Yamhill Valley Wine Country

I am just now catching up on blogs, having left the Hotel Grime for southern Oregon, but the day we spent touring wineries in the Yahmill Valley wine country warrants mention. There are over 100 wineries in about a 10-mile radius, so we (Jim) chose carefully. Among them were Ponzi (motto found on merchandising t-shirts in tasting bar in McMinnville: "Live Well. Drink Well. www.ponzi.com); Wellakenzie; Elk Grove; Domaine Serene, and Domaine Drouhan. All are in beautiful settings in the valley, up winding roads and not necessarily well-marked or even placed correctly on the small area map we've picked up, but we manage to taste quite a few very good Pinot Noirs. I am told that wine in this area is made "in the French style," but you would have to ask Jim what that means. He looked up from his sports channel as I was writing this long enough to say it has to do with the blend of grapes, as is done in Burgundy, or perhaps with the new oak barrels used for aging. Who knows? He was only half listening, but he will surely correct me later if I am mistaken.

The wine aficionados among our readers might be interested in the following information, gleaned from brochures, conversations, and Yamhill Valley websites. The Yamhill Valley is found as part of the Wilamette Valley, and is particularly known for its Pinot grapes: Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir. According to the Yamhill Valley Vineyards website, "One of the beauties of the Pinot family is that it offers a tremendously rich and varied palate of flavors and, at the same time, a fabric of structure - acids and tannins - to carry those flavors and keep a wine fresh and exciting through a meal. We've often described this structure as a bright or sparky character that gives a "come-hither" quality to the wine. The second glass is even more rewarding than the first. When enjoyed with food at the table, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir can create a third element of complexity and contribute to the pleasure of a great match.


I also had a nice walk with Ethan in the town of Yamhill, where new high-end houses have joined the older part of town. THis area, a scant 35 miles from Portland, is where new development meets agriculture, and the end product is Oregon viticulture.