Weinnotes

If you have ever visited or have thought about visiting Oregon Wine Country, it is a little daunting deciding where to visit. Asking friends and family is a solid route, but what if magical fairies brought you a nice companion providing the nitty-gritty details of wineries you haven’t heard of? I will not guarantee every winery listed in this year's report are places you have not heard of. I will say there are a decent number of wineries you probably haven't heard of, though.

What if you had an inside scoop of close to forty different wineries to explore this year? Yeah yeah yeah, I know inside scoop sounds all catchy and marketing type bologna to entice and convert you into a sell. There is a possibility my inside scoop could be perceived as marketing hype, but there is an ask to trust me a bit.

For every single winery, I bring a nice broad overview of each winery along with insights for Hospitality, Top Three Wines to Check out, what to think about when visiting the winery, and finally, information about the club memberships. I have personally visited every single winery listed and tasted all the wines listed. You gotta check out some random cut-off examples so we can get on the same page!

Arlyn Overview Excerpt
Do you want to visit a winery where there is nobody around, the views are breathtaking, the hospitality is out of this world with the vineyards' farmer, the wines are fabulous, and top it off with winery animals? Janis is the mastermind behind Arlyn, and she is one of the most humble down to earth people I have met.

Audeant Hospitality Excerpt
Besides being the winemaker, Andrew is also head of hospitality. Along with his thought process, the stories are conveyed in a mesmerizing fashion, hooking you in for more.

Ridgecrest Visiting Excerpt
When you make your reservation with Jon, listen literally to his instructions. Here is what he sent me, “It is an unmarked entrance directly across the street from Eminent Domaine.” I have to admit embarrassingly, I passed the unmarked entrance and had to turn around.

Domaine Divio Top Three Wines
2015 Toison D’OR Pinot Noir
2018 Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir
2018 Estate Chardonnay
Bubbles, yes their bubbles are amazing!

00 Wines Membership Excerpt
Last I heard, there is still space to be a member. There are options for Pinot only, Chard only, or a mixture. Wines are not cheap, but all wines are worth every penny with shipments in the fall and spring.

If you want to talk wine, I dive into my top picks for Pinot Noir this past year. For Chardonnay, I dive a little into how it is blossoming into the next big thing for Oregon Wine. There are some highlights for Chards you really need to check out. There might be some talk of Riesling as well, but not as detailed.

My tasting notes are experiences and not some two-sentence bramble of you need a Captain Crunch Decoder Ring to figure out. Check it this excerpt!

Audeant 2018 Seven Springs
Having a chard grab you mid-palate reminds me of playing Mortal Kombat and Scorpion saying, “Come here.” Granted, there are differences. Most importantly, there is a lack of blood and guts on the floor. The similarities, though, are apparent. Most Chardonnays are a pleasant, refreshing journey mid-palate and finish. This bad boy feels big and bold, something unspeakable for a Chard.

If that isn’t enough for you, I also give you my top Winery of the Year along with my Top Wine of the Year.

If this isn’t enough to convince you, I don’t have any other marketing babble to give you. Think about it, grab a glass of wine, and buy this bad boy. You will not regret it.