Beer & Wine

India Session Ales

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:30:00 -0700

10 Barrel Brewing ISA $9/six-pack

Abundant grapefruit notes make this summery brew, loaded with Summit, Cascade, and Centennial hops, taste like it’s garnished with citrus. 5.5% ABV, 51 IBUs

Solera Brewing Shortstop ISA $4/pint

Apollo hops make this beer dance and jab like Apollo Creed—all American and super-alpha. Citrusy and floral flourishes pack a gentle wallop. 4% ABV, 45 IBUs

21st Amendment Brewing Bitter American $9/six-pack

This “extra pale session beer” retains the malt backbone of a British pale while American Warrior and Cascade hops account for a resiny, piney finish. 4.4% ABV, 42 IBUs

Crux Fermentation Project Off Leash $5/imperial pint

This “Northwest Session Ale” is one playful puppy. Citra hops make it spunky, but sniff those Centennials and it’s like romping through an herb garden. 4.5% ABV, 45 IBUs

Two Beers Brewing Trailhead ISA $8/six-pack

Cascade and Columbus hops converge in this yellowish beer, with a modest malt bill making it not hot, but spicy. Lemon peel trails off to lemon pepper. 4.8% ABV, 48 IBUs

Oregon’s 50 Best Wines 2012

Sat, 15 Sep 2012 13:45:00 -0700

Image: Kate Madden

Welcome to a new era of Oregon wine. Gone is the total domination of pinot noir’s old (and new) guard. Sure, our signature grape remains a mainstay of any best-of list, but it finds itself among an ever-livelier crowd of gamay, rosé, and Auxerrois produced in Oregon’s idyllic vineyards.

Over two weeks of marathon tasting sessions—every label concealed from the judges’ view—our panel of local wine experts sampled bottles from wineries large and (very) small, and producers both young and seasoned. The resulting list of 50 wines is a snapshot of Oregon’s state of the art, circa 2012. Best of all, more than half of the bottles are under $30.

It’s a whole new world, and it’s delicious.

Our Judges

Dana Frank

Image: Mei Ratz

After honing her palate as assistant wine steward for New Seasons Market and as wine director at 23Hoyt, Clarklewis, and Grüner, Frank has launched an enviable list of little-known international varietals as wine director at Riffle NW, the Pearl District’s new seafood hot spot. Frank also co-owns Bow & Arrow Wines with her husband, Scott Frank, producing Loire Valley varietals in the Willamette Valley.

Michael Garofola

Image: Mei Ratz

As manager and sommelier of Southeast Portland’s Genoa Restaurant, Garofola has earned a reputation for spinning behind-the-wines yarns as part of his genial tableside service. Garofola earned his wine expert badges in the trenches at Portland’s lauded Ten-01, Tabla Bistro, and at New Mexico’s James Beard Award–winning restaurant the Compound.

Savanna Ray

Image: Mei Ratz

Sommelier at Wildwood Restaurant and jet-setting instructor with the International Sommelier Guild, Ray’s passion for wine is on display across the West Coast and beyond. Ray also serves on the board of directors for the International Pinot Noir Celebration and runs wine service for Salud Auction, which provides access to health care for Oregon’s vineyard workers and their families.

David Speer

Image: Mei Ratz

A certified sommelier with a passion for education, Speer has owned and operated Portland’s Red Slate Wine Company since 2008, offering fine wines with a casual flair (read: un-snobby and affordable). In 2011, Speer opened Ambonnay—the first champagne and sparkling wine bar in the Pacific Northwest—in Portland’s Central Eastside.

Slide Show Check out behind-the-scenes photos from our judges’ tasting sessions

Pinot Noir

1. White Rose Estate Winery | 2010 Pinot Noir
98 Points

Dundee Hills Apellation Series
Dundee Hills, $45

Image: Kate Madden

Sourced from three vineyards perched on the Dundee Hills’ east- and southeast-facing volcanic slopes, this world-class wine showcases the remarkable trajectory of winemaker Jesus Guillen’s career. Guillen began as a vineyard worker in 2002, but his sophisticated palate and passion for the art of enology launched him into the role of head winemaker in 2008. Since then, his balanced, elegant, and complex wines have earned him a respected place among the state’s wine elite. With rich flavors of cherry compote, baking spices, mushroom, and dill—a surprising element of the classic Oregon pinot flavor profile—along with a savory earthiness, this wine drinks beautifully right now, and will age well for at least five to seven years.

2. White Rose Estate Winery |
2010 Pinot Noir
98 Points

White Rose Vineyard
Dundee Hills, $70

Thanks to Guillen’s winemaking prowess and owner Greg Sanders’s long-standing love of elegant whole-cluster wines, White Rose has produced a lineup worthy of both of the top spots on this year’s list. Grapes from the four oldest blocks of the hilltop White Rose estate vineyard (planted in 1980) were selected for this intense, weighty wine with notes of cinnamon sticks, cedar, wet leaves, and ripe red fruit. This gorgeous whole-cluster–fermented wine was processed with the winery’s signature old-world wooden basket presses to ensure soft tannins and delicate aromatics with a long, satisfying finish.

3. Elk Cove Vineyards | 2010 Pinot Noir
97 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $27

This beautiful, inexpensive pinot delivers what fans around the world think of as a classic Oregon version, with bold aromatics of black cherry and truffle that seem to jump right out of the glass. From one of Oregon’s pioneering wineries—boasting a legacy of nearly four decades of great wine—it offers luscious flavors of ripe red cranberries, raspberries, and cherries characteristic of 2010’s late-hanging harvest.

4. St. Innocent Winery | 2010 Pinot Noir
97 Points

Zenith Vineyard
Eola-Amity Hills, $36

With heady scents of blackberry pie, campfire smoke, and black tea, this complex single-vineyard wine develops an earthy, floral undertone on the palate. It’s rounded out with soft tannins and great acidity that allow for both easy drinking now and development over time—guaranteed to please both the adventurous oenophile and the novice.

5. Willamette Valley Vineyards | 2009 Pinot Noir
95 Points

Estate
Willamette Valley, $45

Winemaker Don Crank selected the best barrels from Willamette Valley Vineyard’s sustainably grown vine blocks to create this lush and complex wine, offering aromas of grapefruit, plum, and cherries with multilayered flavors of Campari and orange peel. There’s enough spice, tang, and acid to rejuvenate anyone craving a truly different kind of pinot.

6. Atticus Wine | 2009 Pinot Noir
95 Points

Atticus Vineyard
Yamhill-Carlton, $42

Owned by two passionate, diverse families—with roots in Hong Kong, Peru, Ireland, Greece, and Paris—Atticus Wine applies a worldly approach to Oregon terroir. This bottle’s complex aromas of dark fruit, Asian spices, and sesame oil deliver a silky-textured, layered palate, dark and deep and with just enough acid to keep things bright.

Image: Kate Madden

7. Walter Scott | 2010 Pinot Noir
95 Points

Holstein Vineyard
Dundee Hills, $38

A labor of love from top local wine experts Erica Landon and Ken Pahlow, this small-production wine shines with the 2010 vintage’s unique flavors of Campari, cranberries, orange zest, raspberries, and rose hips. Aged for 15 months in French oak—30 percent new—this elegant, unfiltered wine perfectly balances sweet and bitter notes for a sophisticated sip.

Image: Kate Madden

8. Apolloni Vineyards | 2009 Pinot Noir
94 Points • Best Buy

Estate
Willamette Valley, $26

The Apolloni estate vineyard’s south-facing slopes are carefully cultivated for low yields of complex, sustainably grown fruit. The 2009 vintage benefited from a warm, dry fall that allowed for the development of lush, ripe grapes. They infuse this unusual wine with flavors of dried fruit, tea leaves, and dried roses.

9. Tyee Wine Cellars | 2009 Pinot Noir
94 Points • Best Buy

Estate
Willamette Valley, $24

Brooding yet balanced, Tyee showcases the darker side of pinot noir, with firm tannins, shadowy floral scents, and flavors of cranberry, bitter orange, and black cherry. Its complexity results from the unique blend of grapes from the estate vineyard’s young and old vines.

10. Evesham Wood Vineyard | 2010 Pinot Noir
94 Points

Le Puits Sec Vineyard
Eola-Amity Hills, $36

Boasting aromas of pomegranate and black currant, this pinot’s nose is soft and delicate. Dried lavender accents flavors of ripe red fruit and a savory midpalate. Sourced from the eastern side of the Eola-Amity Hills ridge, known for its shallow volcanic basalt soils and low fruit yield, this wine is certified as organically grown by Oregon Tilth.

11. Hawks View Cellars | 2010 Pinot Noir
93 Points

Hawks View Vineyard
Chehalem Mountains, $35

A select blend of sustainably farmed grapes from the Hawks View estate vineyard results in a balanced wine, marked by aromas of violets and plum. Strong but well-integrated tannins round out flavors of marionberry and chocolate for a bold but elegant glass.

12. Haden Fig | 2010 Pinot Noir
93 Points • Best Buy

Cancilla Vineyard
Willamette Valley, $30

This bright and tangy selection is perfect for pairing with Oregon seafood. With an herbaceous nose boasting notes of dill, orange peel, and raspberry, it develops into a gorgeous dark-fruit palate with a touch of minerality, bright acid, and a long, pure finish.

13. Ardiri Winery | 2009 Pinot Noir
91 Points

Willamette Valley
Chehalem Mountains, $34

The only wine on our list to make an appearance two years running, this estate pinot noir continues to impress with its rich flavors of cassis, dark cherry, and black pepper, balanced by big, luscious tannins. A note of menthol on the finish adds a refreshing touch to a deliciously dark wine.

14. Utopia Vineyard | 2009 Pinot Noir
91 Points

Paradise Private Reserve
Ribbon Ridge, $55

Utopia owner Daniel Warnshuis’s first private reserve release is a lush garnet beauty presenting bold flavors of rose petals and ripe red fruit. The single-vineyard wine’s elegant tannins and spirited acidity balance with complex spice.

15. Lazy River Vineyard | 2009 Pinot Noir
90 Points

Lumpkin Family Estate
Yamhill-Carlton, $36

This robust wine showcases the savory side of the versatile pinot noir grape with big, balanced flavors of soy sauce, truffles, dry earth, blackberries, and dried flowers on the palate. A long finish offers notes of barbecue smoke and charred meat.

Image: Kate Madden

16. Tyee Wine Cellars | 2009 Pinot Noir
90 Points

Estate Barrel Select
Willamette Valley, $35

Offering sweetly herbaceous aromas of fresh English peas, mint, and red plums on the nose, this pinot rounds out with ripe red cherries and a touch of vanilla on the palate. A bit shy out of the glass, it will develop into a true beauty within a few years.

17. Domaine Drouhin Oregon | 2009 Pinot Noir
90 Points

Laurène
Dundee Hills, $65

A truly classic Oregon pinot noir: lightly oaked and luscious, it shines on the palate with notes of pure red cherries and black currants. Produced entirely with grapes from the Drouhin family estate in the Dundee Hills, it offers a vivid sense of place.

18. Adelsheim | 2010 Pinot Noir
90 Points

Elizabeth’s Reserve
Willamette Valley, $55

This blend of estate and non-estate wines showcases the Willamette Valley in a single glass. Winemaker David Paige carefully selects the best characteristics from different soil types, clones, and barrel characteristics for a wine that’s satisfying and extremely drinkable, with flavors of bright raspberry and soft, musky cedar.

19. David Hill | 2009 Pinot Noir
89 Points

Winemakers Cuvée
Willamette Valley, $50

The first signature cuvée from winemaker Jason Bull, this big, bold pinot bursts with lush flavors of blackberries and dark plums. Thanks to its full-bodied profile and robust tannins, it will hold its own against bold dishes like grilled meats.

20. Libra | 2008 Pinot Noir
89 Points

Momtazi Vineyard
Willamette Valley, $35

Complex and slightly heavy aromas of anise and dried dark fruits give way to a surprisingly lively palate with plenty of acid and bright red-fruit flavors.

Slide Show: Behind the Scenes of the 2012 Wine Tasting

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Other Reds

Image: Kate Madden

1. Division Winemaking Company | 2011 Gamay Noir
94 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $20

Forget what you know about gamay: this beauty is no cheap Beaujolais nouveau! Thomas and Kate Monroe (members of the new Southeast Wine Collective) are leading a gamay brigade, aiming to bring this delicious varietal to more of Oregon’s vineyard slopes. Aged five months in neutral French oak, this well-balanced, tannic, and sophisticated cherry-red wine carries both the fresh berry and spicy white-pepper notes that characterize the upper echelon of the varietal.

2. Teutonic Wine Company | 2010 Pinot Meunier
94 Points • Best Buy

Borgo Pass Vineyard
Willamette Valley, $22

One of the traditional components of Champagne blends, pinot meunier enjoys a solo performance in this pale red wine, showing off its ripe cherry and pomegranate flavors and a smoky, earthy edge. Though the grape is rarely grown outside of Europe, Teutonic’s Barnaby and Olga Tuttle make the most of Oregon’s few plots of pinot meunier to create this easy-drinking, one-of-a-kind wine.

3. God King Slave Wines | 2009 Syrah-Tempranillo
93 Points • Best Buy

Rogue Valley, $26

God King Slave’s young owners, Chris Jiron and Christine Collier, are tireless champions of Southern Oregon wine, believing that the region’s diversity and climate will broaden the state’s international wine reputation. (Their motto: “Create like a God. Command like a King. Work like a Slave.”) With their first vintage of this herbaceous, meaty, and compelling syrah-tempranillo blend, they’re on their way.

4. Tesóaria Vineyards | 2010 Barbera
91 Points

Southern Oregon, $35

Bursting with the lush flavors of red and dark blue fruit, a food-friendly acidity, and a savory backbone through the palate, this easy-drinking, hand-harvested wine hails from the Olson family’s sustainably farmed winery on the banks of the Umpqua River.

5. Bryn Mawr | 2009 Tempranillo
91 Points

Image: Kate Madden

Eola-Amity Hills, $35

The Bryn Mawr estate—one of the few in the Willamette Valley to successfully grow tempranillo—is perched high above the valley floor, where cool afternoon breezes preserve the acidity and freshness of the fruit. The result: a bold wine that balances the classic tempranillo characteristics of plum and dark cherry with smoky coffee notes and vivacious acidity.

6. Glaser Estate Winery | 2011 Malbec
90 Points • Best Buy

Southern Oregon, $28

Recalling the bright, floral malbecs of France’s Loire Valley, this fresh and richly colored wine sparkles with flavors of tart cherry and grapefruit zest, plus a touch of stony minerality.

7. Folin Cellars | 2008 Estate Tempranillo
90 Points • Best Buy

Folin Vineyards
Rogue Valley, $30

Southern Oregon’s hot summer days and cool nights provide ideal conditions for warm-climate varietals like tempranillo, as this wine gracefully proves. Dark and full-bodied, Folin’s rich wine boasts deep, spicy black-fruit flavors and well-integrated tannins lightened by fresh acidity and a delicate floral overtone.

8. Styring Vineyards | 2008 Petit Verdot-Cabernet Sauvignon
90 Points

Reckless Red Blend
Columbia Valley, $35

The only wine on our list sourced from Columbia Valley vineyards, this well-balanced blend of warm-climate varietals offers a unique flavor profile studded with Indian spices, lush blackberries, dark plums, and fresh grape skins.

Image: Kate Madden

9. TeSóSria Vineyards | 2010 Syrah
89 Points

Southern Oregon, $35

Medium-bodied and lively, TeSóAria’s ruby red holds flavors of savory spice, black pepper, and roasted meats, with a lingering note of barbecue smoke on the finish. Notes of ripe raspberry and chocolate balance the wine’s intriguing savory characteristics.

10. J. Scott Cellars | 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
89 Points • Best Buy

Rogue Valley, $28

Southern Oregon’s sunny Rogue Valley averages 10 inches of rainfall annually—an ideal climate for big, juicy wines like this, that serve up generous fruit flavors of black currant with a base of pleasing spice and fresh violets.

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Rosé

Image: Kate Madden

1. Ribera Vineyards | 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir
94 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $24

Darrel and Molly Roby’s small West Linn winery is quickly gaining acclaim for its delicate, thoughtful, and affordable wines. Copper-toned and shimmering with notes of fresh strawberry and watermelon, this food-friendly dry rosé is a dinner-party pleaser.

2. Domaine Drouhin Oregon | 2011 Pinot Noir Edition Rosé
94 Points • Best Buy

Dundee Hills, $20

Made entirely from pinot noir grapes grown at the Domaine Drouhin estate vineyard, this breezy wine offers delicate flavors of rose petals and raspberries with a lively saline edge.

3. Abacela | 2011 Rosé of Grenache
94 Points • Best Buy

Umpqua Valley, $15

The Spanish specialists at Abacela are revealing just how light and fresh warm-weather varietals can be. This delightful, dry rosé pulls you in with aromas of pomegranate and strawberries and hooks you with flavors of peaches, tart cherry, and zippy citrus.

4. Luminous Hills | 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir
93 Points • Best Buy

Aura Estate
Yamhill-Carlton, $21

This sustainably farmed wine reveals the lighter side of pinot noir, balancing refreshing flavors of strawberries and melon with a subtle, earthy complexity. Winemaker Byron Dooley pulls off the wine after brief contact with the grapes’ plum-red skins—the “saignée method”—to achieve a lush hue and intensity.

5. Division Winemaking Company | 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir
91 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $19

Inspired by the dry and structured rosés of France’s Loire Valley, this light salmon–colored wine showcases flavors of watermelon, green apple, and fresh peach.

Whites

Image: Kate Madden

1. Crowley | 2010 Chardonnay
96 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $24

A perfect example of the new Oregon chardonnay, with lively acid and light, well-integrated oak aging (25 percent new barrels), this bottle allows the passion fruit and stone fruit notes to shine. Using Wente and 108 clones from the lauded Four Winds Vineyard and Maresh Vineyard estates, owner/winemaker Tyson Crowley’s sustainably farmed and affordable wine shows just how delicious a light touch can be.

2. Amity Vineyards | 2010 Riesling
96 Points • Best Buy

Wedding Dance
Willamette Valley, $17

Bursting out of the glass with aromas of honeysuckle, lemon zest, and sweet white flowers, Amity’s Wedding Dance offers touches of petrol and flint that characterize a classic Riesling—a joyous effort sure to convert Riesling skeptics into fanatics.

3. Stoller Vineyards | 2010 Chardonnay Reserve
95 Points • Best Buy

Dundee Hills, $28

Sourced from Stoller’s Dundee Hills estate vineyard, this complex, rich, and silky Dijon clone chardonnay showcases aromas of citrus zest and honey, with flavors of nectarine and pear edged with a hint of white pepper.

4. Teutonic Wine Company | 2011 Riesling
95 Points • Best Buy

Crow Valley “December Third”
Willamette Valley, $27

Oregon’s irreverent Riesling ringleaders offer up a refreshing blend of bright aromas, bracing acidity, and well-balanced flavors of green apple, orange peel, kiwi, and a stony minerality.

5. Four Graces | 2011 Pinot Blanc
94 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $24

A quintessential pinot gris, this bright, crisp bottle delivers aromas of orange flower, star fruit, almond, and apricot, with a perfectly pretty palate of key limes and sweet apples.

6. Pyrenees Vineyard | 2009 Gewürztraminer
93 Points • Best Buy

Umpqua Valley, $20

This aromatic, off-dry wine sparkles with scents of peach and crisp apple. Though the grape typically grows best in cold climates, the hot summer days of the Umpqua Valley give it a lush fullness on the palate, tasting of melon, honey, and pears.

7. Ponzi Vineyards | 2009 Chardonnay Reserve
93 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $30

By using the Dijon clones best suited for the Willamette Valley’s cooler vintages, Luisa Ponzi has conjured a rich wine with complex layers of citrus, orange blossom, and a touch of caramel—and a long, satisfying finish.

8. Adelsheim | 2011 Auxerrois
92 Points • Best Buy

Ribbon Ridge, $22

Home to one of the first plantings of Auxerrois—pronounced oak-sair-wah—in Oregon, Adelsheim continues to produce the best example of this largely unknown varietal. Balanced by notes of pear, pineapple, and orange blossom, its bracing acidity is as fresh as can be.

Image: Kate Madden

9. Winderlea | 2010 Chardonnay
92 Points

Willamette Valley, $36

This classic, sustainably farmed chardonnay showcases well-integrated oak and flavors of peach and apricot blossom, gaining depth with each sip for a refreshing tartness on the finish.

10. Solena Estate | 2011 Pinot Gris
92 Points • Best Buy

Willamette Valley, $20

Bursting with flavors of red apple, passion fruit, and orange blossom, this pretty wine gets a fruit-forward, juicy flavor boost from an addition of 6 percent gewürztraminer.

11. Penner-Ash | 2011 Viognier
91 Points • Best Buy

Oregon, $30

Fermented exclusively in stainless steel tanks, this crisp and complex Rhone-style wine is ultra-refreshing, with vibrant acidity, floral aromas, and flavors of white peach, lychee, ginger, and cardamom.

12. Owen Roe | 2011 Pinot Gris
90 Points • Best Buy

Crawford Beck
Eola-Amity Hills, $21

Luscious and balanced, Eola-Amity Hills’ true-to-type pinot gris features well-integrated acid and tangy-sweet tangerine flavors. Its breezy salinity begs to be paired with raw oysters or fresh crab.

13. Teutonic Wine Company | 2011 Riesling
90 Points • Best Buy

Medici Vineyard
Chehalem Mountains, $19

Teutonic’s light and subtle old-vine wine is layered with delicate aromas of candied lemon zest and orange blossom—ideal for a picnic, paired with a spread of finger foods.

14. Misty Oaks | 2011 Pinot Gris
89 Points • Best Buy

Julio’s Hill
Umpqua Valley, $16

Meyer lemon, marzipan, and honeydew notes shine on the palate of a wine that conjures the word “tropical.” Soft and fruit-forward, the estate-grown selection offers a touch of earthiness to ground its rich, exotic flavors.

15. Matello | 2010 Chardonnay Richard’s Cuvée
89 Points

Ribbon Ridge, $42

Lush and rich, Marcus Goodfellow’s balanced wine serves up tropical notes of pineapple and lemon curd with bracing acidity and a long, silky finish. A foundation of minerality recalls the grapes’ source: the Whistling Ridge vineyard’s dry-farmed vines.

Beervana

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:29:00 -0700

Image: Jason Blackheart

Ready for a cold one? You’re in the right place. Since the first craft breweries and brewpubs in the city opened a mere 25 years ago, Portland has been, hands-down, the nation’s best city for beer. And with plenty of ales and lagers fermenting in other towns across the state, Oregon may be home to a few runners-up, too. To help you pick your pints, we’ve put together an essential guide: the Portland area’s top brewpubs and bottle shops, the brewers to keep an eye on, and, of course, two 12-packs that showcase the state’s most delicious beers. We even included pithy advice on everything from beer tastings to which suds to take to a cookout. Here’s to you, Portland! May your hops ever wave.

Oregon’s 50 Best Wines 2011

Mon, 20 Aug 2012 10:44:00 -0700

Image: Michael Novak, Kristen Kohashi

IF LOVE IS BLIND, falling for a great wine should happen sight unseen. For this biannual feature, our marathon wine tastings were conducted over four days, fully blind, with hundreds of brown-bagged bottles hiding their stories and secrets from our panelists’ discerning noses and palates. Spanning four years’ worth of vintages, 19 varietals, 15 appellations, and 103 producers, the wines were separated only by color, resulting in a free-for-all of passionate judgment. Armed only with a glass, a spit bucket, a few pieces of baguette, and a pen, our tasters tackled row after row of anonymous specimens marked with Post-its. If a judge liked what she sipped, the wine received a check mark and moved on to the next round. Wines that made it through to the finals were then carefully tasted for fruit characteristics, acidity, alcohol, balance, tannins, and overall quality, with every decision surrounded by plenty of healthy debate. The result? Our list of Oregon’s 50 most lovable wines available right now. —Allison Jones

The List

Why only Pinots?

Where are all the other reds? As you scan this list, you’ll probably notice a trend: every single one of our 35 top red wines is a pinot noir. While Oregon’s production of “the other reds”—merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfan del, and others—is quickly growing, much of our state’s winemaking energy is still devoted to the granddaddy of Oregon grapes. The first varietal to be widely grown in the Willamette Valley, where the climate is ideal, pinot noir has put our verdant vineyards solidly on the radar of oenophiles around the globe. that means thriving markets for Oregon winemakers, which lead to greater investment in pinot production. But trust us: there are plenty of other delicious wines out there just waiting to be sipped.

The List

Why only Pinots?

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Rating 96

No. 1

Soter Vineyards

2008 Pinot Noir Mineral Springs Yamhill-Carlton, $85

This reserve pinot noir from Soter's estate vineyard, Mineral Springs Ranch, reflects Tony Soter's lifelong pursuit of the "winemaker's signature." The full-bodied, balanced wine captures a true sense of place and time—the vineyard's well-draining siltstone soils stood up to the wet spring of 2008 and the hilltop's slope captured the warm fall that followed, resulting in even ripening and ideal acid balance. Thanks to a week of extended maceration—contact with grape skins and stems after fermentation—this wine's soft tannins and silky, full texture make a perfect vehicle for the lush flavors of ripe black cherries, rose petals, and a whole spice rack full of herbs, cloves, and peppers. Such a quality wine will improve for over a decade, but the Mineral Springs' bright acidity and intense fruit make it absolutely delicious right now.

Rating 95

No. 2

Utopia Vineyard

2008 Pinot Noir Utopia Vineyard Ribbon Ridge, $38

Utopia's Daniel Warnshuis took a gamble in 2008, waiting to harvest until the last possible moment to allow his grapes to ripen to their fullest flavor. That gamble paid off in this gorgeous wine, rich with flavors of sweet cherry, sarsaparilla, rose petals, and ripe blackberries. Dark and dense with silky tannins, oaky creaminess, and an extremely long and satisfying finish, this expertly made wine was built to last.

Rating 94

No. 3

1789 Wines

2008 Pinot Noir Single Vineyard Chehalem Mountains, $48

Grapes for this refined wine were hand-selected and gently processed to bring out maximum fruit aromatics and a deep red color. The rich, balanced wine is lush with flavors of red berries, leather, and black pepper that combine with silky tannins and a long, toffee-noted finish for a sensual sip.

No. 4

Daedalus Cellars

2008 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Dundee Hills, $60

One of the oldest plantings in the Dundee Hills, Maresh Vineyard produces grapes with juicy, bright fruit and herb flavors and a clean structure that combine into a lively, balanced wine. Rich with strawberry, orange blossom, and black pepper notes, this small-production vintage—only 146 cases—is sure to go fast.

No. 5

Andrew Rich

2009 Pinot Noir Prelude Willamette Valley, $22

Our top wallet-friendly wine features a beautiful blend of floral notes and bright cherry flavors that linger on the palate. One of the premier wines from the Carlton Winemaker's Studio, Andrew Rich's Prelude is refreshing, light, and full with balanced acidity and soft tannins that will pair well with a wide variety of foods.

Rating 93

No. 6

Broadley Vineyards

2009 Pinot Noir Claudia's Choice Willamette Valley, $50

Made from a selection of fruit from Broadley's oldest vineyard, this wine is elegant, earthy, and mature. With up-front flavors of dark chocolate and black pepper, Claudia's Choice is softened by juicy notes of black cherry. Beautifully balanced with a long finish, this wine is robust and tannic.

No. 7

ROCO winery

2008 Pinot Noir Private Stash No. 6 Chehalem Mountains, $70

The late harvest of 2008 shines through with ripe fruit flavor, balanced acidity, and developed yet soft tannins. This wine is creamy and lush with sweet spices—think cinnamon, cloves, and allspice—and ripe berries, like a late-summer fruit cobbler in a glass.

No. 8

Thistle

2008 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, $28

Rich, red volcanic soils and organic vines shine through in the earthy flavors of this 2008 pinot's creamy, smooth finish. With plush flavors of sweet strawberry jam, dried cherries, and rich dark chocolate, this wine begs to be paired with duck or game.

Rating 92

No. 9

Rex Hill Vineyards

2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, $33

Though Rex Hill uses "small" fermenters, there is nothing small about this wine. With aromatics bursting with roses, currants, and strawberries and flavors of fried plums, smoke, and spice, this is a big wine with strong tannins and a long, complex finish. While some pinots shine primarily through their scent, this wine is excellent on both nose and palate.

No.10

Bergström wines

2009 Pinot Noir de Lancellotti Chehalem Mountains, $60

The well-draining soils of the Chehalem Mountains lend pinot noir a graceful, slow development that shines in the bottle. This fruit-forward wine offers rich flavors of plum, ripe blackberries, sage, and spice. Powerful and dark, its balanced tannins and acidity combine for a smooth and enjoyable sip.

No. 11

Cameron

Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, $25

Cameron wines are characterized by dry farming—using little to no irrigation—which allows them to highlight the unique characteristics of each vintage. Floral flavors and juicy red fruit on the tongue accent striking scents of dark cherries, hay, and leather. With strong tannins and mild acidity, this accessible bottle will be delightful for outdoor barbecues and nights on the porch.

No. 12

Matello

2009 Pinot Noir Souris Willamette Valley, $39

This delicious wine shows rich fruit depth with flavors of strawberry jam, berry cobbler, and brandied cherries. A long and strong finish allows those tasty flavors to linger. (See "Taster's Choice," p. 66.)

Rating 91

No.13

Eyrie Vineyards

2009 Pinot Noir Reserve Dundee Hills, $62

This complex wine spends nearly two years in barrel, showing developed sweet and savory qualities with flavors ranging from rare steak to ripe blueberries. Offering one of the longest finishes of the bunch, this light wine is clean, bright, and delicious.

No.14

Patton Valley Vineyards

2008 Pinot Noir Lorna-Marie Willamette Valley, $70

With heady fruit scents that jump out of the glass and complex flavors of allspice, vanilla, orange, and raspberry, this balanced, focused wine is soft and creamy. This bottle is also meant to age, and will deepen and soften over the next five years.

No.15

Broadley Vineyards

2009 Pinot Noir Reserve Willamette Valley, $38

A select blend of the best barrels of Broadley's 777 clones, this carefully oaked wine is earthy and spiced, with a strong flavor of ripe, dark blackberries. The long finish and smooth texture of this unfiltered wine hint at its craftsmanship.

No.16

Luminous Hills

2009 Pinot Noir Estate Grown Yamhill-Carlton, $28

Winemaker Byron Dooley (who also owns Seven of Hearts Winery) selected the best grapes from the Luminous Hills estate to bring out the herbal aromatics and juicy fruitiness of this perfumed wine. Native fermentation—using yeast naturally present on the grapes and in the air—lends an earthy, savory flavor that would pair well with grilled meats.

No.17

De Ponte cellars

2008 Pinot Noir Baldwin Family Reserve Dundee Hills, $70

This wine offers scents of coffee and caramel along with notes of blackberry and black currant, but is more earthy than fruit-forward. With balanced minerality and layers of flavor, this wine will pair well with hazelnuts, tomato-based Italian sauces, and chocolate.

{page break} Rating 90

No.18

Luminous Hills

2009 Pinot Noir Lux Estate Yamhill-Carlton, $35

With only 147 cases produced, this wine highlights the best vines of the Luminous Hills vineyard. Heady with scents of raspberry, dry earth, and dried plum, this seductive pinot noir offers strong tannins and bright acidity for a powerful yet balanced glass.

No.19

Siltstone

2008 Pinot Noir Guadalupe Vineyard Dundee Hills, $28

This budget-friendly wine provides full-bodied flavors and a long finish, bursting with notes of strawberry, cherry, smoky spices, and cedar. Combining juicy flavors and outstanding value, this is a great choice for a potluck dinner or housewarming gift.

No.20

Et Fille

2008 Pinot Noir Nicholas Vineyard Chehalem Mountains, $34

Howard Mozeico and Jessica Mozeico-Blair—the father-daughter team behind Et Fille—make full-bodied pinot noir rich with earthy flavors that will pair well with lamb, mushrooms, and a wide variety of herbs. Notes of plum, smoked wood, and bright red cherries linger along with the bold texture.

No.21

Cristom vineyards

2008 Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills, $50

This gently oaked pinot noir was made with Old World techniques such as wild yeast fermentation and minimal handling. Scents of spices, dried cherries, and leather make the unfiltered wine full-bodied and mature, while its earthiness and strong tannins will blossom after several years in the cellar.

No.22

Sokol Blosser

2008 Pinot Noir Dundee Hills, $38

Sokol Blosser's 2008 offering is distinctive for its strong aromatics, rich flavors of black cherries and baker's chocolate, and long finish. Soft tannins and a refreshing lightness make this an easy-drinking wine that will continue to develop for at least 10 years.

No.23

Soter Vineyards

2009 Pinot Noir North Valley Willamette Valley, $30

Crafted from a diverse selection of grapes throughout the north Willamette Valley, this wine reveals winemaker James Cahill's focus on regional representation and sustainable farming. Flavors of tart pie cherries; a candied, bright style; and a super-clean finish place it on the lighter side of the pinot noir spectrum, which makes it a great pairing for fresh, spicy foods.

No.24

Willamette Valley Vineyards

2008 Pinot Noir Tualatin Estate Willamette Valley, $45

Made with fruit from the exclusive Tualatin Estate Vineyard, founded in 1973, this earthy wine shines with sweet, candied-fruit flavors of blackberry, cherry, and vanilla. Generous tannins, balanced minerality, and a smooth finish make this a bottle for deep contemplation and richer food pairings.

Rating 89

No.25

Bergström Wines

2009 Pinot Noir Bergström Vineyard Dundee Hills, $78

Sourced from 13 select acres in the Dundee Hills, this meaty wine is rich, dark, and full-bodied. Juicy flavors of cherries, espresso, raspberries, and caramel blend with gentle acids and satiny tannins to produce a structured wine with a sweet finish.

No.26

Daedalus Cellars

2008 Pinot Noir Labyrinth Dundee Hills, $45

This delicate, floral wine combines juicy flavors and a medium-bodied, silky texture for a very drinkable vintage. Using a blend of grapes from Heron, Thistle, Maresh, and Murto vineyards, winemaker Aron Hess carefully selects the best barrels in the cellar to make this delicious wine.

No.27

Bethel Heights Vineyard

2008 Pinot Noir Justice Vineyard Eola-Amity Hills, $50

The Justice Vineyard is an Oregon Certified Sustainable wine, ensuring responsible growing and winemaking practices. This 2008 vintage's cherry fruit, soft tannins, and fresh acidity balance out floral notes and deeper aromatics of leather and earth. Juicy and bright, this is a pretty glass for easy sipping.

No.28

Brooks

2009 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, $22

This vibrant winery celebrates the dedication and passion of its late founder, Jimi Brooks, by producing high-quality biodynamic estate wines with heart. Blended from various pinot noir clones from throughout the Willamette Valley, this wine is deeply structured yet eminently drinkable, with flavors of coffee, caramel, earth, and ripe raspberry.

No.29

Ardiri winery & Vineyards

2009 Pinot Noir Vineyard Select Estate Grown Chehalem Mountains, $45

Fruit for this estate pinot noir was hand-selected, hand-sorted, and cold-soaked by winemaker John Compagno in open stainless steel fermentation tanks to extract maximum color and flavor. Rich with oak notes, candied red fruit, and complex cola flavors, the results are robust yet balanced.

Rating 88

No.30

Luminous Hills

2009 Pinot Noir Astra Estate Yamhill-Carlton, $35

Winemaker Byron Dooley's Astra uses a higher percentage of "whole cluster fermentation" than its sister wine from the Lux estate, which means brighter fruit flavors and an added spiciness. Emitting the aroma of dried flowers, herbs, and raspberries, this wine has enough tannic structure to develop for several years.

No.31

Siltstone

2007 Pinot Noir Guadalupe Vineyard Dundee Hills, $26

Bright flavors of cherry, strawberry, and a hint of cedar round out a beautiful wine harvested in the midst of October rainstorms. Made with grapes from a single old-vine vineyard on the west slope of the Dundee Hills, this wine shows the talent and perseverance of winegrowers in a tough year. Discover the difference a year can make: grab a bottle of the 2008 Guadalupe Vineyard for your own at-home vertical tasting.

No.32

Bethel Heights Vineyard

2008 Pinot Noir Casteel Reserve Eola-Amity Hills, $60

Fully destemming the grapes before fermentation (stems mean strong tannins) lent great fruit concentration to the finished product of this ripe, lush pinot noir. A mild, bright, and easy-drinking wine, this will be delicious with hearty fall dishes like root vegetable stews and braised lamb.

No.33

Matello

2009 Pinot Noir Lazarus Willamette Valley, $19

This budget-friendly pinot is ready to drink and full of juicy, ripe fruit flavors. Uncomplicated, pretty, and with enough earthiness and complexity to keep things exciting, this clear, unfussy wine is a great choice for fall.

No.34

Domaine Serene

2007 Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve Dundee Hills, $58

The latest vintage of Domaine Serene's flagship wine leaps out of the glass with scents of cherry, raspberry, and toasted spices. Silky tannins, a smooth, long finish, and a savory edge make this a lovely bottle for easy drinking and food pairing.

No.35

Et Fille

2009 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard Dundee Hills, $42

The storied Maresh Vineyard has been producing quality pinot noir grapes since 1984, and continues to lend the balanced strength of old vines to Et Fille's 2009 vintage. Bright tannins draw out flavors of red cherries, black currants, and plums.

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WHITES

Rating 95

No. 1

Evening Land ?Vineyards

2009 Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard La Source Eola-Amity Hills, $60

A collaboration between winemaker Isabelle Meunier and consulting winemaker Dominique Lafon, this wine is the result of a perfect storm of conscious viticulture, a merciful growing season, and a touch of magic. With layer upon layer of flavor—bright Meyer lemon, apple blossom, ripe Asian pear, and subtle spice, with well-blended caramel notes from careful oak aging—this wine has it all. Balanced, rich, and bright with crisp fruit, it is the quintessential expression of Oregon’s new chardonnay. Meunier honed her skills in Burgundy, New Zealand, and her native Canada before ?arriving in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills region outside of Salem, where grapes for La Source are carefully grown and hand-selected.

Rating 94

No.2

Bethel Heights Vineyard

2009 Chardonnay Estate Grown Eola-Amity Hills, $25

Using a blend of Dijon and old-vine Wente clones, this classic chardonnay shows a welcome balance of richness and bright acidity. The best of the old-school Oregon style, this rich, golden wine marries minerality and flavors of ripe pineapple and lemon zest, resulting in a smooth palate that’s full-bodied and perfumed but never cloying.

No.3

Ponzi Vineyards

2008 Chardonnay Reserve Willamette Valley, $30

2008 wasn’t just a great year for pinot noir. The cool spring and Indian summer of that storied vintage also resulted in chardonnays that continue to impress. In this smooth-textured, golden wine, rich oak notes are balanced by bright acidity and fresh flavors of lemon curd and thyme. Pair with poached halibut, earthy mushrooms, and fava beans.

No.4

Brooks

2008 Riesling Ara ? Willamette Valley, $25

Named after the altar that Noah built after the Flood, this riesling is the praise-worthy result of a tumultuous year. With heady scents of rose petals and apple and juicy flavors of peach, apricot, and kiwi, this bright and refreshing wine was featured at President Obama’s first White House State Dinner, paired with red lentil soup.

No.5

Lange Estate winery & vineyards

2010 Pinot Gris Reserve ?Willamette Valley, $20

Don Lange was the first American winemaker to produce barrel-fermented pinot gris, and this legacy shines through in his son Jesse’s latest vintage. Oak barreling lends richness to the wine’s bright notes of green apple, honey, and lemon zest. Full-bodied from the first sip to the lingering finish, this wine will pair well with Mexican cuisine.

Rating 91

No.6

Raptor Ridge

2010 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, $18

For fans of traditional Oregon pinot gris, winemaker Scott Shull’s latest vintage will certainly satisfy. Featuring clean scents of apple blossoms and tangerine, sweet flavors of pears and Meyer lemon, bright acidity, and a juicy finish, this wine will pair well with clams in garlic butter or grilled salmon.

No.7

Stoller Vineyards

2008 Chardonnay SV Estate Dundee Hills, $28

The warm fall of 2008 allowed plenty of time for grapes to fully ripen, lending the vintage a lush, complex, and fruit-forward character. This creamy wine is packed with flavors of almonds, brioche, and baked apples, with a full body that will hold its own when paired with richer dishes like herb-roasted chicken, cheesy pasta, or creamy soups.

No.8

Adelsheim ?Vineyard

2010 Auxerrois Ribbon Ridge, $22

David Adelsheim imported Oregon’s first vines of Auxerrois (pronounced oak-sair-wah) in the late ’70s, but the varietal remains relatively unknown despite its success in Oregon’s cool soils. Bursting with scents of orange blossom, tropical fruit flavors, and bright acidity, this refreshing wine will pair perfectly with crab salad, ceviche, or cured salmon.

No.9

Teutonic Wine Co

2010 Riesling Willamette Valley, $15

This small-production winery—offering only 126 cases of its 2010 riesling—is known for its high-acid, low-alcohol wines that are truly food-friendly. With soft notes of peaches, strawberry, and rose petals, this light wine begs to be paired with oysters or any fresh, briny seafood.

Rating 90

No.10

Elk Cove ?Vineyards

2010 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, $18

With scents of sweet pear and almonds, fresh acidity, and flavors of baking spice and ripe peaches that linger on the palate, Elk Cove’s 2010 estate pinot gris is a definite crowd pleaser. This food-friendly wine from one of Oregon’s oldest wineries will be delicious with a citrus salad and fresh chèvre.

Rating 89

No.11

Amity Vineyards

2008 Dry ?Gewürztraminer Sunnyside Vineyard Willamette Valley, $20

This traditional golden gewürztraminer is rich, fruit-forward, and intense, with flavors of lychee, Asian pear, and fresh green herbs. Though labeled “dry,” this wine offers a bright sweetness through complex fruit flavors, and will perfectly calm the heat of spicy Thai food.

No.12

Love and ?Squalor

2010 Riesling Willamette Valley, $18

Matt Berson’s zesty riesling—made with organic grapes—is sweet, lush, and refreshing, offering flavors of peaches and mangoes for a balanced palate that’d be a perfect picnic sipper. Pack a backpack with a baguette, smoked salmon, Peppadew peppers, and a corkscrew, and you’re set for a wonderful meal.

Rating 88

No.13

J. Albin Winery

2010 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, $15

Bright flavors of ripe pear and white peaches, notes of buttery almond, and a peppery spiciness blend together for a rich palate that lingers and tempts you to keep sipping. Pair with melon and goat cheese salads, thin-sliced cured meats, and fresh peaches.

No.14

Brooks

2010 Riesling Sweet P Riesling Willamette Valley, $22

Named for the winery’s 15-year-old owner, Pascal, this fun, casual wine has a bright, sparkling sweetness balanced by juicy acidity. Bursting with flavors of honeydew, peaches, and lilac, Sweet P will be a hit at any potluck. But bring a few bottles: it’ll go fast.

No.15

The Four Graces

2010 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, $18

Stainless steel fermentation lends a clean subtlety to this silky wine from the Red Hills of Dundee. Bursting with citrus and green apple notes, this bright, lean pinot gris will pair well with pasta, fresh basil, and spicy Italian sausage.

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Taster’s Choice

THE BREWER: RON GANSBERG
FROM CASCADE BREWING

PLUS! Our Picks for the Best Local Summer Brews:

Brat-Worthy Beer:: Double Mountain Kölsch; Full Sail LTD No. 3; Heater Allen Pils

Beef-Worthy Beer:: Laurelwood Organic Pale Ale; Lompoc Kick Axe; Oakshire Line Dry Rye Pale Ale

Bird-Worthy Beer:: Bridgeport Summer Squeeze; Burnside Brewing Sweet Heat; Widmer Citra Blonde Summer Brew

AND Web Exclusive Side-dish and Dessert Recipes from Our Brewers!

From Christian Ettinger of Hopworks:: Caesar Salad with Spicy Lager Shrimp; Pineapple Upside-Down Lager Cake

From Alex Ganum of Upright Brewing:: Grilled Romaine Salad; Cheese and Quince Jelly

From Ron Gansberg of Cascade Brewing:: Spicy Melon

The most popular warm-weather beer in Ganum’s ale arsenal, the Four crackles on the palate with a subdued hop count but an infinity of malt characteristics.

Ganum selected this beer for its mellow temperament—the ideal mate to his gutsy, Argentine menu. “It doesn’t overpower anything,” he says. “The sweetbreads are delicate, so the beer and food match up perfectly.” He likes a beer that lingers on the taste buds to maintain flavor accumulation. “The Four has a long finish, which draws out the fatty flavors of the sweetbreads,” he says.

THE MENU

GRILLED SWEETBREADS

Image: Michael Cogliantry

GRILLED SWEETBREADS
3 whole sweetbreads (available at Laurelhurst Market or Chop Charcuterie)

The preparation is simplicity itself. Ganum says to blanch the sweetbreads in boiling salted water for 1–3 minutes, or until firm. After cooling in ice water and drying fully, salt the meat liberally and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes—flipping once or twice—until a crispy crust has formed on both sides. Cut into medallions and serve. One sweetbread should feed two people. Add a squeeze of lemon to brighten up the flavor.

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THE BREWER: RON GANSBERG

FROM CASCADE BREWING

Image: Michael Cogliantry

Résumés among Northwest brewers aren’t built with more bona fides than Gansberg’s. Even before his 13 illustrious years with Cascade Brewing, he spent time with Portland Brewing and Bridgeport. If there’s any doubt that he was born for his job, consider that at age 12, he became his neighborhood’s root beer baron. Culinary instincts run deep in his Celtic-French family tree. Or as he puts it, “There’s Brittany, Normandy, Gourmandy, and Gluttony.”

GANSBERG’S PICK

CASCADE SUMMER GOSE

Image: Michael Novak

Cascade’s seasonal comes from a 1,000-year-old German style recently resurrected from obscurity. It’s an unfiltered wheat beer that presents a parade of different flavors, from lemon to sweet malt to lightly sour to a tingle of salt.

Gansberg explains that his curry rub imparts “fairly intense” flavors to the chicken. The lemon and “ephemeral sweetness” from his beer blends nicely with the bird’s hot, peppery personality. But, he adds, the acidity and carbonation of the Gose also cleanse the palate. “There should be an evolution of flavor with each bite,” Gansberg says. “I want to have a clean palate so I can taste the other things on my plate.”

THE MENU

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CURRY RUB

GRILLED CHICKEN WITH CURRY RUB
2 tbsp yellow curry powder

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp cracked pepper

1 tbsp salt

½ tsp cayenne

Combine ingredients in a bowl and rub thoroughly on one chicken—apply less rub for a chicken that’s been halved or quartered. Refrigerate bird for 4 hours to let flavors absorb before grilling. Slow-cook till tender on medium heat.
We recommend chickens from Taylor Made Farms, which can be purchased from Eat Oregon First (eatoregonfirst.com). But Draper Valley chickens are just fine and easier to get.

Oregon’s 50 Best Wines 2009

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 10:00:00 -0700

POWER WINE-TASTING isn’t a particularly pretty thing to watch, particularly when one person faces trying more than 650 wines over three weeks. When I arrive at the Brewery Blocks apartment of our wine columnist, Condé Cox, I find him pumping up for day eight of his marathon by slathering mustard on a slice of rye bread, wrapping it around a freshly microwaved organic hot dog, and inhaling it in four bites. “I’ll eat gruel,” he says, chewing the frank and swallowing his syllables, “and drink Château Lafite Rothschild.”

Cox’s task: to pick the top 50 current-release wines of the season—the 30 best at any price point, plus 20 that cost less than $20. Nominally fueled and ready, he pulls the evening’s first cork.

No effete affectations here—the nose swinging over the rim of the glass, the cocked eyebrow at the first sip, or the proverbial “hmmm” as the flavors rise. Cox’s movements are more characteristic of a swimmer than a sommelier.

Splash. Sniff. Slurp. Pause. Pitooouh.

But then, for my benefit, Cox turns up the volume on what is normally his internal, mouth-to-mind dialogue, a ratcheting, mind-boggling ticker tape measuring tannins, acidity, astringency, residual sugars, fruits, and other, more arcane oenophilic notes, such as the levels of leather and tar. Sniff. Slurp. Pitooouh. Cox scribbles the highs and lows into a brown leather-bound book, each entry punctuated by a final circled number—his rating.

“Most instructors only talk about aroma,” says Cox, who teaches a course called Wine Sensory Evaluation at Oregon State University’s extension campuses. “You need to use tactile taste.” And then he’s off. “How do you taste for alcohol? Heat. What’s that? It’s like the sense of touch in your fingertips, only you’re using the skin inside your mouth. How do you taste tannin? It’s astringency. Astringency is a dryness—the quality that sucks the saliva out of your mouth. Are you feeling the pang of pain on the roof of your mouth? That’s acid. Now, how do you distinguish that from warmth? Are you tasting the acid or the alcohol or the tannin? If you’re confusing them, you’ve missed the wine.”

Cox, 55, has been tasting wine for more than three decades, these days at a rate of about 12,000 bottles each year. He’s one of only four Oregonians ever to be accepted to study at the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine, a rigorous 56-year-old program. Should he become one of the few candidates who graduate each year, he’ll be in the elite company of only 275 fully accredited masters in the world. Sniff. Slurp. Pitooouh.

Cox’s rapid-fire monologues on winemaking history, gossip, and, ultimately, judgment stream by as an empty champagne bucket fills up with discarded mouthfuls of the noble rot. But as he describes the flavors—whether a particular fruitiness is closer to ripe pear or cucumber; whether the warmth of alcohol is well balanced by finely grained tannins—each of my taste buds stands up and bows.
As you try his selections, we hope yours will, too. Cheers!—Randy Gragg

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Rating 95

No. 1

Archery Summit Winery
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Red Hills Estate’
Dundee Hills
$85, 9-10 years

Crafted by the talented 39-year-old winemaker Anna Matzinger (pictured below), this wine embodies the phrase “a steel fist in a velvet glove.” Remarkably balanced for a high-alcohol wine, it possesses tart cherry flavors, mouthwatering tannins, and a power restrained by elegance. Matzinger took big risks that paid off with a grip that is almost gritty with extra palate weight.

Founding owner Gary Andrus (who passed away early this year after a long illness) spared no expense on Archery Summit’s facilities, mixing new technologies with old-world values, from experimental fermentation vats to deeply excavated underground barrel caves. Matzinger, a Boise native and Evergreen College graduate who learned winemaking in New Zealand and Australia before starting at Archery Summit as an intern 10 years ago, has taken advantage of every opportunity she’s been given. To her, the most critical ingredients are hardly cutting-edge: the vineyard’s south-facing slope; the Willamette Valley’s volcanic soil, known as “Jory”; pruning the vines by as much as one-half to maximize the flavor in the remaining fruit; and using only the natural yeast that arrives on the grapes instead of commercially produced cultured yeasts. Of the five vineyards managed by Archery Summit, Matzinger says that Red Hills Estate “has always been my favorite—a little secret.”

Rating 93

No. 2

1789
2007 Pinot Noir
Chehalem Mountains
$48, 7–9 years

Supple textures, bright red-cherry scents, powerfully fruity yet restrained. Made by Isabelle Dutartre, perhaps Oregon’s least-known top-echelon winemaker. A French native (note the wine’s French Revolutionary name), Dutartre shuttles between the Willamette Valley and Burgundy, working for some of the best winemakers in each. This is her first wine under her own label, and it has a finesse to match her talent and experience.

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Rating 92

No. 3

Hawks View Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Hawks View Vineyard’
Chehalem Mountains
$35, 6–8 years

With velvet textures, a floral nose, and delicate fresh-raspberry flavors, this wine offers a delightful blend of astringency and tartness.

No. 4

Ken Wright Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Abbott Claim Vineyard’
Yamhill-Carlton
$55, 5–7 years

Bursting with the flavor of black cherries and boysenberries, this rich but fruity wine reflects the high levels of marine sediment in Wright’s estate vineyard located on Savannah Ridge.

No. 5

Ken Wright Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Carter Vineyard’
Eola-Amity Hills
$55, 5–7 years

A nearly perfect balance of fruitiness, acidity, and oak-barrel flavors, with red-cherry and raspberry scents, reflective of the volcanic soils in the Carter Vineyard.

No. 6

Domaine Serene
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Grace Vineyard’
Dundee Hills
$125, 8+ years
Fine-grained textures and a lurking complexity that will show itself more fully in a few years’ time.

No. 7

Cristom Vineyards
2005 Pinot Noir
‘Signature Cuvée’
Willamette Valley
$100, 10+ years

Deeply structured and concentrated, this wine was built by winemaker Steve Doerner for maximum cellar-worthiness after having been bottle-aged at the winery for much longer than usual prior to release.

No. 8

Bergström
2007 Chardonnay
‘Sigrid’
Willamette Valley
$75, 3–6 years

2007 was a perfect vintage in the Willamette Valley for white wines; the cool weather in late summer and early fall allowed for white-wine grape varieties to be harvested just in time, before the autumn rains arrived. Many keen observers believe that 2007 will be regarded as the greatest year in history for Oregon white wines—they are restrained and ripe at the same time, creating the sensation of a perfect high-wire balancing act. This wine is an example: persistent on the palate long after being swallowed, a rich core of apple and pear flavors, and a supple yet powerful texture with just the right touch of oak.

Rating 92-

No. 9

Iota Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Pelos Sandberg Vineyard’
Eola-Amity Hills
$42, 5–7 years

Lots of toasty new oak barrels are used to make this mouth-filling wine, which exhibits plenty of delicate berry flavors.

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Rating 91+

No. 10

Et Fille
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Kalita Vineyard’
Yamhill-Carlton
$38, 5–6 years

Scented of blackberries, with the delicacy of the 2007 vintage and the rich black fruits of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, this wine speaks particularly well of its time and place of origin.

Rating 91

No. 11

Et Fille
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Nicholas Vineyard’
Chehalem Mountains
$34, 3–4 years

Layers of complexity drape over the well-integrated scents of toasty oak. Great value.

No. 12

Brittan Vineyards
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Basalt Block’
McMinnville
$45, 8–9 years

Well-integrated, crisp acidity, with elegant oak-barrel scents. Rich red-cherry flavors that linger. Made by famous former Napa Valley winemaker Robert Brittan, who’s now growing cool-weather grapes in the Willamette Valley.

No. 13

Eminent Domaine
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Willakia Vineyard’
Eola-Amity Hills
$32, 8–9 years

Very cellar-worthy, this strawberry- and raspberry-scented wine is more intense but less complex than some of the other top wines available among current releases. Great value.

Rating 91-

No. 14

Domaine Serene
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Jerusalem Vineyard’
Eola-Amity Hills
$75, 5–7 years
Red-cherry flavors with well-integrated oak scents and soft, tactile textures.

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Rating 90

No. 15

Archery Summit Winery
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Premier Cuvée’
Dundee Hills
$48, 6–8 years

A brooding wine that needs time to unwind and reveal its lingering depth and complexity.

No. 16

Chehalem
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Statement’
Willamette Valley
$99, 6–8 years

Intense black fruits, massive concentration, and plenty of alcohol.

No. 17

Domaine Drouhin Oregon
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Laurène’
Dundee Hills
$65, 6–8 years

Perennially one of Oregon’s best wines, the 2006 Laurène will be most enjoyable after a few more years in the bottle.

No. 18

Domaine Serene
2006 Chardonnay
‘Etoile’
Willamette Valley
$45, 4–6 years

Well balanced, with well-integrated oak flavors reminiscent of Chassagne-Montrachet.

No. 19

Hawks View Cellars
2008 Pinot Gris
Chehalem Mountains
$24, drink now

Long, with intense Granny Smith green-apple flavors. The best Oregon pinot gris I’ve ever tasted.

No. 20

Lemelson Vineyards
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Meyer Vineyard’
Willamette Valley
$48, 4–8 years

Clean, pure pinot noir plum and berry flavors, with more intensity than complexity.

No. 21

Penner-Ash Wine Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Dussin Vineyard’
Willamette Valley
$60, 6–7 years

Typical varietal flavors and good length in this mouthwatering wine.

No. 22

Remy Wines
2006 Lagrein
Willamette Valley
$60, 5–8 years

A richly textured, rustic, highly tannic wine made from very low-yielding vines, with the scent of wild mulberries. This is a rare Italian grape variety, recently introduced to Oregon.

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Rating 89+

No. 23

Bergstrom
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Bergstrom Vineyard’
Dundee Hills
$75, 4–6 years

Layers of complexity with supple textures and soft berry flavors.

Rating 89

No. 24

Dukes Family Vineyards
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Thomas’
Dundee Hills
$50, 6–9 years

Multiple concentrated layers of dark-cherry flavors.

No. 25

Francis Tannahill Wine Company
2006 Pinot Noir
‘The Hermit’
Willamette Valley
$48, 4–5 years

Concentrated and richly textured, with persistent dark-cherry flavors.

No. 26

Iota Cellars
2006 Pinot Noir
‘Pelos Sandberg Vineyard’
Eola-Amity Hills
$42, 5–6 years

Intensely concentrated, with plenty of the alcohol warmth typical of 2006 pinots.

No. 27

Brittan Vineyards
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Gestalt Block’
McMinnville
$45, 10 years

Mildly astringent and exhibiting dark-cherry flavors, this is an intense wine with lots of aging potential.

No. 28

Brick House
2007 Chardonnay
Ribbon Ridge
$29, 2–4 years

Quite complex, made with native yeasts and limited oak-barrel influence.

No. 29

De Ponte Cellars
2007 Pinot Noir
‘Reserve’
Dundee Hills
$55, 6–9 years

Rich and long, this interesting wine will develop nicely in the bottle.

No. 30

Vista Hills Vineyard
2007
‘Saga Hills Reserve’
Dundee Hills
$48, 6–8 years

With proceeds going to education programs, this non-profit label invites top winemakers to special bottlings. This one—made by Isabelle Dutartre (see No. 2)—is delicately textured, with dominant raspberry flavors.

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Oregon’s Top Value Wines

Current releases under $20

Rating 90

No. 31

Hillcrest Vineyard (Heydon Road)
2005 Cabernet Sauvignon
‘Cuvee Adam Doerner’
Umpqua Valley
$20, 2–5 years

Delicate floral scents but rich black-currant flavors, harvested from the oldest vineyard in Oregon (planted in 1961).

No. 32

Bergström
2007 Chardonnay
‘Old Stones’
Willamette Valley
$20, 2–4 years

One of the best chardonnays ever made in Oregon, this is truly a top value. Quite long, intense pear flavors, with a judicious use of oak barrels.

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Rating 87

No. 33

Abacela
2008 Albariño
‘Estate Grown’
Umpqua Valley
$18, drink now

Crisp, dry, lingering mountain-stream and almond flavors distinguish this food-friendly wine.

No. 34

Brick House
Multivintage
Pinot Noir
“N.V.”
Ribbon Ridge
$20, 1–2 years

Typical pinot noir berry flavors; made from biodynamically grown grapes.

No. 35

Zerba
2006 Merlot Blend
‘Wild Z’
Walla Walla
$19, 2–4 years

Ripe and well balanced, this blend comes from one of the few wineries in Walla Walla to source mainly from the Oregon side of the Columbia River.

Rating 87-

No. 36

Stoller
2008 Pinot Noir Rosé
‘JV Estate’
Dundee Hills
$17, drink now

Refreshing, tart strawberry and light-raspberry flavors.

No. 37

Eyrie
2007 Pinot Blanc
Dundee Hills
$14, drink now

With the scent of lanolin and wax, this is a food wine, perfect when paired with potato-leek soup.

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Rating 86+

No. 38

Laura Volkman Vineyards
2007 Oregon St. James Pinot Noir
Chehalem Mountains
$20, 2–3 years

Typical pinot noir scents and flavors with good intensity and length.

No. 39

ArborBrook
2008 Pinot Gris
‘Croft Vineyard’
Willamette Valley
$18, drink now

Quite long on the palate for the price, with plenty of old-vine richness tasted at the midpalate.

No. 40

Cooper Mountain
2007 Pinot Gris
‘20th Anniversary Reserve’
Washington County
$15, drink now

Rich apple flavors that linger on the palate.

Rating 86

No. 41

Chehalem
2008 Chardonnay
‘INOX’
Willamette Valley
$19, drink now

Firm green-apple acidity and not a whiff of oak. Virgin chardonnay.

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Rating 85

No. 42

Montinore
2006
Gewürztraminer
Willamette Valley
$13, drink now

Scents of honeysuckle, clovelike spice, and flowers.

No. 43

Chehalem
2007 Riesling
‘Reserve’
Willamette Valley
$20, 1–2 years

Scent of pine resin, with some complexity and good length.

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Rating 84+

No. 44

Twelve
2007 Pinot Blanc
Yamhill-Carlton
$15, drink now

Scent of almonds, with lingering layers of flavor.

Rating 84-

No. 45

Viento
2007 Pinot Gris/Sauvignon Blanc Blend
‘Allegre Vineyard’
Columbia Gorge
$14, drink now

Quite quaffable, with nice layers of apple and pear flavors.

No. 46

Raptor Ridge
2008 Pinot Gris
Willamette Valley
$18, drink now

Interesting, subtle pear flavors that linger.

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Rating 83+

No. 47

Brandborg
2007 Riesling
Umpqua Valley
$16, 1–2 years

A fine balance of acidity and residual sugar, with green-apple notes.

No. 48

Cooper Mountain
2008 Tocai Friulano
Willamette Valley
$14, drink now

Peach and pear flavors in this light, fruity, food-friendly wine made from a grape historically grown almost exclusively in the Italian Alps.

Rating 83-

No. 49

Maysara
2008 Pinot Gris
McMinnville
$16, drink now

Concentrated, with green-apple and citrus flavors.

No. 50

McKinlay
2007 Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley
$15, 1–2 years

Tart but complex strawberry flavors.

The Beers of Summer

Tue, 19 May 2009 17:55:00 -0700

Image: David Emmite

Portland is the epicenter of craft brewing in the United States, according to Wall Street Journal writer Ken Wells in his 2003 book Travels With Barley. And he’s not the only one who feels that way. In fact, it would take up more space than we have allotted to recount all the honors and accolades that have been poured on Oregon thanks to our homegrown beer industry.

Portland has always been a tavern town that moved a lot of draft, but it wasn’t until the late ’70s that the seeds of the craft-beer revolution took hold. During the hedonistic days of the Carter administration, Sen. Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) introduced a bill that would allow a single person to brew up to 100 gallons of beer annually for personal consumption (200 gallons for larger households). The bill passed and homebrewing went public, graduating from the bathtubs and medical tubing of Prohibition-style basement operations or the beakers and pipettes of dorm-room setups to the carboys and hydrometers of a legitimate cottage industry.

Around these parts, winemakers like Dick Ponzi and Chuck Coury were eager to get into the game, and homebrewers, like the Oregon Brew Crew, were already good to go, having been weaned on local writer Fred Eckhardt’s A Treatise on Lager Beer (1969). "Fred’s been around the whole time," says Brian Butenschoen, executive director of the Oregon Brewers Guild. "And everybody who started brewing in the breweries, from Karl Ockert (Bridgeport Brewing) to the Widmers to Fred Bowman and Art Larrance (Portland Brewing), they all had that homebrewing experience."

Mike and Brian McMenamin are credited with the state’s first true brewpub, the Hillsdale Brewery & Public House, which opened in 1985 after the state Legislature passed what came to be known as the "brewpub law," making it legal for brewers to sell directly to the public. But the young entrepreneurs took some heat when the established beer distributors dug in their heels and fought the encroachment onto their turf by any means necessary.

"As we made inroads, some of the distributors did their best to thrash us," says Kurt Widmer. "They talked about how our sanitation conditions were less than optimal. Our brewery at the time was a little bit dark and dour, but we did a great job of keeping everything clean. The piping, the hoses and the tanks, everything the beer touched we kept spotless."

Fortunately, stalwart publicans like Don Younger at the Horse Brass, Carl Simpson at the Dublin Pub and Bill McCormick at Jake’s went to bat for the rookies and helped them get a foothold. "And all the distributors’ nightmares came true," laughs Bridgeport brewmaster Karl Ockert.

So we have a confluence of beer geeks, nervy tavern owners, timely legislation and a populace with taste buds attuned to more complex beer than, uh, Bud. Anything else?

Ingredients.

We’re the No. 2 producer of hops in the country, with Yakima Valley in Washington holding a commanding lead. We also rank a healthy No. 9 on the barley list. Great Western Malting is just across the river in Vancouver, and Wyeast in Odell, outside Hood River, is one of only a small number of yeast cultivators in the United States. "And we have mountain-fresh water," notes Jerry Fechter, co-owner of New Old Lompoc. "Just like the big guys."

And let’s not forget the weather, Eckhardt adds. "During the winter there’s nothing else to do but sit inside and drink beer."

Fortunately, summer’s upon us and it’s about beer-thirty, high time to acknowledge those local beers worthy of a second round. Here we present the Summer Beer All-Star team, a dozen profiles of brewers, publicans and the beers that made them famous. Our hoppy homage is by no means scientific or definitive, and we welcome additional input. Hopeful brewers are encouraged to lug samples over to the Portland Monthly office. Disclaimer: This team is for summer beers. Stouts and porters need not apply. Until November.

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Turk’s Head ESB

The Alameda Brewhouse, a Northeast hop spot that features agreeable edibles and décor that drapes steely modern flash over its blue-collar torso, turns 10 this summer. Brewmaster John Eaton, who’s been tending the tanks for the last four years, touts all the selections brewed on the premises: Black Bear XX Stout is an award-winner, and the Klickitat Pale Ale is the top seller. The brewhouse also pours Siskiyou Golden Ale, a popular entry that’s earned the evocative moniker “lawnmower beer” for its hot-weather drinkability.

But the Turk’s Head ESB is the most robust and distinctive brew here, leading off with plenty of hops and cleaning up nicely with a dry finish and a lingering caramel roasted malt aftertaste. And it favors finesse over power.

“It’s a real English-style ESB (extra special bitter),” Eaton explains. “And it’s pretty low on alcohol, only about 5 percent. The idea is that it’s still full-bodied and has a lot of crisp bitterness to it—and you can make it a session beer.”

In other words, you won’t need to call in a lightweight as your relief pitcher.

“At a lot of breweries, their best beer is like 8 percent alcohol, which is fine, interesting and good,” he continues. “But we’re not talking about a beer that people can sit down and have a couple of and feel OK. English beers are a little lower in alcohol and a little more subtle. But Turk’s Head still has a lot of hop bite and malt backbone. It should be smooth and crisp and leave you with something.”

Besides a hangover, that is. Just because the Bambino and Mickey Mantle had the intestinal fortitude to play through the previous night’s chug-a-lug doesn’t mean you have to attempt it yourself.

Supris

Bridgeport Brewing, among the most guzzled of the veterans on this squad (established in 1984), is currently ranked No. 41 among the top 50 American breweries in production. Brewmaster Karl Ockert is the company’s revered elder statesman; aside from a five-year “professional odyssey” in the early ’90s when he ventured forth to start some pubs in Washington and serve a stint in the majors with Anheuser-Busch, Ockert has been the brains behind Bridgeport’s brew. And the venerable ivy-festooned pub on NW Marshall St—recently renovated to include a bakery in its more brightly polished interior —is still teeming with fans of his ageless ale artistry.

“I tell people that when Dick Ponzi and I were first building this place, we didn’t know if we were going to be in business for three months or 30 years,” Ockert says. “And luckily, it’s been closer to the 30-year mark.”

For the last decade, Bridgeport IPA has been a Northwest all-star, successfully steering palates away from watery domestic lagers and viscous stouts toward lighter, hoppier pleasures. In part thanks to Bridgeport’s consistent firkin excellence, IPA has become the pad Thai of the local brewpub menu.

“It’s pretty much been the gold standard of IPA,” says Laurelwood’s Mike De Kalb, while John Eaton, the brewmaster from Alameda Brewhouse, cites Bridgeport IPA as possibly his favorite bottled beer.

“Our IPA has gone from being a niche beer that we were going to brew every once in a while, because it was so hoppy, into being a leader in that category,” Ockert enthuses.

But there’s a rookie from foreign soil in the Bridgeport clubhouse that’s been turning heads of late. Supris (soo-prees) is a yeasty blonde seasonal offering with a jolt of spice and fruit, making it a top prospect on the summer beer circuit. Ockert is pleased with the newcomer’s performance, but concedes its emergence posed a challenge.

“It’s a bold departure for us because we’ve been all about Northwest ingredients, which is typified in the IPA,” he says. “The Supris is German barley, German malt and German hops, Czech hops and Slovenian hops, and then we use this Belgian yeast that gives it a very yeast-driven, spicy clove flavor. It’s a difficult beer for us to make, because we have to rely on foreign ingredients, but it’s really worth it.”

It certainly accords with beer fanatics’ immigration policy: Give us your yeasts, your malts and your Slovenian hops—yearning to be beer.

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Session Lager

Welcome back, little guy. After Olympia Brewing’s beloved stubby bottles disappeared off the shelves for good in 2003, Full Sail Brewing recognized an opportunity—and leapt at the chance to fill a precious void in the consciousness of Northwest beer lovers with the advent of its Session Lager.

“We had talked about doing a stubby bottle ever since we’d heard Olympia was going to close,” says Full Sail’s executive brewer Jamie Emmerson. “We talked about it because of the following, and because of that nostalgic view.”

But there’s more to the story than a beer company getting style points for going the retro route. Full Sail Brewing has been employee-owned since 1999, but as one of the state’s major beer producers (No. 26 among American breweries), the player-managers on staff seldom make a decision based purely on sentimental reasons. Emmerson said Full Sail was looking to win fans of more conventional beer who seemed to be having trouble wrapping their taste buds around Full Sail Amber, Rip Curl and other bold brand titles.

“I had a crew of construction workers working on my house,” Emmerson says. “And I brought some Full Sail beer out for them, you know, ‘free beer, free beer.’ And they said, ‘No thanks.’ I just figured they were on the wagon. So next week I came out and they were drinking a fine Mexican beer. So I said, ‘Hey, how about some Full Sail?’ And they said, ‘No, no; it’s too bitter, too heavy.’

“Stylistically we found they’re buying the beer, Heineken, Corona, etc. And they’re paying the price, because none of those beers are inexpensive by any means. But they’re not picking us because of the taste.”

Session may sound like a concession to the plebeian palates of beer’s rookie leagues, yet Emmerson and his cohorts brought considerable research, toil and trial-and-error to the plate, and the results have been solid. Session has proved a brisk mover amongst the Pabst Blue Ribbon (still the most popular beer in town) crowd, and it recently claimed a bronze medal at the World Beer Cup.

And Full Sail certainly deserves props for developing a tasty, modestly priced lager that comes in a familiar—and comforting—shape. “If we had put an ale in the stubby bottle, a Full Sail style beer, I think there would have been a disconnect between the bottle shape and the taste people would expect,” Emmerson says.

Ruth American Ale

Situated in a former iron foundry among a warren of industrial outposts near SE Holgate Blvd, Hair of the Dog Brewing and its “top dog” Alan Sprints conduct their beer business with a humid élan. Reggae thumps through the tidy brewery while employees amble about in shorts and flip-flops. In one corner there’s a small bar rigged with a half-dozen taps: This is the tasting “room.”

There’s no question that Hair of the Dog is one of the most respected and innovative breweries in Portland (established in 1993), if not the entire Northwest. But the summer beer formula—light and invigorating, prompting the consumer to consume a bit more freely—is not normally associated with this lot, whose mystique is more Bad News Bears than Yankee pinstripes. Hair of the Dog’s noggin-knocking offerings include Adam, a dark “dessert beer” that weighs in at a hefty 10 percent alcohol, and the “special golden” Fred (named after beer writer and historian Fred Eckhardt—), another 10 percent monster.

“My beers are big and strong; they’re not the kind of beers you have four or five of, so I found it difficult to sell much volume here in Portland,” the affable Sprints says. “And I wanted to do something to help that.” Ladies and gentleman, meet Ruth.

On first taste, she delivers a provocative dose of Crystal hops, but it’s not overly bitter and gets progressively less assertive and more palate-friendly over the duration of the bottle (sorry, it’s not available on draft—browse your local upscale grocery store).

“I always tell people Ruth is more or less like a regular beer,” Sprints says. “You won’t be too surprised when you try it.” Sprints names most of his beers after those near and dear to him; Ruth is his mother’s mother. “It’s my attempt at a lighter beer,” he says. “Granny doesn’t really drink beer, but if she did, she’d definitely drink Ruth.”

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Organic Free Range Red

One could be forgiven for expecting bush-league beer when visiting the Laurelwood Public House. Despite the hulking presence of the brewing tanks,
its well-scrubbed, family-friendly interior (a play area? Sacrilege!), bountiful menu of pub grub and display case of diet-unfriendly desserts somehow suggest that worthy beer may not be available in this clubhouse. That notion is quickly dispelled by the line-drive arrival of the brewery sampler of eight beers (3 oz each, $8) or simply by getting cozy with the Organic Free Range Red, the top pitcher in the house. It’s a bold brew in the prime of its career, known for a full-bodied, expansive taste and numerous ardent admirers among the local suds set. Owner Mike De Kalb says his Boss IPA is the best-selling beer in the pub itself, but Red is the most widely distributed, to between 50 and 60 accounts in town. And friends of the earth can drink deep—it’s organic.

“Free Range Red won the gold medal at the World Beer Cup in 2004 for the best ESB-style beer in the world,” De Kalb says. “It didn’t matter that it was organic. It was just the best ESB. Whenever we enter these competitions, we never enter our beers in any organic categories. We just enter them in the regular categories.”

De Kalb’s zeal for ale and knack for fashioning an “everyone is welcome” vibe is paying big dividends in development. The company has two locations, with a third on the way. De Kalb plans to move the restaurant part of the operation a few blocks down and leave the current location off NE Sandy Blvd to serve as brew HQ. “We’ve totally outgrown this brewery,” he says. “The demand has been amazing.”
De Kalb is quick to praise the contributions of departing brewmaster Christian Ettinger, but he’s got his eye on the next ace warming up in the bullpen.

“Chad Kennedy is our new brewmaster, and he’s been with us for 3½ years,” says De Kalb. “I think eventually he’ll show us some real innovation and creativity.”

The scouts are watching, kid. Better bring your best stuff.

Superdog

Known primarily as that place on SE Hawthorne Blvd where thirsty dog owners can paws for a bit of refreshment while their canines carouse out back, the Lucky Lab has bulked up to three locations—a second in Multnomah Village and a third recently opened in Northwest—thanks to unpretentious chow, a shorts-and-caps warehouse ambience and a roster of beers that range from complex to comforting.

Alex Stiles, who served his apprenticeship as a Bridgeport brewer in the early ’90s, has been part of the ownership contingent since the Hawthorne pub opened in 1995, and along with Dave Fleming is a key architect of the Lucky Lab beer arsenal. According to Stiles, the telltale mark of a good brewer is the ability to turn a near error into a heads-up play. “We have a few beers on our menu that were total screw-ups by the brewer—usually me, or my old assistant, who’s long gone,” Stiles says. “Like Superdog. It was a mistake, and it gave us an opportunity to really hop it up.”

Fleming’s recollection of the birth of Lucky Lab’s nascent dog star differs somewhat. “Alex went to New Zealand and left the rest of us knuckleheads in charge—that’s what happened,” he recalls sheepishly.

“I was training this guy and he added too much grain to our Top Dog, so I said, ‘Well, it isn’t Top Dog anymore. It’s Superdog!’ So we super-dry-hopped it (added more hops after the original boil to increase the bitterness). It was kind of over-the-top on the hoppiness scale at the time, but people loved it. Now everyone’s got a superhoppy beer.”

Thanks to Bridgeport raising the IPA profile, reports from most pubs in the area indicate that variety as the top-selling style—which was formerly the case at Lucky Lab. But the race for No. 1 has tightened up considerably with the arrival of a certain hoppy hound: Superdog and Dog Day IPA are dead even in sales.

“Portland is a bunch of hopheads, and Superdog is nice and bitter for them. But it’s the aromatics that draw them in first,” Stiles says. “Everyone smells the beer first—and it smells good! It smells green and spicy.”

“Dry-hopping gives it that flowery nose, but it’s super bitter on the back end,” Fleming adds. “It’s a nice contrast.”

And a lucky catch saves the day.

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Ruby

Mike and Brian McMenamin have traveled quite a distance since their formative years tending bar at Produce Row in the 1970s. Part of the contingent that pitched the state Legislature on the idea of brewers selling their beers to the public, the brothers McMenamin have sired pubs, hotels, movie theaters and restaurants, and their appetite for expansion shows no signs of waning.

Currently on tap are plans to move the company offices into the Little Chapel of the Chimes on N Killingsworth St and to put in a bar behind bars at a former jail site adjacent to the McMenamins Edgefield spread in Troutdale.

With all the fuss over the company’s entrepreneurial enthusiasm (53 locations in Oregon and Southwest Washington), the beer that put it on the map tends to get overlooked. And while McMenamins’ signature brews bear intimidating handles like Terminator and Hammerhead, it’s the more demurely designated Ruby that’s become a regional summer-beer staple.

“It started with a patch of blackberries in the parking lot,” Mike McMenamin recalls, referring to the Hillsdale Pub, the first of the company’s locations with a brewery on the premises. “We did a test brew to see what would happen—and we found there were some possibilities. Blackberries were first, and when we eventually tried raspberries it became immediately apparent that they were a key component. It was a great berry to work with.”

“And we tried ’em all,” adds head brewer Kevin Tillotson. “But there was something special about raspberries. It’s got a nice tartness to balance the sweetness from the malt. It’s a nicely balanced beer.”

McMenamin notes that Ruby was among the first 50 batches of beer produced by his fledgling operation—and one that flew in the face of conventional wisdom. There were no other fruit ales on the local front. “A lot of it was a reaction to what you should do, and how you should make beer,” he says, “and just throwing it out the window and saying, ‘Let’s just go nuts here.’”

This coming from a brew gang that once threw candy bars into the kettle, and once cooked up a beer called Afterburner—which had garlic in the mix.

“Ruby was a reaction against classic stuff,” McMenamin says. “But it definitely became kind of a classic.”

C-Note Imperial IPA

The New Old Lompoc brewing franchise—three picturesque pubs and counting—is responsible for one of the heaviest hitters in the summer beer lineup, especially from a hops standpoint. Brewer and co-owner Jerry Fechter invented C-Note to impress other local brewheads at the behest of Horse Brass publican (and NOL’s co-owner) Don Younger in honor of the Horse Brass 25th anniversary party a few years back.

Fechter was instructed to come up with a “really big beer,” so he decided to go hell-bent for hops—and get conceptual with the alphabet at the same time.

“Scientifically, I don’t think you can brew a beer over 60 or 70 IBU (international bittering units, a measure of a beer’s bitterness from the addition of hops). But on paper you can really get it up there,” Fechter says. “If you have a crazy boil then you can extract a lot more bitterness from the hops. I wanted to get one over 100 IBUs. So we ended up using 18 or 19 pounds of hops in a six-barrel batch. I think on paper it came in at like 108 IBUs.

“And I just thought it would be neat to make a beer with all the hops that start with the letter ‘c’: Cascade, Columbus, Centennial, Crystal, Challenger and Chinook.”

Hence the name C-Note, an IPA that’s out of the park in terms of hoppiness, but by no means a one-dimensional player. It has plenty of malt body to back up the bite and dries off nicely, leaving the mouth clean as a freshly swept home plate, eagerly awaiting the next delivery.
“That’s the art form,” explains Fechter’s partner Don Younger. “One hundred IBUs should rip your throat a new one; it would be like drinking battery acid—unless you can find a way to balance it.”

Like most of his brewing brethren, Fechter views local competition as friendly for the most part. He praises the work of other brewers and views the prevalence of pubs in Portland as nonthreatening, likening the scene to the culture in England, with each community having a local to call its own.

“Every little neighborhood is slowly getting its own neat little brewpub,” he says. “Maybe in the ’60s and ’70s they might have been smoke-filled taverns filled with blue-collar characters, but now we have pubs with good food, no smoking and friendly toward families—and with really good beer.”

Take me out to the brewpub / Take me out to the crowd / Buy me some C-Note and Cracker Jack …

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Blonde Bock

Going, going … gone! The hopheads are outta here! A visiting team from Portland proper might feel a tad lost at this Raleigh Hills venue, because Lodge owner Art Larrance and his “chief imagineer” Ron Gansberg brew things a little differently just over the fence in the ’burbs, eschewing the bold bite of hops for Old World balance and palatability. Raccoon beers make an immediate impression as tasty, light and drinkable, but not particularly big or potent. Undercurrents of honey and herbs have a pleasingly vague presence.

Gansberg, who worked at Bridgeport for eight years and Portland Brewing for another three before joining forces with Larrance 10 years ago, is particularly pleased with the Blonde Bock, a beer that combines the lightness of a lager with the sturdier qualities of Belgian-style ales. It’s spicy, crisp and dry, isn’t overwhelmingly hoppy and makes for an excellent change-up from the IPA wave.

“I know what people like to drink around here,” Larrance explains.

“I didn’t really want to make a big, cloying, sweet beer,” adds Gansberg. “I work very hard to balance the hops and the malt. But we are in a hops arms race, there’s no doubt about that.” Indeed, the Lodge’s top-selling beer is an IPA.

Larrance is a highly significant figure in the beer scene: He brewed for Bert Grant in 1983, founded Portland Brewing in 1986 with Hillsboro High School classmates Fred Bowman and Jim Goodwin (Glass of ’62) and started the Oregon Brewers Festival in 1987.

“But I’m not really on the brewing side of things,” he says. “I’m more on the drinking side.

“I knew what kind of place I wanted,” Larrance says of the Raccoon Lodge, which opened its doors in 1996. “We have a McMenamins down around the corner … and we have a McCormick’s Fish House down the street. So physically I’m between two different levels of service. I’m financially in between, and I’m quality-of-food in between—and in beer I think I’m above all of them.

“But that’s in the eyes of the beer-holder,” he laughs. “And I’ve got one in my hand.”

Burghead Heather Ale

Craig Nicholls is one brewer who doesn’t seem to be capable of sitting still. He started out at Rogue Brewing in Newport, interned at Bridgeport, worked at Big Horn Brewing in Lake Oswego and signed on as the original brewmaster at Alameda Brewhouse in 1996, where he created its signature beers.

But when the brewery he was working for a few years ago was sold, he knew it was time to settle down. “When we opened Roots, we wanted to be creative and totally different—and be the first all-organic brewery in Portland.”

He’s fiercely committed to the principles of organic brewing (no pesticides or chemicals added to his raw ingredients), though he estimates it costs him between 35 and 40 percent more to import his hops and grain from Europe.

“Everything we do here is organic,” he says of the tropical-themed brewpub that he opened last year with business partner Jason McAdam. “The whole place is built out of recycled materials for the most part. Everything except the drywall.”

Apparently the organic bug is contagious. Nicholls says that Roots services close to 100 accounts around the state and that “two or three” local breweries set to open in the next two years will also be organic.

Roots also is the home of the Summer Beer All-Star team’s ideal relief pitcher, Burghead Heather Ale, an offbeat brew that throws hop-accustomed palates a mean curve ball. With its complete absence of hops, Burghead gets a substantial zing from heather—and from history.

“The story goes that archaeologists found these old Gaelic tablets at a dig site,” Nicholls says, estimating the recipe at 3,000 years old. “They knew it was a beer, but they didn’t know what kind.” Upon first taste, Burghead settles in the mouth like a fruit beer, but it’s light and crisp with a refreshing floral taste.

“The heather adds a nice dry finish but without the cloying, acidic taste that you get from hops,” says Nicholls. “It’s a great beer, one of my favorites.”

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Hefeweizen

The Babe Ruth in this lineup of titans is Widmer Hefeweizen (hay-fuh-vie-tzen). It’s the most recognizable beer in town, the fan favorite, a perennial slugger standing tall above the crowd, even as younger, flashier names try to coax the spotlight in their direction. And with more taps in Portland dedicated to Hefeweizen than to Budweiser, Widmer Brothers stands at a lofty No. 17 in beer production among the top 50 American breweries.

But the origin of the cloudy conqueror with the lemon perched fetchingly on the rim wasn’t exactly auspicious. Kurt and Rob Widmer entered the game in 1984 after getting bitten by the homebrewing bug five years earlier. Their inaugural effort, Alt, was a hoppy ale that debuted some 10 years before locals went loco for IPA.

“We had like 10 very enthusiastic beer drinkers, and the rest stopped at one glass,” Kurt Widmer says. “So we realized pretty quickly we needed to dial it back a little bit if we wanted to attract a broader audience.” Time for a little creative brewing.

“We had a request from one of our accounts (Carl Simpson at Dublin Pub),” he continues. “He had our Alt and Weizen on tap and he wanted a third beer—and we only had two fermenting tanks. So we just took our Weizen straight out of the fermenter and put it in a keg. And it was only supposed to be for him. But he really pushed it.”

Apparently the allure of the odd-looking and surprisingly mild beer was irresistible. Soon the unfiltered throw-in brew was the young company’s star attraction. Its domination of the local market prompted Anheuser-Busch to buy a minority share of the operation in 1997, adding substantial distribution muscle.

Unlike most beer barons, the Widmers have a farm team. The brothers are former members of the Oregon Brew Crew, one of the oldest homebrewing clubs in the country. And they keep up the connection with the Collaborator Project, which gives Brew Crew brewers a chance to test their mettle before a wider audience.

“We’ll put the best beer recipe on tap at the Gasthaus,” says Rob Widmer. “That’s where Snow Plow, our seasonal stout, came from.”
And with hard work, determination and expertly blended hops and malt comes a shot at the big leagues.

Humulus Maximus IPA

If you’re looking for a little atmosphere with your beer, the Ninth Avenue Public House, the home turf of Yamhill Brewing, probably won’t be high on the list. While other brewpubs make a point of catering to families with hearty portions of comfort food, Ninth Avenue’s menu is a work in progress. True, there might be a band rocking the warehouse area, and recently there was a sketchy fortune teller (her tarot cards had the divine meanings already printed on them) holding court in the back of the room. But as for strategically placed fripperies, it’s all pretty spartan. To be fair, the place has only been open to the public since last November, so maybe the ferns have yet to sprout.

Tucked away among warehouses and auto-body shops in inner Southeast, Ninth Avenue Pub is a place for folks focused on superior suds. Brewmaster and co-owner Tim Glenn came over from Tugboat Brewing about 10 years ago and has been assembling his gear and trying—in fits and starts—to secure the financing to launch the pub side of the operation ever since. A 25-year veteran of the local brewing game, Glenn is a laconic fellow, more at home tinkering among his tanks than out front glad-handing the customers—unless the subject is beer, in which case his knowledge is as deep as a grain silo. Like Dr. Frankenstein periodically emerging from his lab, Glenn can be seen restlessly pacing the premises with a glass half full of his latest concoction, trying to divine its malty merits.

His most magnificent creation thus far is Humulus Maximus, a vivacious IPA that bursts like fireworks with each successive sip, making it an ideal leadoff hitter. It’s light and well balanced, but sturdy, with a majestic wave of hops that doesn’t override the malt. It’s easily one of the finest examples of an IPA in the city.

“Humulus is hops,” Glenn says simply of the beer’s moniker, which refers to the Latin Humulus lupulus.

Glenn observes Portland’s hoppy hegemony as a practical part of his new business, but he has bigger plans in the tank. “It’s something someone needs to survive in the local market,” he says of the IPA. “We might do something even hoppier in the near future.

“But a beer needs to have aroma, body, flavor, color and balance—anybody can overhop a beer and call it good.”

But not good enough to make this team.