• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Vindulge

BBQ and Grilling Recipes with Wine Pairings

  • Home
  • About
    • About Mary
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Resources
    • Fundamentals For Learning How to Grill
    • Guide to Pellet Grills – Common Q and A
    • Best Pellet Grill – MAK Two Star General – Versatile American Made Pellet Smoker
    • Blogger Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop Wines
  • Cookbook
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Wine Guides
  • Blogging Resources
  • Connect with us!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Food and Drink

    Friday Favorites – Touring Oregon Wine Country

    April 11, 2014 By Mary 3 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    2 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    A weekly roundup of my favorite things this week in the categories of wine, food, travel, and lifestyle.

    Since returning to Oregon I’ve tried to immerse myself in Pacific Northwest wines, specifically on understanding the intricacies of each wine-growing region.  This week I had the opportunity to spend some time focusing on two different regions located within the greater Willamette Valley – Yamhill-Carlton and McMinnville AVA.  This weeks Friday Favorites are dedicated to some brief photo highlights of the trip.

    I can’t decide what I loved most, the wine, the scenery, or the weather.

    Oregon Wine Country

     The weather has been absolutely incredible the last few days in Oregon. Sunny, warm, and downright perfect. Yes please!

    WINE

    Stag Hollow Vineyard (Yamhill, Oregon)

    Stag-Hollow-Wines

    I loved the wines from Stag Hollow.  I purchased a few that I can’t wait to try over the length of an evening (or two)… stay tuned.

    Lenné (Yamhill, Oregon)

    Steve Lutz, proprietor of Lenné

    Steve Lutz, proprietor of Lenné

    Wine Tasting at Lenne

    We spent the afternoon at Lenné Estate leading a twitter #winechat tasting on their 2010 Pinot Noir.  Throughout the afternoon we spoke with proprietor Steve Lutz about the history of the vineyard, his winemaking philosophy, and tasted through several vintages of his Pinot Noir.  We also got to catch an absolutely stunning sunset over the valley.

    Sunset over Lenne, Oregon Wine Country

    McMinnville AVA

    The following day we met up at Youngberg Hill Vineyards to meet with several winemakers from the McMinnville AVA, and taste examples from the region.

    Youngberg Hill

    The tasting room and Inn at Youngberg Hill. 

    Coeur-de-Terre-Pinot-Gris

    Not typically a huge Pinot Gris fan I was really impressed by the 2013 Pinot Gris from Coeur de Terre ($17).

    Scott Neal, Proprietor and Winemaker Coeur de Terre

    Scott Neal, Winemaker and Proprietor of Coeur de Terre

    Winemaker Scott Neal explains that the white wines of the region really capture great acidity, brightness, and freshness.  This was definitely evident in his 2013 Pinot Gris that was crisp, fresh, citrusy, and zesty with bright acidity.

    I’ll definitely be keeping my eyes out for more Pinot Gris from the McMinnville AVA, especially Coeur de Terre.

    Maysara-Pinot-Noir

    The Pinot Noirs of the region are characterized by dark black berry fruit, earthy tones, and intensity.  The wines I tasted reflected lots of these characteristics, along with tobacco and pepper notes.  The 2012 vintage specifically, was a warmer year yielding big bold wines.  I was curious to see how they would taste with bolder food, so I took a few of the bottles home that night to serve with dinner.  We decided to grill up a flank steak that had been marinated in soy, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, ginger, and rosemary. Not your typical Pinot Noir pairing… but we rarely play by the rules. 

    Flank Steak and Pinot Noir Wine Pairing

    The savory flavors of the sauce were awesome with the earthy and dark Pinots and really brought out some savory characteristics in the wines.  I especially loved the way the 2009 Maysara “Asha” Pinot Noir paired with the steak.  Proof that you can go beyond the typical salmon and light dishes for Pinot.  The bolder and darker examples of the varietal are great with a lean cut of beef like flank steak. 

    FOOD

    Barrel 47 Restaurant (Carlton, Oregon)

    Barrel 47 Restaurant Carlton Oregon

    This newly opened restaurant, located in downtown Carlton, has a simple, yet specific, mission – “to provide quality food and drinks by using the freshest, local ingredients, in a relaxed friendly environment.  It’s a great little pub, in a great little town.”

    During our casual dinner I enjoyed some tasty fish tacos (I loved the fact that they were grilled not fried!), served in a soft blue corn tortilla, and topped with a creamy chipotle aioli.  Though this is wine country the restaurant has a great little cocktail list.

    The-Smokey-Barrel-Cocktail-from-Barrel-47-

    I had to try a drink they call The Smokey Barrel (a smoked themed cocktail? Can you blame me?), made with bourbon and Smoked Cherries from Republic of Jam.  It was fantastic and the cherries had the perfect mild smoke infusion and wasn’t overly sweet.  I will definitely be attempting this cocktail at home, that’s for sure!

    Though they are known more for cocktails and beer don’t pass a chance to peruse the wine list.  The single page list focuses strictly on local wines (made within the Yamhill-Carlton region) at incredible prices.  The wine prices are just a smidge above retail, which is unheard of at most restaurants.  Owner Andy Rabung told me he simply wants people to be able to enjoy some nice local wine at affordable prices.  I say start with one of their signature cocktails then move on to the wine!

    Next week I’ll tell you all about the lovely B&B I stayed at in Carlton.  

    What’s on the agenda for your weekend?  Hubby is going to be smoking a prime rib tomorrow.  He must have missed the memo that Christmas is still 8 months away.  Crazy man!

    « What we’ve been drinking
    The Carlton Inn Bed and Breakfast (Carlton, Oregon) »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Fire and Wine Cookbook Cover.

    Get Ready for Summer

    Smoked Brisket

    What’s on our Grill

    Tri Tip fajitas and peppers in a cast iron skillet.

    Easy Grilled Tri-Tip Fajitas Recipe

    Verde chicken tacos on a serving platter

    Super Easy Verde Chicken Tacos

    Vegetarian Chili in a bowl with cheese and a spoon.

    The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili Recipe

    Pulled pork breakfast hash in a cast iron pan.

    Pulled Pork Breakfast Hash

    More

    As Seen On

    Products we love

    taking the temperature of a porchetta roast on the grill
    We use Thermoworks Signals BBQ Alarm to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking, then double check with an instant read thermometer, like the Thermapen One.

    Vindulge Wine Club

    join the wine club side bar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Vindulge

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    2 shares