Wine Catz Chats

When wine tasting in the Umpqua valley stopping in at HillCrest Winery is a must (get it?). The Catz were prowling around for a tasting adventure and by luck or fate decided to stop in for a visit. Oregon’s oldest estate winery, vines were first planted by Oregon wine legend Richard Sommers on the site in 1961. The estate now in the hands of Dyson and Susan Demara and their children Hanna, Parker and Tucker is the epitome of a great family run winery.

When we drove up our first impression was the vines seemed unkempt compared to some other vineyards in the area. We later found that the vineyards are farmed using green/sustainable techniques such as dry farming and permanent cover crops. So a big plus there. Coming up the drive to the winery, the impression was of a well kept and well run operation, very inviting.

A touch of humor greeted us, literally, at the door where a helpful sign assured us it was indeed the door (camouflaged as it was by the surrounding, matching wood, I can imagine more than one taster that was on their second or third winery had a bit of trouble finding it pre-sign.)

The tasting room feels friendly enough to be a family room and you, a new family friend. When we walked in the place was buzzing with happy people (always a good sign). A friendly dog greeted us and then parked himself on the beautiful oriental rug. There were several tables with room for tasting as well as a gorgeous copper topped bar (wish my picture had come out) with a patina that showed a history of fun wine imbibing.

The wines were top notch starting with the 2009 “Cadiz” Tempranillo (lovely fruit, nuanced with smoke, tobacco and a hint of spice) and ending with a late harvest Gewurztraminer (Pure sinful sweet lush fruit and spice). Notable too was the Cab Franc (we got one of the last two bottles) the Rosé (you KNOW how we love a good Rosé – this one made our hit parade) and a Moselle sourced Riesling that had that fabulous intense fruit balanced with plenty of that bright acidity that you expect from the best German Rieslings. One or two of their wines are made using dried grapes resulting in a delightful concentration of flavors and surprisingly, no “raisiny” taste. Tasting was $5, or free with purchase.

We enjoyed a leisurely tasting of the reds, then took a break and had a picnic on their lovely upstairs deck. Gorgeous views, some cheese-fruit-bread and a glass of the Rosé made for a memorable meal alfresco.

Late afternoon saw us trying the whites, buying a few favorite bottles, snapping some photos (Was especially intrigued by the circle of heads) and saying a reluctant farewell. What a delightful place! If you come tasting the Umpqua Valley, put Hillcrest on your “do not miss” list!

I just read a review of a highly rated wine that smelled of, and I quote, “petrol and old parchment with a hint of waxiness.” Oh wow. Sign me up for a bottle of that… Not.

I know some wine lovers feel that a wine like Riesling’s ability to morph flavors from fruit and flowers to gasoline and floor wax is a positive thing, but don’t count me among them. I like my whites fresh and fruity, and hope that my palate never becomes jaded enough to go pleasure hunting in the garage for new experiences.

Nor would you think that touting the fact that the bottle of wine you bought tastes of oil refining byproducts is a good thing. Is it just me or does anyone else find it strange that advertising bad tastes and smells as good components of a fine wine is commonplace in the wine world.

Here are a few of our favorites

• Cat pee (why was Mom trying to wash it off the drapes if it smelled so good?)
• Road tar  (not the kind of hot summer day we like to be reminded of.)
• Petrol  (just try to sniff some of this tonight and see how you feel in the morning.)
• Green pepper (we don’t eat them unless force is used. Drinking them sounds even worse.)
• Barnyard (if you’ve been on a farm, or at the zoo, no explanation necessary.)

Some of these terms are in our Enolish to English translator, check ‘em out.

So I admit it. Even after all these years, my relationship with the wines I drink may be a bit shallow compared to people who hang out with the complex, well aged sophisticates of the wine world. I am the eonologic equivilent of a man going through a mid-life crises. I tend to look for something fresh and young that retains the flavors of it’s origins to snuggle up with.

What do you  think of the more challenging flavors in aged wines?

Say “Oregon Wine” and Pinot Noir rolls off the tongue. But we’re here to say that Tempranillo, (yes I said Tempranillo) in the right hands is a wine capable of reaching the same lofty heights as the best Pinot. And those right hands can be found at Abacela winery.

Having had the wonderful opportunity to attend a vertical Tempranillo tasting at Abacela this fall, we were able to experience the evolution of this wine through the years. From the 1998 Estate Tempranillo that won double gold medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition in 2000, to the 2007 Reserve of today, these wines showed an evolving greatness that makes us wonder if someday southern Oregon will be known for Tempranillo the way northern Oregon is for Pinot.

In the tasting, the 1998 has not lost the quality that allowed it to best all 19 Spanish Tempranillos it faced in the contest. Anise, raspberry and smoke on the nose. The wine still has bright cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate, the tannins soft and a bit chalky. On the other end of the tasting, the 2007 Reserve, just released this fall, lives up to its pedigree with the same rich fruit with undertones of sandalwood and sweet fig and an undercurrent of white chocolate and nutmeg. Complex and delicious today and should improve for 6 to 8 years.

The Catz current “fav” for price to deliciousness ratio is Abacela’s 2007 Estate Tempranillo. Bursting with plummy fruit, licorice, wildflowers and a hint of eucalyptus, ready to drink today or hold for a bit (we wouldn’t be able to wait) and a good deal at around $35 retail.

Buy the 2007 Estate Tempranillo at Wine.com

Have you ever bought a bottle of wine that described itself on the label as “bright”, which you came to find out meant mouth puckeringly sour. Or it’s a “good keeper”, which really means it’s certainly not drinkable now (and possibly not ever).

The longer you drink wine, the more it becomes apparent that the descriptions written on the bottles is in a language other than English. Let’s just call it Oenolish. Its a language similar to English in grammar, and it seems that most all the words are the same, only the meanings of the words are different.

For example the word “foxy” in English means anything from clever to sexy. But in Oenolish “foxy” means the musky grapey flavor attached to native American grapes of the Vitis. labrusca family. Now this can be a bit of a problem if one hears of a foxy wine and thinks it’s a cheeky, sexy little bottle and it turns out to be Welch’s grape juice with a kick.

In an effort to keep these little tragedies to a minimum we have developed an Oenolish glossary. Here’s a “for instance”.

 Blush Wines: English: A wine made from red skinned grape and leaving juice in contact with the skins for just a bit to impart color. Enolish: I’d blush too.

As you can see there is a big difference between the two languages. Here are some more examples of the the Oenolish definition of common English words and phrases.

 Minerality:  A term used to describe a wine that lacks any fruit flavor and tastes like sucking on a rock. Or a wine made from unwashed grapes in extremely dusty conditions.

Alcohol:   A word explaining the only reason for wine making. Lets face it if you didn’t get looped drinking it nobody would go to all the trouble.

 Interesting:  A patronizing term meaning one finds little to praise about a wine, but not wanting to be offensive.

 White Zinfandel:  Apparently a term born of free association, as the wine is neither white nor does it taste like zinfandel. Also the substance most likely responsible for the demise of Rosé wines in America.

 Terrior:  What every other farmer calls crop land.

 Bouquet: That aroma aspect of wine that requires one to engage in a tedious ritual of swirling wine in a glass and waxing poetic about all the wonderful smells you’re pretending to smell before you can finally slurp it down.

 Estate bottled: A bottle wine that’s going to cost you dearly.

 Private reserve: See estate bottled and add $15-$20.

 Austere:  A word describing a wine that would make sawdust sound refreshing

 Green Apple: A nice way of saying it was a bad growing season but we had to make it anyway, or we picked too early.

 Zingy Acidity: Oops we picked way too early.

Brut: Dry enough to suck your tonsils out.

Cat Pee: Supposedly an acceptable component of the nose of Sauvignon Blanc and other wines. But more likely the reason your dad took the cat on a long trip, and your mom steam cleaned the drapes and the carpet.

Vegetative: The aroma produced by a mishap in the winery when someone degrapes the stems.

Approachable: Like calling the class slut “friendly”.

These are some of the terms that we have run across, and have listed here as a public service to all budding oenophiles. As we are sure there are many more, please feel free to add your own translations to our valuable data base by leaving a comment.

Although this was by no means a truly scientific study, the results reveal what we believe is a near universal  truth. The fact that if given a choice, a wine grape having to give up it’s all to make wine would prefer to live out its lives in grape paradise. You know, mild winters with no late frosts, warming springs, early hot summer days with cool nights and lingering autumns. Time to sip water and work on a light suntan.

Furthermore the vast majority of grapes interviewed stated that it was really unnecessary for them to “suffer” to make good wine. A Cabernet Sauvignon grape (who wishes to remain anonymous) stated that what most oenophiles call complexity is really a grape acting out because of a troubled upbringing. A cry for help.  A grape doomed to making “complex” wines may act out by producing a range of symptons that people consider noteworthy and interesting. But often these wines have every attribute but good fruit flavor. White wines that taste like unsweetened lemonade, reds reminiscent of the La Brea tar pits.

While many abused grapes do go on to make spectacular wines, the majority of the sufferers are recognized too late to be helped, even with remedial wine-making techniques, and simply become the hooligans of the bottled set.

In the meantime, those that live their lives out in grapey paradise and manage to produce lively, fruity and drinkable wines feel they are often underappreciated. Even discriminated against. Called names like “quaffable” “easy drinking” and “fruity” (and when allowed too much recreation like drinking and sunbathing, even “flabby”) these grapes are tired of hearing they need to suffer to make it to that grape heaven known as complex wine. Ninety-nine out of one hundred grapes interviewed would “strongly prefer” to live a comfortable and happy life, than hope for immortality in the grape afterlife.

The beautiful grounds at Delfino Winery

We don’t know of too many places more suited for a relaxing afternoon of wine tasting than Delfino Winery.  A warm summer day with blue skies, overlooking a pond and beautiful valley views, surrounded by a vineyard sipping rose, what could be better?

We tasted a several wines, from the fruity and likeable Tempranillo, to the spot on ’08 Syrah. But the stars for us were the rosés.  (Maybe it was the warm weather, or maybe our new-found appreciation of rosés.) The winery crafts two rosés – one from Merlot, and one from Zinfandel – and we loved them both. Fruity and dry – perfect summer sippers.

Delfino also has a cozy guest cottage B&B which looks like a perfect place to hang out while visiting the Roseburg/Umpqua Valley wine tasting area. It advertises a hot tub, lap pool, walking trails, complimentary wine and more. It looks wonderful!

Check them out at delfinowinery.com

I feel like a modern day James Marshall pulling that first nugget out of the river at Sutter’s Mill, in California. Only this is Oregon and what I found was a winery. But one that is worthy of its own “gold rush”. I/we could not have asked for a better time on our visit to their winery and tasting room.

Abacela’s beautiful new facility just opened in May. Designed by the owners’ daughter it is a multi-use building with a huge open beamed vaulted ceiling, and a spacious granite topped bar allowing space for plenty of tasters, (space not needed, as it was delightfully uncrowded) a meeting area, library and more. Outside there is a patio with a wood fired oven where they bake their own home made yummy sourdough bread, several picnic areas and gazebos with tables and chairs, lawns and walking paths, and interesting informational signs. The whole effect, though still a little raw because of its newness, was spacious and beautiful, and promises to grow gracefully into an enchanting place worth a visit for the ambiance alone. The views from here are spectacular.

Oh, did we forget to mention the wine? The wine itself was a revelation.

Our server made us feel right at home (better actually I wish my home looked like this). With 5 flights to choose from, we were glad of a little friendly advice and soon we were tasting. We had three tasters (and one very much appreciated designated driver) and each took a different flight so we could experience as wide a variety as possible. There was a small tasting charge  – between $5 and $15 per flight, reasonable in itself with wine of this quality -  and refunded for a purchase of 3 bottles or more.

And the wines. I am afraid I am going to burst into song like in a bad musical. (Judy here, Craig is far too manly, and would never burst into song, nor get teary eyed about wine.) All I can say is, it has never been my privilege to try this many fabulous red wines at one go. Not a clinker in the bunch. Just one amazing wine after another. From the easy going vintners blend to the better-than-a-sinful-chocolate-dessert port (yes, really), we had smiles on our faces the whole time (along with some groaning and eye rolling which seemed to please our server immensely). Our sincere kudos go to winemaker Andrew Wenzl for his deft touch.

Abacela’s owners chose this site believing that it was a perfect place to grow Iberian varieties. And, though I am no expert on the “classic varietal expression” for these varieties, I do know that Abacela was the first American winery to have its Tempranillo judged superior to those from Spain (2001 SF International Wine Competition).

Among all these lovely wines, it is hard to pick favorites, some were more along the lines of “food” wines” and so difficult to really tell how much more they would shine matched with the right food. One that is still haunting me is the Dolcetto. What did we “have to” buy and take home? A gorgeous 2008 Malbec, the 2007 Estate Tempranillo – Intense, complex and joyful – and the silken rich Port. (Reviews to come when we open them.)

We didn’t get to try them all, so fair warning Abacela, the Catz will be back.

Discover gold for yourself.
Abacela Winery
12500 Lookinglass Road
Roseburg, OR