Eugenia Keegan

Well, we have been through this before. Somehow my adventures in France seem well, just like adventures. My life at home just seems like life. People routinely remind me that what I am doing is very cool, and fun, and of interest, and then when I am reminded to get to the blog so much has transpired that I am much too far behind to “catch up”. So, who the hell cares that every moment is accounted for and that it is all in chronological order? ME, that’s who. I will now get over myself and get back to blogging!

This is a most odd year in grape growing. Getting tired of hearing that? This is the earliest year in recorded history in France and the latest year in recorded history in Oregon…..yes, later than last year, the epic late year of 2010. Good news for me is that I can be present for both my French harvest and back in time to participate in the Oregon harvest.

Bloom in France was complete by the middle of May (yes, including Bordeaux). At that time the vines in Oregon were just waking up. Bloom in Oregon started around the first of July.

Bloom, July 7, 2011 in the Heart of the Willamette Valley

And after an extensive vineyard “tour” with old friends around a remarkable series of vineyards in Eola-Amity and Carlton, there is still some bloom in action in the higher altitude sites (July 26/27, 2011).  Here are a couple of the more spectacular views from these sites:

Carlton Hills

Eola-Amity

Additional Vineyard Beauty Contributed by Man

Additional Beauty Contributed by Mother Nature

My Pal Brock Downloading Weather Data

Family vacations were not a part of my childhood and in fact, vacations were not much a part of my early life.  I feel a sadness about this and accordingly, they are now an annual fixture in planning.  And let me be clear,  I am making up for lost vacations now….and have no plans to stop.

Last spring when I made my pilgrimage to France, it included a short week in Italy with my brother, his Italian wife Cinzia, and their daughter, now nine, Giulia.  When I emailed Paul that I would be returning to France in spring, but sadly as this was now solely business I would not have the time to pop over to Italy, he took matters squarely in hand and volunteered his family to come to France.  We quickly settled on Lanquedoc and he proceeded to find for us what turned out to be a simply fabulous gîte.  If you are heading in that direction check out Domaine de Curé just outside of Carcassone.

Our hosts were Jean-Noël (American/Japanese born in Geneva) and his wife Agathe, who is French.  They found each other in Japan and after very successful careers decided to exchange the fashion and fame of Tokyo for a bucolic setting in the French countryside.  There are three units and with everyone respecting others’ privacy it was a delightful week with a blend of many social encounters.  We of course were the most rambunctious party (rowdy Americans, vocal Italians and a hot wired nine year old) as our neighbors were German (one couple in their late 20’s, early 30’s, and the other in their 50’s) with no kids.  One couple was returning for their second year and another for their 3^rd year.

Our week included a trip on the Canal Midi, the cité of Minerve, the castle at Lastours, lots of swimming, eating, and just being.  Giulia ran a series of snail races and repeatedly beat me at hangman. When we were not engaged in sporting events or intellectual sparing,  we watched Disney movies in multiple languages, and giggled a lot.  (Truly, the chipmunks in Italian are a riot!).

I arrived at 6:10, they arrived at 6:18, picture taken at 6:30!

After 10 1/2 Hours in the Car.....a Just Reward!

Locks Closing, Canal Midi

A French Fieldtrip: Biking Along the Canal Midi

Leaving Carcassonne

Brother Paul Relaxing....Playing his Daughter's Nintendo

Looking Out

Kids at Play

Managing the Snail Races

I noticed after publishing photos that I do not have any of Cinzia.  Giulia had a new super camera and was the official family photographer and only on occasion did I remember to grab my camera.  I will try to rectify this.  It would take only a flash to see that Giulia’s quiet beauty comes from her mother.  Her strong will and determination???

It has been an event filled ten days.  Dominique my dear French host was in Portland for her fall tour starting in PDX and ending in NYC.  I picked her up at the airport earlier on the 4th and after dropping her off at the home of mutual friends (the ones who introduced us) I beetled chez nous to quickly change for our dress-up evening with the Oregon Historical Society.

Tuesday found us back with our friends Neil and Diana who hosted Dominique, several  of the best wine accounts in Portland, their own family (who doubled as the sous chefs), and lucky us.  Diana and kids cooked a super dinner and of course the Cristia wines were delicious and well paired.

David, Diana, Dominique

Neil, Eugenia, Diana, Dominique

Thursday evening we celebrated the finish of harvest with Adelsheim Vineyard’s Vineyard Manager Chad Vargas, his wife Teneal, their two kids and the stellar vineyard staff.  This crew works year around, year after year tending the 190 acres that is owned and/or managed by the winery.  Their work is challenging enough but at harvest their life is exclusively devoted to the vineyard.  This harvest was up and down with times of relative leisure and then full court press.  In the final dash to pull all grapes into the barn prior to the rains the crew worked herculean hours to provide clean ripe fruit to the winery staff (who then spent the next three days up around the clock processing it!).  I have tasted over 25 different lots of AV Pinots from the 2010 vintage and they are juicy.  My overall impression of the vintage from this experience was that of ripe developed flavors tilted toward the red/blue fruits.  Plenty of acid, mature tannins.

The Vargas Family

The next day marked the beginning of Salud! the annual pinot noir barrel auction that raises money for farmworker medical/dental needs.  This is a splendid two day affair.  The venue for Day One is Domaine Drouhin Oregon in the Willamette Valley.  Autumn is particularly fond of this area and the fading brilliance of fall makes this an inviting location for an afternoon of nibbles and the best of the vintage from those wineries who have studiously honed their craft.  Spread throughout the three flights of their gravity feed winery DDO hosts 42 wineries showing a barrel sample of pinot noir blended or allocated exclusively for the winner of that auction item. Day Two is a black tie gala and auction at the Governor Hotel in Downtown Portland. There are winemaker dinners hosted on either side of these events that are often an auction item from the previous year.  It is a time of extreme generosity on the part of wineries, their owners, bidders, and the greater Portland community.  It is also a marvelous time to celebrate the end of harvest and the seasonal shift to winter and the holidays.

Sue & Neil Shay (Director of the Oregon Wine Research Institute)

Catherine (AV Dir of Communications) & Chad (Chehalem Vineyard Mgr.) Douglas

Jeanette Morgan (ED Oregon Wine Board) & David Adelsheim

Homage to Terry Castel and Family (Bethel Heights Winery) for Years of Generous Giving

The Magnificent Ballroom

By Monday morning the house guests had returned home, the gala garb was “reboxed” and put away, and it was back to work.  The afternoon was a blast.  As a guest of Domaine Selections I was asked to help lead a tasting of the incredible big gun (that means quality in this case) California wines that DS carries in their portfolio.  The lineup was as follows:

FLIGHT ONE – CHARDONNAY

Ramey Wine Cellars Chardonnay Sonoma Coast 2008
Kistler Vineyards Chardonnay “Les Noisetier” Sonoma Coast 2008
Shafer Vineyards Chardonnay Carneros District Red Shoulder Ranch  2008
Kongsgaard Wine Chardonnay Napa Valley 2008
Kongsgaard Wine Chardonnay Napa Valley The Judge 2008

INTERMEZZO

Corison Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

FLIGHT TWO – 2007 NAPA CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Shafer Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon One Point Five 2007
Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Gravelly Meadow 2007
Diamond Creek Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Red Rock Terrace 2007
Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Annum 2007
Ramey Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Pedregal 2007

FLIGHT THREE – BOND AND HARLAN

Bond Estates Melbury 2006
Bond Estates Quella 2006
Harlan Estate 2006

David, Bonnie, & Thom (who put together this cool event)

Amos (Sales Manager) and Tim (super salesdude) from Domaine

Vero & Erika, Domaine Sales Force Hard at Work

Ron & Dan, Super PDX Wine Guys

Joseph, Tim, and Akhil with Post Tasting Smiles

Some of the Tasted Goodies

Some of the Super Stars

Monday dinner was out once again with an interesting pair of corporate buyers for  the chain that owns Olive Garden and a small handful of other keenly focused brands.  Tuesday NEEDED to be laundry day!