My wife Pam and I, along with PVB new residents (but longtime Jax residents) Sam and Linda Kouvaris, got to travel to Oregon to enjoy some wine.
That we did extremely well.
We heard about the Willamette (pronounced: Wil-AM-it) Valley through Sawgrass CC’s Bo Cure. Bo is the wine and beverage manager at the club and is connected to just about every winery in the U.S.
Willamette Valley is home to more than 700 wineries and is recognized as one of the premier Pinot Noir-producing areas in the world. Protected from the cold Pacific air and rain on the west by the Coast Range mountains and the Cascade Range to the east, this valley follows the Willamette River through the valley of very rich soil that helps produce the beautiful pinot grapes for these delicious wines.
We spent our first night in Portland at the Nines Hotel, a Marriot Bonvoy property. Driving approximately 90 minutes, we were in The Valley.
The first stop to get a little refreshment and an introduction into wine tasting in Oregon was the Lemelson Winery, located in the Yamhill-Carleton AVA. On a beautiful, sun-filled day with temperatures in the low 70s, we were at an outside table enjoying the weather with a variety of wines to taste. Not being wine savants, we were in the hands of their wine maker, Ben Kaehler, who navigated us through their wines, rose, Pinot Gris, Riesling and their award-winning Pinot Noirs. He explained how the tastes differ from one slope to another on their properties because of the makeup of the soil and the nutrients that the soil contains. And how that affects what we were tasting. Wine 101 for the Kearneys and Kouvarises.
On to Carleton, Oregon, and the home of Ken Wright Cellars (KWC). This quaint Pacific Northwest town is everything you’d see in a Norman Rockwell painting. KWC has their tasting room in an old train depot. Absolutely beautiful!
We set out with our wonderful guide, J’Amie du Mauriee, to the actual vineyards on the slopes in this region. Talk about breathtaking views and smells. J’Amiee was able to explain to our foursome the differences the sun, soil and the tasks the workers go through to get the optimum flavors out of each sections. Amazing blend of chemistry and art. From our sampling later that day and night, they are very successful.
Ken Wright personally hosted us to dinner in McMinnville at the great Italian restaurant Nick’s. Nick was kind enough to come by for a glass of wine and share some of his grandmother’s recipes from Italy. A grand evening.
Our next day of reconning was back in McMinnville, R Stuart & Co. Casee Stone was our guide here. This was a little different in that we got to do our tasting directly from the barrels. A different perspective and quite good.
A few days of this and then finding the best local spot for lunch, brunch or early dinner was extremely fun but taxing. Afternoon naps are a must in this “business trip.”
We were able to manage a few days before heading out to drive up the Oregon coast with stops in Cannon Beach, Astoria Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River and then cross over to Washington the enjoy more of the Pacific Northwest. In fact, don’t forget to stop in South Bend Washington for Oysters and a beer at The Chester & Social Club. Biggest and best oysters you’ll ever taste.
