Oregon Wines!!!! Opinions Please!

[sweetirish]

I am fairly new to wines and have asked recently about sweet reds. I also am looking for some sweet Oregon wines ( any variety )..As I mentioned before, I love dessert wines but am looking for new wines to try dinner and also to send to friends in other parts of the US. They are showing an interest in the growing Oregon wine industry and want me to send them some sweeter wines. Calling all opinions!!!!!=-)

Also, could some of you help me understand the industry in Oregon?? If I understand correctly, Oregon is doing fairly well with Pinots but I don't know much else...HELP!

[barnesy]

As far as Oregon red sweets, Chateau Lorane has a late harvest Marechal Foch that is nice. Giradett produces a late harvest de chenauc that is also very good. Oregon, in particular, the Willamette valley is suited to pinot noir and its white counterpart, chardonnay. Both are grown in abundance in Oregon. There are less cabs in the WV section but there are some in the southern appellations: rogue and umpqua. Oregon wineries, from what I've seen, seem to like to experiment a bit. You will see some rare and unusual varietals. I am sure Bucko and CCK, who are much, MUCH more experianced Northwest wine drinkers can give you some more information.

Barnesy

[Bucko]

Actually I taste very few dessert-styled wines from OR. I taste many more from WA. Here are a few with some sweetness.....

1999 Girardet, Riesling, Estate, Umpqua Valley, $7. In contrast to the 98, this wine has peach and apricot aromas and flavors, finishing with light acidity and sweetness.

1998 Secret House, Riesling, Willamette Valley, $8, 1,200 cases. Straightforward peach and citrus aromas and flavors, with a slightly sweet, acidic finish. 2% residual sugar.

Bucko

[janrob]

Like Bucko, I don't recall tasting any dessert wines, but there are some nice fruit wines coming from Oregon.
I find they still have a ways to go on the learning curve, as a result (as well as their emphasis on the finicky Pinot), they really vary from vintage to vintage. If you are buying their wines (reds especially), I highly recommend sticking to the best years.

[cpurvis]

Having lived in Oregon for 1 yr, I'm also in process re: learning 'bout Oregon wines. Here are a few random thoughts:

1)Starting with your "industry" question: Oregon wineries have sprouted like weeds in the past decade, & experimentation seems to be the m.o. of the new wineries. Best known are Willamette Valley wineries, but many believe that the best grapes are now being grown in southern Oregon (warmer climate & less rain). Oregon varietals center around pinot noir, riesling & chardonnay.

Other white varietals common to Oregon include pinot gris, pinot blanc, Gewurztraminer, & muller thurgau (a riesling - sylvaner hybrid). Other common reds are merlot & cabernet sauvignon. Some are producing zinfandel, but I would stick with California zins.

Beyond that it's a real mixed bag. For example, some are experimenting w/ Dolcetto, Tempranillo, Viognier & other varietals. A web source of basic info on the Oregon wine industry is: http://www.oregonwine.org/

2)Re: "sweet wines" I refer you back to Barnesy's comment on your last post: try some fruity reds that may be low in residual sugar. Oregon has some that qualify. In fact, you may find some pinot noirs to your liking. In addition, Foris makes a "ruby port" from pinot noir. I'll stick with ports from elsewhere, but you might like it. You might also try an Ashland Vineyards 1996 Cabernet (the current release)..it is made to be consumed young & is fruity.

Montinore Late Harvest Riesling is a sweet white readily available in grocery stores for under $10 & is a nice wine (best w/ dessert). I recommend trying it.

The Muller-Thurgau varietal is produced here as a dessert wine or "sweet" white. The distinct flavor comes from the Sylvaner part of the hybrid, making it a wine that you will clearly like or dislike. Again, typically available under $15.

Otherwise, the recs from Barnesy & Bucko are well worth trying. I also hope that CCK weighs in with more suggestions.

[chittychattykathy]

Lots of good Oregon sweet wines to pick from and even a few Pinot Noir filled chocolates being made, yum! Although not a red sweet wine, my favorite dessert wine from Oregon is the Elk Cove Ulitima Riesling, it has a nice powder-soft finish, much like the soft plume of sugar dust you get when you pour sugar from its bag into a container, and a good amount of acidity so that it is not cloyingly sweet. About $25. Marechal Foch is being made into port-styled wines by a few other wineries as well, Serendipity Vineyards New-port comes to mind as one of the better I've tried.

[slapstick]

I myself am a new user to wine, however at this point I prefer the white wines. If you are looking for something that is smoothe and lightly sweet, then you want to try "Blue Moon" reisling. It is made in Oregon, and it comes in a blue moon shaped bottle. I am originally from the Northwest(Seattle area), so I enjoy their wines a lot.

[cpurvis]

FYI, Blue Moon is made by Bridgeview. They are located in the Illinois Valley in southern Oregon, & their wines are readily available in grocery stores.