Progress: The New Chehalem Downtown Tasting Room

Since February we have been in the process of renovating a space for a tasting room in downtown Newberg. Well, as of July 5th, we will be open. The address is 106 S Center Street. It is on the corner of highway 99W (northbound) and Center Street. To give you an idea of what this renovoation entailed, here are some shots of our progress:

Before

After

We hope you will be able to come visit us once we are open next week. See you there!

- Daniel

Best Barrel!

As usual, Best Barrel was an excellent event. The 2007s were all showing beautifully. They are all lovely, elegant wines; classic cool-climate Pinot Noir. And I think the Stoller Vineyard Chardonnay is gorgeous. I expect on release (almost a year away), the 2007 Ian’s Reserve Chardonnay will be the most impressive we have done–no mean feat considering the consistent quality of that wine over the years.

While we wait for those delicate 2007s to be ready to drink, we will have plenty of approachable fruit-rich 2006s to keep us occupied. 2006 and 2007 were both very good vintages for our Pinot Noir, but they are certainly an example of how dramatic the impact of vintage is on the style of Oregon wines.

- Daniel

Wine Blogging Wednesday #45: Chehalem Tackles Some Old World Riesling

As promised, the Chehalem folks contributed some notes to the tasting. Anything worth doing is worth doing to excess when it comes to wine tasting (although not wine making), so rather than taste a bottle or two, we tasted a small army of them from Germany, Austria and the Alsace. With a number of people leaving notes, that makes for a lot of tasting notes. You can tell the sales folks (like me) from the technical folks (everybody else), because they wrote very specific descriptors and I wrote things like, “yum”…

Without futher ado, here are the notes…

2005 Domaine Marcel Deiss Riesling
Molly:
Nose: vanilla, apricot, pear.
Mouth: Full mouthfeel, creamy, peaches citrus, creamcicle, pear fruit.

Brian:
Tangerine, creamy vanilla, honey, melon, slightest hint of petrol on the nose, bright acidity lingers with ripe tropical fruits.

Mike:
Licorice, citrus rind, slate.

Jason:
Stone fruit, spicy quality on the nose. On the palate: lychee, almost gewurtz-like, tropical, bright acidity, slight bitterness (in a good way).

Harry:
Clean, mineral, sharp/pungent–still some residual SO2; hard, brassy flavors; peach-yellow; firm on palate; nice texture and length. Weight is nice. Impressions of sharp edge in your mouth, yellow-orange, clean, rich; slight Grand Marnier hit–orange liquer; tight & structured, maybe too much so–definitely Alsace version of Riesling.

Daniel:
Nose is sweet, honey, perhaps some botrytis? Tastes off-dry and minerally. Finishes with lemonade and mandarin orange. Definite yum!

2000 Alzinger Riesling Smaragd Loibner Steinertal

Mike:
Spice, apricot, wet stone, honey, vanilla; broad, oily, mineral, short, dry, nice balanced acid.

Brian:
Honey, tangerines, minerals, citrus zest finish.

Molly:
Spice, wet earth, wet rocks, somewhat briney nose. Briney, mineral and cement palate.

Kevin:
Petal, spice — good fruit / balance.

2006 Schmitges Grauschiefer Riesing Trocken
Brian:
Sulfur / Reduced nose - sweet tarts, bitter weird sweetness

Molly:
Sulfur, lemon, minerality, mousy

Priscilla:
Nose unappealing, bitter

John:
Star fruit, citrus zest, slightly alcoholic / acetone, wet river rock. Decent palate weight, lacks focus / intensity.

Harry:
Spritz and SO2. Slightly reductive brassy nose (plastic cork), some phenolic bitterness; good yellow fruit character, nice weight, ripe peach richeness and flavor, nice finish. Nice bigger wine from Mosel not refined, but hearty; RS in balance for a “Riesling dry” but definitely above threshold.

Daniel:
Almost grassy, like a NZ Sauv Blanc. Dry, decent minerality, grapefruit. A bit of spice and honey. Simple but nice at first, but fell apart very quickly after opening.

2004 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Riesling Spätlese
Brian:
Ripe citrus, apricots - bright sweetness, key lime pie, mouth-watering acids, slight hint of petrol

Priscilla:
Sweet, coconut, sweeter than I like, yet nice.

Molly:
Coconut, lychee, apple, apricot. Creamy mouth, key lime, coconut cream pie. Could use a touch more acid to balance sugar. Meyer lemon.

John:
Pale yellow. Mineral, ripe pear and white pach. Citrusy key lime notes. Nice acid and palate weight with decent length. Nice wine.

Daniel:
Petrol and spearmint(?) smell; Taste is off dry with nice acid, mineral–a tingle on the tongue, lemon rind. Finishes with honey and flours. Clean, with little or no botrytis qualities. Very tasty.

Harry:
Bright, fresh fruit with SO2 barely receding; rich; moderate RS; ripe stonefruit; lovely acid and balance; perfect Spätlese example.

We had a couple other wines as well but one was, sadly, a bad bottle and we just didn’t get many notes on the other so I will leave those two alone. We had fun participating this month and will try and do it again when time allows. If you are wondering who this folks are, check out our people page.

Thanks to Tim at Winecast for hosting this month.

Happy WBW 45 everybody!

Bud Break!

Bud breaking on Corral Creek Vine

Better late than never, bud break hit at our Corral Creek Vineyard about two weeks ago and still isn’t quite there on all the Riesling. Finally, the sun is out and the temperatures are nudging the low 70s. I thought this winter would never end. Now we need a nice long, warm summer and cool, dry fall to create the elegant wines the Willamette Valley has become known for!

- Daniel

Chehalem’s 2006 Cerise Vanquishes Cru Beaujolais in Somewhat Biased Tasting

Vanquish might be too strong a word, but I had to try and catch your attention.

A little background: a group of us from the industry (and a couple of wine-interested spouses) get together every month or two at the winery to taste wines from around the world. Generally we choose a region, sometimes a variety and everyone brings a bottle for the blind tasting.

This month, the theme was Cru Beaujolais. It wasn’t the most representative tasting–only four Beaujolais villages were represented–nor was the blinding perfect–some of us knew there was a ringer in there, but we are proud of our little wine anyway. In the blind tasting, the 2006 Chehalem Cerise, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir that we produce in small quantities–our version of a passetoutgrains–was the overall favorite, followed by the 2003 Dubœuf Fleurie.

There could certainly have been some house-palates in the room, as there were three Chehalem folks and one Chehalem spouse, but there was also representation from a couple of other wineries, too. Regional palate, perhaps? Or maybe it’s just tasty.

Regardless of why it won our little tasting, there is no doubt that it is showing well right now: pepper and violet with full red fruit on the palate and a touch of oak and more pepper on the finish. It certainly has been fun to watch this wine as it comes into its own. Even a couple of months ago it was tart and closed. Now it’s lovely. We didn’t produce Cerise last year and people have been asking for it. I bet it goes in a hurry.

Tasting the 2007 Whites

Brian, Chehalem’s Cribbage King and Cellarmaster was nice enough to take a couple of us in sales through our 2007 white wines. While the 2007 INOX Chardonnay and most of the 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris were bottled a couple of weeks ago, the 2007 Reserve Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and the Rieslings are still in tank and it was a treat to be able to see how those wines are coming along.

Yes, I am biased, but will nonetheless claim that these 2007 whites show why Chehalem is widely regarded as one of the best producers of white wine in Oregon, if not the country. Every white in the cellar has brilliant acidity that is perfectly balanced with beautiful fruit. The Rieslings are deeply layered and interesting. I think the 2007 Reserve Pinot Gris is the best we have made. I can’t wait until these are released.

Many Willamette Valley wineries have made their mark with Pinot Noir and we are no exception, but in many ways, the white wines are what set us apart from our peers. We are one of the few who make more white wine than red wine. And we like it that way.

“I just love making white wines and I love to drink white wines,” Brian said while taking us through the 2007s, “We make what we love.”

I think that is why we make them so well.

- Daniel

Wine Blogging Wednesday #45: Old World Riesling

A few days ago, I told you about WBW#44 with the theme of French Cab Franc. While I generally like to participate in this event, a nasty flu prevented that from happening. The theme next month is something near and dear to our hearts here at Chehalem: Riesling from the Old World.

As many of you know, Oregon is quite a good climate for Riesling and despite its public relations problem in the recent past, Riesling is making something of a come-back. As recently as February Michael Franz made a compelling case for Riesling as the world’s greatest white variety. The Northwest has led the charge, trying to create Rieslings as compelling as our counter-parts in the Old World.

And we are getting close. Our Riesling is definitely in the spirit of many of those from the Alsace: crisp and dry with brilliant acidity and minerality. It pairs well with a wide range of foods but also stands well on its own. Perhaps I will do a tasting, throw one of ours in and see how we fare.

So I encourage you all to buy a bottle of Riesling from Alsace, Germany or Austria and write about it. I will do the same and see how many Chehalemites I can convince to contribute.

- Daniel

Writing from the road: Kyoto and Osaka

After deplaning from the 12 hour flight from San Fran and Osaka, I was humorously greeted by the gentleman at customs in Osaka. As I lifted up my bags for inspection, he pulled out a large, two-inch binder filled with laminated pictures. He began to flip through a multitude of pictures that ranged from colorful Mexican coins, to what looked to be like really bad replicas of Picasso. Then he referenced my bagage with a point of a finger, connecting it with a page that looked to be straight out of a National ant0-drug campaign from the mid 70’s. Quickly realizing the pages were filled with fields of cannabis, used needles, coke, smack, boom, pow, whatever you call all that stuff, I raised my hands up “no way”, needless to say he pulled my bag aside for an extra careful inspection. 10 minutes later, and clean as a whistle, I walked down to the greeting area and travel terminal.

Hmm…I don’t really know who’s picking me up…oh, Misao…is that a guy or a girl? As I slowly descended down the escalator, is started scanning through the field of signs plastered with a world of names. Hmm, no House, or Johnosan, maybe one with Chehalem? Hmm, ah, a Chehalem newsletter! A beautiful, doll-like Misao graciously* greeted me, and we immediately moved toward the train to Kyoto, for a Chehalem-Elk Cove wine dinner at Le Bouchon was to take place in just a few hours. *Note: I do not use the term “graciously” lightly in any case in Japan, the people here are beyond what I’ve known in America. Going into my thrid day of residing in Japan, my initial impressions are only being fortified in that the people have a level of refinement, class and thoughtfullness that makes me think about how I’ve used those adjectives in the past…You know, what do they really mean? Refined (r-fnd) 1. Free from coarseness or vulgarity; polite. 2. Free of impurities; purified. 3. Precise to a fine degree. Even as Misao and I rode in the train to Kyoto, a couple with a crying baby apologized to us repeatedely, as if it were some vagary to have a tired baby. Anyhow, after a 5:30am rainy-Portland wake up, a 12 hour flight to Japan, a one and half hour train ride to Kyoto, a 20 minute cab ride to Le Bouchon, it is time to perform and eat classic French cuisine….wait a second! FRENCH cuisine?!?

That’s right folks, here are a few shots from a classic Provencal meal in Kyoto Japan:

Tourrine of the day, Bar at Le Bouchon , Hama and Shirley talking Oregon up! , Chocolate dessert, Gratine du Chocolate , My supposed Poussin du Jour, I’m pretty sure I got the fish of the day! .

And of course after all that eating and drinking we headed back to the hotel…or not! Who would of thought that after a French meal in your first few hours in Kyoto that you’d be going to a Champagne bar of all places?! Hey, I perk up when I hear bubbles. You’re not gonna want to know what I had, but it was oh so good, and who would’ve thought there would be a veritable selection of grower Champanges at fair prices? Larmandier Bernier Vertus NV , Perfection in service and opening a Champagne bottle .

So this is just what happened in my first few hours in Japan. What happened yesterday? Stay posted, and I’ll give you this hint…Hide Sushi + The beginnings of Lunch . Cheers, JHo

Hello from Daniel

Greetings everyone! Welcome to the new weblog!

I want to introduce myself to our new online community. I work at the winery in the marketing department, focusing primarily on direct sales. Since I am already quite into blogging, you will probably be hearing from me pretty regularly. As a committed foodie and homebody, most of my posts will probably revolve around food and wine consumed at home: food pairings, great bottles of wine I have had, interesting recipes, and the like. I am sure the odd restaurant review will appear as well.

So, please, comment if you have time. I would love to hear from you!

Daniel

Welcome

Wine friends,
We who care greatly about growing, making, selling, and consuming high-quality wines are a diverse and growing family. And, as in any family, how well we communicate often determines how tightly we stay in synch and meaningfully connected. In our attempt to continue reaching out to those who we care about and who want to know more, we are beginning a formal weblog, somewhat resembling the blog we started ten years ago to record on-line our daily impressions in the Harvest Page, a time when the term “blog” hadn’t even been coined.

The difference, of course, is the interactivity we want to encourage. We want to share our thoughts about wine, cuisine, our grapegrowing and winemaking, and the like. But we also want to hear from you, both your comments and your probing questions. We promise to be timely in our responses.

Welcome and thanks in advance for your interest in Chehalem and the Oregon wine industry!

Fond regards,
Harry

Founder/Winemaker/Handyman