Anne Amie Vineyards, Carlton Oregon

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