Oregon North to South
Take a cheerful journey down Oregon, North & South, starting in the Willamette Valley where crisp, lively Pinot Gris and charming, Champagne inspired red Pinot Munier set an easygoing and bright tone. As you head into the Umpqua and Rouge Valley, Tempranillo and Malbec steps in with a little more swagger with bold fruit, velvety richness, and plenty of personality. Come take a tour through or sister state North to south.
@ Humble Vine
Wednesday, June 3d
HOURS: 2PM - 8 PM
Wine Tasting: $25
Ponzi, Pinot Gris Willamette, Oregon $19
Ponzi Vineyards is one of the true founding names in Oregon wine. Dick and Nancy Ponzi planted their first vines in 1968, established the winery in 1970, and were operating at a time when there were only a handful of other wineries in the state. A vibrant nose of lime curd, passion fruit, and starfruit is accentuated by a whisper of flint and wet stone. The palate is pretty, round, and balanced, featuring dried mango, pineapple, passionfruit, and stone fruit culminating in a deliciously long finish.
Oregon territory, Tempranillo Umpqua and Rogue, Oregon $22
Rioja from Oregon! A Spanish grape expressing the cooler-climate edge of our sister state. The winery itself was built around Oregon’s pioneering wine spirit, and Tempranillo is a fitting grape for the region because it ripens relatively early and can still deliver depth and balance. Wearing a dark robe, with red fruit, savory spice, and earthy, structured character, with enough backbone to age well.
Teutonic, Munier Willamette, Oregon $37
Barnaby and Olga Tuttle founded it in 2005 with a focus on cool-climate, German- and Alsatian-inspired styles. The winery grew from small early batches into a respected producer with a clear stylistic point of view. Pinot Meunier, a grape better known from Champagne (the 3 legal grapes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier) but increasingly interesting as a still wine in Oregon. In the glass it shows tart red fruit such as cranberry, and cherry, and wild strawberry, along with floral notes and a soft, graceful texture that can develop more savory complexity with age.
Leah Jorgensen, Malbec Umpqua and Rogue, Oregon $30
This Malbec reflects Southern Oregon’s growing strength with this grape. Deep color, dark fruit, and soft tannins, with a style that is ripe and fruit-driven. This winery is known for Loire-inspired winemaking and sourcing from Southern Oregon vineyards, where Malbec has become one of the region’s rising stars. A deep, dense take on a single-vineyard, single-grape expression, this is packed with ripe blueberry and black cherry fruit. Highlights of white pepper and other spices, along with finishing flavors of chamomile tea.
