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Willamette Valley

Yamhill Valley Vineyards

by Mike on January 23, 2012

Yamhill Valley Vineyards is the oldest winery in the Mcminnville AVA (American Viticultrural Area). Yamhill grows, produces and bottles all of their own grapes right at the vineyard. They have 150 beautiful acres on the rolling foothills of Oregon’s Coast Range Mountains, one hour southwest of Portland in the Willamette Valley.

Since our first vintage in 1983 our wines have consistently won top honors in tastings and judgings across the nation. Our 1983 Pinot Noir was the first place preference in the famous Wine Center in New York City. From our beginning we have been stubbornly dedicated to the pursuit of a character that is distinctively Oregon and distinctively Yamhill Valley. Our goal is to bring forth from this unusual and exciting property the finest possible expression of its intensity, charm and uniqueness.

They produce a variety of wines from our estate plantings of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Riesling. Buy from their store here and read the reviews here.

Yamhill Valley Vineyards on Facebook

WINTER HOURS
Thursday – Monday 11am-4pm
Closed Tuesday and Wednesday

Yamhill Valley Vineyards
16250 S.W. Oldsville Rd.
McMinnville, OR 97128
(503) 843-3100

yamhillvalleyvineyards@gmail.com

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Noble Pig Vineyards

by Mike on August 17, 2010

I came across Noble Pig, a new vineyard, when I first started planning Pouregon. I love the logo, the name, and their story. Today they announced, after a long wait, they are finally selling their wine. (Please check out their food blog, absolutely delicious stuff.)

Noble Pig is a small, family-owned vineyard and boutique winery specializing in micro-production lots of Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. Founded in 2008 with the purchase of an 88-acre parcel of land just west of McMinnville, Oregon. Four acres of Pinot Noir were planted in May 2010.

The vineyard is located in the McMinnville AVA where a significant geological history has helped shape a highly complex and varied terroir. Fifty-five million years ago the Cascade Mountain lava flows and tectonic plate movements created the Coast Range Mountains which today keep the property in a protected weather shadow with rainfall lower than sites only twenty miles away. Our soils are primarily uplifted marine sedimentary loams and silts with a base of uplifting basalt. Harder rock and compressed sediments of basalt pebbles and stone are found under an average 20-40 inch soil depth, giving us a unique soil complexity on which to grow our grapes. Afternoon winds from the nearby coast help to control mold and mildew on the grapes during humid summer days.

The fruit from their 2008 Pinot Noir and 2008 Pinot Gris were sourced from vines grown at Coleman Vineyard in the McMinnville AVA of the Willamette Valley. Their goal to create wines that reflect balance and purity of fruit came to fruition with the 2008 vintage. The cool, breezy and sunny days of the 2008 harvest allowed the hang time necessary to develop the flavors and nuances apparent in these elegant wines.

2008 NOBLE PIG PINOT NOIR MCMINNVILLE AVA
This graceful wine was handcrafted with uncompromising quality into a memorable, Burgundian-style Pinot Noir. This wine was made from 100% Pinot Noir fruit and sourced from clones, Pommard and Dijon 114 and 115. It is an exceptional expression of wine of place. The cooling effect of the nearby Oregon Coast allows the grapes to slowly ripen on the vine. Aged 12 months in French Oak, this Pinot Noir has a silky, velvety texture with soft supple and structural tannins playing a supportive role. Especially nice with grilled salmon, ahi tuna, filet mignon, beef bourguignon, veal parmesan, mushroom risotto, pork tenderloin, roasted chicken and shellfish dishes. Limited to 100 cases.

2008 NOBLE PIG PINOT GRIS MCMINNVILLE AVA
Pinot Gris, popularized as one of the noble grapes of Alsace, finds an ideal second home in Oregon. The cool climate of the Willamette Valley and the influence of volcanic soils matured these grapes into a zesty wine kissed with hints of grapefruit, Meyer lemon and key lime. Acidity plays the starring role here, each sip ending with a crisp, steely finish. Refreshing and exquisitely tart, a sure bet to serve with white, flaky fish, grilled salmon, light pastas and will stand up nicely to spicy Asian fare. Limited to 100 cases.

22734 Southwest Latham Road
Mcminnville, OR 97128-8825
(503) 843-2707
Map It

You can follow them on Twitter.

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Amity Vineyard’s 4th of July Event

by Mike on June 29, 2010

Ana from 365DaysToANewMe.com called me to tell me about Amity Vineyard’s event this weekend but wanted to make sure I waited until she had made her reservation. With that out of the way here is the fantastic deal they have.

Amity Vineyards will be hosting a 4th of July party. No need to bring anything other than yourselves and maybe a lawn chair or blanket for relaxing and taking in the summer sun on the grassy knoll in front of our mobile chateau. The winery and its staff will provide all of the food—pulled pork and beef brisket as well as some yummy sides and desserts—and drinks you desire. Josh Clauson will provide the entertainment. See you on the 4th!

Without trying to sound like an infomercial, how much do you think this costs? $50? $35? $20? Nope. Just $5 and no catches that I can find. Oh, and if you are a wine club member it’s free. Hours are short, 12:30pm – 3:30pm, but you are still left with time to get to wherever you want to watch the fireworks.

And just in case you aren’t familiar with Amity Vineyards:

Since the early days Amity has won many national and international awards. Although, best known for their Pinot noir, they have won awards for Riesling, Pinot blanc, Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, and Gamay noir. Acclaim has also come from wine critics and writers such as Roy Andries DeGroot, Harvey Steinman, Anthony Dias Blue, Coleman Andrews, Robert Parker & Terry Robbards.

Their tradition of excellence continues. Amity Vineyards’ Pinot noirs have taken back to back Gold Medals in the Oregon State Fair and the McMinnville Wine and Food Classic, two of Oregon’s premier wine competitions. In a recent tasting of over 140 Oregon Pinot noirs held by the Wine Press Northwest, Amity Vineyards outperformed all other Oregon wineries with three wines rated “Outstanding” and one rated “Excellent”. At the 2002 Northwest Wine Summit, Amity Vineyards received the “Award of Excellence”, bringing home five medals in four different categories.

18150 Amity Vineyards Road
Amity, OR 97101
Map It
(503) 835-2362 ext 1

Follow them on Twitter and Facebook.

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Fueled By Fine Wine – Marathon

by Mike on June 22, 2010

An entirely new class of running event is coming to Oregon’s Willamette Valley Wine Region this summer. Fueled by Fine Wine, in collaboration with Energy Events and Dundee Hills Wine Growers Association, is proud to present the first annual Fueled by Fine Wine Half-Marathon on July 11, 2010. This event sets itself apart by exploring some of the most magnificent vineyard vistas in Oregon, as well as by working with local Dundee charities and Oregon sponsors including Fit Northwest, AA Sports, Energy Events, NowDesign and many others, creating an exciting event for the region while also supporting the local economy.

Race architect Chris Nagy, president of Fueled by Fine Wine and Guest Relations Manager for Archery Summit Winery, points out that on this run “You won’t run your best time – but you’ll have your best time. It’s a run that delightfully blends Oregon’s love of outdoor adventure with the passion for fine wine.”

Interactive Map of the race.

Post-Race Wine Celebration featuring world class Dundee Hills wines, foods to help you refuel and great music! The celebration starts at 9:00 a.m and goes till 12:00 p.m., where runners are invited to sip and savor some of Oregon’s best wines. Great prizes and awards will be raffled off to race participants. All race participants are invited to attend the post race wine celebration, which will be the not to miss party of the summer!

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