Document text
Email Story to a Friend May 31, 2006 New wines highlight 'Taste of Ashland' By CLEVE TWITCHELL for The Mail Tribune New wines and new wine producers highlighted this year's A Taste of Ashland celebration. Representatives of Rosella's, Longsword, Jacksonville Vineyards and Trium were on hand alongside folks from established wineries like Weisinger's, Troon and Foris. Rosella's, located on Missouri Flat Road west of the town of Applegate, poured some high-quality 2003 Merlot and 2005 Chardonnay, as well as a red blend called Ula Waina. The reds sell for $18, the Chardonnay for $16. The winery is operated by Rex and Sandi Garoutte. Back in 2003, I did a feature story for HomeLife magazine on Dave and Pam Palmer and their efforts to develop Jacksonville Vineyards, a couple of miles west of Ruch. Three years later, they have a winery. Their first release, poured at A Taste of Ashland, is Jacksonville 2003 Claret, a tasty blend of 56 percent cabernet sauvignon, 36 percent merlot and 8 percent cabernet franc. It's $27. Trium, noted for its award-winning Cuvee red, has a new white out — 2005 Pinot Gris, for $19. Good, if a little sweeter than many. Advertisement Longsword still offers its pleasant chardonnay and semi-sparkling white. Devitt, between Ruch and the Applegate, served tastes of its new 2004 Chardonnay, which was just about my favorite wine at the Ashland event — a terrific chardonnay for $16. The winery also has produced a blush dessert wine called 2003 When Pigs Fly "Le Petite Oink" — distinctive and rich. It's made of syrah and gewürztraminer and sells for $15 for a 375-milliliter bottle. RoxyAnn of Medford poured its new 2005 Pinot Gris, on the light side but pleasant, for $16.50. Foris of Cave Junction has made a Flyover Red blend for several years. Now it has Flyover White. About half of this blend is pinot blanc, the rest chardonnay and pinot gris. I prefer the red, but the white is something different and sells for under $10. Troon of the Applegate was also at A Taste of Ashland, but we'll be revisiting that winery in the June 14 column. The Academy of Wine, another Applegate winery that's been around for a while, poured a buttery, well-balanced 2002 Chardonnay $13 and nice gentle 2004 Pinot Noir $16. Paschal of Talent has had an excellent red blend on the market called Quartet, first made in 2000. Now the winery has come out with a second, also very good, red blend called 2004 Civita. It's made of syrah, dolcetto, tempranillo and sangiovese and sells for $30. A Taste of Ashland 2006 featured a newcomer at least for me from farther north — Iris Hill Winery of Creswell. I liked its 2004 Pinot Noir $18, light and flavorful. Twenty galleries took part in this year's "Taste," pairing wines with interesting food from a variety of local restaurants, caterers and specialty food producers. THE TASTE OF HISTORY returns to downtown Medford for a second year, 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 10. I went last year and thought this new event got off to a good start. Patrons sample food and wine, admire art, listen to live music and tour some historic sites in the area. The tour starts in Vogel Park, where tickets will be sold for $20 a person. Wineries will include the Academy, Cliff Creek, Crater Lake Cellars, Cricket Hill Vineyard, Devitt, EdenVale, Henry, Jacksonville Vineyards, Longsword, RoxyAnn and Trium. Cliff Creek will pour tastes of its 2003 Syrah which won the top prize at last year's World of Wine Festival. Many of Medford's top restaurants and food providers, like Harry & David, Porters, Grilla Bites, the Hungry Woodsman, Red Rock and Sambuca, will prepare snacks. For more, visit " target="_blank">www.thetasteofhistory.com. ANOTHER WINE AND FOOD event coming up in June is Grape Expectations, presented by Soroptimist International Rogue Valley Sunrise and the Pacific Wine Club. It will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 15, at the Pacific Wine Club store, 3588 Heathrow Way, Medford. Participating wineries will include Brandborg, Devitt, EdenVale, Foris, Granite Peak, RoxyAnn, Shasta View, Slagle Creek, Spangler, Valley View and Wooldridge Creek. And look for food providers like Dagoba and Lillie Belle Farms chocolates, Rogue Creamery, Gary West Meats, Great Harvest Breads, Rising Sun Farms and Adam's Deli. Also part of the event are drawings for an "instant wine cellar" and a silent auction. Tickets are $35, available at Pacific Wine Club and Adam's Deli. Proceeds benefit local community service projects. ALSO SAMPLED RECENTLY: Two notable wines from Buena Vista Carneros of Sonoma, Calif. Its 2004 Chardonnay $19 is oaky but not overdone and its 2004 Pinot Noir $23 is pleasant, light and fruity. Cleve Twitchell is a retired Mail Tribune editor and columnist. E-mail him at [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Discount Hotel Reservations --> online casinos news Ashley Furniture HomeStore Send Flowers California Casinos GMAT Prep Windermere Van Vleet Sports Equipment Entertainment Guide --> Online Casino Fundraisers Sudoku Online Casinos Canada Online Casino Reviews Advertisement s Advertisement