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#363375 - 08-18-2010 23:49:23 Oregon Wineries To Visit
nashville_tom Offline
Newbie

Registered: 11-05-2005 10:18:28
Posts: 2
Hello everyone. Been quite a while since I've been on the boards here. Good to see many familiar names are still posting.

I'm heading out to Portland with my fiance at the end of the month. I'd like to hit some wineries in the area. I'll be satisfied to drink Pinots all day, but she drinks white only, so if we could find a place that offers both that would be a huge bonus.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Tom

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#363377 - 08-19-2010 04:53:56 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: nashville_tom]
Roland Dumas Offline
Regular

Registered: 11-19-2003 08:00:00
Posts: 989
Loc: Napa, CA
I'm about to make my semi-annual pilgrimage after pushing an offspring out at Lewis & Clark. If you head into Dundee, you'll be in target rich territory. Stop at any winery, and you'll have pinot noir and pinot gris.

Ponzi Wine bar has Ponzi wines and also wines from a number of other wineries. There are good stops on the way into Dundee, and off on roads to the west from there. We are members of the Sokel Blosser club and enjoy the wines. Their visitor center can get a little crowded, but it's a pretty stop.

We were very disappointed in Torii Mor, which was advertised to us heavily. The trip was long and not suitably smooth for the spouse, and at the end, there was a lot of tude, high price, and nondescript wines. Not worth the trek in my book.

If you go farther, to Carlton, there are a number of places in Carlton proper, including Scott Paul that are worth a visit. There is A restaurant in Carlton. I can't recall two, really, but the dinner was good and the wines local and the chef and waiter attentive and in good humor.

If you're in Portland proper, do visit Storyteller wine. Maybe visit there first and get some local expert guidance as well as pick up some great values.



http://www.willamettewines.com/map.shtml

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#363378 - 08-19-2010 07:49:10 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: Roland Dumas]
Brad Harrington Online   content

Owner
Elvis Has Entered the Building!

Registered: 12-12-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 13966
Loc: La Jolla, San Diego, CA
Too bad about your experiences with Torii Mor. I've liked the wines I have tasted, thought they were pretty darned good.

They're expensive, but so is a lot of other stuff. Not sure if I met the owners. Attended a trade tasting for them, but the rep was someone I got along with quite well. I was treated well but not really sure by who, other than him.

I know how it is when you go into a tasting room with a ton of attitude though and it is rarely a fun occurrence for me.

Scott Paul is a place I hope to visit one day. Scott Wright, the owner/winemaker there, is a really nice person. He has brought in a partner and I believe has grown a lot.

He has a blog that has a lot of good information for the area if you are traveling there:

Scott Paul Blog

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#363380 - 08-19-2010 12:46:02 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: Brad Harrington]
Roland Dumas Offline
Regular

Registered: 11-19-2003 08:00:00
Posts: 989
Loc: Napa, CA
Well, you got the trade experience, we got the other one.

When we visited Morii Moor, it was about this time of year. Slow down enough to push the kid off at college and then head to wine country. Their high end pinots were not available to taste at the tasting room and the basic one was expensive at $40ish as with eyes closed couldn't be distinguished from a $15 blend. Just nothing to it. The TR employees were so full of themselves and answered questions with so much pompous condescension, that the spouse left and waited in the car. For us, that was a waste of time.

However, over the hill in Carlton, we happened upon Monksgate. Very nice people, extremely nice pinot, and under $30. That was a find for us. I don't think they have regular tasting room hours, though. Just open on a few select weekends.




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#363432 - 08-21-2010 21:39:11 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: nashville_tom]
R. Schiffman Offline
Chief bottle washer
Obsessed

Registered: 11-24-2004 17:08:53
Posts: 3051
Loc: Orem, UT
In McMinville right now. Aldersheim. OK wines, $15 tasting. Nothing special. Domaine Serene. $15 tasting. Better wines. perfunctory tasting folks. Just an OK experience. Panther Creek. Don't know the tasting price. I bought 6 bottles and it wasn't charged. Nice people. Nice dog and cat. Excellent wines. It was a nice way to finish off some tastings. Don't skip it if you get to McMinville. Now off to the niece's wedding at Youngberg winery.

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#363433 - 08-21-2010 22:56:10 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: nashville_tom]
Steve Edmunds Offline
Regular

Registered: 02-18-2004 16:44:33
Posts: 631
Loc: Berkeley, CA
I think Cameron makes terrific white wine and nice Pinot also; that might be a good one not to miss.
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#363434 - 08-21-2010 23:40:22 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: Steve Edmunds]
Andrew M c N e e s Offline
Local

Registered: 03-07-2006 06:04:39
Posts: 1397
Loc: CA
antica terra
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#363447 - 08-22-2010 20:01:22 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: Andrew M c N e e s]
nashville_tom Offline
Newbie

Registered: 11-05-2005 10:18:28
Posts: 2
We're definitely looking forward to our visit. We fly in Saturday so we'll try Storyteller after we check into our hotel.

Sounds like we'll need to take the drive to Carlton / McMinnville.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

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#363456 - 08-23-2010 05:31:03 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: nashville_tom]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
I believe Belle Pente is appointment-only, but they should be worth a visit.

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#363476 - 08-23-2010 19:41:55 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: nashville_tom]
Roland Dumas Offline
Regular

Registered: 11-19-2003 08:00:00
Posts: 989
Loc: Napa, CA
Making my own plans, I called up Monksgate to see if they're open. Turns out they are now open every weekend in the summer. Mine will be the station wagon fully loaded from there.

Does Podnah's BBQ go with pinot?

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#363509 - 08-24-2010 19:38:21 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: Ken Zinns]
R. Schiffman Offline
Chief bottle washer
Obsessed

Registered: 11-24-2004 17:08:53
Posts: 3051
Loc: Orem, UT
It is appointment only. I'll go there on my next trip.

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#363510 - 08-24-2010 19:50:55 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: R. Schiffman]
Ken Zinns Offline
Obsessed

Registered: 12-15-2000 08:00:00
Posts: 3127
Loc: Oakland, CA
Originally Posted By: R. Sschiffman
It is appointment only. I'll go there on my next trip.
Incidentally, I found out recently that someone I know is starting as assistant winemaker at Belle Pente this fall - in fact he's moving up there from the Bay Area very shortly. His name is Shane Mcmanigle, and he's worked with Ed Kurtzman in San Francisco. I just helped him bottle some wines yesterday that he made for custom-crush clients at Ed's winery - including a very nice Pinot under the Easkoot label from Corda Vineyard in Marin. So if you see Shane on your visit there, say hi to him for me!

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#363680 - 09-02-2010 22:02:36 Re: Oregon Wineries To Visit [Re: nashville_tom]
Roland Dumas Offline
Regular

Registered: 11-19-2003 08:00:00
Posts: 989
Loc: Napa, CA
Home again. I had my beer-loving son in tow, so we divided our time between wine and beer. After our visit to Monks Gate, we headed down to McMinnville to a brewery recommended by Mr. Alberty. Just my luck, it was a block away from Eyrie's tasting room. I must say, that was one of the nicest TR visits I've had in a long while.

A French-accented gentleman behind the counter was quite nice, interested in my reaction to what he was pouring, and pulled several things from under the counter. One of the TR experiences where you feel they are genuinely happy to have you there and chat with you. Of course, a Frenchman looking at my name made some assumption of kindred heritage, which helped a bit.

I asked him about pinot gris made as an "orange wine", on the skins. He lit up and said that it was something of great interest and there is a batch in barrel right now.

I was most impressed with the pinot gris and pinot blanc. The top of the line chard and pinot noirs were very good, but a bit pricey for me.



Edited by Roland Dumas (09-02-2010 22:10:14)

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