula or style that may have become fashionable in Oregon's Willamette Valley. Hanson Vineyards makes the wine that their vineyards give them, not pursuing in your face, inkier Pinots. The Pinot Noir that's coming out of Hanson Vineyards is lighter in color and body.

I found the Hanson wines were certainly lighter than some Oregon Pinot. While they didn't have the dark fruit or earthen characteristics often associated with Pinot, the wines communicate lighter fruit and herbal notes. The nose on the Pinot Noir was very classically Burgundian and the wine was lighter to medium bodied and had very little oak influence. The Chardonnay was a fine example of what Oregon can do: lighter fruit and some herbaceous notes. France would have been proud of both of these varietals from the New World.


Hanson Vineyards gives Oregon Pinot and Chardonnay fans the opportunity to see the versatility that the Willamette Valley offers in the form of a small family operation that has no designs on overthrowing the giants of Willamette Valley or converting Pinot drinkers to their more Old World style. The Hanson family is happy to be able to create the wines their vines give them and Jason and Clark have agreed that the wines they're producing are as they are intended.

Underdog

Less than a minute to go in the VCU/Kansas game. Definitely glued...

Time out - less than 30 seconds. I will say that one of the best parts of coming back to civilization from the wilds of Southern Utah (I was there for nearly 5 years!) is March Madness. Oh...back to the game...VCU is going to pull this one out!!!

Killer - what an amazing upset! I make it my own personal rule to root for the under dog - unless we are talking Seahawks, UW, or anyone from the Patriot League (and I will admit that I came to cheer for several of these teams/schools BECAUSE they were or are underdogs). I was thrilled when Butler took out Florida yesterday. I mean, who does not like seeing the little guy win???

The first game of my day started at 11am - after moving West from NY I realize how East-centric our country really is. It being a Sunday I decided to call it a lazy day in bed with my computer watching the games in live feed. As early as it was I decided to forgo the game-day drink and sip on some coffee, but as the day continued, and the game got more and more interesting, I decided to find myself something a bit higher octane.

In the spirit of backing the underdog I chose a label off my rack that sported a pic of golden retriever - Rascal, a 2007 Pinot Noir bottled by the Great Oregon Wine Company. Pinot Noir is by far my favorite kind of red. I love how it is simultaneously simple and complex. I love how the Pinot grapes are finicky and it takes a lot of work and love and time to produce a good wine. I think also I love places that are best for growing these lovely grapes - particularly New Zealand and the Willamette Valley. On any given day I'll roll with the Pinor Noir before any other choice.

I found that it took a little longer than usual to open the nose, which seemed weak to me. I found light aromas of cherry as well as a sour topnote - something acidic and almost citrus which threw me. I worried that the flavor would be off. I was pleased when I tasted it to find that worry unfounded. Smooth and crisp, it first hit me with tart cherry, followed by a spicy, acidic bite and a smoky finish. As I continued to sip I found the flavor profile heightened to include a slow and delightful peppery burn that hit me high in the palette, and a darker green flavor that I still can't identify low in the back of my tongue.

Summit gave this one two ears up

Interestingly, when I spent some online research time trying to learn about the Great Oregon Wine Company, I could only find this page and a couple of reviews on other wine sites. There was a phone number on the back of the bottle. When I googled it I was led to the site for Lindsay Wine in McMinnville. Upon calling the number I got a message of a woman's voice saying, "Thank you for calling the winery..." Very helpful - thanks. So I suppose at this point the Great Oregon Wine Company will remain a mystery at least to me. If you know anything about it please drop us a line!

All in all I found Rascal to be a nice wine that I will be happy to continue drinking by the glass as I head into watching the UK/UNC game. By the time this posts the outcome will be determined, but at the moment you all know who I am cheering for...

GO UNDERDOGS!!!

Dining Around Seattle...with Oregon Wine

A few weeks ago, Chris and Megan made the journey from Corvallis to Seattle to check out the new digs. Knowing that they were both relatively familiar with the area, the typical tourist agenda just wouldn't do. As I racked my brain for some neat activities, I remembered an event that a coworker had mentioned to me, Dine Around Seattle, so I got on the trusty intertubes to do a bit of research and solidified plans for an awesome night out.

Dine Around Seattle is actually less an event and more a month of awesomeness. In it's tenth year of existence, Dine Around Seattle is a bi-annual promotion wherein during the months of March and November many of Seattle's finest restaurants offer a three-course gourmet dinner for only $30 (tax, gratuity, and beverages not included). Oh yea, the promotion is Sunday - Thursday as well, but totally a great an excuse to go out more than just Friday or Saturday. As I scanned the list of nearly 30 restaurants participating, a little bird in the back of my head kept saying "Rays, Rays, Rays." Sure enough, there it was, Ray's Boathouse, a fine seafood establishment in my neighborhood that many friends had recommended. I quickly made a reservation and we were all set.

The marketing pitch: Ray's Boathouse is world-renowned for its impeccably fresh Northwest seafood. The culinary professionals, led by Executive Chef Peter Birk, hand select the best products from local purveyors and then prepare them simply to enhance the naturally fresh, clean flavors and succulent textures. My analysis: Spot on, mate. We arrived for our reservation and were led past some prominently displayed Wine Spectator Award's of Excellence to the back of the restaurant, a gorgeous table overlooking the sound. We could see the seagulls out the window looking at us longingly, knowing that we were in for a phenomenal experience. I grabbed the wine list and dove in, poring over nearly 700 wines primarily with a Northwest focus.  Where to start!  Feeling a bit nostalgic for the Willamette Valley and knowing seafood was on the menu, I flipped to the Pinot Noir section and was pleased to see an old favorite:  Spindrift Cellars Pinot Noir.  Spindrift has been on the agenda for Le Tour de Pinot and have always been good friends to the Blog. I was sold and the wine was showing beautifully. Now was the difficult part, choosing the dining selection.

Ray's was offering 3 - 4 choices for each of the 3 courses for Dine Around Seattle, all of them looking amazing. After much deliberation, I selected the following:

• Sweet Potato Soup, Chorizo, Cilantro, Orange Crema
• Panseared Coho Salmon, Coconut Rice, Mango, Chiles, Thai Basil, Lemongrass Syrup
• Pistachio Cake, Roasted Pear Cream Cheese Filling, Chocolate Sauce, Candied Pistachios

The soup was creamy, spicy, and exuded fresh, local, and seasonal with every spoonful. The salmon was definitely the showcase of the evening, prepared medium rare with the lemongrass syrup and mango adding some nice accentuating notes. It paired perfectly with the wine I had selected (no big deal), and left me feeling full but just wanting a little more. The pistachio cake is not something I would normally order, however, it came highly recommended from the server and I learned long ago that it's good to push outside my box and listen to the expert serving staff. It was worth it.

Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end as this meal did.  You, however, still have the opportunity to experience Dine Around Seattle for one more week, and you'd be a fool not too.  Ray's was great, as I'm sure a number of other restaurants are as well.  Do it, and drink some great Northwest wine while you're at it!

Wine Road Barrel Tasting 2011

I have always found barrel tasting to be something magical. It isn’t something you get to do on the typical visit to a tasting room if you don’t live in an area that produces wine, you may never get the chance to taste directly from the barrel. That is what makes Barrel Tasting Weekend so special in Sonoma County. For the first two weekends in March, wineries opened their doors and their barrels to thousands of visitors from around the country to have this unique experience.
While the event spans three different AVA’s (Alexander Valley, Dry Creek, and Russian River Valley) Katie and I decided to spend our time in the Alexander Valley. After getting a few recommendations on places to visit, we started off at Field Stone Winery.


Field Stone Winery
The event took place in the cave and we were able to enjoy two wines from the barrel. The first was their 2010 Syrah which will be released in May 2012. The dark fruit and jam flavors were quite prominent in this wine and I was surprised at how drinkable it already was. As expected it was still young but it will be one to watch for on its release in 2012.

Another wine to watch for will be the 2009 Petite Sirah from Field Stone. This big and bold wine will not be for the faint of heart as it definitely takes on the depth and richness you expect from this varietal. The earthiness was really starting to come through and with patience and time spent in the cellar, the complexity of the 117 year old vines will fully develop into a truly special wine.
After finishing our barrel tasting experience in the cave we went into the tasting room to try some of their reserve wines. Upon entering we got distracted by the row of bottles lining a shelf with some very familiar logos. Close to many of the writers here at The Oregon Wine Blog, the Beavers and Cougs were prominently displayed.

Hanna Winery
From Field Stone we made our way up to another winery we had not previously visited. The staff at Hanna had decorated the tasting room into a baseball theme and even though it was all about the SF Giants (Go A’s), it created an atmosphere that was fitting of an event weekend in Sonoma. The environment at Hanna is what I have come to expect from Sonoma county wine events and what attracts people from all over. While most of the crowds were at the tasting counter, their 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon was being thieved from the barrel in the opposite corner. Being released in January 2012, this Cab was noticeably young and was very tannic. However, if it resembles the ’06 Cabernet when it is released it will be one to grab. While some of my friends in the Northwest may not enjoy this full-bodied wine, California wine drinkers should definitely stop by Hanna now and in the future.

Hawkes Winery
While some wineries, particularly those with small tasting rooms, had trouble providing the experience of tasting out of the barrel (several had already transported the wine into empty bottles and poured from those), Hawkes Winery met and exceeded all of our expectations for the weekend.
A very small, family run operation, Hawkes provided visitors with a chance to taste 3 different single-vineyard Cabernets. All made in the same style, this tasting gave people the chance to understand the effects the terroir makes on a wine. The 2009 Cabernet from Stone Vineyard featured a chocolate and smokey profile whereas the Cabernet from Red Winery Vineyard was much more subtle in its notes of cherry, spice, and leather. The third wine was from Pyramid Vineyard, a young vineyard with plenty of soil diversity within the same vineyard. This Cabernet will continue to mature and will highlight complex flavors that complement a rich body.
Both Katie and I really enjoyed Hawkes as our final stop of the day. While talking with winemaker Jake Hawkes, we also met a wonderful couple who were visiting all the way from Maryland specifically for this event. They attend each year and purchase futures that get them through the year, until the next Barrel Tasting Weekend. Stories like this were not uncommon. We heard of one married couple who returns each year to celebrate meeting each other at this event many years ago.
Sadly, this event can be tarnished at times by overly-excited over-consumers of wine who use it as an inexpensive way to drink too much. While I experience this at any of my stops, I have heard some horror stories of people stealing tickets, yelling at tasting room staff, and disregarding requests for no limos or buses. However, this is such a small amount of the 25,000+ visitors that come to Barrel Tasting each weekend. My experience with Barrel Tasting was friendly staff, friendly volunteers, and a great chance to preview what to expect from Sonoma County in 2012. This event, with such low ticket prices ($20 in advance, $30 at the door) gives everyone from the seasoned oenophile to the most recent box-wine graduate a chance to explore, discover, and fall in love with the world-class wines of Sonoma County.

Cheers!