As I walked into the first ever Oregon Unwine’d
event at the Left Bank Annex
(@leftbankannex)
in Portland, I must have looked like a combination of a kid in a candy store and
a deer in the headlights. I had no idea where to even start. My journey in wine
has so far kept me very much in Washington
(save for a few trips here and there) and Oregon is a region I have not had a chance
to really explore. I can honestly say I think I can count on just two hands how
many of the 100 wineries in attendance I had tasted before. This created a
unique opportunity for me as I set about my tasting: no bias. Since I hadn’t
really explored the regions of Oregon
wine country at all, I really had no preference when it came to one area over
another. I started making the rounds starting first in tasting whites and rosés and quickly realized
that Oregon
knows a little somethin’ somethin’ about rosé. Rosé of Pinot noir to be more
precise. This already light grape transforms beautifully into a crisp, dry, and
very appealing rosé. I knew just a few wineries into my tasting what my focus
for this event and my post was going to be about. And so, without further ado,
the best of rosé at this year’s Unwine’d event (in alphabetical order)!
2011 Abecela Grenache Rosé: Ok, I lied when I said they were all Pinot noir rosé.. This delightful Grenache rose is hails from the Umpqua Valley from a winery that planted some of the first Tempranillo in the Pacific Northwest. The color on this one was incredible and looked just like the strawberries and cherries in the flavor. At only $15, it’s a summer steal!
2011
Benton Lane Winery Rosé
of Pinot Noir: This is a Willamette
Valley wine that I was
drawn to because of its cute postage stamp type label (remember, I have no bias
at this tasting, I know nothing. I get to judge wines by their labels until I
try them!). Apparently this harvest was very late and the longer hang time for
the fruit produced the fantastic flavors in this wine. This is another $15
great buy.
NV
Chateau Bianca Winery (@ChateauBianca) Northwest Comfort:
this was probably the most unique rosé I’ve ever tasted (and I mean that in the
good “unique” way, I have definitely had some bad “unique” wines too).
Technically considered a “dessert wine”, it has spices in it that I haven’t
seen before in a wine. While at first taste it seems odd and weird, it goes on
to intrigue the palate a bit. I think my direct quote was “well this is fun!”.
It can be enjoyed either hot or cold, which seems unusual, but after tasting it
I would have to agree. It’s definitely one of those different wines that leaves
you wanting another sip and you just can’t figure out why. But you don’t fight
it! Pick this one up for about $10.
2011
Lange Estate Winery (@Langewinery) Rosé of Pinot Noir: This
is the very first Rosé of Pinot Noir from Lange, sourced from the Mia block of
their own estate vineyard. It was produced to celebrate the 25th Anniversary
of the winery, and what a treat it is! It’s light and delicate, with more of
the mild citrus tones over heavy cherry flavors. You can find this one for $19,
pick it up for the summer.
2011
Luminous Hills (@luminoushills) Aura Estate Grown Rosé
of Pinot Noir: This was a fan favorite and was one of the ones I was sending
people over to try as well. This wine hails from the Yamhill-Carlton District,
which is a high elevation site. I loved how the label popped on the bright
wine. A fabulous find for $21.
2011
Patton Valley Vineyard (@pattonvalley) Pinot Noir Rosé: This
Willamette Valley wine is 100% estate fruit. It was another that was beautiful
in color and showed great flavors of berries. This one wasn’t listed in our
program with price, but some online research showed it should run around $18?
2011
R. Stuart & Co. (@rstuartwine) Big Fire Dry Rosé: This
is an awesomely awesome summer sipper that you could enjoy just about any day
of the week. It’s dry but not overly so and the aromatics are nice. Another one
in the right price range too, pick it up for $16!
2011
Van Duzer Vineyards Pinot Noir Rosé: This wine was so
pretty! Not only is the label adorable, the wine itself was clear but with a
sharp salmon hue. This was intentional for the winery, and comes forth in the
aromatics. This was one of the last I tried of the day, and I was thankful for
the referral to the table! This Willamette
Valley wine can be
purchased for $16.
I
must say, it was actually a lot of fun to go to a tasting event where I really
can just try whatever I want since I really don’t have much to base anything
on. I find that at Washington
events I tend to skip certain things that I have preconceived notions of,
regardless of if I’ve tried it before. That certainly wasn’t the case at Unwine’d.
I was also thrilled to hear how excited the winemakers were, as this was one of
the first times that wineries from all over Oregon have gotten together for a tasting
event like this. They are missing out, and all Oregon winery tastings need to come together
more often! I can say that I’d definitely head back down south for another one
if the opportunity arose. For now, I’ll just have to settle for a winery tour
the next chance I get!
(the crowd enjoying the upstairs tasting area at Unwine'd)
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