Harvest is upon us. Well, not us specifically, as our grapes have three or four more weeks to go. But many Rogue Valley growers have brought grapes in already.
Scott is helping out at Agate Ridge this season, as new winemaker Kiley Evans is a bit understaffed. Kiley was at Abacela up until just a few months ago, and anyone who has read just about anything I have written knows I am a charter member of the Kiley Evans Fan Club. Remember, just last fall the Wine Spectator declared Abacela's Tempranillo as the 2007 Oregon Wine of the Year. Kiley rules!
The brought in Sauvignon Blanc last week, and have been doing Pinot Gris this week (whites usually go first). Scott is really psyched to be working with these different varietals. Stay tuned for more harvest and crush info!
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
WOW, what a week for wine!
I’ve been really slacking on the blogs lately, which is horrible since it is something I enjoy doing. This summer was nuts, and I have just found out I was delusional thinking that school starting again would somehow settle things down. Wrong-o. September is always great in the Tasting Room as our ideal Bend visitor comes to town – foodies and oenophiles who deliberately travel in the fall. And for some reason, event planners up and down the west coast throw all sorts of wine festivals during September and October, always a challenge for the little winery since it is, ya know, harvest time.
Two weekends ago we were at the World of Wine Festival, held each August at Del Rio Vineyards in southern Oregon. This is one of our favorite wine events, and it features the best southern Oregon wineries and always attracts a great crowd of folks who truly love wine. I swear, half the folks who tried our wines had done research on us before the event. It was fabulous, and is worth the trip. Mark your calendars for next year.
This past weekend was the Promenade du Vin and then Ghost Tree Dinner on the Range out at Pronghorn. The Friday Promenade du Vin was the “replacement” for Wine by the River, and benefited Hospice. If you missed it, that is a shame. The weather was perfect, the setting spectacular, and the crowd was enthusiastic but small enough that we could have great conversations with the guests. Love events like that. The Saturday night dinner was a blast as well, with 6 wineries (including Troon, Jordan and WillaKenzie who were pouring right next to us – I heard several people say “Now, WillaKenzie , where are you? I’ve never heard of you” which made me feel waaaaay better. I LOVE WillaKenzie, they make some of the best Pinot Noir in the state and if folks haven’t even heard of THEM, then no wonder they’ve never heard of us. haha). Not a wine focused event, but lots of fun and for a great cause.
We always get the extremes with events like that dinner – on the one hand, there are people who love wine and food and take advantage of the amazing array of offerings (food from Volo, Scanlan’s, Deep and Merenda to name but a few), and on the other hand there are a few folks who are looking to drink and eat as much as they can stuff down their gullets (and who an blame them, really, the tickets are not cheap). Loved the guy who snapped his fingers at me to pour him a beer (the beer station was on the other side of us). After looking at him like he was crazy (and he was obviously not thinking clearly since snapping at someone is not something polite, clear headed people do) I told him, “No, I won’t get you a beer” - very fun. Can’t do that when you are a waiter!
Save the date: Wine dinner at Jackalope Grill on Monday, October 6. Stay tuned for details.
And one last note… Sorry, Beavers. Yikes. Is Penn State that good???
Two weekends ago we were at the World of Wine Festival, held each August at Del Rio Vineyards in southern Oregon. This is one of our favorite wine events, and it features the best southern Oregon wineries and always attracts a great crowd of folks who truly love wine. I swear, half the folks who tried our wines had done research on us before the event. It was fabulous, and is worth the trip. Mark your calendars for next year.
This past weekend was the Promenade du Vin and then Ghost Tree Dinner on the Range out at Pronghorn. The Friday Promenade du Vin was the “replacement” for Wine by the River, and benefited Hospice. If you missed it, that is a shame. The weather was perfect, the setting spectacular, and the crowd was enthusiastic but small enough that we could have great conversations with the guests. Love events like that. The Saturday night dinner was a blast as well, with 6 wineries (including Troon, Jordan and WillaKenzie who were pouring right next to us – I heard several people say “Now, WillaKenzie , where are you? I’ve never heard of you” which made me feel waaaaay better. I LOVE WillaKenzie, they make some of the best Pinot Noir in the state and if folks haven’t even heard of THEM, then no wonder they’ve never heard of us. haha). Not a wine focused event, but lots of fun and for a great cause.
We always get the extremes with events like that dinner – on the one hand, there are people who love wine and food and take advantage of the amazing array of offerings (food from Volo, Scanlan’s, Deep and Merenda to name but a few), and on the other hand there are a few folks who are looking to drink and eat as much as they can stuff down their gullets (and who an blame them, really, the tickets are not cheap). Loved the guy who snapped his fingers at me to pour him a beer (the beer station was on the other side of us). After looking at him like he was crazy (and he was obviously not thinking clearly since snapping at someone is not something polite, clear headed people do) I told him, “No, I won’t get you a beer” - very fun. Can’t do that when you are a waiter!
Save the date: Wine dinner at Jackalope Grill on Monday, October 6. Stay tuned for details.
And one last note… Sorry, Beavers. Yikes. Is Penn State that good???
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
