Adventures in Winemaking

Jennifer and Lindsey go toe to toe with Jean-Michel and put their home wine making skills to the test.

We will attempt to document the experiment, the comedy, and hopefully the fine wine that comes with it.

Installment #1

Home Winemaking 101 Class

The OSU extension office in Central Point hosted a two night home winemaking class taught by local winemaker and owner of Pallet Wine Co., Linda Donovan. The class was a quick overview of both red and white wine making, with the end result being that students would be capable of making a total of 5 gallons of wine. Our first evening of lecture took us from harvesting, berry and juice composition, adjustments, to white wine making. Our second lesson delved into analysis techniques, red wine making, finishing, bottling and we ended the evening tasting some problem wines from previous attempts of novice wine makers.

Although, it was an incredibly quick tour of wine making, both Jennifer and I feel up to the challenge. The stumbling block may just be how much Jean-Michel is willing to tolerate in our invasion of the winery. We will begin small only selecting 6 gallons, which with spillage will most likely result in 5 gallons. 5 gallons translates to roughly 2 cases of wine or 24 bottles. So, what will we be harvesting? Something Red or White? We are not quite sure . . . whatever is ripe enough. I am voting for Syrah and Jennifer is pulling for Viognier. Maybe we will do both. Any suggestions?

We are hoping to have regular weekly updates. We also would love to hear any of your home wine making stories. Stay tuned for our first visit to the vines.

Back to School by Susie Moore

90 Points - Del Rio Claret

Monday evening we were given the good news, the 2007 Del Rio Claret was given 90 points by the Wine Spectator.

Wine Spectator is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on wine and wine culture. It publishes 15 issues per year with content that includes news, articles, profiles, and general entertainment pieces. Each issue also includes from 400 to more than 1,000 wine reviews, which consist of wine ratings and tasting notes. All wines are reviewed in blind tastings, unless specifically noted, to reduce any potential bias.

Harvey Steiman, tastes and reports on a wide variety of wine types, but his primary areas of responsibility as a critic are Australia and the Pacific Northwest. Harvey Steinman describes Del Rio Vineyards 2007 Claret as “Smooth and velvety, nicely ripe with cherry and herb flavors carrying through against refined tannins. Lingers nicely on the deftly balanced finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2014.” –HS

Quick Factsheet:
Blend:
50% Cabernet Sauvignon
30% Merlot
10% Malbec
10% Cabernet Franc

Wine Making:
Aged 18 months in 60% French, 30% American, 10% Hungarian oak barrels, of which, 30% was from new oak.

Price:
$35.00/bottle *Wine Club members save 20%

Available online – purchase today!

Women Who Wine

Join the members of the Upper Rogue Wine Tour for this fun and exciting 2nd Saturday event - Women Who Wine. Sample wine and enjoy the fun themes located at each vineyard.

Themes:
Agate Ridge Vineyard - Sip & Shop
Cliff Creek Cellars – Spa Day
Crater Lake Cellars - A little bit Cheezy!
Del Rio Vineyards – Creative Cupcakes
Folin Cellars – The Joy of Olive Oil
LaBrasseur Vineyard - Chocolate Cravings

When: Saturday September 11th
Time: 11-5pm

Free Wine Tasting @ all locations
Click here for Upper Rogue Map!