Vineyard hopping in Oregon is quite different than Napa or Temecula, while everyone is quite friendly & neighborly, you really do have to drive miles to get from one tasting room to the next. By far my funnest visit was at Fly High & Longsword Vineyards. Matt, the owner, opened his doors for us during "off hours" and was more than happy to share his wine. 
After trying the semi-sparkling chardonnay, viognier, barnstormer's tempranillo, salute' syrah, & phrase pinot noir, I just couldn't decide because they were all so good, so I joined the wine club. I must add that I am most excited (and for those of you who know my wine taste, prepare to be shocked) for the arrival of the 09 Conversation Vin De Glace' dessert wine. Yummy!! Folks out here say that's a technical term ;)
One of the things I love about some Oregon vineyards is their small town feel and real sense of family. This brings me here to Devitt Winery. We were greeted & welcomed by owner Jim Devitt's grandson. It wasn't long before Jim, himself showed up in the tasting room. And when I told them my taste, the 03 Cab came out & I was sold 110%!
The barrel room here is comfortable & homey. This vineyard had my favorite story and they call it "the flying pig" You'll have to stop by to find out why but I guarantee you the company, the story behind the vines, & the wine itself will be well worth the trip.
Welcome to Schmidt Family Vineyards. When I first arrived here, my feet left the ground a bit. I can't imagine heaven really exists on earth but I know this place comes as close as it gets. Beauty is too tame a description. I have to admit, it was hard to focus on the wine! I will say that the sweeter wines prevailed under the blue skies of this paradise.
If this isn't picture perfect, I don't know what is. Okay, the wine... right. The Gewurtztraminer is a combination of floral & spice, all the best of life! And I can't think of a better name for a bold red than the Mighty Mac. This Tempranillo and Syrah blend is as memorable as its surroundings.
Open the gates to Troon Vineyard. The Applegate Valley keeps getting better and better. Try some Druid's Fluid Red here, you might as well get an I.V. drip going. Drinkable is the best way to describe these wines, there wasn't one I didn't appreciate. The humbug Fire Cab was ambitious. I was hoping to try their cream of the crop, Vertical II but time was running out. 
The view from the tasting room was so close to the vineyards themselves, that you could almost imagine picking the grapes, crushing them, and pouring them into your glass. It was obvious the process had more love in it and so did the people serving it. Another top notch experience.
My last stop was at Wooldridge Creek Vineyard & Winery. There was a definitive standout here in the magical Reserve Dessert Port. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, & Merlot, this port is fortified with Brandy & aged in French oak casks for six years. The result is well worth the $50 pricetag.
The road to Applegate vineyards in Southern Oregon is the "route 66" of wine tours. It's history in the making and I am so thrilled to have experienced it. My two very select cases I ordered came today. (Thank you Misty!!) I can't wait to share them... and southern Oregon better watch out... I'll be back!
"Wine improves with age, the older I get, the more I like it" anonymous
My wine arrived too! Let's get tasting!
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