SacBee: MikeDunne on Southern Oregon Wines

Quite a nice/interesting article in today's SacBee by MikeDunne (one of my favorite writers) on the wines of the SouthernOregon region:
SacBee:SouthernOregonWines

The HerbQuady pictured is none other than AndyQuady's son...moved North.

This is an area I'd like to explore more. I've had a number of Reustle wine, from the UmpquaVlly, that have impressed me. I have a tasting of UmpquaVlly wines coming up in a few weeks.

Tom

I'm new to the forum, and sort of just jumping right in with a possibly tough question somewhat related to Southern Oregon (at least geographically). Does anyone have any experience with the wines of the Snake River region in Idaho. I've enjoyed some of the local winery products down there (Bitner, Huston), but would love to know where they stand. I've just recently gotten into wine the last year or so.

Welcome Jackson and I hope you love this site and will post tasting notes here. I am only familiar with two wineries; St. Chapelle near Boise and Mission Mt. Winery in Dayton Montana on Flathead Lake, both of which I love and buy a lot from when out there fishing. The Riesling Sparkler from Ste. Chappelle is cheap and tastes like what it is and the dry and semi-dry Rieslings are both very good. The dry/semi-dry Riesling from Mission Mt. is also very nice. I just wish they were available in Ohio. I have not been out there in near 10 years so hopefully quality is still good.

I wholeheartedly support everything Mike Dunne wrote.

Southern Oregon (well, actually, more like Southwest Oregon) is indeed a promising region, and you can find some excellent wines there, some well off the beaten path.

Abacela, to my mind, is one of the best wineries in Oregon. The founders dedicated themselves many years ago to developing Umpqua as a major place to grow Spanish varieties. Their Albarino is a standard with me. Love both their Tempranillo releases too; the Fiesta is lighter, fruitier and eminently quaffable and the regular Tempranillo is more structured for aging. Both impressive.

Agree with Mike about the Syrah too. Most of them simply aren't that interesting, and other varietes are. Like the Sangiovese. Merlots can be good too.

My focus is on the Umpqua, the Rogue and the Applegate (one beautiful place, by the way; just out of Grant's Pass). Jacksonville is a way cool town and the old touristy downtown 'main street' is great. There is a a great musical festival there every year, and good proximity to Ashland and the Shakespeare festival too. Plus great white water rafting. Great place to visit, and lots of wineries.

How much did I like Southern Oregon: when I originally left the corporate world, I seriously considered becoming GM for a winery in the Rogue. If the owner hadn't been such an a$$hole, I probably would have done it. Oh, well.

One of the better wineries in the region Hoke was writing about is Cowhorn, excellent wines , Rhone types white & red.

[Jenise]

I'm new to the forum, and sort of just jumping right in with a possibly tough question somewhat related to Southern Oregon (at least geographically). Does anyone have any experience with the wines of the Snake River region in Idaho. I've enjoyed some of the local winery products down there (Bitner, Huston), but would love to know where they stand. I've just recently gotten into wine the last year or so.

Jackson, welcome to WLDG! We're almost neighbors--I live in Northern Washington state.

Re your question, two years ago I spent almost two months in Pullman, WA, and while there I tried nearly every Idaho wine sold at the Co-op in Moscow. None were top draws for me compared to the products of Oregon and Washington, but a few were quite good, a few showed promise, but most seemed in need of help achieving balance both, likely, in the vineyard AND the winery, but obviously the potential's there and things will improve rapidly. I remember posting about it, I'll see if I can locate that for you.

[Jenise]

Jackson, found the thread I remembered. It took place in December 2012 and might include some names, and referrals to articles that would include even more thanks to Moya from the Idaho Wine Commission who joined the conversation.

http://forums.wineloverspage.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=46080&hilit=Idaho

Do you know if the Lewiston/Clarkston appellation has been approved by now?

I'm new to the forum, and sort of just jumping right in with a possibly tough question somewhat related to Southern Oregon (at least geographically). Does anyone have any experience with the wines of the Snake River region in Idaho. I've enjoyed some of the local winery products down there (Bitner, Huston), but would love to know where they stand. I've just recently gotten into wine the last year or so.

Welcome to our little corner of CyberSpace, Jackson. Lots of good folks hang out here..and a few ornery curmudgeons.

Don't know if they're in SnakeRiver region, but I've had some impressive Syrahs & Viogniers from Sawtooth at RhoneRangers.
Tom