Abacela

[dananne]

Anyone else tried anything from this winery? I had the '98 Tempranillo (yes, a tempranillo from Oregon) and was blown away! It was a monster, but still young with need of cellaring. It's going to be a beauty, I think, but is already very drinkable. Forward, very round, with distinctive blackberry fruit and large, but polished, tannins. I've also heard good things about a Malbec and a Syrah. Just looking for anyone else out there who may have tried something from them.

[barnesy]

I'm too cheap to try a 30 buck temp from Oregon....I may take a swig if I wander down and try at their winery. As far as it goes though, Abacela is from the southern part of Oregon which is very much drier and warmer than the Northern part which is more famous and gets the glory from Pinot Noir.

Barnesy

[Cole]

Abacela is far and away the best winery in Southern Oregon. Their Syrah is quite good, the Cab franc is very soft and flavorful. Merlot is nice, but not that nice. Tempranillo is what Earl Jones came to Roseburg to grow after having done extensive climate research across the US to try and match the growing conditions of great Spanish Rioja. They are getting excellent reviews for it, and deservedly so. I loved the 2000 in barrel! More than any other So Or winery they are paying attention to clones, yields, and careful but not overly manipulative winemaking. A new steep hillside vineyard with different soil type should produce a different take on Temp when it comes online in a few years. Also, like the top OR wineries up north, they are asking a pretty penny for their wine. Worth it? Who knows, that's up to each individual. But definitely a winery to watch from the Pacific Northwest!

[dananne]

Well, I finally got around to opening another of the '98 Tempranillos. It is starting to mellow and round off into a very nice example of the varietal. I have a few more that I'll probably pop in the next 2-3.

The '01s are out now. They were reviewed in WE this month, and FWIW there were some nice notes on several Abacela wines, including their Syrah and Malbec. On the down side, their prices keep going up and up. I just paid $34 for the '01 Tempranillo, up from $22 for the '00. Ugh.

[Thomas]

I sell a stunning Rioja called Lacrimus for about $18.00. And that is among the higher priced ones I have in the shop. Makes it hard to drop twice that on an Or wine.

I have the same problem here in NY with Long Island wines. Many good ones, but when I look at the prices I cannot justify (other than state pride) paying for them against so many Old World offerings, and even some Ca offerings.