Shine On Adelsheim!

Before continuing with wineapalooza, allow me one "real time" break-- I had my UCLA check-up (mammogram this time) yesterday. All was fine. And I graduated. I have been returned to "normal" and will only have mammograms once a year now. Just like folks who never had cancer! Woo-Hoo! Now, on with our regular programming....




July 24, 2011: Day 2, Part Two

Okay, I was wrong. But I can clear it up now. We didn't have that fabulous lunch (see post below) after Barrel Fence. Oh no. We went on to Adelsheim Winery and guzzled tasted another 7 wines before lunch. If you're counting, that means we had tasted 21 wines before breaking for lunch. I don't know if I'm impressed or mortified. No, wait, I do. I'm impressed.

Adelsheim was a winery that I put on our itinerary. A few years back they had a stainless steel Chardonnay (2007) that was my "buy cases of this I'm drinking it forever" wine. And we bought cases. Until we couldn't buy it anymore. Then I put Michael on it (he who lives in the region) and he couldn't find it. It was over. And I mourned the loss of that wine. That's the thing about wine---when a vintage is gone, it's gone. It won't and can't be repeated. Even with the same land, same vines, same winemaker... the weather over the year is going to be different, so the wine will be different. The barrels (or steel vats) are going to be different. The wine will be different. It's the fun, the glory, the agony and the great mystery of winemaking (and, uh, buying). Which is why I wanted to go visit the winery and taste every single one of their white wines in search of my new favorite.

Marketing Manager Catherine Douglas was our cheerful and informative tour guide,

out in the vineyard

and in the cave. And then in their "library" (the storage room for each of their vintages from way back to current):

and you know what I was looking for, right? Yeah, it was there. But, damnit (Willamette) I couldn't reach it. Or, well, steal it. I just can't.

But we did love the 2010 Ribbon Springs Vineyard Auxerois (yes, that's a grape and yes, that's a white wine, second from left in the above photo). Quite a tasty wine ("full bodied up front segueing into lemon; good minerality; finishes as a tarter lime mid-mouth" per Chris). Also, it was the 2009 Willamette Valley Chardonnay that came closest to my fond memories of the 2007 (as opposed to the 2009 Stoller Vineyard Chardonnay...but that was good too!).

So, right at this point we are 21 wines tasted. You'd think that'd be good for a day, but no.
We headed over to Cana's Feast, in Carlton where Wes gave us quite a tasting. I have to admit...I could not keep up. Plus, we were tasting in the barrel room, which is a nice private way to taste but, uh, they keep the temperatures where the wine likes it...call it 56 degrees. Yeah, I can't do that.

I cannot tell a lie...I ducked out and took a nap in the car. Michael and Chris though, they powered through another ten wines. 10!!! Their favorites were the 2008 Barbera and the 2007 Nebbiolo. I have to take their word for it for now...but bottles did come home with us.

Day 2 total wines tasted (well, by Chris at least): 31. Total for Wineapalooza: 36.