Owen Roe Wine Club Pick-Up Party

Owen Roe Winery in St. Paul, OR is relocating their winery to the Yakima Valley in Washington. A brand new winery facility is being built on their Union Gap Vineyard (estate), and all winemaking will move there after 2013 harvest. Rumor has it Owen Roe will move their Oregon tasting room to an old nut barn in the Newberg area sometime in early 2014 (location to be announced). 

As a side note, the "old" Owen Roe winery has been taken over by Lady Hill Winery, owned by ex-Owen Roe partner Jerry Owen, with ex-Owen Roe director of winemaking Erik Brasher as winemaker. Expect some amazing wines under the Radicle Vine, Procedo, Ad Lucem, Lady Hill and Pinnacle labels coming from them in the very near future. 

The final Owen Roe wine club pickup party at the old winery was Sept. 14, and I attended with several good friends. Free for club members and their guests ($10 for all others), the following wines were offered for tasting (and sale - 15% wine club discount!): 

• 2012 Corvidae "Wise Guy" Sauvignon Blanc ($10)
• 2012 Owen Roe "DuBrul Vineyard" Chardonnay ($48) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Eola-Amity" Pinot Noir ($42) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Lenne Vineyard" Pinot Noir ($55) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Merriman Vineyard - Wadenswil Block" Pinot Noir ($55) 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Sharecropper's" Pinot Noir ($21)
• 2012 Owen Roe "Abbot's Table" Red Blend ($24) - Great blend of 5 varietals 
• 2012 Owen Roe "Sharecropper's" Cabernet Sauvignon ($15) - A great value Cabernet 
• 2011 Owen Roe "Yakima Valley" Cabernet Sauvignon ($55) - New offering this year 
• 2011 Owen Roe "Red Willow Vineyard - 1973 Block" Cabernet Sauvignon ($72) - Always a favorite
• 2011 Owen Roe "DuBrul Vineyard" Cabernet Sauvignon ($72) - Wine of the Tasting for me 

As always, a great event, and amazing red wine line up! I love all of the Owen Roe Cabernets. I look forward to visiting the new winery on my next trip to Yakima. 

Willamette Valley Wine Tasting

Some friends and I attended a couple of wine events down in the Carlton area, and decided to hit up several other wineries in the general area as well. Although we visited the tasting room at Adelsheim Vineyards, I didn't purchase a tasting, and only had sips of the other's wine, so I didn't include them in this post.

Cana's Feast Winery
Wine Club pickup party, with delicious winery chef-prepared food pairings (noted below in the tasting notes).

• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery Bricco - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Paired with roasted eggplant salad with blackened tomato vinaigrette. Seems rather primal at this point, but was our first wine of the day. A blend of 89% Sangiovese, 7.5% Syrah and 3.5% Barbera, from Ciel du Cheval, Seven Hills, and Coyote Canyon vineyards. Very plummy, with a bit of earthiness also. Acidity was a bit too bright, and felt like it was burning my mouth. Tannins were smooth, and fruit was front and center. (85 pts.)


• 2007 Cana's Feast Winery Barbera - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Paired with roasted chicken thighs stuffed with proscuitto di parma, porcini mushrooms and grana padano. Spicy red fruit, nice acidic zing, and well-integrated tannins make for a nice-drinking wine. Fruit sourced from Ciel du Cheval and Coyote Canyon vineyards. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery Pinot Noir Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Paired with chanterelle and morbier bread custard with speck. Very tasty and drinking well with some air. Cherry pie, tobacco and leather. Just a perfect Oregon Pinot. Fruit sourced from Elton Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. (90 pts.)


• 2007 Cana's Feast Winery Sangiovese Grosso - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Paired with Ribollita (a bean soup with olive oil and homemade croutons). This was just bottled, according to the winemaker. Lots of black cherry and strawberry flavors, with lots of acid and some drying tannins. Fruit is from the first certified VCR6 clone (used primarily in Brunello wines) planting in the US. Will be interesting to see how this develops with age. Still showing its infancy now. (89 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery Bricco Two Rivers Reserve - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Paired with braised boneless beef short ribs with red wine and bitter chocolate. What a difference 6+ months makes! This wine is really starting to drink nicely. The overabundant oak I got from a prior tasting was much better integrated, and the sweet (mostly) red mountain fruit was singing. Nice blackberries, cassis and vanilla. Drinking well now, but use even another 6-12 months of bottle age. (92 pts.)

Owen Roe Winery
This was the Autumn Open House/Release event, hosted at the AgriVino Event Center on Abbey Road Farm outside of Carlton.

• 2008 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Very peachy fruit...bright acidity, but just not a wine I can get into. Maybe I'm just not a fan of Pinot Gris? (83 pts.)


• 2008 O'Reilly's Chardonnay - USA, Oregon
  Nice pear fruit in this light straw-colored Chardonnay. Zing of acidity is nice. The wine is quite refreshing on this 85 degree day. (86 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "The Kilmore" - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  I just LOVE the 2008 vintage Oregon Pinot noirs! I was (am) not a fan of the lighter, more burgundian 2007's. Just my tastes...I'm not a big fan of Burgundy either. This wine is everything 2007 wasn't. Big, fruity, dark, and mouthcoating. Lots of cherry fruit, and a wee bit of tannic bite. May need a year to settle down. (88 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Pinot Noir Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  Much lighter than the other 2008's, and more like a Burgundy. Some spicy cherry fruit, with a nice layer of saddle leather. (87 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
  A tiny 4-barrel lot (70 cases) of Pinot noir sourced from Anna's Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, comes this very dark, spicy wine. Very tasty, and maybe tied for my favorite Owen Roe Pinot at this tasting. Sweet cherry fruit, lots of spices and acidity. (89 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Pinot Noir Solomon Hills Vineyard Santa Maria Valley - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
  The California Pinot noir this year. Definitely not my favorite...higher acidity than is comfortable, with some cherry fruit wrapped around some lightly drying tannins. (85 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon
  Probably my favorite Pinot at the tasting. It just seemed more evolved than the others. Strawberry fruit, a touch of leather and earth. Much deeper in flavor and color than the previous vintage. (89 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Abbot's Table - USA, Oregon/Washington
  This wine typically needs 6+ months in the bottle to start coming around (unless it is the 2007, which never really did). After a wonderful 2006 vintage (heavy on the Zinfandel) of this wine, I loaded up with 6 bottles of the Sangiovese-based 2007 (untasted) and got burned. And it still isn't anywhere near the delicious 2006. So when the Zin-heavy 2008 was released, I was quite happy! But, learning from my 2007 mistake, I only picked up 4 bottles this time. I'm kind of glad I did, because I wasn't too impressed with the wine. Admittedly, it is still quite young, but the wine seemed rather flat and unexciting. I was hoping for the deep fruit of the 2006, but it fell short. Some sweet blue and black fruit was present, but the finish was quite bitter. I'm hoping this wine comes around by 2010. (87 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Sinister Hand - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  I typically love the Sinister Hand Rhone blend (62% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 3% Mourvedre), and 2008 is no different. Showing it's youth, definitely, but going to be a great wine for sure. Black fruits, pepper, and nice mouthfeel. Can't wait to pick some up for a vertical... (90 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris - USA, Oregon/Washington, Columbia Valley
  Probably my wine of the tasting. Everything just works with this wine. Blackberry, pepper, some blueberry, smoke, all wrapped up with nice tannins and acidity. Drinking well now. (92 pts.)


• 2008 Owen Roe Syrah "Lady Rosa" - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Not sure where the time went...I hadn't even had a chance to pickup any of the 2007 and the 2008 is already here. How time flies...This wine is quite young, but shows much promise. Peppery blackberry and cassis, with bacon fat and smoked meat. Makes me wonder if there is some Viognier in this. I like it, but it needs a year or so to come together. (89 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  24% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Franc, and 33% Cabernet Sauvignon from Yakima Valley. Very young and tight...lots of drying tannins and bright acidity. The fruit is there too, in the form of gobs of earthy blackberries, but this wine is needing time to come together. Very disjointed right now. Hopefully we will see some progress in 6-12 months. I personally would hold this one until 2011. (91 pts.)

Adelsheim Vineyards
No tasting notes taken. I will say, however, that their winery is beautiful (and with the huge solar panel array, quite 'green', I'm sure), and the wines were very tasty. While I wasn't a huge fan of their 2007's (and most 2007's in general), their 2006 was a knockout. I can't wait to try their 2008's!


ArborBrook Vineyards
After leaving Adelsheim Vineyards, we decided to continue up the road and do a random drop-in tasting at ArborBrook.

• 2008 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Gris Croft - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Definitely not my style of wine. Seems lacking...bright fruit and acidity, but missing depth in the midpalate. (82 pts.)


• 2008 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Gris Ana Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
  This is more like it. Oak barrel-fermented, boosting up the midpalate nicely. (86 pts.)


• 2007 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Noir Heritage Cuvée - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Rather thin and acidic. A touch of that signature leather, and light strawberry and cherry flavors. Missing something... (87 pts.)


• 2007 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate 777 Block - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
  Now we're getting somewhere! Nice cherry and currant fruit, with a good deal of leather and tobacco. Lighter than the 2005 I enjoyed previously. (88 pts.)


• 2007 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Noir Vintner's Select Arbor Brook Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Yamhill County
  Definitely from the best barrels of the year, with some additional aging. Big sour cherry fruit, with saddle leather funk. I like it! A bit darker and more mouthcoating than the other Pinots also. Looking forward to their 2008's! (89 pts.)


• 2007 ArborBrook Vineyards Sémillon "Sydney" - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Wow, this was somewhat of a surprise! Late harvest, like November or something...from Klipsun Vineyard. Somewhat oily, and quite mouthcoating. I wouldn't be able to handle more than a 1/2 glass of this in one sitting. Just way too sweet for my palate, but what a wine! (88 pts.)

Tasting notes posted from my event on CellarTracker.

A Taste of Two Rooks

Seeing as how Corvidae Wine Co., the new Owen Roe value label, made two different versions of their 2007 "Rook" red blend, I thought I'd get a bottle of each and taste them head-to-head. First, a little information about each wine, and then the tasting notes.

The Oregon blend was from 100% Southern Oregon fruit: 77% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ironbird Vineyard in the Applegate Valley AVA (also providing all of the fruit for the Owen Roe Ironbird Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon), as well as 15% Syrah and 8% Merlot from undisclosed vineyards in the Rogue Valley AVA. The resulting wine is 13.0% alcohol, and was bottled at Owen Roe's St. Paul, OR winery.

The Washington blend is 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Syrah and 28% Merlot, sourced from undisclosed vineyards in the Columbia Valley AVA (check out the Owen Roe Vineyards List to see the potential vineyards used), and bottled at Owen Roe's new Sunnyside, WA winery. Alcohol is at 14.3%, reflecting the higher brix of their Washington-sourced fruit. And now my tasting notes:

• 2007 Corvidae Wine Co. Rook Cabernet - Merlot - Syrah - USA, Oregon
  Color is a dark maroon with a bit of purple, just slightly lighter than the Washington wine. Nice fruity nose of blackberries with just a touch of plums and earth. Quite smooth in the mouth, although lacking a bit on the mid-palate...Seems somewhat thin there. Tastes of black fruit and some bittersweet chocolate, with Asian spices, following to a medium length finish. A very tasty blend, but seems like it needs something on the mid-palate. (90 pts.)


• 2007 Corvidae Wine Co. Rook Cabernet - Merlot - Syrah - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Color is darker than the Oregon wine, with more purple tones added to the maroon. On the nose, this wine is more sweet smelling, but needs some swirling to bring about the aromas. A touch of black pepper in there also. On the palate, this is much more full-bodied than the Oregon blend, with big blackberry fruit and black pepper notes. Mid-palate is nicely rounded and not as thin as the Oregon blend. The wine ends with a long finish of berry and dark chocolate. Much more sweetness in the fruit also. I definitely like the Washington blend more, although I think both wines will improve with 6-12 months of additional bottle age, but not much more than that. (92 pts.)

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Owen Roe at Great Wine Buys

OWEN ROE WINE TASTING - Great Wine Buys, 1515 NE Broadway, Portland, OR 97232 (4/18/2009)

A free wine tasting hosted by Great Wine Buys, poured by Eric Brasher, the Director of Winemaking for Owen Roe Winery.

Corvidae Wine Company - The new budget label from Owen Roe, with great QPRs!

• 2007 Corvidae Wine Co. Rook Cabernet - Merlot - Syrah - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  77% Cabernet Sauvignon from Ironbird Vineyard in Applegate Valley (So. OR), 15% Syrah, and 8% Merlot. Quite fruity on the nose, with lots of plum and blackberry. Nice and rich, coating the mouth nicely. Fantastic QPR! (91 pts.)


• 2006 Corvidae Wine Co. Syrah Lenore - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Peppery blackberries, with a touch of blue fruit as well. A tad bitter on the finish. Not as good a showing as the last time I tried this, but it was decanted last time... (90 pts.)


• 2007 Corvidae Wine Co. Cabernet Franc The Keeper - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Not labeled yet, so will be released in about a month. Mostly Cabernet Franc, with a dollop of Sangiovese to add some acidity. Lots of tobacco notes, with some wood and cassis flavors as well. (89 pts.)


• 2007 Corvidae Wine Co. Petite Sirah Fable - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Also not labeled yet, and will be available in about a month. This monster was still quite primal, with wild aromas of chocolate and flowers. Some nice earthy raspberry or blackberry flavors, and a touch of dark chocolate on the finish. Quite interesting...a Washington Petite Sirah! (90 pts.)

Owen Roe Winery - The top-end wines from Owen Roe.

• 2007 Owen Roe Cabernet Franc Rosa Mystica - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  I really enjoyed the 2006 vintage of this wine, so I was looking forward to trying the 2007. I was not disappointed! Still showing a bit young, there was lots of ripe berry and some earthy black olives present. Tasty, but I think it deserves some more time. (90 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Syrah "Lady Rosa" - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  WOW! This was by far the wine of the tasting for me. Damn...I overheard the winery rep stating that the 2 Owen Roe wines had been opened the day before, and allowed to breathe. Maybe that was what made this wine work so well, compared to the last time I had it (Thanksgiving), or maybe it was the additional 6 months in bottle. Whichever, this wine rocked the house! Black as night, huge, coating mouthfeel, and so rich and complex I had to keep smelling and sipping! Violets, blueberry and pepper are all present and accounted for. This is a delicious wine...I may need to pick some up! (94 pts.)

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Carlton Wineries

THANKSGIVING WINE TASTING - Carlton, OR (11/28/2008)

Our annual tasting excursion to Oregon wine country via limo service. In attendance: Robert, Dietra, Trish, Lisa, Phil, Jason, Andreas and Trude'.

Lenne Estate Winery
Pouring their own Lenne Pinot Noir wines, as well as "friend wines" from ZanZibar Cellars and Owen Roe. All were quite delicious, with the Owen Roe wines being my favorite of the day.

• 2006 Zanzibar Cellars Chardonnay Playa Sol - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice chardonnay, with beautiful fruit, nice earthiness and acidity. DuBrul vineyard was the source for this wine. (92 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Riesling DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Consistent with prior tasting notes. Floral, sweet, with nice citrus fruit. (87 pts.)


• 2007 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Le Nez - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Seemed quite young and disjointed. Not very integrated yet...I liked the 2006 much better! Fruit was muted, earth was prominent. Tannins light, but present. Give this one another 6 months to a year in the bottle for it to shine. (86 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "The Kilmore" - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  This one seems very young to me. Fruit from Lenne Estate vineyard, as well as another about 10 miles from Lenne (can't remember the name). nice earth, acidity and light tannins. Fruit is hiding at the moment. Give it 6-12 months to show. (88 pts.)


• 2007 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Much like the Le Nez before this. Muted fruit, but nice earthiness. Give it 6-12 months to integrate. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Much tastier than the 2007. Fruit has come around and is shining nicely. Earthiness is still there as well, and integration is complete. Tasty wine! (89 pts.)


• 2006 Lenne Estate Pinot Noir Karen's Pommard Estate - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Now THIS is how I like my Pinot Noir! Wow...fruit exploding on the palate, with dark raspberries and earth, with some strawberry and leather as well. Excellent wine! Price is a bit out of my range, but if I had the scratch, would be buying much of this. (92 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Syrah "Lady Rosa" - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  First time I've tasted this Syrah, and frankly, I wasn't impressed. The Ex Umbris, at half the cost, is better in my opinion. While thick and dark, the fruit really didn't shine like I expected it to. Blackberries and earth, chewy and thick. Mild tannins, and a long fruity finish. Nice, but not $45 nice. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  As always, this blend is one of my favorites. Just released a couple months ago, this wine is still showing its youth. Needs another 6-9 months before I'd consider opening a bottle, preferrably a year or two. If you have the 2005, drink it now and cellar this one for another year. Excellent integration of raspberry fruit, earth, acidity and tannins. Built to last 10 years, but enjoyable in the short term as well. If you drink it now, prepare to decant for a couple hours at least. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Wow...delicious! This definitely needs a year to come around. Tight, tannic, and somewhat backward at the moment. Spent much time swirling this in my glass to get it to loosen up, and was rewarded with big blackberry fruit, saddle leather, tobacco, and a floral component. Very happy that I already have two bottles in my cellar, thanks to the Market of Choice on Terwilliger! (95 pts.)


• 2004 Madrone Mountain Late Bottled Port - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Applegate Valley
  Very interesting port-style wine. The first time I've seen a Bordeaux blend as a dessert wine before: 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petit Verdot. Much too sweet for my palate, but that's what this wine is all about. Chunks of sediment in everyone's glass too. Not a wine for me. (80 pts.)

Ken Wright Cellars

• 2007 Ken Wright Pinot Blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice sweetness that I wasn't expecting. Pineapple, honeydew melon, with a touch of raisin. (85 pts.)


• 2007 Ken Wright Chardonnay Celilo Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Gorge
  A delicious chardonnay! Nice acidity, but could use another 6 months in bottle to integrate better. Good granny smith apple and citrus flavors. (90 pts.)


• 2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Canary Hill - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
  Barrel sample. Green, green, green! Admittedly, this has only been in barrel for about a month. Bitter green pepper flavors prevail. Some fruit in there, but just barely. Harsh tannins as well. Can't see the potential in this wine yet. No rating.


• 2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Savoya - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Barrel sample. Another very green, harsh example of just harvested fruit. Lots of olive characteristics in this wine. Tannins are less pronounced than the Canary Hill sample, but fruit is just as hidden. No rating.


• 2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
  Barrel sample. Now THIS wine has potential! Even though it has only been in barrel for a month or so, fruit is already showing nicely, and tannins are prominently appearing on the finish. My favorite of the three barrel samples we tasted by a long shot. Case purchase requirements kept me from buying futures of this wine...No rating.

Tyrus Evan (no winery website available)

• 2007 Tyrus Evan Chardonnay Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Yamhill County
  One of the best examples of Southern Oregon Chardonnay I've tasted to date. A bit over-oaked for my tastes, but really nice pear and canteloupe fruit. (89 pts.)


• 2005 Tyrus Evan Claret Ciel du Cheval Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Nice blend of Red Mountain fruit. Earthiness, surrounded by outstanding raspberry fruit. Bright acidity keeps the fruit and tannins in check. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Tyrus Evan Claret Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Strawberries, with nice earthiness and minerality. Way different than the Ciel Du Cheval Claret, as this one is 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec. (90 pts.)


• 2006 Tyrus Evan Syrah Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
  Yum! Plummy, with serious chocolate and coffee flavors. Very happy I have a bottle of this in the cellar! (92 pts.)


• 2006 Tyrus Evan Syrah Del Rio Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley
  Big cherry notes, deep earth flavors and a nice sweet finish. Just released a couple months ago, this wine is rockin! (92 pts.)

Scott Paul Wines

• 2006 Philippe Chavy Bourgogne Blanc - France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc
  Highly acidic, but with nice pear and citrus fruit coming through. Very intense flavors, seemingly searing my palate with citric acid. (86 pts.)


• 2006 Jean-Marc Millot Côte de Nuits Villages - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages
  Cherry fruit, but with an underlying barnyard/poop flavor. Not enjoyable. (77 pts.)


• 2007 Scott Paul Wines Pinot Noir Cuvée Martha Pirrie - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Cherry fruit again, but not the barnyard of the previous wine. Flavorful, and showing its youth for sure. Give this one another year to really shine. (86 pts.)


• 2006 Scott Paul Wines Pinot Noir La Paulee - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  One of the only Pinots today that I've been able to taste the oak. It's nice in this wine, giving it structure and strength. Raspberry fruit, with a black cherry component. Leather flavors are also present, making this one of the more interesting Pinots of the day. (89 pts.)


• 2007 Scott Paul Wines Pinot Noir Audrey - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Wow. This wine is young and green, but with a LOT of promise. Showing some cherry fruit, but overshadowed by the green olive and tannins. This hasn't been released yet, and for good reason. Another year will serve this wine well. I expect it will rock the house eventually... (88 pts.)

Raptor Ridge Winery

• 2007 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Black cherry, saddle leather, and a mineral component. Tasty! (87 pts.)


• 2007 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Adolfo's Block - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
  Much more flavor than the regular Willamette Valley cuvee. Black cherry, tobacco and earth flavors swimming around in the mouth. (88 pts.)


• 2006 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Much bigger than the other two offerings. More fruit--raspberries, leather and dirt, mixed with a nice floral component. The additional year definitely served this wine well, as the two 2007 wines seemed too young to be very enjoyable. (89 pts.)

Carlton Cellars

• 2007 Carlton Cellars Pinot Noir Roads End - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Weak showing. Not much fruit, and a somewhat bitter green finish. I'm not impressed, even with such a young example. (80 pts.)


• 2007 Carlton Cellars Pinot Noir Cape Lookout Russell-Grooters Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
  Much better than the 2007 Roads End Pinot. More cherry fruit showing through, with some plum and bittersweet chocolate on the finish. Still quite young however. Give it another 6-12 months before thinking about drinking this one. (85 pts.)

Cana's Feast Winery

• 2007 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Rosato - USA, Washington
  Probably the second best rose wine I've ever had. Great fruit and acidty integration. This would be an excellent summer sipper! (88 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Bricco - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Nice sangio blend, with strawberry fruit and a touch of earth. (87 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Sangiovese Bricco - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Just released. Good fruit - raspberry, plum and some earthiness as well. Needs a bit more time to integrate the tannins and acidity with the fruit. Still a bit tight. (88 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Bricco Two Rivers - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very tannic...surprising. Blackberry fruit with an asphalt component. I like the 2004 much better. (85 pts.)


• 2005 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Syrah Bricco - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Black pepper and blueberries are what this wine is all about. Lovely, and my favorite of the tasting. (92 pts.)


• 2004 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Pinot Noir Cana's Feast Cuvée G Willamette Valley - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Such a lovely Pinot! Big cherry fruit, with earth, leather, pepper and black olive flavors. Tasty! (88 pts.)


• 2003 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Cana's Feast Red Mountain - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Red Mountain
  Great blend, with excellent integration. Oak is present, but not overpowering. This wine just 'works'. Everything is in place and it all comes together nicely. Blueberry and blackberry fruits, with nice earth and a floral component as well. Long finish with fine tannins. (91 pts.)

Gino Cuneo Cellars

• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Tre Nova Secopassa - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Not sure on the varietal(s) used in this wine, but this is an Amarone-style wine with big flavors of black fruit and sweet figs. Needs more time, but showing some nice potential! (90 pts.)


• 2006 Cana's Feast Winery (Cuneo) Pinot Noir Tre Nova Dolcepassa - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  Very sweet and smooth. Made from pinot noir grapes (!), the wine is made in a "Recioto" or Amarone style, with the grapes being dried for 3-4 months. (85 pts.)

Photos of our crazy group are available on Flickr.

Tasting notes posted from CellarTracker

Wine Tasting - Owen Roe Wines at Hollywood Wine & Espresso's 3-Year Anniversary

3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY WITH OWEN ROE - Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Portland, OR (9/18/2008)

Hollywood Wine & Espresso celebrated their 3rd anniversary with a special Owen Roe Wines tasting event, that ran Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I attended Thursday with my girlfriend Kristina, and Friday with friends Mark, Trish and Phil. 10 Owen Roe wines featured, for a paltry $10 tasting fee.

O'Reilly's Wines

The first three wines are from Owen Roe's lower cost label, O'Reilly's, named for winemaker David O'Reilly.

• 2006 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  Nice fruit, with some melon and citrus. Decently acidity as well. (83 pts.)


• 2007 O'Reilly's Riesling - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Bright, slightly sweet. Much tastier than the Gris. (84 pts.)


• 2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Noir Oregon - USA, Oregon
  Much lighter and thinner than the 2006, and much less flavorful. Almost bitter, but, this IS a very young wine. (85 pts.)

Sharecropper's Wines

The second pair of wines are from the mid-price label, Owen Roe Sharecropper's.

• 2007 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon
  Wow, this is like night and day, compared to the 07- O'Reilly's Pinot. Great nose of earth and cherry, following to the palate. Very tasty! (88 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Great fruit, nice low tannins, and very smooth drinking. A tasty cab at a great QPR! (90 pts.)

Owen Roe Wines

The final, and largest, flight was of true Owen Roe wines, with a mix of their lower-level tier, and one from their upper-level tier. Delicious, all!

• 2007 Owen Roe Abbot's Table - USA, Oregon/Washington
  Much more integrated than the last time I tried this, with much lower tannin levels, and much smoother fruit. I think this is going to be outstanding in 6 months to a year! (90 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Sinister Hand - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  A bit on the thin side for a Syrah/Grenache/Mourvedre blend. Nice fruit, some pepper and earthiness in there as well. Again, in 6-18 months, this will be drinking fine! (90 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris - USA, Oregon/Washington, Columbia Valley
  Delicious. Pepper and smoke on the nose, with dark fruits and a very long, tasty finish. Always one of my favorite Owen Roe wines. (93 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Zinfandel - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley
  I'm not usually a Zin fan, but wow! This wine is intense...not the hyperfruity spice juice most Zins taste to me. Great berry fruit, some earth, pepper and low tannins make this one a serious 'drink now' candidate. (91 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Red Wine Yakima Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Most definitely my Wine of the Night. Just incredible blend of fruit, acidity and tannins. So easy to drink, and with another year or so in the bottle, I can see this wine pulling down a 95 score from me. Outstanding!! (93 pts.)

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Wine Tasting - Owen Roe Spring Release Party

OWEN ROE SPRING RELEASE PARTY - Ecotrust Building, Portland, OR (5/3/2008)

Owen Roe Winery's annual Spring Release wine tasting event, featuring their 2007 Crawford-Beck vineyard Pinot Gris and 2006 DuBrul vineyard Merlot. Held at the EcoTrust Building, in the Pearl District area of NW Portland. Attended with my girlfriend, Kristina and enjoyed some fine Oregon wines!

Owen Roe Whites

Current release white wines. Did not taste the 2006 O'Reilly's Chardonnay, 2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Gris, 2001, 2002, and 2007 Owen Roe Crawford-Beck / Casa Blanca Vineyard Pinot Gris.

• 2007 O'Reilly's Riesling - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Very sweet, seemed like a lot of residual sugar. Fairly smooth, nice citrus on the nose. First wine of the day...Good/Very Good - 84 points. (84 pts.)


• 2007 Owen Roe Riesling DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Very floral nose, citrus, some grapefruit maybe. Seemed somewhat young, with the flavors not really pulling through yet. Still a very nice white, with solid acidty, and nice sugar levels. This one is built to last! Very Good/Excellent - 87 points. (87 pts.)

Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical

Vertical tasting of the DuBrul Vineyard Merlot, 1999 - 2006.

• 1999 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  VERY impressive! Smooth, great fruit flavors...lots of blueberry, blackberry, and a hint of something floral. Just like drinking velvet...soft and luscious on the tongue. Outstanding - 92 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (92 pts.)


• 2000 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Nice wine, good nose of plums, with a touch of olives. Flavors of dark berry fruit, no olives, and some decent acidty, although not as integrated or velvety as the 99. Outstanding - 90 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (90 pts.)


• 2001 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Huge wine, with tons of smells and flavors running around. Cassis, blackberry, chocolate, some earthiness in there. Just a wonderfully complex, full-flavored wine, and Wine of the Tasting for me. Outstanding - 94 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (94 pts.)


• 2002 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Seems somewhat more closed than previous vintages in this tasting. Still lovely nose, earth, smoked meat, blackberry. Some of the same hits the palate, but not the intensity of fruit flavors as I was expecting, although it is still delicious, but compared to the previous 3 vintages, not as much. Outstanding - 91 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (91 pts.)


• 2003 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Now we're talking! After a somewhat disappointing 2002, the 2003 is rockin' it! Great blackberry, cherry, and vanilla flavors. A bit tannic and oaky still, with solid acidity. Some drying tannins on the finish. Outstanding - 93 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (93 pts.)


• 2004 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Fruit bomb! Huge huge berry fruit nose and flavors. Just way over the top, over extracted, without the tannins or acidity to keep the fruit in check. It's still a really nice merlot, but the fruit really pushes the limit. Excellent - 89 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (89 pts.)


• 2005 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Young still, but you can tell this one is age-worthy. Excellent integration, with good acidity levels, tannins are still a bit harsh, but berry fruit, licorice, some oaky vanilla flavors are there to back it up. Outstanding - 92 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (92 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Merlot DuBrul Vineyard - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  A monster! Huge wine, very very young. One of the most powerful merlots, if not THE most powerful, that I've ever had the pleasure of drinking. I won't be opening my bottle anytime in the next several years. Needs time, but I can tell it's going to be a phenomenal wine as it matures. Outstanding - 93 points (Owen Roe DuBrul Merlot Vertical, 99-06). (93 pts.)

Owen Roe Reds

Current release red wines.

• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon "Sharecropper's" - USA, Oregon, Columbia Valley
  Happy that I have a bottle in the cellar. Very nice, smooth wine, not too tannic or acidic, smooth and easy to drink. Might need to pick up a couple more (great QPR at $15-$18 retail). Outstanding - 91 points. (91 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Sauvignon Walla Walla Valley - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley
  VERY young, with heavy tannins and oakiness. GV would say "oak monster!" I liked the fruit under the tannic crush of oak, but it took some time swirling in the glass to bring it out. Excellent - 89 points. (89 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Syrah Ex Umbris - USA, Oregon/Washington, Columbia Valley
  Rich, luscious, great smokey dark fruits, some chocolate in there. Lovely wine. Very happy that I have 4 in the cellar. Time will tell if this one can stand up to the extrordinary 2005. Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)


• 2006 Owen Roe Cabernet Franc Slide Mountain - USA, Washington, Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley
  Outstanding wine with lots of diverse flavors. Cedar wood, tobacco, blueberry, with some chocolate in there as well. A very nice way to end the tasting! Outstanding - 92 points. (92 pts.)

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