A day in the vineyards with friends.....

I had a wonderful day recently with a few of my wine buddies visiting wineries in the southern Willamette Valley area as part of a group with Women for Wine Sense. We had a blast! We started out early in the morning, heading toward King Estate south of Eugene. This is a must see winery, all 110,000 square feet of it! Absolutely stunning view of the valley. They are known for their Pinot Gris although Pinot Noir isn't far behind. We enjoyed a sumptuous lunch, with a taste of wine for each course, before heading a little bit up the road to Chateau Lorane. That's where we are in this picture. The view from the terrace to a wooded area overlooking a private lake was most serene. The winemaker here specializes is unusual varieties...and his Marechal Foch was delish! We ended this perfect day at Willamette Valley Vineyards and tasted through their portfolio. I have to admit not being a big fan of their wine but the company was great and, again, we were treated to an amazing view toward the west and the coast range. Had a great day! Would love to have you join us at our next outing. Salud!

Summer in the Vineyard

I have had some mighty fine wine lately...how about you? Memorial Day brought a number of new releases (but old favorites) to the public. Jim Prosser does it again with his amazing Provocateur Pinot Noir (I'm tasting it as I write!) and his Glass White Pinot Noir. I can hardly wait for his single vineyard Pinot Noir releases. Jim is a winemaker dedicated to the purity of winemaking, and he never disappoints. I also had a chance to visit St. Innocent's new winery west of Salem (near one of my other favorites - Bethel Heights). St. Innocent's is a beautiful facility overlooking the valley. If you go to their holiday open houses - don't go with a full stomach! They had some amazing food -- and all for $10. French Market Soup, grilled sausages, delicious bread and cheese, lovely strawberries dipped in chocolate...yum! Certainly a different look and feel from the industrial strip mall site in Salem -- great job! And let's not forget Owen Roe. David had his wine tasting the weekend before Memorial Day. He had a couple of amazing vertical tastings the best of which was the DuBrul Vineyard Merlot, from 1999 to 2005. Absolutely incredible flavors of dark rich berry/cherry, full mouth feel, lovely nose -- just inhale that nose! Call me (503-310-4576) or comment to my blog if you have had a similar experience with a new wine or release. I love hearing from you!

Signs of Spring

What a gorgeous Oregon day we had yesterday. Signs of new life are everywhere. The crocus are up, the daffodils are blooming, the tulips are showing courage by pushing their buds through the soil, the vineyards are coming alive! I love this time of year, having come off of an unusually wet winter, the 60 degree days are so appreciated. The smell of new-mown lawns, the primroses and hyacinths outside Lowe's, and the warmth of the sun on my face, make me want to start chilling those white wines and pull out my capris!

Lots of happenings with Custom Wine Marketing since November (has it really been since November??)! I have been working with Ben Worsley Designs to upgrade my website. I am adding links to an upgraded wine list which each month will highlight "Chris' Picks". These will be some of my favorite new finds and some of my highly recommended favorites. This will by no means be everything (because literally I can provide as many wines to you as Whole Foods, New Seasons, or your favorite neighborhood wine store) but it will represent 7-8 whites, 7-8 reds, and occasionally a bubbly or port. I will also be archiving all of my newsletters from past months. There will be a link to my current newsletter and then another link if you want to access information that was in a previous newsletter. PayPal is a new feature for all orders of one case or larger. This will eliminate the need to pay in cash or check for these larger purchases, if this is a more convenient option. So, keep your eye out for these and other changes.

I will be visiting lots of wineries this spring so watch for new wines! And mention my blog with your next order to receive the monthly discount -- it changes every month but for March it is buy one bottle of wine at the regular price and get your second bottle for 50% off. Salud!