Anne Amie Vineyards, Carlton Oregon

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