Memorial Day Weekend is always a ZOO in Willamette Wine Country, with tons of people, cars, animals and wine!  Most wineries are open and doing special tastings, but if you are staying around town tonight, there are even more tastings in Portland.

Check out the details below, wine shop writers went hog wild for their Friday night tastings!

Friday, May 24, 2013

Blackbird Wineshop
TBD

Cork

No tasting

CorksCru

TBD

5-7 pm, $5

E & R Wine Shop

No tasting

Every Day Wine

Owen Roe.

Many of you need no further explanation, as there is certainly a cult following for this local producer. But for those of you who’d like an introduction: let me just summarize by saying, “BIG REDS.” Need I say more? Okay, I will…

This winery sources most of their fruit from Columbia Valley and Yakima Valley. Owen Roe, by the way, is a mythological Irish hero. You will probably recognize the folklore-inspired labels – these guys have definitely nailed their branding. And ultimately, they’ve nailed the market for wine drinkers who seek dark, inky, bold, fruit forward, spicy wines. Come ‘n get it!

Owen Roe, Columbia Valley, OR

2011 Sharecroppers Pinot Noir
2012 Abbot’s Table Wine (NEW VINTAGE!)
2011 Sinister Hand
2011 Ex Umbris Syrah (NEW VINTAGE!)

5-9 pm, $12.

Great Wine Buys

Third Annual Memorial Day Weekend Kickoff

15 Wines for just $15 Bucks!

Celebrate the return of summer in style as we again host some some of our longtime favorite Willamette Valley wineries and winemakers. Featuring a great lineup of reds and whites, this is an excellent way to enjoy our local bounty and kick off summer’s first weekend.

Check out current and brand new releases, including single-vineyard and reserve bottlings, plus enjoy a few exclusive “sneak peeks” at soon-to-be released wines. Whether you’re heading out to the Valley or playing it chill in town, Memorial Day wine tasting starts here.

John’s Marketplace

This week, Marcus Goodfellow of Matello Winery will be pouring:

Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley 2012 $15.99

Classic Oregon Pinot Gris, flavors of apple, pear, and honeydew, lushly textured, and balanced by juicy acidity.

Caprice, Yamhill-Carlton 2011 $17.99, 80% Pinot Blanc/20% Pinot Gris, co-fermented. Clocking in at a mere 11.8% alcohol, this wine has great aromatics, and a surprising depth and richness due to the extra year o cellaring it receives. Perfect for serious summer sipping or paired with scallops and other shellfish.

Durant Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, 2011 $26.99, A perfect example of the “new” Oregon Chardonnay. All neutral barrels showcase the natural texture and minerality found in Oregon’s best sites.

“Lazarus” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley 2011 $20.00,
Juicy, fresh, red and black raspberries with layers of spice and earth. Lazarus showcases the quality of artisanal winemaking at an affordable price, this is consistently one of the best Oregon Pinot Noir for QPR.

Durant Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2011 $36.99

Classic Oregon Pinot Noir blends elegance, dynamic fruit, and perfect balance. While delicious now, this is a perfect wine for cellaring for a few years and shows the world class quality here in our own backyard.

“Fool’s Journey” Srah/Viognier, Deux Vert Vineyard 2010 $28.99

One of the most unique wines you will ever try, and grown here in Oregon! From the Deux Vert Vineyard just outside of Yamhill, this is a wonderful expression of truly cool climate Syrah. Elegant flavos of black raspberry, exotix spice box, and smoke, wind with juicy fruit and bright acidity. Perhaps the perfect wine for duck confit!

5-7 pm, $5.

Liner & Elsen

No Tasting

Magnolia’s Corner

Chuck Whitman with Galaxy Imports pouring Friday

Famille Perrin was established in 1909. Over the years they have cultivated and promoted the different crus, or villages, in the southern Rhone Valley. Their crowning star has always been Chateau Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Renwood Winery was established in 1993 in Amador County. They have a great source of old vine Zinfandel and also purchase old vine Zinfandel grapes from other parts of California.

*Perrin Côtes du Rhône Blanc

A blend of Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Rousanne grown in sandy, clay, limestone soils.

*Perrin Côtes du Rhône Villages

The “Villages” designation connotes a higher quality vineyard selection. Only 20% of Cotes du Rhones have this designation. This is comprised of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Cinsault. No new oak.

*Perrin Vinsobres Les Cornuds Vinsobres is located in the most northern region of the southern Rhone. This wine is 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. 91 points The Wine Spectator.

*Renwood Clarion Amador 75% Zinfandel, 25% Syrah.

*Renwood Zinfandel Old Vine Dry Creek 100% Zinfandel.

*Renwood Zinfandel Fiddletown (Amador)  90% Zinfandel, 10% Syrah.

*Perrin Gigondas Les Gilles The Gigondas appellation tends to produce bigger style wines. 80% Grenache dominates with the balance being Syrah. 92 points Tanzer’s International Wine

Mt. Tabor Fine Wines

GLOBAL CHARDONNAY AND BYE BYE JOANNA

I can’t believe it. Our Joanna is leaving us for the Midwestern metropolis of Chicago. She’s been one of the “angles” at our Friday night tastings for almost 10 years and many of you have developed close friendships with her. I know we’ll all miss her terribly and this Friday will be a good opportunity to come in and say goodbye as she’ll be working her final tasting (tears!).

And while you’re here you can taste a flight of delicious Chardonnay from Italy, California and, of course, France. It’ll be fun to compare wines made from the same grape, grown in different climates and soils. Always informative and fun, but………………………

{ 0 comments }