A Toast to Our Winemakers!

For me, in these wet and dripping days of Winter I need that little glass of red wine.  And there's no better way to enjoy that wine than with some wonderful friends.  And better yet, to have the winemaker there to raise your glass in a toast to.

Galileo had it right, "Wine is sunshine held together by water."  In these dark days of Winter I need that little ray of Sunshine to remind me of the mystery of the seasons.  What would we do without that promise of a coming year?  I, for one, love to watch the vines go from bare and dormant to alive with new buds.  This is what makes wine more than a beverage, it transforms it into hope for a new life.

With that ode to wine, I wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday season.  Break out the good stuff and invite a few close friends over to toast the spirit and determination of our local winemakers.  We can do without Kings and Queens, but we could never survive without our winemakers!!

It Wasn't the Grinch who Stole Christmas!

Now don't get me wrong, I have my fair share of wonderful Christmas memories.  But facts are facts.  December 25 belonged to the ancient Romans and it wasn't egg nog that was being passed around!
Seems the Christians of the 4th Century AD thought it would suit their propaganda needs to swipe the annual celebration rites of the coming of Winter which included more than a toast or two to Bacchus.

The Romans called the celebration Brumalia.  A time to loosen the wheels of the imagination with predictions of the coming Winter.  And what better to do the loosening than wine.  Chances are it was vital to consume the newly fermented juice before it turned.   Any excuse seemed to work for those Romans.

(You will recognize this as the label for Chateau Non-Chalant!)

So in celebrating this time of year, why not embrace a wider perspective and include a Brumalia in your holiday schedule.  Remember that we owe an awful lot to the forces of nature and the divine place of wine in our lives.  Take time to reflect on the joy that this land brings us!

Umpqua Valley: The New Napa?

Just kidding! But seriously, many in the wine industry are nervous about the effects of global warming on the climate. We all know that grapes perform differently in different climates. What makes a Burgundy wine a Burgundy wine? Why, the terroir that it lives in, of course.

So when the scientists watch the climate changing in these famous regions, it leads to the conclusion that, sometime in the not too distant future, you may not be able to grow Burgundy wine in Burgundy!

This quote from a recent AP article says it all:

"Areas where wine can be cultivated are moving northward in Europe. Four or five decades ago, it was "absolutely absurd" to think wines could be grown significantly in Britain, Issaly said. "Alas, and this is a crying example of the consequences of global warming. Because of increasing temperatures, they are able to grow in Britain."

Thus, our children may be living in the new Napa, as far as climate goes. Napa will burn up and we will heat up enough to grow those lush Cab grapes, Sangiovese, Petite Syrah.

The Italian Varietals

Yes, Oregon, there are other varietals out there other than Pinot Noir. I guess not enough Italians migrated here to establish many of the famous grapes of Italy; Northern Italian varietals include, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, the famous Sangiovese of Chianti and most people have had Pinot Grigio, or as we call it here, Pinot Gris, a white.

We make some very delightful Dolcetto here. Palotai Vineyard comes to mind. However, we have yet to explore these other varietals. Sangiovese is a tricky vine and requires very specific growing conditions which we've yet to discover here.

Italian varietals are not has popular in Oregon then in, say, Mendocino County, CA where there's plenty of Italian decedents to go around! These grapes are hard to grow and are naturally market driven. Moral: Drink more Italian varietals from Oregon!

Please pass the Red!

Ah, winter in Oregon. Don't get me wrong, winter here is a joy compared to my youth growing up in Minnesota! This is the time of the year to break out those hearty Reds that have been sidelined for the hot summer months and are now the star attraction.

Personally, I prefer reds anytime of the year. When served at the proper temperature which is much cooler than most people think, that being around 65 degrees, reds are a anytime quaff.
It's true that I would lean towards a lighter red during the summer such as Pinot Noir or a Dolcetto, but when winter rolls around I'm all over the big guys: Cabs and Petite Sirahs, Zinfandels.

I like to keep it simple. A few slices of some great cheese such as Pecorino and cracked pepper crackers along side my Umpqua Valley Cab and away I go.

The point is that the cloudy weather doesn't mean that you have to stop exploring the local wines. When cabin fever sets in give us a call at 1-866-WINEVAN. We'll show you a good time and you can relax around the fireplace while sipping the latest releases. Yum!