On a recent visit to South Willamette Valley, I discovered Iris Vineyards. The winery’s production facility is located in Cottage Grove, but Iris’s tasting room is situated about 20 minutes from both Cottage Grove and Eugene. The drive is well worth the visit because of the spectacular views. Perched atop a knoll, the tasting room
Year in Review: Best Wines of 2019
It is that time of year when I like to think about the best wines I have enjoyed throughout the year and share those outstanding wines in my year in review. Here are my favorites from 2019. Best Wines from 2019 Please note there is no particular order to the best wines I list. I
Bells Up Winery: Wine Music Hits All the Notes
Music is an essential part of the wine message at Bells Up Winery in the Willamette Valley. Music comes in many forms for David and Sara Specter, owners of the winery. As you enter the winery you first encounter the music with their logo of the French horn. I would say in their own way
Dancin Vineyards: The Delights of the Rogue Valley
Autumn is the ideal time of the year to visit Dancin Vineyards in the Rogue Valley AVA. Not only does the wine dance, but the fall colors of the foliage create an exquisite performance as if they are dancing in the wind. All this makes visiting this winery spectacular. The story of Dancin is a
Vidon Vineyard: From NASA Scientist to Winemaker
From space to the vineyard, life has taken many spins around this earth for Don Hagge of Vidon Vineyard. Visiting his hideaway gem of a vineyard with its magnificent views of the Willamette Valley, one would never know that Don had played a specific role in the Apollo space mission. You might call Don an
Innovative Autumn Menu comes to Napa Valley Grille
It is fall and for many restaurants, time to showcase their Autumn menu with a change in flavors of their cuisine. Such is the case with Napa Valley Grille in Westwood Village. LA Wine Writers had an opportunity to sample some of the food offered on both the lunch and dinner menu. Napa Daily Grille
Memorial Day Wine: Spring into Summer Wine
As I think about the ideal wine to serve this Memorial day weekend, I am reminded that Memorial weekend signifies the time we start to light up the barbeque as we move from spring to summer weather. We switch from the big, bold, more moody wines of winter to the brighter livelier wines of summer.
Delve into Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Recently while on a wine adventure to the Willamette Valley, I explored wineries in several of the seven Willamette Valley AVAs. There are enough wineries in each appellation for a weekend escape to each one. This article focuses on the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, including things to do in the surrounding vicinity other than wine tasting.
NZ Wine Navigator: Elevating the bar on New Zealand Wine
When we think of New Zealand wine most American’s are familiar with the big wineries that make their way to the United States, but many do not realize an effort is being made to bring notoriety to some small boutique wineries. One company forging the way to make these wineries known to us is NZ
The Cycles of Life Express Antiquum Farm Wines
At the southern tip of the Willamette Valley just north of Eugene, Oregon, and west of Junction City, one finds Antiquum Farm, one of Oregon’s hidden gem wineries. The winery hums with life because for Stephen Hagen, the owner, the cycles of life frame his farming philosophy creating a unique vision of sustainable farming and
