Pucker Up
Sproing is nearly upon us
by Lance Sparks
Snooping for wine hauls us around to some strange and surprising places.
Couple weeks ago, we explored the hundred valleys of the beautiful Umpqua, checking new vineyards, new producers, chauffeured by Scott Henry, whose family settled in the valley just after the Civil War and whose wines, under the Henry Estate label, have been among those that defined Oregon as a prime wine-growing region. Scott Henry knows this valley like few others, yet even he got nearly lost among all the nooks, crannies, hills, dales, glens and gorges where new vineyards are being established.
We tasted around a hundred wines, including varietals that experts claimed would never ripen in Oregon — syrah, Grenache, tempranillo, merlot, cabernet sauvignon — and, of course, riesling, gewürztraminer, pinot noir, chardonnay. We’ve said it before, we’ll say it again: The Umpqua Valley will soon join the Willamette, Rogue and Columbia valleys as destinations for wine-lovers seeking distinctive interpretations of the relationship between grapes and land. Watch for Umpqua Valley on labels. Give our Southey neighbors some love; it’ll come home to us.
From our notes, just the highlights: Spangler 2006 Claret, Wild Rose 2007 Pinot Gris, Abacela 2008 Rosado, Girardet 2006 Grand Rouge, Delfino 2006 Tempranillo, Palotai 2007 Late Harvest Riesling, Henry Estate 2006 Riesling Select Harvest, MarshAnne Landing Cote de Umpqua (Rhone blend), Sienna Ridge 2005 Merlot, Brandborg 2006 Pinot Noir Ferris Wheel, Bradley 2007 Baco Noir. Platinum Medal from the competition went to Misty Oaks 2006 Pinot Noir, just delish.
Mole’s “cruelest month” shopping cart:
No secret, we’ve been mostly down on chardonnay, especially the over-oaked versions that taste like licking a chair leg, but this month we tripped into Durant Vineyards Dundee Hills 2006 Chardonnay ($17.50) and were amazed — lovely aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, hints of vanilla, smooth texture but enough acidity for food, just excellent. Durant is small but daring, and the wine is fine.
Spring veggies scream for lively white wines, like Léon Beyer 2004 Gewürztraminer, a beauty from France’s Alsace. Over a thousand years of growing grapes and making wines, these folks have almost got their rhythm, and Beyer’s gewürz is bright, crisp, with zingy grapefruit notes overlain with flowers, with zippy acidity for cheeses, pastas, cold meats. It’s bargain-priced now at $14.50, down from $21.95.
Zinfandel is distinctly American, mostly misused and misunderstood. Too many folks associate the term with schlocky-sweet pink wine — which it can be and has been — but it’s a black grape that makes a big, rowdy, high-alcohol juice best drunk while wearing chaps and spurs. Still, many winemakers keep trying to tame this mustang wine, turning a bronco into a hobby-horse. Happily, Three Angels 2007 Zinfandel ($19.95) from the Avery Vineyard in Columbia Valley retains some cowboy “spunk,” as they put it: bold flavors of black fruits, dash of pepper, whiff of sandalwood — yummy with BBQ.
Spring can’t sproing without pinot noir — basic rule. Find Winter’s Hill 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley and savor firm cherry flavors, dash of pepper, good structure, a bargain at $15.
Take heart, friends: Skies look a bit bluer, air’s sweeter, sun’s coming. April might be cruel, but May’s kisses are mighty sweet. Pucker up.
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
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