A Pacific-Northwest Wine Down

A Pacific-Northwest Wine Down

Friday, July 29 from 4-7pm – Pacific Northwest Winedown – $5 per person – free for Grape Nuts – fee includes light palate cleansers – Table Wine is South Asheville’s top place to taste and buy wine, and we’re excited about this upcoming event where we’ll focus on the wines of Oregon and Washington. We’ll sample 6 to 8 wines and will be joined by guitar phenomenon and wine salesman Tom Leiner of Grapevine Distributing. From Oregon Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris to Washington Merlot and Syrah, we’ll provide you with the opportunity to taste and understand why certain grapes thrive in these states while others don’t. Take a look at the lineup and Tom will bring a couple of surprises as well!

1. 2010 Arbor Brook Pinot Gris Willamette Valley, Oregon – Owned and operated by Dave and Mary Hansen, ArborBrook is located within the Chehalem Mountains AVA in the foothills of the Chehalem Mountain range outside of Newberg, Oregon. This stainless fermented Pinot Gris captures the unique influence of the site of the Croft Vineyard, rising up into the foothills of the coastal range in rural Polk County, near Monmouth, Oregon. The refreshing nose draws you in with crisp pear, tropical fruit, subtle lemon and a hint of honey suckle. In the palate you continue to be captivated by the crisp pear and a strong influence of stone fruits, followed by a wonderful mineral component that is well-balanced with acidity and freshness for a long, bright finish.
$16.99/bottle………………$7/glass

2. 2008 Foris Vineyards Gewurztraminer Rogue Valley, Oregon – When Ted Gerber planted his first vines in 1974, he had the passion and courage to develop premium Pinot Noir and Alsace varietal vineyards in the remote southwest corner of Oregon. This is textbook Gewurztraminer with off-the-charts aromatics. Citrus blossom, orange peel, wildflower honey and a hint of nutmeg are aromatically enticing. Beautifully balanced flavors of pineapple, guava, nectarine and a trace of ginger spice are rich yet restrained, opulent, but not over the top.
$12.99/bottle………………$5/glass

3. 2009 King’s Ridge Pinot Noir Oregon – Kings Ridge Wines is owned by Union Wine Company, a partnership created by two veterans of the Oregon wine industry brought together by a personal passion for well valued wine and a joint philosophy that the best wines are a union of gifted winemaking skills and precise farming techniques in the vineyard. The nose on the 2009 Pinot Noir is loaded with rich dark cherry, plum and toasted hazelnuts. These inviting aromas seamlessly connect to the smooth, rich mouth feel, filled with freshly picked blackberry and plum flavors. The wine is loaded with fruit, which extends into a long finish with fine tannins that give complexity and structure to this wine.
$17.99/bottle………….$8/glass

4. 2009 Patricia Green Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, Oregon – Patricia Green Cellars is located in the Ribbon Ridge district of Yamhill County on the 52 acre estate purchased in 2000 by Patty Green and Jim Anderson. The winery, and thus the two friends, are noted for producing a tremendously broad selection of Pinot Noirs from far flung vineyards representing some of the better sites in the Ribbon Ridge, Dundee Hills, Chehalem Mountains, and the Eola Hills growing regions. This is just classic Pinot Noir with silky tannins, lots of ripe red fruits and earthy spice.
$25.99/bottle……….$10/glass

5. 2009 Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red Columbia Valley, Washington – Founded in 1998 by Ron and Jamie Coleman, Tamarack Cellars is dedicated to the production of small lot, hand-crafted wines from select vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley, Rattle Snake Hills, Horse Heaven Hills, Wahluke Slope, Yakima Valley, Red Mountain and Columbia Valley appellations. Their Firehouse Red is sort of their “kitchen sink cuvée” being that it is a blend of mainly Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, with smaller amounts of Merlot, Cab Franc, Zin, Malbec, Sangiovese and a few others. It is jammy, juicy and smooth with ripe fruit, toasty oak and an overall friendly personality.
$18.99/bottle……………$8/glass

6. 2008 Hyatt Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Rattlesnake Hills, Washington – Founded in 1983, Hyatt Cellars is a small, family owned winery that is producing some of our country’s finest values. For the money, this is a lot of wine showing classic Washington notes of blueberry, blackberry, black cherry and smoky herbs. It is a stunning value!
$13.99/bottle………….$6/glass

7. 2008 Owen Roe Syrah “Lenore” Columbia Valley, Washington – Owen Roe makes about 50 different wines with purchased fruit from some of the top vineyards and growers in Washington and Oregon. This is one of the top values produced by the winery, and if you’re not “onto” Washington Syrah, you should know that it’s what all of the cool kids are drinking these days. The wine has great spice, bright fruit, deep purple hues, and gorgeous texture and is really a steal for the quality it delivers.
$15.99/bottle………….$7/glass