Anne Amie Vineyards, Carlton Oregon

A Tale of Two Lees

 

I have just left Little Rock and the Capital Hotel.  It is bittersweet, in that I have other stops on my journey through the South, but I could easily settle in for an extended stay at such a wonderful hotel with such an excellent staff.  Two people specifically are to thank for their hard work and attention to detail- the two Lees.  Lee Richardson is the executive chef at Ashley’s, the crown jewel for dining in Little Rock, and his counterpoint front-of-house, Lee Ingold, is the maitre d’.  Collectively they run a tight ship- by ship, I mean restaurant. 

  

It was my third trip to Little Rock, the first being the Emeril fundraiser, when I first was able to experience the wonderful skills of chef Lee.  The night after the fundraiser chef Lee sat me at a table and, without a menu as a guide, food started arriving and kept coming, course after amazing course, until I literally could not take another bite!  It was right then, in my food stupor,  that I hatched the idea of a wine dinner at Ashley’s.   It took a few years to materialize, but here is the menu and some photos from the dinner. If you’d like to see more photos from the dinner check out Ashley’s kitchen blog.

 

 

As you can probably see from the photos and from the tenor of my post I have a soft spot in my heart for Ashley’s and much of it has to do with the two Lees and their wonderful staff.  That said, the entire experience at the Capital Hotel from the moment one arrives is one of polished calm.  Thanks to everyone at the Capital Hotel.  I’ll be back!

Technorati Tags: Capital Hotel,Anne Amie Vineyards,Ashley's,Lee Richardson,Lee Ingold,Emeril,wine dinner,L'iris,Prisme'

Anne Amie Pizza Friday!

Every Friday we bring in our leftovers and challenge each other to a pizza-off.  Today we were joined by our friends John Merritt from Frontier Packaging and Cinematographer Ben Garvey who is the producer of the Oregon Pinot Camp movie. 

John, Ksandek, Ben, Jason, Thomas & Annie in preparation mode

Katie’s garlic spears + cream sauce vs. Kim’s jalapeno sesame seed surprise

guest appearance by house band “ethyl acetate”

ben + thomas face off with tim + katie

shadow + henk wait for scraps!

  

    

thomas, jason, henk + kim

  

dedication + concentration

 

= perfection

PS - tonight we have the first of our flicks ‘n flights series.  we’ll be showing the movie amelie.  join us at dusk.  who knows, there might be left over pizza.  it’s free + you’re all welcome.  we will have wine for sale along with charcuterie plates. 

for more info call us at 503-864-2991

happy friday!

Call Me Shellfish,

But I have to blog about Amrita.  And, I promise I will not insert anymore bi-valve jokes (though I LOVE the 80’s fish song.  You youngsters should click for an education about REAL music.  Old-timers can reminisce.).

Speaking of reminiscing, I am going to tie two very divergent thoughts together-1970’s Chesapeake Bay, VA and the 2007 Willamette Valley, OR.  Bell bottoms meet Gore-tex.  What is the common thread?

Oysters.

As a child I'd trek to the mucky flats of the Chesapeake Bay at low tide in search of oysters. Briny. Earthy. Sharp as razors.  I’d plod out into the mud flats, the sticky ooze tugging at my Keds. I’d lug back misshapen conglomerates of shells, filling my rusty red wagon with muddy clods of oysters. I'd then head back home, a wagonload of dripping salty brine behind me, and  my mom would help me clean the oysters and so we could steam them.

The seaweedy smell of streamed oysters brings me back to my childhood no matter when or where I smell it.

Oysters.

 

 

 

Amrita.

 

Oysters.

 

Anne Amie. 

Congratulations Anne Amie on three wines

in the top 20 for the

Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition

and the 2007 Amrita  for being a winner!

Technorati Tags: Anne Amie Vineyards,Amrita,Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition,Wet Dream,Kip Adotta,Oysters,Chesapeake Bay,white wine blend

These Green Mountains

To paraphrase the Vermont state song-

“They say home is where the heart is
These green mountains are (not) my home (but they could be).” 

I’ve traveled to many places and seen some amazing sights, but what makes a place truly special AND what lures me back time and again are its people.  Vermont is one of those rare places that has both natural beauty and genuinely great people.  

I am going to take a stab at something I am not really known for-  brevity.  I am going to set aside my penchant for narrative and just let the photos from my very brief, but  jam-packed trip to Vermont speak for themselves.  To say the least,  Kim assigned me a rather ambitious itinerary.    Click on the previous sentence for a perfect example of what I mean!  You can see why I was tasting Amrita a 6 in the morning with chef Curtiss Hemm!  Thank you again, Kim-  REALLY!  I have a new marketing idea- “Amrita.  It’s not just for breakfast anymore!”

 

 

The following is a photo journal of my time in Vermont:

 

The exterior of Hen of the Wood restaurant- an old grist mill from the 1800s

and the location of my first wine dinner.

 

A*summer* view from the back patio dining area.

 

   

You’ll notice it wasn’t so green when I was there.  It is still

an amazing setting in which to dine.  The interior is just as dazzling, with its

rough-hewn beams and stone walls.

 

    

    Chef Eric Warnstedt created edible works of art,  paired with

Anne Amie wines selected by William McNeil.  I was able to show

up at the restaurant after a long working day and just relax and discuss our wines

enjoy the company of our guests.

 

My second wine dinner was at NECI (New England Culinary Institute).

As you can see from this photo taken by Hannah Marshall, the presentation

of our food was as beautiful as it was delicious. This was an exquisite pairing of

food and wine from Chef Michael Gunyan and Ed Boadway.

 

It was also  an opportunity to show off our newest wine in the Anne Amie line-up-

the 2007 Prisme’.  Judging from the response of the guests, it was a hit! 

 

 

The next morning I hopped on the road to drive from one end of the Vermont

to the other.  Road trip!!!

Nothing keeps me alert and on the lookout for an errant moose like sugar.

There’s no better place to stop for sugar in Vermont than Ben and Jerry’s!

Interesting how much they use “Amrita Blue” in their color scheme….

 

This is a road sign we don’t see in Oregon! Polls show 9 out of 10 moose

prefer Amrita over the leading Oregon white wine blend!

 

The entire visit culminated in a portfolio tasting with our distributor in

Vermont- Farrell.  Fred Delivert, aka “Fresh Toast” , from Martin Estate

in Napa, and I became fast friends. He is a wonderful guy who just happens

to also make tasty wines.

Going back to what I said at the beginning of this post, very seldom

am I lucky enough to visit a beautiful state with such wonderful people.

This is a photo from after my NECI dinner.  Unfortunately, Fresh

Toast was cropped out of the photo, but imagine him on the far left

of this group photo.  Included from left to right- Elena (Farrell), Hannah, Matt,

me, Donald (Farrell), and Susan.  Thanks to everybody in Vermont that made

a tough working trip so much fun!

Thomas

 

 

Technorati Tags: Hen of the Wood,NECI,Martin Estate,Prisme'

Parties Like We Have New Wines.

Oh yeah, that’s because we do have new wines!

May 17; Wine Club Exclusive Pre-release

We had such a great time at the Wine Club Pre-Release Event! Twice a year we sneak preview our upcoming new releases to our wine club members before they are available  to everyone else. Not only do we pull new releases, library wines, and limited release wines, but we also like to share some of favorite food parings for each wine.  

There was a lot to feel good about at the party; the weather was incredible, Chefs Jan-Marc and Barbara Baker paired some delicious and beautiful food with each of the new wines, and then there’s that. The new releases are just stunning. Everything from the new 2008 Muller Thurgau and Amrita to our Midnight Saignée and the award winning Pinot Gris was on hand for sampling. I even snuck a few bottles of the 2008 Winter’s Hill Vineyard Pinot Gris from the cellar to share with everyone. This is a beautiful reserve style Pinot Gris that was barrel fermented to give it some extra depth and structure.

 

 

The highlight of the tasting was without a doubt the brand new 2006 L’iris. This is our first release of a reserve level Pinot Noir and with two 91 point reviews it’s a great way to get started. But we didn’t leave it to the critics to tell us how good the L’iris is, our wine club members enjoyed the chance to see what this decade-worthy wine tastes like at first release.  

May 23-24: Memorial Day Weekend Open Cellar Experience

We did something a little different this year. Instead of the usual station to station tasting in the tasting room, we opened up our cellar and created a self guided tour for guests to see how we work through the different areas and stages of production. There were, of course, more wonderful wines to taste including new releases and food pairings that we’re still craving (even after eating it for two days I’m still hungry for Barbara and Jan'-Marc’s Chicken and Mango Wantons). 

Following the tour and tasting in cellar, guests were invited to hang out in the tasting room or out on the patio, taking in the spectacular view and enjoying perfect weather.

   

Thanks to everyone who came out for either (or both) weekend. It was a pleasure sharing our new releases for Spring with you. I hope to see you at the next event.

Cheers,

Ksandek

Denver, Taste of the Nation, and Bud Break!

What a busy season!  There’s so much to tell you about: Denver, Taste of the Nation, and Bud Break!

The buds are out!  And aren’t they beautiful… Sadly, this means the super-cute sheep are back on their side of the fence. 

But take a look at our gorgeous cover crop – this is one of the ways that we promote the good bugs and keep away the bad bugs.  Sustainability never looked so good!

Share our Strength’s Taste of the Nation was a great event!  It’s a fabulous evening of live music, silent auction packages, and the best food and beverages from around Oregon.  Taste of the Nation raises money for organizations that feed hungry children and work to solve the causes of childhood hunger.  We are proud to participate in such a wonderful fundraiser.  Andy, Ksandek and I had a great time with the guys from Nuestra Cocina at the table next to us, because their chicharones with spicy salsa verde went perfectly with our 2007 Müller-Thurgau. 

We got to swap tastes of delicious rosés with Adelsheim and  Elk Cove.  And, of course, we ran into a lot of our industry friends – Simpatica, Fenouil, Andina, and so many others.  

 

And Denver…. Oh, Denver…

At a population of almost 600,000, Denver feels strangely like home.  Being originally from Reno, Nevada and having lived in Oregon for almost five years, I find that Denver has interesting characteristics of both.  There are the mountains to the West, acting as a compass in the flat, high-desert landscape; the intimate neighborhoods with beautiful green parks; a sense of engagement with the great outdoors; and a lively nightlife – ranging from ritzy restaurants and creative bars to cozy neighborhood eateries. Denver (and Colorado) shares a passion for sustainability and a local-vore mindset that I have come to truly identify with.

I spent almost a week in Denver, riding along with Foster Ramsey of Vinture Distributing.  On my way into town, I was hesitant at the sight of condos everywhere and big skyscrapers – and everyone knows the horror stories of the Denver airport and… SNOW! But Foster put me at ease.  The North Carolina native was my fearless guide, taking me through downtown, the Highlands, Cherry Creek, and a few surrounding neighborhoods.

Our first stop was Mile High Wine & Spirits, where Steve carries our 2007 Cuvée A Amrita along with a great selection of other Oregon wines.  Everyone was excited to hear that our Amrita was one of the winners in the 2009 Pacific Coast Oyster Wine Competition!  After that, we went by Divino Wine & Spirits, an ultra hip and beautifully decorated wine shop, owned and run by Dave and Dustin, where they picked up our 2007 Cuvée A Midnight Saignée Rosé of Pinot noir.  Hopefully they’ll include it in their “Pink Tasting,” which I’m sad I’ll miss. 

We had lunch at Venue, in the Highlands, where they’re featuring flights of Anne Amie wines.  The food was delicious, the weather was perfect, and the patio is the perfect place to sit and watch.  They also do a great Happy Hour, with half price bottles of wine!  I strongly recommend the mussels.

We also ate at the eco-groovy Duo Restaurant.  There is a small, well selected wine list and delicious small plates.  They focus a lot on using local producers and using sustainable products.  They even have a little asterisk next to wines on their list that were made using sustainable practices!

My favorite place was definitely Elway’s at the Ritz-Carlton, where they have our Pinot Gris.  Michael Casey and company have great wine knowledge, friendly staff, and a raw bar to die for!  Did I mention that our Pinot Gris was a finalist in the Oyster Wine Competition?  And they had it on their Elway’s Seven, which is a list of their favorite wines that they offer at discounted prices for a limited time.  Elway's at Cherry Creek also picked up our 2006 Winemaker's Selection Pinot Noir. 

Fruition was also excellent.  They had the most incredible Potato-wrapped Oysters Rockefeller!  It’s the only menu item that has been on there since they opened – they have a great seasonal menu!

My visit ended with Mondo Vino, where they offered flights of Anne Amie wines at one of their very popular Saturday tastings. 

I would like to send BIG thank yous to Foster Ramsey and Vinture Distributing for being so unbelievably awesome!  And a thank you to whoever read this really long blog.   : )

Cheers,

Katie

The Best Dirt I’ve Ever Tasted!

Yamhill-Carlton District AVA Open House; April 25, 2009

I’ve been thinking about dirt quite a bit lately. In the park near where I live, I recently saw a child pick up a handful of dirt and bring it towards his mouth, only to have his mother flail out her arms in protest,“ Tim, don’t eat that!” she followed in a softer, more composed tone, “it doesn’t taste good.” As they walked past me to leave the park I could hear his mother mutter to herself that, “this is just a phase. It’ll be over soon.”

On the 25^th of April, almost 500 people tasted the dirt that we’re so proud of here in Yamhill-Carlton. I don’t mean that our guests actually tasted the dirt, but instead, had the opportunity to study the terroir of our AVA by sampling wines from our district. The coarse-grained, ancient marine sediments native to the area are among the oldest soils in the Willamette Valley and produce wines of depth, nuance, and distinction that reflect the characteristics of these soils.

 

We opened up our cellar, and setup 25 wineries along with food from La Rambla, Nick’s Italian Café, Joel Palmer House, and Cuvée. A handful of Yamhill-Carlton AVA growers were also on hand, armed with soil samples and maps to explain what makes this area so interesting for Pinot Noir and winemaking. Participants had the chance to talk to winemaker’s and growers for an intensive, all-day crash course in Yamhill-Carlton District AVA wines.

 

It seems that every child goes through a stage like Tim. For some of us, however, it isn’t just a passing phase, but an interest that gets reawakened later in life. Thank you to each of the wineries that joined us, and to everyone who came out to taste our terroir. Here’s to tasting the earth in which we plant our vines, and to understanding what that means for the wines we drink.

Cheers!

Ksandek

A TREE GROWS IN ASTORIA

People often ask what inspired me to become a winemaker.  And, inevitably, the story, no matter how it starts, always comes back to this tree.  You see, every morning when I raised the blinds in my apartment in Astoria, Queens, this was my view of the world.  If the tree had no leaves, I knew the wait for the subway would be bracing. On a day like today, where young leaves are popping out on trees all over New York City, I’d probably open the window to let out winter’s stale air and breathe in Spring-exhaust fumes, car alarms and all.  If there was a full canopy of green, then I knew summer was upon New York, with all the languor and humidity that comes with warmer weather.  And, if the leaves on my tree were turning golden, it was my cue to head to Central Park to walk amongst the palette of Fall colors that are so fleeting in the City.  This tree was my one true connection to all things natural.  It was a barometer for the passing seasons, and likewise, my time in New York. 

It was from this vantage point that the seed for winemaking was planted.  It was in the kitchen of this apartment, whose very window faced this tree, that I started brewing beer.  I was in this kitchen that I fell in love with the science fermentation.  It was on the stove next to this window that many experimental batches of beer were brewed- some good, some great, and some….. well, some exploded!  And, in time, it was from a tiny table next to the window, with this tree as my only witness that I started scribbling a list.  On that paper I started to list the pros and cons of my life in New York.

I knew I loved dance.  I loved moving through space and the challenge of creating new dances.  I relished performing for audiences, feeling their energy from the dark void at the edge of a lit stage.  I dearly loved traveling and experiencing new places, even on the tight schedule and budget of a dancer. And, as I mentioned already, I was falling in love with fermentation. 

The other side of the list contained what I was missing in my life.  At the top of that list was a series of things related to nature- sunrises and sunsets, seasons, stars, and growing things.  There were many more items on the list I am sure, but I can’t recall them anymore.

From that list came the  first nebulous notion of making wine.  After a trip to California visiting wineries and looking into wine schools, I came back to Astoria and started the process of untangling myself from New York.  It was a summer day when I loaded all my belongings into my VW bus-all under the shade of the tree outside my window.  That was the last time I saw that tree until today, almost 10 years from the day I packed up and drove away to my new life making wine.

A decade later I am making wine in a place I truly love, working with wonderful, creative people who believe in the wines we are crafting.  I have witnessed some amazing sunrises and sunsets in that period of time.  I have traveled the globe learning about and making wine.  I am extremely happy with my decision to uproot myself from dance and transplant that artist into the arena of winemaking.  The things on the list I enjoyed about dance- being creative, making people happy, traveling and learning, and lastly, fermentation, have all become an essential part of me “the winemaker”.   As I sit in a Greek cafe’ in my old neighborhood in Astoria, drinking rich creamy coffee and eating sticky, crispy, cinnamon and pistachio-infused pastries, my mind drifts to the view from my new home- Anne Amie Vineyards.  I made the right decision ten years ago. Enjoy the view from outside my window now!

March Wine Club Selections- We like to Party!

I’d like to say I wasn’t worried when Tim said he knew how to shuck oysters, but I did have my doubts.  Nevertheless, we decided to go with it.  Fresh shucked oysters to pair with our 2006 Pinot blanc was a pairing too good to pass up.  And I have to give it to him, he was almost as good as the pairing itself!

 

For those of you who made it out to the winery for the pick up party, this will be a nice little walk down memory lane.  For those of you who could not attend…the food was terrible and you didn’t miss a thing…

 

(Meghan beams in awe of great the new 2007 Cuvée A Pinot noir tastes)

 

We paired the 2006 Pinot blanc with fresh shucked Fanny Bay oysters and a champagne vinegar mignonette. The new release 2007 Cuvée A Pinot noir is amazing, and it paired really well the white bean and smoked ham crostini. I’m really excited to have had the chance to share this wine with our guests. Just for good measure I also opened up some 2007 Chardonnay, a tasting room exclusive, and a few bottles of 2002 Rainbow Ridge Vineyard Pinot noir from the library. Once we gave it a little time in the decanter, it really showed its staying power. By the end of the afternoon people’s palates were ecstatic with the selections and I think it’s safe to say, everyone had a great time.

Thanks to Meghan, Alisha, Julie (even with an injured foot), Danielle, Tim, and Sarah for all your hard work to make this event so much fun for everyone who attended. More importantly, thank you to all of you who came out and let us show you how we like to party.

 

 

Cheers,

Ksandek

Another Free Tasting at Whole Foods Today!

 

The lovely Katie Dolph will be pouring our Cuvee A Muller Thurgau at Whole Foods in the Pearl from 4-7 today.  Whole Foods always pairs something great to taste with our wine and has the wine on super special through Sunday.  Stop in, taste and grab a few bottles  - perfect for a Friday night BBQ  - especially since this is the last sunny day we'll have for a while. 

Happy Tasting!

Cheers,

Kim 

Free tasting at Whole Foods in the Pearl today

I'll be out at the Whole Foods on Couch Street in the Pearl today from 3 to 6 to promote our Cuvee A Muller Thurgau.  This variety pairs great with seafood dishes, spicy cuisine like Indian or Thai but is also perfect for just sipping.  Stop by, try it and pick up a bottle to go with dinner tonight!

See you there,

Kim

I HEART OREGON

This past Saturday we hosted our I Heart Oregon dinner, along with Jason Barwikowski of Clyde Common, David Nemarnik of Alloro Vineyard, and Chris Berg of Roots Wine Company. The idea for the dinner came about because Oregon celebrated its 150^th year of statehood on Valentine’s Day and we felt it was appropriate to celebrate our love of this state we all call home. But for me, this event was really much more than just a winery dinner.

 

My first introduction to Clyde Common came a few years ago, when Jason Barwikowski was our featured chef for an early summer dinner we hosted shortly after I joined Anne Amie. I remember Jason’s kitchen crew being excited about one of the dishes they were plating; Oregon coast sardines, with cracked picholine olives, and fleur de sel. I was equally fascinated by his use of finishing salt as I was impressed by the camaraderie he seemed to inspire in the kitchen. A lot of caterers seem to just hammer out the service, and really appear to be “at work”, but here was a crew that was making beautiful food, and enjoying working with each other.

 

Clyde Common strikes me as a distinctly Oregonian restaurant. Jason’s dedication to local ingredients and flavors, combined with traditional culinary techniques, create an approachably adventurous experience. So it was a no-brainer to have Clyde Common prepare the food for our celebration of all things Oregon.

Working in wine country has also given me the chance to meet some very talented winemakers (one of whom I work for) and vineyard owners. There is a sense of camaraderie within the industry that is unique to Oregon. I first met Chris Berg at the Yamhill-Carlton AVA Open House we hosted last year. He’s got an easy to like, down to earth personality, and is passionate about making wines that reflect their Oregonian origins. David Nemarnik owns and operates Alloro Vineyard and also shares our passion for crafting artisan wines to enjoy with the incredible culinary bounty Oregon has to offer.

 

The fact that we’re in this industry alongside passionate winegrowers like Chris and David, and that creative and talented Chefs like Jason and the crew at Clyde Common can turn the incredible local bounty our state has to offer in a spectacular meal are just a few of the reasons why I love Oregon. Thank you to everyone who attended the dinner, and to my crew here at the winery for all your help and hard work, I’m glad I was able to share. Here’s to 150 years.

 

Cheers,

Ksandek Podbielski

Director of Hospitality

Anne Amie at World of Pinot Noir

If you are a Pinot noir fan then you should be headed for Shell Beach, California this weekend for the Ninth Annual World of Pinot Noir.  A virtual who's who of pinot producers, this event is filled with tastings, dinners and technical seminars not to mention it's at the beach!  Over 170 Pinot noir producers and importers from around the world come together for this great event.  

Our winemaker Thomas Houseman is on a plane as I write this.  He'll be at the Friday Focus Tasting pouring our 2006 and 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir as well as a sneak peak of our new reserve labels - L'iris Pinot Noir and Prisme Pinot Noir Blanc - very exciting!  Stop by the Anne Amie table and say hello.

For details and tickets visit www.wopn.com or call 805-489-1758.

Go Oregon Pinot noir!

Cheers,

Kim

Andina y Amrita- Un poco de verano en invierno (Andina and Amrita- A little bit of summer in winter).

Portland’s winter can stretch on  like wet asphalt, with no discernable horizon in sight.  Like the Inuit, who have numerous words for snow, we in the Pacific Northwest have a vast lexicon for rain.  When I feel that underneath my layers of Gore-tex and fleece I am sprouting vestigial gills, I yearn for a place in Portland where the cement skies of winter do not loom overhead like a tenement ceiling.  I yearn for food that seems to be filled with light-  flavors that transport me south, across the equator to the Southern Hemisphere.  For there it is summer when the light is at its most anemic here.  And, like Portland in the summer, I imagine sidewalks lined with cafes.  Humanity milling about.  Guitar music drifting from an open door.  Laughter spilling onto the street. 

I grew up on Florida’s panhandle, just blocks from the ocean.  In our backyard, like most others in our neighborhood, we had citrus and bananas.  I spent the time I wasn’t required to be in a school room at the shoreline, fishing and mucking about in the water.  Light filled every crevice.  Heat radiated from every surface.  Sand could be too hot to cross to make it to the tepid water of the Gulf of Mexico. Getting to the water’s edge often required literally running a gauntlet of scalding beach.

There is a part of my cellular makeup that yearns for heat, for sun, and for the fresh, “alive” flavors of summer- of my youth!  The tang of a fresh fruit puree, the buttery richness of avocado, the crunch and pleasing texture of fresh vegetables are what I desire most in the doldrums of winter.  The place I go to rescue me from myself is Andina, in Portland’s Pearl District. 

That’s exactly where I headed recently to escape flurries of snow and the unseasonably cold winter we have had this year.  A brisk walk from my truck brought me to the entrance of Andina. I opened the door to a heady blend of cinnamon and cilantro, of laughter and chatter.  I slid into a booth, joining others for a meal.   Looking out the plate glass window I watched light spill on bundled people tracing the steps I had just made as I dashed by minutes before.  Inside the amber-hued restaurant I enjoyed the view of winter through the glass.

A round of “entradas” later, the table was overflowing with color.  Every dish was a distinct study in both texture and flavor.  The crunch of jicama, zing of lime, buttery yucca, briny ceviche , a sweet-tart sauce of tamarind. Each bite offered new tastes and textures and led to feeling of respite from the shades of grey outside. 

This matched with a superb wine list makes Andina one of my favorite restaurants in Portland, both summer and winter.  Wine director and sommelier Ken Collura has assembled a wonderful assortment of food-friendly wines from around the globe.  On my most recent visit I had to see how our 2007 Amrita paired with the food on the table.  Amrita’s bright citrus and lean minerality was enhanced by the food on the table and vice versa. For the price of round of entradas and a few glasses of wine everyone at the table was treated to a little bit of summer in the middle of winter.

Technorati Tags: Andina,Pearl District,Amrita,Anne Amie Vineyards,Ken Collura

Congratulations, Andy!

Congratulations to Assistant Winemaker, Andy Gribskov, and his wife, Jill, on their beautiful new baby girl! 

Welcome, Molly!

I LOVE BOTTLING!

It’s that time again!  Pallets of empty bottles are stacked and waiting to be filled.  Our wine is in tank and ready to go into the empty bottles. The boys from Bravo Bottling have rolled into town in their shiny trucks and we’ll be labeling our 2007 Cuvee A and 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot noir this week and all our 2008 white wines next week!  The webcam is up again and we’ve moved it closer to the action!  If you liked the episode of “I Love Lucy” where all sorts of mayhem broke loose, then you might HAVE to make Anne Amie your station for the next few weeks while we bottle and label.  Click on the photo of Lucy and Ethel to take you to the webcam.  Remember, our webcam only works with Internet Explorer and you must have your pop-up blocker turned off!  Aside from that all you have to do is open a bottle of Anne Amie, kick up your feet, and watch us do all the work! What could be easier?  See you on the bottling line…..

Technorati Tags: Anne Amie Vineyards,Bravo Bottling,mobile bottling,winery webcam

Happy Birthday Oregon!

This Saturday marks Oregon's 150th year of statehood and we're celebrating in more ways than one. 

The Willamette Valley Wineries Association has organized 150 Days of Wine in the Willamette Valley.  Starting Valentine's Day Weekend and extending through Labor Day Weekend you can visit wineries and tasting rooms for special birthday events and activities.  For more on the 150 Days of Wine and a calendar of events, visit http://www.willamettewines.com/oregon150/index.shtm.

At Anne Amie we'll be celebrating by Blogging the Love about our favorite places to eat and drink in Oregon.  Find out where the locals go when they want the very best our great state has to offer.

How do we love thee Oregon?  We'll be counting the ways...

Virginia is for Lovers

of wine

of history

of culture

of food...

Being from Virginia, I've heard this saying my entire life.  My recent visit here reaffirmed this old mantra.  I got to spend a day with Christine and Rob from our distributors The Country Vintner in the beautiful, historic town of Charlottesville. 

First stop is a Charlottesville institution - Tastings.  There I met Bill Curtis who is no stranger to Oregon wine & its cast of characters.  I'm pretty sure he knows more people in the valley than I do!  I admire his philosophy which is to buy on taste and not rely on scores or big money advertising.  He liked our Pinot gris & Winemaker's Pinot so cross your fingers C-ville!

Next stop was Siips Wine Bar where owner George Benford gets seriously creative with his shop.  The last wine night included a burlesque show and I am really bummed that I missed it.  Hmmm, where can we do this in Portland...

Rob and I stopped for an amazing lunch at l'etoile where shared a table with buyer Jonathan for a quick run through our wines.  There are currently no Oregon wines on his list but I'm pretty sure we've rectified that!  Our Amrita and Pinot Gris paired beautifully with Rob's crabcake while the Winemaker's Pinot Noir was a perfect match for my shrimp and mushroom risotto.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

A special shout out to Farrell, owner at the Ivy Inn for not only using all local products but supporting domestic wine only.  They have been pouring our Amrita and Winemaker's Pinot for a while now - thank you!

Pictured above is Christine with Clifton Inn Dining Room Manager Deniz Dikmen who just happened to be celebrating his 30th birthday.  The Clifton Inn is rich in Virginia history as the land owned by the Jefferson family was passed down to Thomas Jefferson's daughter and son-in-law where they built the house.  It is a gorgeous 100 acres and there is fine dining where you can of course enjoy a glass or two of Anne Amie Pinot Gris and Winemaker's Pinot. 

Oregon Pinot Camp Alum Robert Harllee owns a great little shop called Market Street Downtown (He has another Uptown Market Street Shop as well).  He's also been a big supporter of Anne Amie wines and he and his staff are lots of fun. 

Last stop of the day was the beautiful and historic private Farmington Country Club.  Built before 1780 this estate also has ties to Thomas Jefferson who designed part of it.  Dining Room Manager Daniel Kaufman gave our wines a big thumbs up and you'll soon see our Pinot Gris (to start) on their list and hopefully we'll get to see Daniel in June at OPC.

On a side note, I'd like to thank Ellen Hewit from Country Vintner who I've yet to meet.  Ellen has been promoting our wines all over southern VA and this is before she even knew that my best friend was her babysitter.  Small, small world.

Go to Charlottesville and visit these great folks and enjoy a glass of Anne Amie while you're at it!

Cheers VA,

Kim

Snowed In for the Holidays

Usually this time of year our tasting room is all abuzz with last minute holiday shoppers or folks home for the holidays out enjoying wine country.  This season, it's awfully quiet around here as we've been snowed in (or out) of the winery for the last week. 

Pictured above are before and after photos looking out from the patio.  We thought we had a lot of snow last week but this today we're covered in about 18 inches.

We will keep you posted on when the winery is open.  We hope we'll be able to share some holiday cheer with you this weekend.

Our online store is still open and UPS is managing to ship so visit us online for last minute shopping at www.anneamie.com.  Please note that we are not able to get wine out in time for Christmas but we're positive your family and friends will appreciate this gift whenever it arrives!

Here's to Safe & Happy Holidays!

Kim

Fun with broken pipes and valves!

 

The valley is experiencing abnormal weather conditions with temperatures in the 20's and snow!  After a day at home yesterday, we made the slow drive out to the winery - with few of us making it up the driveway.  When we got here we were greeted by frozen and broken pipes.  Below is a photo of Thomas and Andy being super heroes fixing the pipe.  Yes, that is freezing cold water shooting out at them.  I was just happy to be there to catch the action.  Thanks guys!

Please be advised that our tasting room will be closed the rest of the week due to weather conditions.  Stay tuned to our website for next week's schedule.  

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

I hope you're all enjoying your holiday feasts.
Thanksgiving for us here at Anne Amie Vineyards means many things;

 

For the Cellar Crew, it’s their first day off in almost two months. We’re definitely thankful for them.
 
For the Vineyards, the year is done, and the vines are ready for winter. It’s a chance to rest before it all starts over next year.

 For the tasting room, it’s one great weekend!

                                                               

                                                                   Our Vineyard Club Pre-Thanksgiving Party.

                                                                   

 

       

Thanksgiving in Wine Country has become a local tradition. The Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving we throw open our doors and welcome everyone to enjoy our winery. 

Chef Jan-Marc (pictured above) will be pairing hors d'oeuvres with our critically acclaimed new release Pinot Noirs, as well as some of our other favorites .  $20 entrance fee includes wine tasting, Jan-Marc's appetizers and an Oregon Pinot Noir Glass.

I hope to see you here.

Cheers,

Ksandek

 

Anne Amie Harvest Report - Vintage 2008

Harvest 2008 will go down on record as one of the greatest saves in recent history for the Oregon wine industry.  After a cool spring and summer, we were about 3 weeks behind on flowering and veraison.  As we headed into early September rain was forecast and some wineries panicked and decided to pick.  To be honest, the long range weather forecast did not look promising.   Our grapes just were not ripe.  They were not ready to be picked.  We opted to let our fruit hang.  I figured I’d rather chance the rain and pick later than bring in under-ripe grapes. 

We lucked out and the weather broke.  We ended up having one of the warmest, driest Octobers on record.  At Anne Amie we started picking on October 13^th on our Lafayette Estate.  For the record, we started picking the same block of Pinot noir in 2007 on September 24^th, three weeks earlier.   In 2007 we were over half way finished picking by the middle of October, when we commenced harvest this year.

With the help of Mother Nature, Jason’s attention in the vineyard, a great cellar crew, and heaps of patience we picked through October and into early November.  Harvest officially ended on November 5^th when we brought in Viognier from Chateau Lebeau, on Chehalem Mountain.   We have a cellar full of inky black Pinot noir in tank, softening and waiting to be pressed off the skins and put into barrels.  Our fruit concentration is incredible.  Yields are down about 25-30% over 2007.  Most vineyards, including all of our own, were cropped extremely lightly to help us catch up with the late flowering.  Had we not thinned our vineyards so heavily I doubt that even with the late, warm, dry October weather we would have had the ripe, concentrated wines we have.

If I sound upbeat about the 2008 vintage, it is because I am.  There is incredible potential for all the wines we made this year.  The hard part for me is that there is so little wine, as a whole.  I’d love to have such wonderful wines, and much more of them, but that was not the card we drew this year.  Therefore, in retrospect, I have very little to complain about.

I have mentioned the Pinot noir being concentrated, but our white wines are just as fruit-forward this year.  The last grapes harvested this year were white grapes.  I already mentioned the Viognier, but Pinot blanc and Pinot gris dominated the last week of picking here at the winery.  The extra hang-time gave us the opportunity to go for richer, more tropical fruit flavors- think pineapple, apricot, and mango.  It is too early to predict much about the white wines from 2008.  They are still fermenting.  But, from tasting the tanks every day, everything looks promising.

Lastly, I’d like to thank my entire harvest crew for their attention to detail and hard work this season. The crew was a dream.  Facilitated by great food from Jan Marc Baker and his wife Barb, we had great meals to fuel long days of winemaking.  Andy Gribskov and Tammie Crawford stitched together a crew of local and international interns that melded together to form a team that nurtured the ferments through to wine.  We are on the cusp of pressing our Pinot noir and putting it into barrels.  Interns are departing for other jobs.  Things are quieting down.  And soon, Tammie, Andy, and I will have a day off to reflect on the 2008 harvest (or just watch some mindless television).

Until then, it is back to punching down tanks and tasting fermenters.  There’s work still to be done.

Cheers from the cellar!

Thomas

The 2008 Harvest Crew

You may see many of the same faces in the photographs on our blogs.  Each person on our crew brings their own strength and unique personality to the team.  Everybody, as a whole, must get along.  That is the one thing that is paramount.  We come from different  parts of the globe. We have different winemaking background (or,in the case of some, none at all).  We have different goals for harvest- and beyond that as well.

We do have one thing in common, and that is a collective desire to make the best wines we can.  And, to have fun doing it.  Although we have seen a few long days thus far we have been long on humor, if short on sleep.  You might see some of us on the web cam a 6am punching down the tanks. Alternatively, you may see others late at night cleaning up the winery- sanitizing so we can dirty the equipment in a few short hours with more grapes.

Just so you know who the people are you are seeing I have listed them below with a photograph.  Now, when you see "X" loading the press, or "Y" punching down a tank you'll be able to attach a name to the face.  And, if after a long day of receiving grapes you see "X,Y, Z, G, M, T" dancing in rubber suits, you'll know who to groove along with.

I'll start with the permanent Anne Amie staff.  These faces may be familiar to you by now.  Jason, the vineyard manager, and I worked with one another at Ponzi Vineyards before we both landed at Anne Amie.  Jason is best known for his intense focus and infectious laugh.  Both can occur in the same instant.

Tammie and Andy are associate winemakers.  They are the glue that holds the winery together.  They are both an indispensable part of the winemaking team.  Tammie has been at Anne Amie longer than anyone else on our team.  She brings a wealth of historical knowledge of the vineyards we work with and an amazing attention to detail.  She is, without a doubt, in charge of the cellar.  From harvest to bottling she is involved in every detail of winemaking. 

Andy joins from LaVelle Vineyards, near Eugene, Oregon.  Andy is in charge of the morning punchdown crew.  You'll see the lights switch on at 6am each morning and Andy is the guy making sure everything is geting done before the rest of us make it in.  Andy has infused our team with a wicked sense of humor matched with a "quick on his feet" knowledge of winemaking.  It is hard to imagine our team before he arrived.  He seems to have enjoyed his first harvest at Anne Amie, having gained 12 pounds since harvest began!

 

That brings us to Jan- Marc.  Jan - Marc and I became friends years ago at Ponzi.  He is an up-and -coming garagiste.  In his case he is a basementiste.  He has his own small winery in his basement in N. Portland.  We met because he was buying used barrels from me.  I found out he was an avid cyclist and a French trained chef.  That's my kind of friend! We stayed in touch through the years and gradually became better friends.  I somehow managed to persuade him to join us for harvest as our "Director of G&G  (director of grub and grog)".  His food has made the harvest extremely memorable.  I don't think even Todd, expected seared scallops of leg of lamb when he signed on for another vintage. And, he has done his magic on our outdated electric stove.  My apologies. Jan-Marc....

Todd.  How do I describe  Todd?  Todd and I first worked with one another in 2004 at Ponzi.  He came over as an intern from Australia, where he claims to be from (I have my doubts.  He doesn't even say "Crikey!").  We have worked with one another every vintage since then, including two vintages in 2007, when we both went to work at Vinpro, in New Zealand.  Todd is a defacto part of our crew.  He brings not only his unquenchable appetite for food, but a dedication and meticulousness to anything he does that is unmatched.  Todd and I have cleaned the press into the wee hours of the morning together, only to follow the cleaning with a crazy rubber suit dance (yet another reason to watch the web cam).  Todd is more than a crew member to me.  He is my brother.  And, if the forklift breaks down he can carry tanks by himself .  So, he is a brother and a forklift.

Jo joins us from New Zealand, where she has recently graduated from the esteemed Lincoln University.  Jo will be traveling back to New Zealand after harvest to do graduate work with Delegats.  I am sure she will come out of the multi-year program with a wealth of knowledge.  Delegats is a very large winery with multiple locations in New Zealand.  They have vast resources at their finger tips.  Here at Anne Amie, at 10,000 cases this year we have a different focus.  With our indigenous yeast ferments, small lots,and hands-on focus, I hope we added to her portfolio of winemaking experience.  IN addition to drinking tea and snacking on grapes Jo is a self-proclaimed chocoholic.

Jon joins us from Montinore Estate.  He is part of our "local" crew.  I am always surprised at how many talented people apply for harvest positions.  Jon is one of those people.  He is part of the morning crew, a great handyman, and a hoot, to boot.  The picture says it all!

Marijke was referred to us by a friend.  Marijke is a globe-trotter, who just returned from Australia.  She is a NOLS instructor who could hold her own in just about any situation.  She had no winery experience before stepping into the winery for harvest, but has proved she can be trusted with any job we give her.  Her attitude is a so amazing, it has reminded me from time to time that I should be a bit more positive in the heat of the moment.  Marijke is the only person on our crew who gave Todd a run for his money at lunch and  dinner.  Marijke is pictured here with Kyong.  Kyong was our sugar bee.  She worked mostly for Jason in the vineyards sampling grapes.She joined us on many occasions in the cellar to lend her hands and her wit when we needed it most.

Patrick joined us later than anyone else on the crew.  He had just moved to McMinnville and was looking for work.  He finished what he was doing helping Panther Creek on a Friday and joined us Saturday morning.  Patrick hails from the Seattle area, where he worked in wine sales.  He has a vast knowledge of Washington and Oregon wines.  He somehow managed to get the job of "Mr. Clean".  There are a few tanks in the winery he has had to sanitize a half-dozen times.  Patrick is a great worker and has a keen palette.  He is pictured here with Katie, who works in the tasting room.  Katie is back for her second harvest.  I first met Katie when she saved me from starvation at the 2007 IPNC.  Katie joins us whenever Ksandek allows.

Ksandek also joins us, usually sacrificing a day off in order to do so.  Ksandek is our hospitality director, resident home brewer and stand up comic.  Here he is pictured doing an Iron Chef impersonation, chopping imaginary food with a spatula!

I hope you have enjoyed our harvest blog.  All the grapes are in the winery, so now we can all focus on winemaking.  You'll still see us punching down in the cellar.  Soon we'll start pressing some of the earlier lots of Pinot noir and putting wine to barrel.  It has been a great harvest so far.  Yields were down significantly, but the quality of what we received was extremely high.  Look for concentrated wines from the 2008 harvest with good acidity and balance.  But, buy early, as there won't be much on the market!

Cheers,

Thomas

Another Year, Another Pallet Trolley Dance

It's getting down to the wire.  I can count the days we are going to be receiving more grapes on one hand.  Not that we need a cause for celebration, but having all our vineyards picked and grapes inside the winery is a huge relief.  Mother Nature has cooperated once again.  All the checking and double-checking of weather reports, inevitably choosing the report that favors hanging the fruit on the vine longer, has paid off.  I know I am a vineyard managers worst nightmare, as Jason will readily attest to. But, right now as we are busy making wine in the winery, I'm sure Jason is at home clean and rested, so his life is not all that bad.

I am going to make a prediction.  Last year we were still putting wine into barrel the week before Christmas.  This year we will be wrapping up picking just a few days shy of our last pick of 2007, which was on Halloween.  (You might remember the photo of me in my impromptu costume made from my rain suit and duct tape... ) Anyhow, my prediction is this:

We will have all our wine in barrel by the first week of December.  Generally it takes us about 28 days from the time we pick the grapes until we put the wine from those grapes into barrel.  That would put the last pick, this Wednesday the 28th, scheduled to go into barrel about Thanksgiving. I know there will be wines that need more time, and possibly a few that need less time.  But, by December third, the winery should be quiet again.  That is reason enough for a wee celebration in my book.  A little dance maybe?  In  the tradition of pallet trolley dancing, I bring you the 2008 version of the "Fruit is Almost in the  Winery" pallet trolley dance.

 

It can be compared to the 2007 dance which is completely different!

Another Year, Another Reason To Dance on a Pallet Trolley!

Thomas

A Brief Reprieve.

The last few days have been GLORIOUS.  It is hard to believe it is October 22.  For those that dismissed Oregon's harvest a month ago, when the weather turned cool, I only need to give you the following data:  On September 22, we were hovering at about 2000 heat units and we were under 90 days since flowering in most locations.  Both sets of data lend to the notion of an under-ripe scenario for harvest.  But, we have gained another 30 days of hang-time and 200 more heat units since then.  That has helped give us the rich, berry notes in the must we did not have a month ago.  Since we only started picking last week and we still have about 33% of our fruit still hanging on the vine ripening, our patience has paid off.  Our tonnage is down significantly over last year, but as a result, the flavors are much more concentrated.  By the way, we will pick again this weekend, bringing in most of the rest of our fruit.

"So, what are you doing in the winery while you wait for more grapes to ripen?", you ask.  Good question.  We are cold-soaking all the grapes from the last week of picking.  After about a week on the skins we warm them up and allow the indigenous yeast to take over.  We have a few tanks just starting to build up some steam.  If you are watching the web cam you'll see a hardy group of souls doing  morning punchdowns and Brix/ temperature readings, starting at six each morning.  Off-camera in the white wine tank room the yeast has been pitched into the tanks and we are monitoring and guiding those ferments as well.  For the first time in months, the winery smells like fermentation.  There is nothing as sweet as walking in the door each morning and inhaling the heady, floral smell of yeast at work.

But, for the most part, we are cleaning.  I'd say that 75% of winemaking is cleaning.  We are constantly in a state of cleaning before we do something, while we are doing it, then cleaning up after ourselves.  A clean winery produces clean wines.  You'd think all that cleaning would wear us down.  But, the trick about work, and harvest especially, is to keep things light.  Nothing is a fulfilling after a long day of receiving grapes as  what we call the WALL OF SQUEEEGEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!

Click on the following link to access my WALL OF SQUEEEGEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! album.  Once you load the slide show (and this could take some time.  You'll know if you only see pixels!) click on the forward arrow quickly.  This will create a flip book effect.  And, you'll get to see us both enjoying a group squeegee AND the beautiful sunshine.

Good times.

 

Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Oregon Pinot noir,2008 harvest,Crush cam,Anne Amie

Volunteers Extraordinaire

Friday, October 17^th 

Mike and Lori Flora are amazing!

The first two participants in our Harvest Volunteer Program to Benefit Salud joined us this past Friday to help process almost 23 tons of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Muller-Thurgau, and more Pinot Noir.

We introduced the program to offer volunteers the chance to see first hand what really goes on during harvest, and how grapes go from the vine to the glass. It’s fast paced, it’s hectic, a lot of hard work, and for a select group of people, a whole lot of fun.

Mike and Lori, who also happen to be club members, started work out on the sorting line, and then onto the press. They worked side by side with the rest of the cellar crew, assisting with the critical task of ensuring that only the finest fruit made it into our fermenters.

Chef Jan-Marc treated everyone to an incredible lunch and when everyone expected the Floras to sign-out for the day, they both wanted to jump back on the line and help until the day was done.

Both Mike and Lori went way beyond everyone’s expectations and not only helped out with our harvest, but also made a very generous donation to Salud. So, from everyone here at Anne Amie Vineyards, Thank you for your help, your support for Salud, and welcome to the crew!

It's Muller Time!

We have been harvesting all week in the beautiful, DRY  late autumn weather.  While yields are down significantly this year, quality is up.  We have ripe flavors, and crisp acidity.    This is a perfect recipe for well- balanced, ageable wines.  Today and tomorrow we will be picking our Muller Thurgau off the Anne Amie Estate Vineyard as well as bringing in Pinot noir from Rainbow Ridge today and more of our Estate Pinot noir on Sunday.  Monday we'll take a break from picking and warm up the first fermenters that we filled the previous Monday. They have been cold-soaking all week at a chilly 38 F.  Since these are indigenous ferments, we'll gently bring them up to temperature and help them on their way.  But,that's next week.  I am getting ahead of myself!   Feel free to check in from time to time to see what we are up to.  The winery is humming with activity. If you have any questions about what you see on the webcam, fire off an email!

Back to sorting Muller!

Thomas

Click here to view the webcam live!

 

 

 

 

 

Day 3: Pinot Noir and Tree Frogs

Last year Thomas found our bird Muller flying around the muller thurgau vineyards; this harvest's find was a little tree frog who was at the very bottom of a bin of Willakia pinot noir today.  He was smashed flat and frozen from the grapes but Thomas resurrected him and placed him safely back outside. Ahhh karma.

On day three we're receiving approximately 13.5 tons of pinot noir from Willakia & Zena Crown in the Eola Hills and Gran Moraine in Yamhill-Carlton.  The fruit is so good you can't stop snacking on it as is evident from the photos below (L=Kyong & R=Marijke).

Team spirit is high - we have the best harvest crew ever this year.  Below Thomas and Tammie enjoy a laugh while Todd cleans a bin.

Tomorrow will be the biggest day yet.  We'll be picking pinot noir from our Chehalem Mountain AVA Boisseau Vineyard which includes 114, 667 and 777.

Click on the frog photo to link to our live crush pad camera.

To volunteer for harvest and join in the fun, contact us at 503-864-2991.  A minimum $50 donation to Salud is requsted.

Cheers,

Kim

Commencing Harvest 2008!

Harvest 2008 has officially begun at Anne Amie Vineyards.  Pictured above is the entire crew toasting the vintage over the first pinot picked from our estate vineyards.  You can watch the live action from our crush pad by clicking on the picture above.  Below is a close up of pinot from the "backyard" and a fresh bin of estate riesling.  Salud! 

Still waiting...

We still have not begun picking but spirits are high as we wait for the first grapes to come in. Harvest lunches are provided this year by Jon Marc Baker and so far we are nothing short of amazed!  Pictured above the calm before the storm - the crew at lunch.

Stay tuned...

Tasting room goddess Julie Armstrong handles clean up below.