Document text
New Ashland winery is at its 'Peak' by Cleve Twitchell Wednesday, December 24th 2008 A A Ashland has another new winery — actually two of them, in a sense. Grizzly Peak and Granite Peak are collaborating on a venture that their ads describe as "two great wineries under one roof." Andy Swan launched the Granite Peak label some years ago, releasing several wines. Then Al and Virginia Silbowitz formed Grizzly Peak Winery and invited Swan to be their winemaker. So now he makes wines for both labels. The collaboration began in 2006. They have 15 acres planted in grapes and buy additional grapes from other nearby vineyards. About two months ago, they opened a tasting room, pouring samples of six wines, four from Grizzly Peak, two from Granite Peak. I sampled the six wines during a recent visit and bought two. Grizzly Peak 2007 Chardonnay ($15) is crisp and has a pleasant flavor kind of like tropical fruit. Granite Peak 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon ($18) has really blossomed over time. It has a rich yet soft, interesting flavor that gets even better a day after opening the bottle. For me, this is the best of the six wines. "Softer reds are my style,'" says Swan. The other three Grizzly Peak wines are "softer reds," as well: 2006 Pinot Noir, 2006 Merlot and 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon are each $20. The other Granite Peak wine is called 2003 Decadence. It's a merlot-based, port-style dessert wine, 18 percent alcohol and aged in the barrel for five years. A 500-milliliter bottle retails for $30. It's not as sweet as some ports. Again, the words "nice and gentle" come to mind. The winery is, as its brochure describes, "nestled at 2,200 feet on a protected flank of Grizzly Peak." The address is 1600 E. Nevada St. Normally you would take Eagle Mill Road to Nevada. But if Eagle Mill construction is still in progress, the best idea is to find your way to Mountain Avenue and follow it east over the freeway to Nevada Street. The tasting room welcomes visitors from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays or by appointment. It will also be open Tuesday and Wednesday, Dec. 23 and 24. There's no tasting fee except for a $2 charge to sample the $30 dessert wine. GRIZZLY PEAK — GRANITE PEAK wasn't part of this year's Jefferson Public Radio Wine Tasting, but 29 other wineries were. The participation once again displayed the continuing growth of the Southern Oregon wine industry. Of the 29 Oregon wineries represented, only five were from "up north." The event at Ashland Springs Hotel offered a good opportunity to sample a cross section of first-rate local wines at a single location. Some newer reds were especially notable. We'll have a report on them in a future column. LEMON GRASS, A MODEST NEW Thai restaurant in west Medford (near Thunderbird Market) has a short but appealing wine list. It serves four wines: Foris chardonnay, Bridgeview merlot, Hinman Rogue Valley red and another white from Washington state. Prices start at $4 a glass, $16 a bottle. BESIDES THE EXPECTED cheap house wine, the New Far East in downtown Medford offers seven varietals, including Bridgeview of Cave Junction, also Smoking Loon, Fetzer and Louis Martini. Whites are an affordable $3.75 a glass, $13.50 a bottle, reds $4 and $14.50. A RELATIVELY INEXPENSIVE California brand, at $12, is Windmill from the Lodi area. I especially like its 2006 Syrah — gentle, somewhat fruity and with a hint of coffee flavor. The 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon is rich and earthy, and the 2007 Chardonnay is full of tropical fruit flavor. SOME MORE GOOD VALUES: Mandolin 2007 Chardonnay Monterey, from that part of California, is another of the "crisp-with-tropical-fruit" family of chardonnays, a good wine for $10. Mandolin also makes a delicious 2007 Pinot Noir Monterey for $12. Kendall-Jackson of California traditionally has good chardonnays, served in many Rogue Valley restaurants. They retail in local stores for $12, sometimes for less than $10. The 2007 release is another good one, especially if you like some oak in this varietal. It's rich and has a nice, lingering aftertaste. Cleve Twitchell is a retired Mail Tribune editor and columnist. E-mail him at [email protected] STAY CONNECTED Like Us Follow Us © 2019 Mail Tribune Privacy Terms News In Photos Loading ...