Liquid Oregon

Saturday, February 9, 2013

Elkton, Population 195, Is On The Wine Map

According to The Oregonian, Elkton in the northwest corner of the Umpqua Valley, has been designated an American Viticultural Area, or AVA, by the U.S. Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.

Elkton is Oregon’s 17th recognized wine producing region, and the AVA designation may lend the town's producers a bit more attention from wine tourists and wine buyers near and far.

Due to its location on the Umpqua River and only 36 miles from the Pacific Ocean, Elkton's climate has a strong marine influence with daily sea breezes and fog penetrating up river into the Umpqua River Valley.

The new AVA, which is is entirely contained within the Umpqua Valley AVA, has five wineries and 10 vineyards planted with 100 acres of pinot and white varietal grapes.

Brandborg is the probably the most well known producer from Elkton. I recall first tasting their pinot noir at a wonderful restaurant in Beaufort, South Carolina. After we returned to Oregon in 2008, we made a trip to Elkton, where we visited Brandborg's tasting room, Bradley Vineyards and River's Edge.

Pro tip: After visiting the wineries in Elkton, make your way to the Oregon Coast for the night. Dinner at The Waterfront Depot in Florence and a tour Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area in the morning makes for an awesome "overnighter" from Portland, Salem, Corvallis or Eugene.

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Breakside Shows Its Industrial Side, Opens 30 Barrel Brewing Facility and Taphouse in Suburban Milwaukie

I attended the grand opening of Breakside Brewing's new taproom and production facility yesterday afternoon in Milwaukie.

I opened the session with Breakside's French Fennel Farmhouse, a golden saison designed by Chef Gabriel Rucker. The beer is made with fennel seed, pollen and Cascade hops. Next I ordered a sampler tray and enjoyed the classic lineup of Pilsner, IPA, Pale Ale, Stout, plus an experimental wheat beer, with Western red cedar tips foraged by the brewers.

As a resident of Clackamas County, I am pleased to see #LiquidOregon stretch from the city's urban confines to the outlying areas. While the new Taproom in an industrial park does not serve food or feature live music, it's a start.

The brewery is also well situated off Highway 224, so commuters can stop in for a beer after work, or to fill a growler with some of the Portland area's finest brews.

According to The Oregonian, Milwaukie Mayor Jeremy Ferguson was on hand for a 4:00 ribbon cutting ceremony. I missed that activity, but I did see a lot of suits quaffing hand-crafted beers. For all involved, there was clearly reason to celebrate.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Enjoying The Fruits from Molly's Vineyard

CLACKAMAS COUNTY—It's high noon and we've already played 12 holes of disc golf at North Eco Park in Canby. Following Darby's one-toss victory, we make a quick stop at Swan Island Dahlia's, also in Canby, for a $6.00 bunch to take home for today's backyard BBQ.

Next, we motor up to the Canby Ferry, pay the $4 toll and find ourselves quickly transported back to the West side. We wind up Mountain Road, and decide to stop in at Ribera Vineyards just off SW Borland on the way home. Ribera's 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir was recently featured in Portland Monthly, so the secret's out.

We park the car and Molly Roby comes out of her home to say the tasting room officially opens at 1:00 p.m., but that's she's happy to help us, regardless. Generosity and neighborliness! We love it.

Molly also welcomes our Lucy grrrl to join us in the tasting room, which is also a super nice gesture. Molly pours us the 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir. It's a crisp, refreshing wine, as is Ribera's 2009 Chardonnay, which is also endowed with a creaminess and vanilla-infused flavor.

Molly and her husband Darrel just opened their tasting room last spring. We're on their mailing list, so we stopped by that first weekend to see what was up. What's up is Ribera is a high-quality producer, with a welcoming approach and delightful tasting room on the couple's small acreage in West Linn. For Portlanders looking to taste -- sans the traffic-heavy trip down 99 -- jump on I-205 and find Ribera nestled up against the Tualatin River between Exit 3 and Exit 6.

Ribera's tasting room is open Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir is $18 at the winery.