Some Random Wines Worth Noting

After a bit of a hiatus, I am drinking through a backlog of some of my favorite wines from some of my favorite wineries. Starting off with a wonderful Syrah from the well-regarded Hudson Vineyard made by Neyers. 

Willamette Valley Wine Tasting – Portland

We spent a couple days taking day trips from Portland to explore the wonderful world of Willamette Valley pinot noir. I’ve already talked about the highlight of the trip, Big Table Farm. But the valley was full of great wineries worth a look.

Big Table Farm Winery – Portland – What Wine Tasting Should Be Like

Big Table Farm was one of my favorite winery visits of all time. A tiny operation in Willamette Valley, it’s the work of a husband-wife team who run it as an honest-to-goodness working farm. Oh, and they make some pretty good wine, too.

Ram’s Gate Winery, Sonoma

Ram’s Gate Winery is an interesting place. Not interesting in the sense that you have an interesting time visiting. It’s interesting because this place represents the exact antithesis of Joseph Swan Vineyards.

Joseph Swan Vineyards

The Joseph Swan Vineyards is an interesting piece of history and an example of a winery that is a winery first and a tasting room second. Located 20 minutes west of Santa Rosa, Swan is in a cluster of wineries that make up the western cluster of Sonoma wine country. To the east are the wineries around the town of Sonoma (and towns of Glen Ellen and Kenwood); to the north are the wineries around Healdsburg and the Michelin-starred restaurants around that area. Sebastopol and Forestville feel a bit more off the beaten path, less geared for tour buses and bachelorette parties. It still has a couple world-class places, like Merry Edwards and Iron Horse. But it still feels like an area where the business is farming not marketing.

Tin Barn Vineyards – Beautiful Wine in a Storage Facility

Tin Barn is one of a a funny group of negociants working out of warehouses on a side street a mile or so off the main square in Sonoma. It would be easy to pass up, since there is none of the beauty of viewing the grounds of one of the big estate vineyards. But Tin Barn makes some very good wine and can be a fun experience.

Merry Edwards Wines – Oaked Sauvignon Blanc

I know, I know. Is there anything more douchey than some winedouche talking about wine? Yes, that winedouche talking about his visits to a winery.

Well, to kick off a regular feature focusing on how the wine you drink sucks and how you should be drinking the wine I’m drinking, let’s talk about Merry Edwards.