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. 

PDX Urban Wineries Tasting

There are a number of wineries located in the Portland Metro Area...actually within the city limits. They are somewhat known by the collective name PDX Urban Wineries, and featured a tasting from members a couple weekends ago. The tasting was located at the winery facility for Seven Bridges Winery, down in the eastside industrial area under the Fremont Bridge. A great tasting, it showcased some of the areas best new winemaking talent, as well as grapes from all over the Northwest. Featured wineries and their wines with release prices were:

Vincent Wine Company
• 2010 Ribbon Ridge Pinot Noir ($24)
• 2010 Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir ($36)
• 2010 Armstrong Vineyard Pinot Noir ($36)
  
  Ribbon Ridge Vineyards
  
• 2007 Dewey Kelly Pinot Noir ($22)
• 2007 Ribbon Ridge Estate Pinot Noir ($32)
• Non-Vintage "Muse" Early Muscat dessert wine ($18)
  
  Helioterra Wines
  
• 2010 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($24)
• 2010 Vintner's Select Pinot Noir ($36)
• 2010 Walla Walla Valley Mourvédre barrel sample ($n/a)
  
  Grochau Cellars
  
• 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($24)
• 2009 Bjornson Vineyard Pinot Noir ($32)
• 2009 Rogue Valley Syrah ($22)
• 2009 Rogue Valley "Matador" Temranillo/Grenache/Syrah ($30)
  
  Jan-Marc Wine Cellars
  
• 2009 Columbia Gorge Chardonnay ($22)
• 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($28)
• 2009 Columbia Gorge Syrah ($22)
• 2009 "Bastard Red" Bordeaux-style blend ($22)
  
  ENSO Winery
  
• Non-vintage "Resonate White #3" ($14)
• 2010 Horse Heaven Hills Malbec ($24)
• 2010 Columbia Valley Zinfandel ($26)
• 2010 Shenandoah Valley Mourvédre ($28)
  
  Hip Chicks Do Wine
  
• 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris ($15)
• 2008 Sangiovese ($19)
• 2007 Reserve Malbec ($26)
• Non-vintage "Wine Bunny Rouge" ($16)
• Non-vintage "Vin Nombril" ($14)
• Non-vintage "Wine Bunny Blush" ($14)
  
  Seven Bridges Winery
  
• 2008 Walla Walla Valley Syrah ($24)
• 2008 Kolibri Vineyard (Yakima Valley) Reserve Malbec ($34)
• 2008 Columbia Valley "Prima Nata" Cab/Merlot/Malbec ($34)

A great tasting, in a very cool winery space. Standout wines for me were the Helioterra Mourvédre, Seven Bridges Prima Nata & Syrah, and the Vincent Pinots. Can't wait to see what these wineries do in the future!