Long Meadow Ranch is a pioneer in the concept of full circle farming. This notion plays a vital role in every aspect of their enterprise. This family-owned agricultural estate grows grapes, olives, fruits, and vegetables produces wine and olive oil as well as raises cattle, sheep, and chickens. Combining organic and sustainable practices to achieve
Explore Pinot Noir from Alto Adige to its Exciting New Frontiers
Each year the World of Pinot Noir offers some excellent world class Pinot Noir seminars in addition to their main wine tasting event. Fortunately, the World of Pinot Noir’s 20-year celebration occurred just before the outbreak of the pandemic. I find the seminars the most valuable part of these wine events. I attended two that
Memorial Day 2020: Honoring Ten Red Wines
As Memorial Day 2020 approaches, although most of us are sheltering in place, we can still enjoy a barbeque and open a nice bottle of red wine, even with friends, if respect social distancing. Whether you barbeque chicken, hamburgers, or a steak, you chose from an excellent selection of wine to brighten the Day as
Landmark Vineyards: The best in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Discovering wineries steeped in wine history gives us a better understanding of how our wine culture developed over the years. Landmark Vineyards represents one of those establishments that made its name with the growing interest in Chardonnay in the 1970s. The winery has since moved into producing some excellent Pinot Noir. Therefore, their wine prowess
Discover Sonoma County & Rodney Strong Vineyards
Building a base or a foundation is the center for any artist, musician, and also for creating wine. Those wineries that were the pioneers of the wine industry in the 1960s and 1970s laid the groundwork for California winemaking. One winery which played an important role in the establishment of the Sonoma County Wine Industry
Lenné Estate: The Best of Yamhill-Carlton AVA
On a recent visit to the Willamette Valley, I got to visit a winery, Lenné Estate, that you might call an anomaly because of its terroir. The soils are peavine series, a soil that is moderately deep, well-drained, and forms in clayey colluvium and residuum derived from sandstone, siltstone, basalt, tuffaceous rock, and shale located
Willamette Valley Winery: Tyee Wine Cellars
From a dairy farm to growing grapes, Tyee Wine Cellars is a family-owned Willamette Valley winery. Now in its 5th generation with Merrilee Buchanan Benson and her husband Brian Benson taking the lead on this boutique Oregon winery that produces 2000 cases of wine a year. Off the beaten path about 20 minutes from Corvallis,
Iris Vineyards: Showcasing the Southern Willamette Valley
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 wine music with their logo of the French horn. I would say in their own
