Tag Archives: pinot noir

What Makes a Vineyard Special? Wine Review: Panther Creek Shea Vineyard Willamette Valley Oregon 2011

Posted on February 13, 2017 by waywardwine

What makes a vineyard special? Names like la Tâche, Mesnil, To-Kalon, Beckstoffer, Richbourg, and Canubi get geeks swooning and burning their wallets. But forget soil, weather, aspect, drainage, or anything physical. We usually prattle on about that stuff to justify taking out a second mortgage. No, human history and the arbiters of taste have made these sites more prized than their fancy dirt. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged booze, drink, Food, Ken Wright, Oregon, pinot noir, Robert Parker, shea, travel, vineyard, willamette, Willamette Valley, wine, yamhill carlton | 3 Comments

Thanksgiving Wine: Gran Moraine, Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon 2013

Posted on November 22, 2016 by waywardwine

Thanksgiving can be hell. What wine will work? Food pairing is not the problem. It is people pairing (read here). In past posts, I have leaned on my French crutch of Beaujolais (here and here). Both a good Nouveau or Village will slide seamlessly along with all that salt, fat, and regret. But this is silly. Just because Nouveau releases a week before Turkey Day does not merit its place on the table. Also, most Beaujolais are too tart and lean for most guests.

Thanksgiving is an American holiday. The food is American. The people usually are too. We should drink something American. What better way to match local, bold, rustic foods than with wine from home? Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drink, family, holiday, Holidays, Oregon, pinot noir, Thanksgiving, travel, Willamette Valley, wine, yamhill carlton | Leave a comment

Her #WineStory Welcome Alexandria #MWWC29

Posted on November 17, 2016 by waywardwine

For the 29th Monthly Wine Writing Challenge (#MWWC29) on the theme WineStory, I submit the WineStory of our just born baby.

My wife and I had different plans for Election Day. Those plans involved drinking Champagne. Instead, our midwife decided it was time, time to bring our baby into the world. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged baby, birth, Champagne, chardonnay, dad, drink, duval-leroy, France, mom, parenting, pinot noir, travel, wine | 16 Comments

The 2016 Salmon Bake at IPNC 2016 Pinot Noir Wine Festival Oregon

Posted on September 1, 2016 by waywardwine

After rising and falling to the siren song of Pinot Noir for two packed days at IPNC 2016, it all comes to this: The Salmon Bake. This grand open air feast will set you back $225. That sounds like a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Beer, Food, grapes, ipnc, Oregon, pinot noir, travel, vino, wine | Leave a comment

Henri Giraud IPNC Champagne and Barrels Seminar

Posted on August 18, 2016 by waywardwine

After IPNC’s casual Saturday lunch with endless Pinot poured under Linfield College’s ancient oaks, I toddle across campus for a class. Yes, about Pinot Noir. My highlight at last year’s IPNC was trying Claud Giraud’s barrel-fermented Champagnes. By chance he came back to do: … Continue reading →