jlburd
Member
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# Posted: Jun 26, 2008 10:28
Never been there but saw an extended tasting/interivew with the couple who own A to Z Wineworks in Dundee OR and they sound very approachable. Mostly whites but have a red called night & Day that has Merlot, Cab Savu, Cab France & then little bits of Syrah, grenache, nebbiola & tempranillo, sangiovese maybe, that sounded like these are adventurous people
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timo
Member
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# Posted: Aug 23, 2008 11:31
Long overdue Washington & Oregon report. If you have not considered this trip, it is fantastic. I have been to Napa, Sonoma, Alsace, Burgundy, all over the Rhone, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Walla Walla, WA was the most consistently pleasant day of tasting I've ever done (despite a speeding ticket - you can't ruin my fun, copper!)
Must taste Walla Walla locations:
Woodward Canyon: Artist Series Cab!
L'Ecole (next to Woodward for a powerful combo): Apogee & Perigee and Tom Fries Semillion, and wide catalog of consistent tasties
Tamarack: Cab Franc + Syrah 04 + great conversation with Sandy Kleck
Otis Kenyon: new shop, ultra friendly assistant winemaker Dreux Dillingham shows a HUGE merlot at $30, or really any price point for that matter. Look out for this!
Buty: tasting out of a small trailer, the CabFr/Merlot is worth it but they're out of everything else you'd want
Pepper Bridge: Serious Merlot, one of the best I've had States-side, ironically made by a Frenchman :-)
Other locations:
Columbia Crest: big winery that throws it's weight around the right way. Tasted a vertical of 5 Walter Clore Private Reserves ('00-'04). Hats off to an incredible tasting program for all levels of appreciation!
Chinook (Yakima Valley): Winemaker Clay Mackey is super hospitable and showed a few great selections including a Yakima Semillion 06 with loads of pineapple
Dishonorable mention: OK, I intentionally left out the less interesting stops, but Domaine Ste Michelle should be ashamed. They had a very nice property and large tasting room & combined shop, but they were tasting a "Summertime" menu that put me to sleep. All around me the walls were lined with Ethos and single vineyards, but I couldn't taste them! I'm more than willing to pay for a reserve tasting!
Oregon: The Willamette experience is similar to Napa, and outside of town are some great values.
Must taste Willamette:
Domaine Serene: hype that delivers. Two Barns is huge, Evenstad and Jerusalem Hill also fantastic
Domaine Drouhin: next to D.S, great views and tastes teleported me to Savingy-les-Beaune
Four Graces: Dundee Hills Res. is cedary, spicy with Burgundy-style earth
Outside of town:
Shafer: huge catalog and great prices. Miki Shafer does not believe a Pinot should cost more than $28, and her's are at least as good as many of Willamette's, with some aging potential.
Montinore: This was surprise stop. The 06 Reserve Pinot is full of earth, spice and menthol, the Grahm's Block 7 a dead ringer for Volnay
Needless to say, I checked my much heavier bags on the flight home.
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