What We Are Drinking - Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris

During the cold winter months, people often turn their tastes towards full-bodied red wines to fight off the cold. But, sometimes there are good reasons to enjoy a nice white wine, even during the winter months. 

Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris is one of those wines that can stand upon to the cold by adding a splash of excitement to the tastebuds. The wine retails for about $17 per bottle--I have seen it advertised from $15.99 to $19.99. The 2017 vintage is still available in some areas, but the 2018 is the current vintage and more widely available. 

The wine makers notes for the 2018 vintage:

Aromas of nectarine, tangerine, lime zest and elderflower lead to a medium-bodied palate revealing fresh flavors of green apple, lychee, honeydew and pineapple. The wine features a beautiful balance between fruit flavors, refreshing acidity and a satisfying crisp, lingering finish.

So, don't be afraid to change things up and try a white, even during the winter months. It will bring some excitement to your palette.

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wine Dinner Excellence

We attended a wine dinner in Frederick, Maryland, the other evening which brought together a beautiful venue and very enjoyable wines. Together, it was the perfect combination for a fantastic wine dinner. 

The dinner was hosted by the Ayse Meze Lounge in Frederick Maryland. The food and the wines were paired beautifully. It was advertised as a five course dinner, but two of the courses had seconds--so it was really a five plus course dinner. With the weather being incredibly mild that evening, we were able to eat outside and enjoy the late-Summer coolness in a beautiful setting.

The wines were from the Willamette Valley Vineyard in Oregon. Yes, we've been there, but we really appreciate the wines they produce. Jim Bernau, the founder and CEO, was on hand to introduce the wines for each course of the dinner. Jim was in great form at the top of his game.  Every time we listen to Jim tell the story of Oregon wines and the vineyard, we learn something new and gain a better appreciation for the complicated process it takes to transform a dream into the glass of wine in my hand. 

Halibut first course

So why go to a wine dinner, especially when we already appreciate the wines? Simple. Wine dinners showcase gourmet cooking paired with exactly the right wine to create a perfect dining experience. The elegance and the chance to enjoy a delicious meal with friends is something that must be experienced.  After the meal there is the opportunity to purchase the showcased wines, usually at a discount, and more importantly--the opportunity to meet and talk with the wine producers is something that must not be missed. Being serious about wine, we want to know more and more about the process--the weather, the soil and the choice of grapes for a particular climate. There is a lot of detailed information out there and it cannot be absorbed in one sitting.

The wines served were during the evening were:

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyard Riesling
2013 Willamette Valley Vineyard Pinot Gris
2011 Willamette Valley Vineyard Dijon Clone Chardonnay
2013 Willamette Valley Vineyard Founders Reserve Pinot Noir
2012 Willamette Valley Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir

Each of the wines represented very well.  We were familiar with all of them, but it was nice to enjoy them paired with gourmet food. 

RECOMMENDATION: Find a local wine dinner and attend it--just for fun. Our experience has been that the service is fantastic and the wines are well paired with the food offerings. Wine dinners provide an opportunity to make new friends and enjoy wine.

Our thanks go out to:

Ayse Meze Lounge for hosting the event. The lounge is definitely on our list for a return visit. The service was awesome and the venue beautiful.

Willamette Valley Vineyards which produce some of the best Pinot Noir wines in the world and continue to be a first class operation committed to all around quality. A big thanks to Jim Bernau for not only making the wine, but for making the trip across the country to share his love of wine with all of us.

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD

Willamette Valley Vineyards -- Oregon Trail

Entrance to Willamette Valley Vineyards

We have been slow to write a review of Willamette Valley Vineyards, one of the wineries we visited during on our trip to Oregon's Willamette Valley for wine tasting, primarily because this winery and vineyard was the greatest stop on the journey. It is a big, but friendly, winery that offers so many views of grapes, wine, wine production and retailing that trying to write a review of our visit there seemed overwhelming. 

Wines for Tasting

We had the pleasure of staying on the vineyard for three nights and as a result we saw the in-depth side of winery operations. Walking through the vineyards in the morning before the world was fully awake was truly a highlight of our visit--but, then, so was sitting on the veranda outside of the guest rooms watching the sun set over the coastal mountains of Oregon, sipping some of the well balanced wines produced by the vineyard and enjoying the conversation with friends as the darkness fell ending another exciting day of adventure. 

Willamette Valley Vineyards Tasting
Room player piano

The vineyard is easy to find, being right off Interstate 5 south of Salem, Oregon, at The Enchanted Forest exit. It is kind of funny to think about the exit offering excitement for kids of all ages. Even though it sounds like a long way from the Portland airport, the drive was easy and fun.

View Across the Willamette Valley

The newly constructed tasting room must be seen to be appreciated.  Sitting up the hill, it provides a commanding overlook of the Willamette Valley south of Salem. The tasting room is the nicest and most welcoming tasting room of all the ones we experienced in the region. 

And then, and this is not an afterthought, there are the wines. The vineyards possesses a great assortment of wines to please almost every oenophile. 

Pinot Noir is king at Willamette Valley Vineyards and that is as it should be in this region. Ten different Pinot Noir wines were available for sale during our visit. We were able to participate in our first ever horizontal Sub-AVA tasting consisting of Pinot Noir wines from five different sub-AVAs within the Willamette Valley. The tasting helped us to understand the differences of the different regions. But the tastings did not stop there. Willamette Valley Vineyards also provides a dynamic Pinot Gris--which we felt was one of the best Pinot Gris offerings we have ever experienced along with Riesling, Chardonnay, a sparkling Muscat, and Viognier offerings. The winery also has a second label, Griffin Creek, which offers Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Grenache, Viognier, and Malbec wines.

Although the choices seem overwhelming--there are definitely some "best buys!"

Bob and Chris's Willamette Valley Vineyards Best Buys:

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, $22. It is hard to beat this wine as a great go to wine that will please nearly everyone. Although promoted as "liquid fruit salad in a glass"--we found it to be a great wine suitable for many occasions, especially sitting around the pool after a long hot day. 

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyards Reisling, $14. A semi-sweet wine with fruit and a touch of effervescence that refreshes.

2013 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris, $16. Fabulous! We are not primarily white wine drinkers, but if all white were like this one, we might convert. The balance, minerality, flavors, and acidity of this wine are unsurpassed. 

2012 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Bernau Block, $55. This is a great Pinot Noir and we were happy to be able to secure a few bottles for our collection. It is the signature wine of the founder and CEO of Willamette Valley Vineyards. During our stay we were able to walk around the vineyards block from which the grapes for this wine are sourced. 

2010 Willamette Valley Vineyard AVA Series Wines, $50. If you want to experience the variations and differences among the Willamette Valley sub-AVAs, get these wines. They each provide a flavor the the valley and the regions from which they come.

RECOMMENDATION: This winery should be at the top of every Pinot Noir drinkers bucket list. 

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD
#wvv #wine4yourlife

St Innocent Winery - Oregon Trail

Driving the highway near Salem, Oregon, we made our way to St Innocent Winery, which had been recommended to us, late one afternoon. It was a great find not just for the wine, but for the art, the atmosphere and a bonus, the chance to talk to the owners.

Oregon wine tasting provides the opportunity to experience a wide variety of wines and we believe that St Innocent is providing some of the highest quality wines at a great price point in the Willamette Valley. This is one of those wineries that while it seems to be just a bit off the beaten path, it screams for recognition because Mark and Vickianne Vlossak have created a world class winery that we believe has a very bright future. The wines are focused and complex.

St Innocent Winery Barrel Room

The day we visited the tasting room, St Innocent was tasting 10 wines which provided a good representation of the winery. We found something special and interesting in each of the wines. 

We were very impressed with the 2012 Pinot Gris, Vitae Springs Vineyard. At $26, this was a very nice wine that we felt was in the upper tier of the Willamette Valley Pinot Gris offerings. Done in an Alsatian style in stainless, the wine was spicy with complex fruit notes.

The 2012 Pinot Noir, Temperance Hill, $36, had just been released and had a great nose. The cherry and spices in the nose and on the palate hold up well with grilled dishes. It competed well with offerings we sampled at other vineyards in the $45-65 range.

Poster in the Barrel Room
Note the Reflection in the Corner

One of the highlights of the winery is the  tasting room. It is decorated with intriguing poster art. The art adorning the facility must be experienced and, as we discovered, it is all through the tasting room and into the barrel room. Mark provided us with an impromptu tour and we were not disappointed. It was clear that in every area they are committed to creating and offering high quality wines.

RECOMMENDATION: St Innocent is a must stop on an Oregon Willamette Valley       wine tasting excursion.

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD

Left Coast Cellars - Oregon Trail

Driving across the Willamette Valley on a beautiful July day we arrived at Left Coast Cellars  in Rickreall, Oregon, to enjoy some great wine tasting. 

We were greeted on our arrival by Suzanne, one of the owners, who welcomed us to her cellars and vineyard. She is rightfully proud of the vineyard and the operation.  This winery is a showplace--adorned with flowers and bees, and 130 acres of vineyards surrounding a great tasting room and outgoing friendly people. And great wines--did I mention the wines?

Left Coast Cellars Tasting Room

This is one of those not to be missed wineries in the Willamette Valley. The atmosphere is enjoyable, the diversity of the wines is solid, and the quality is superior. Jen guided us through our tasting and she was very knowledgeable about the wines and the operation of the vineyard. She was able to answer my myriad of questions while also presenting the wines in the best possible manner. I appreciated her enthusiasm and love of the wines produced. While we were there the vineyard manager, Luke, also stopped by for a visit and a chat. He is rightfully proud of the wines produced by Left Coast Cellars. 

The day we visited, six wines were being tasted. We felt that the 2013 Orchards Pinot Gris, $18, was an especially good buy. It had a nice fruity nose of peach and pear with bright flavors and good acidity and minerality. 

Another good buy was the 2013 White Pinot Noir, $20, which we found to be unique and smooth with tropical fruit, peach and pear. It was a very enjoyable wine which should be very good with a wide variety of foods and cheeses. A nice summer time wine.

One other wine, which was not on the scheduled tasting, but which we were able to taste was the 2012 Cali's Cuvee Pinot Noir, $24. This wine was a real treat with lots of cherries and plums with hints of floral flavors and good acidity to make a very nice wine. 

Flowers at Left Coast Cellars

There is more to this winery than just the wines. There is a kitchen which offers a variety of sandwiches and some very nice chocolate candies. There is an outside seating area to purchase a bottle of wine and enjoy a sandwich. The vineyards are very scenic with walking paths and trees. This may be one of the most scenic vineyards that we visited during out visit to the Willamette Valley to enjoy Oregon wine tasting. 

RECOMMENDATION: Do not miss this winery during a Willamette Valley wine tasting tour. The wines all have great price points and the beauty of the winery and surrounding area must be experienced. 

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD

Willamette Valley Vineyards Wine Tasting

Jim Bernau Signing a Bottle of Wine for Chris

All the way from Oregon to Annapolis for a great afternoon of Wine Tasting, at Wine Cellars of Annapolis, came Jim Bernau, the founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards (NASDAQ:WVVI), to spread the good cheer associated with Oregon Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, and Riesling wines. 

The hosts at Wine Cellars of Annapolis were gracious and deftly handled the throng of wine lovers that crowded around Jim to hear him tell of the wines, the growing season, and plans for the future. I was amazed that he sold out of every wine that was being tasted, but then again, they were that good.

He brought five wines with him for this tasting. I have to admit, it is rare when I taste five wines from a vineyard and like them all (especially when three are whites), but that happened on this tasting.

Two of the wines were definitely highlights.

Leading off with the 2012 Willamette Valley Vineyard Pinot Gris the tone was definitely set for the tasting with a very enjoyable wine which was bright, fruity, and crisp. Priced at $19.99 per bottle this is a great price point for a very nice, complex wine. This wine is rated 90 in CellarTracker. 

The other highlight of the tasting was the 2012 Willamette Valley Vineyards (WVV) Whole Cluster Pinot Noir. While only garnering an 85.5 rating in CellarTracker, I found this to be an extremely enjoyable wine which was dark and vibrant with a great price point of $24.99. The fruit flavors blended well with cherry and raspberry leading the way, but it also had the leather and tobacco flavors that I especially enjoy and which probably led to the lower ratings from the CellarTracker crowd.

The other wines we tasted were the 2010 WVV Dijon Clone Chardonnay, 2011 WVV Estate Pinot Noir, and the 2012 WVV Riesling which is more of a dessert style wine. Although the Estate Pinot Noir was the most expensive wine at the tasting, coming in at $32.99, I felt that the Whole Cluster Pinot Noir was a better value.

The wines were great representations of the winery and I have enjoyed Willamette Valley Vineyards for many years. I am looking forward to my summer trip to Willamette Valley to experience the entire region and better understand the wines and the growers there, but for now, I consider this winery to be the flagship vineyard for the region.

RECOMMENDATION: Check out these wines and discover why I believe that Oregon Pinot Noirs are excellent buys and have nice, light flavors and body compared with their California relatives.

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD