Holiday Shopping!

Prior to creating my company Bouquets Northwest, my career was in retail. My experience as a Special Events Coordinator, Buyer and Store Manager with Nordstrom and Williams-Sonoma for over 14 years provided my background for excellent customer service, which is the hallmark for both companies. I must admit that I miss helping people find the perfect Christmas gift for someone special in their life.

So... here is my list of a few of my favorite wines that I know anyone would appreciate opening on Christmas morning!

Airlie Winery, 2008 Riesling, Willamette Valley
Amity Vineyards, 2007 Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley
Cathedral Ridge Winery, 2007 Merlot, Columbia Valley
Coelho Winery of Amity, 2006 Pinot Noir,Willamette Valley
Honeywood Winery, 2006 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Phelps Creek Vineyards, 2008 Dry Gewurztraminer, Columbia Valley
Spangler Vineyards, 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon, Reserve,
Southern Oregon
Springhouse Cellar, 2008 Viognier, Voulez-Vous
Willamette Valley Vineyards, 2007 Pinot Noir, Elton Vineyards,
Willamette Valley
Winter's Hill, 2008 Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills
Zerba Cellars, 2007 Viognier, Columbia Valley

Enjoy shopping for wines! Cheers!

(If a vintage is sold out, please try another suggested wine from that winery)

Northwest Palate Magazine

It was 7 years ago that I was the Wine Tasting Coordinator at Northwest Palate Magazine. My role was to organize the wines to be tasted and reviewed for the magazine. As I poured each wine I always thought how they would evaluate each wine on the vintage year and varietal characteristics. It was a great learning experience which I use in each Oregon Wine Competition.

Recently I had the pleasure of tasting and reviewing wines at Northwest Palate Magazine with Cole Danehower and Cameron Nagle, Co-Publishers at Northwest Palate.

It was slightly intimidating and a test for myself. I wanted to see how my palate has grown and matured. The ability to distinguish the scents, taste the characteristics of each varietal and to find flaws. We tasted and reviewed over 35 wines- Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewurtzaminer, Pinot Noir and Red Blends. I found that my palate was able to decipher the wines!

Many of the wines will be recommend, highly recommend and one wine may receive a Exceptional award! You will have to pick up a copy of the Jan/Feb Northwest Palate to find out the results! Until then my lips are sealed.

Color, Bouquet, Palate

What is the value in a Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals? That is a question quite often asked of me.

First, it takes a panel of judges from various parts of the wine industry that understand the characteristics and nuances of the wine varietals crafted from all of the Oregon AVA’s.

Each judge must be able to taste and judge the wine individually based on the following requirements:

• Ability to value the color
• Decipher the scents or bouquet
• Distinguish what they are tasting in the palate
• The ability to taste 75-80 wines in one day
• Skill to be able to award a Gold, Silver and Bronze medal

Prior to the beginning of tasting the panel discusses the meaning of a
Gold, Silver and Bronze Medal using the instructions below:

Gold – Exceptional Example of its type and style
Silver – Outstanding Example of its type and style
Bronze - Very Good Example of it type and style, with out any flaws

Recently a member of our panel for 2009, Dixie Huey of Trellis Wine Consulting wrote on her blog her favorite wines. In reviewing the list it reminded me how each person's palate is unique.

Please visit www.trelliswineconsulting.com for the complete list.

I would be interested to hear how you taste and evaluate the wines that you are enjoying!

Oregon Garden

On a beautiful autumn day I had the pleasure of enjoying the Oregon Garden located in Silverton, Oregon. The leaves on the trees were brilliant in color; rich burgundies and dazzling golds. Plants rich in greens and the sky color a deep azure blue.

That evening we celebrated our Birthdays - five very special people that are my family. We had two excellent wines crafted by Chateau Lorane who have participated in the Oregon Wine Competition. A very bright White Blend and a very fruit forward Merlot!

Chateau Lorane had been awarded over 24 Medals in the past 6 years of the Oregon WC! Enjoy tasting the wines crafted by Linde and Sharon Kester in the tasting room located in Lorane, Oregon.

www.chateaulorane.com

My sister Lori grows a beautiful

cutting garden and a specialty Chocolate Garden.

Each summer we enjoy cutting flowers for

arrangements, perhaps Anemone.

My other passion is floral... hand tied bouquets.

bouquets northwest

Oregon State Fair

The Oregon State Fair is one of the events to taste the wines from the Oregon Wine Competition.

The photo above was setting up the Oregon Wine Cellar.

Imagine over 360,oo0 guests enjoying Oregon Wine!

• 10 days of tasting and enjoying glasses of wines from participating Oregon wineries
• Wine Pavilion sold glasses of wines during concerts and fair event
• Over 85 cases of select medal wines were purchased by the Oregon State Fair
• Over 14,000 Wine tastes were poured in the Oregon Wine Cellar
• Over 2,500 Wine Glasses were purchased in the Wine Garden Patio and the Wine Pavilion

Mark your calendars - Oregon State Fair

August 27 - September 6 in 2010

Celebration Oregon!

Celebration Oregon! is the Wine Awards and Tasting Event held in the gardens opening night of the Oregon State Fair.

That evening over 700 guests filled the garden to taste the wines from the participating wineries of the Oregon Wine Competition. Also, 10 restaurants and caterers paired appetizers that complement the varietals and blends crafted from the winemakers.

The evening was a success even after the 2 hours of rain that afternoon.

Please mark your calendars for next year August 27, 2010!

Celebration Oregon!

2009 Oregon Wine Competition

There are so many wonderful notes to share concerning the 2009 Oregon Wine Competition and Celebration Oregon! Over the next week I am going to blog about the competition and Celebration Oregon!

Oregon Wine Competition Facts for 2009

· Celebrated 30 years of exceptional wine judging

· Wines judged in the Oregon Wine Competition ranged from small boutique, high

volume and new wineries

· Gold Medal Awarded Wines were crafted from grapes grown in AVA’s located in Willamette Valley, Columbia Gorge, Rogue Valley, Columbia Valley, Walla Walla Valley

· Seven Gold Medals Awarded

· Overall 168 Medals Awarded – Gold, Silver and Bronze

· Increase of 25% in Oregon Winery Participation and Entries!

The Oregon WC strives to have the highest level of judges. This year’s panels of judges were an outstanding group of individuals from all areas of the wine industry.

Cole Danehower – Co-Publisher and Editor In- Chief , Northwest Palate

Dixie Huey - Trellis Wine Consulting and Instructor, Chemeketa Community College

Brian Kemmerle – Sommelier, Bentley’s Grill

Toni Ketrenos – Wine Buyer, New Seasons

Grant Stanley – Winemaker, Quail’s Gate

Ron Stringfield – Distributor, Galaxy Wine Company

While judging “double blind” only knowing the vintage year and the varietal the panel choose exceptional Oregon wines to be awarded.

Best of Show and Best of White - Trinity Vineyards, 2008 Viognier, Rogue Valley

Best of Red - Coelho Winery of Amity, 2006 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Gold Medal Awards

Coelho Winery of Amity, 2006 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Phelps Creek Vineyards, 2008 Chardonnay Unoaked, Columbia Gorge

Phelps Creek Vineyards. 2007 Chardonnay, Columbia Gorge

Trinity Vineyards, 2008 Viognier, Rogue Valley

Tualatin Estate Vineyards, 2008 Muscat Semi- Sparkling Frizzante

Zerba Cellars, 2007 Viognier, Columbia Valley

Zerba Cellars, 2006 Red Table – Wild Z, Walla Walla Valley

For a complete listing of awards please visit www.oregonstatefair.org

To have a successful Oregon Wine Competition it takes a team of people to produce this event. Our team consists of a talented group of people who enjoy in assisting the Oregon Wine Industry.

Laurie Chang, Ginny and Mickey Bellman, Kimberley Conyers, Alan Priest , Nancy Vallereux.

Thank you to the Judges and the Oregon WC team for your dedication, support and knowledge making the Oregon Wine Competition such a great success!

2009 Professional Oregon Wine Competition

Amateur Wine Judges

The Amateur Division of the Oregon Wine Competition is completed!

Thank you to the excellent winemakers that

comprised our panel of judges!

Jason Bull - David Hill Winery

Elizabeth Clark - Airlie Winery

Trudy Kramer - Kramer Vineyards

Don Crank - Willamette Valley Vineyards

Darcy Pendergrass - Amity Vineyards

Five Blue Ribbons were awarded!

They winners will be announced at the Open House!

Happy Birthday Oregon!

Together one evening at the Oregon State Fair

Friday August 28th

For the first 500 guests that purchase a ticket to

Celebration Oregon! Wine Awards and Tasting

a complimentary general seating ticket for the

Pink Martini present Oregon! Oregon! 2009!

concert will be your gift from the Oregon State Fair!

Celebration Oregon! Wine Awards and Tasting

Best of Show

Best of White and Red Varietal

Awarded from the Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals

to the talented Winemakers from Oregon that entered the

30th Oregon Wine Competiton

Taste and Discover Award Winning Wines

Paired with hors d' oeuvres from Oregon Chefs

5:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Hart of the Gardens, Oregon State Fairgrounds

Pink Martini present Oregon! Oregon! 2009

Featuring the 234th Army Band-Oregon National Guard

A Sesquicentennial Event

8:00 p.m.

L.B. Day Comcast Amphitheater, Oregon State Fairgrounds

Ticket: $45.00

Includes Admission to Celebration Oregon! and the Oregon State Fair

plus... Complimentary General Seating Ticket for Pink Martini

(first 500 tickets sold)

Commemorative Glass and Awards Program

Wine enthusiasts 21+

Celebration Oregon! and Pink Martini Concert Tickets

www.Ticketswest.com

or at the Fairgrounds box office

Please visit: www.oregonwinecomp.org and www.pinkmartini.com

Meeting Jan and Mia!

How does someone highlight a wonderful weekend on a blog? Perhaps by listing those moments:

A quite evening with my husband – enjoyed two wines 

   Eden Vale 2003 Tempranillo, Rouge Valley- Dark Berry Fruits

Dalla Vina 2005 Semillon, Late Harvest Columbia Valley - Peaches 

Both Excellent Wines!

Rose Parade with a bit of drizzle, a chance to visit with my sister while waiting for the parade – 5 hours! My favorite part are the Floats in the Parade – I have a passion for Flowers!

Saturday night dinner out at Laurelhurst Market! Excellent new restaurant in NE Portland - Great Service, Great Dinner and a wonderful wine! 

   Januik 2006 Red Wine -Rasperries, Currants and Balanced

The chance to see two young girls dance in Peter Pan and a few Jazz songs. I felt very proud for their parents and of the girls!

The most important moment this weekend was the opportunity to meet a wonderfully spirited woman, Jan. She sat next to us at the Rose Parade and we had the chance to learn a little about her. Jan shared with us that in 2008 she was not at the Rose Parade due to having Lung Cancer and the aftermath of dealing with that illness.  I shared how sorry I was that she had that to experience cancer. Her comment was that “not to feel sorry for her and that she was through with that crap”. Jan brought her little dog Mia who she is training to be a therapy dog at Dornbecker Childrens Hospital!

Sharing 6 hours with this woman reminded me how important your spirit really is! I am already looking forward to seeing her next year in the same parade spot!

Cowhorn Wine - Southern Oregon

Last Saturday I spent in my garden preparing the soil for floral planting, which is one of my passions. As I was digging in the soil I thought about Bill and Barbara Steele who own Cowhorn Vineyard and Winery. They both have a great respect for the land they have in Jacksonville, Oregon. In 2002 they purchased the property, which took them 2 years to prepare the land for the vineyards and gardens they now have.

Bill explained to me the each step they take is based upon ecological sustainable principles that create a certified biodynamic and organic farm.Which is shown in the care of the vineyards, gardens, recycling program and the people that they are working with.

Based upon the location of the farm and where the vineyards are close to the river, the wine varietals they choose are Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, Roussanne and Marsanne.

I encourage everyone to stop, tour, taste, learn and be enlightened by the commitment to the balance between land and human nature. I know that I did!

Enjoy their wines!