Wine Down Eugene

Last week I mentioned I was going to be busy taking advantage of Eugene’s many wine related events that happen on a weekly basis, so starting on Wednesday evening, some friends and I hit the town.It wasn’t quite what we expected. Our plan was to meet at Cafe Soriah at 4 pm to take advantage of their Wine Wednesday 1/2 off bottles of wine from their impressive wine list, but when we got there, we realized they didn’t open until 5 pm. As we stood in the pouring rain, we quickly came up with an alternate plan when we saw that Hot Mama’s Wings, just a few doors down, was open for business.

Once we were inside, we settled into a comfortable booth and browsed the menu. Hoping for wine, their wine list was simply house reds and whites, and we soon found out that the wine was boxed wine, made by Black Box Wine. Since I was determined to have a glass of wine, I put my fears of boxed wine away, and ordered a glass of the Pinot Grigio to go with the Thai Peanut Chicken Wings, the next best alternative to a Riesling with a Thai based dish.

Although the Pinot Grigio was not comparable to the much anticipated Oregon pinot noir I was planning on ordering at Soriah, it wasn’t all that bad. It displayed aromas of lemon and melon, and had a crisp apple flavor with a lightly lingering finish. There wasn’t much depth of character, but it was better than I thought it was going to be, and it actually went well with the delicious Thai Peanut chicken wings. I was very impressed with the food, atmosphere and service, and this won’t be the last time I write about Hot Mama’s Wings.

After we were finished with our wings and boxed wine, it was past 5 pm, so we braved the pouring rain again to head back over to Cafe Soriah-where the wine list literally made my mouth water. But, before we could order a bottle of stellar pinot noir, we were informed that their Wine Wednesdays had been changed from every Wednesday to just the last Wednesday of the month, so no 1/2 off for us. Disappointed, we settled on ordering a glass instead of a bottle, and although their available wine by the glass did not offer an Oregon pinot noir, they just happened to have a bottle of Oregon’s Artisanal Wine Cellars  pinot noir open, so the bartender offered us a taste of the French pinot noir on the menu and the Artisanal pinot noir. They were both excellent, but I undoubtedly ended up with a glass of the Artisanal pinot noir, which was close enough to what I had originally planned on ordering and chock full of the beautiful flavors of Oregon fruit.

Even when things don’t always go as planned, it’s no difficult task to enjoy the splendors of wine in Eugene. After Wednesday, Friday night was spent sipping the delicious Stone’s Throw pinot noir at Territorial Vineyards and Wine Company, and Sunday was spent looking out over the valley from the tasting room at near by Noble Estate Vineyard. Life is good.

 

 Wine Bars & Wine Shops

Creswell Coffee Company: Sat. 4pm, Wine tasting with Michael Bailey of In Vitis For Wine. Taste 6 wines followed by live music with Inoke. 116 Melton Rd., Creswell.

Territorial Vineyards and Wine Co.: Thu. 5-11 pm, music starts around 7 pm with Upstate Trio; Fri. 5-11 pm, music starts around 7 pm with gypsy jazz band Manouche Noir; January Art: Valisa Higman. 907 West Third Ave., Eugene.

Excelsior Inn & Ristorante Italiano: Wed. 6 pm, Cucina Regionale-Lombardia. Join Maurizio to take a culinary tour through Lombardia, Italy. 4 course Lombardia inspired menu, stories and slideshow presentation. Limited seating, tickets $40/food only, $60 food and paired wine. Call 541-342-6963. 754 East Thirteenth Ave., Eugene.

16Tons (Supreme Bean): Tue. 5:30-7:30 pm, 2 Towns Cider Tasting & Slow Food Eugene Happy Hour. Free samples of cider and food available for purchase from Slow Food Eugene; Thu. 5-7 pm, Free wine tasting. Join Jessica and guests for free tasters of several great wines. Artisan cheese plates and specials; Every Sun. and Mon. 4-10 pm deals on growler and mason jar fills. 2864 Willamette St., Eugene.

Ring of Fire Restaurant: Mon. Wine Night Mondays-35 percent off all bottles of wine; Daily Happy Hour 4-6 pm. 1099 Chambers St., Eugene.

Sundance Wine Cellars: Thu. 7:30 pm, $15 per ticket. Quarterly foray into a delicious depiction of Italian wines presented by Small Vineyards; Fri. 5-7 pm, Frugal Friday wine tasting with Mario; Sat. 5-7 pm, wine tasting featuring local and regional wines; 2441 Hilyard St., Eugene.

Café Soriah: Wed. starting at 5 pm, *last Wednesday of the month only* Celebrate Wine Wednesday. Half off bottles of wine, including local notable names such as BrickHouse, Capitello, King Estate and Broadley. 384 W. 13th Ave., Eugene.

LaVelle Club Room at 5th Street Market: Wed. 5-8 pm, half off glass pours for ladies; Thurs. and Fri. 6-8 pm, live music. 296 E. 5th Ave., Eugene.

Authentica Wines: Tue. – Fri. 11 am – 6 pm, and Sat. 10 am – 5 pm. Wine tasting available every Saturday at the Wine Bar, and on the first Friday of each month during the Art Walk. With a focus on artisan, small production wines for every budget, you’re bound to find something you love at this wine shop. 766 W. Park St., Eugene.

The Wine Place (Yachats): Sat. 12-5 pm. Saginaw Vineyard Wine Tasting, sample Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Riesling; J.Scott Cellars tasting room is located in the loft upstairs; 373 N. Hwy. 101, Yachats.

Ambrosia Restaurant and Bar: Mon. – Fri. 4-6 pm Happy Hour, tap beers $2 and house wines $4.50. 174 East Broadway Ave., Eugene.

Broadway Wine Merchants: Fri. 5-7 pm, Free Friday Wine Tasting; 17 Oakway Center, Eugene.

Steelhead Brewery: Sun. – Sat. 11:30 am – 11 pm, open later on Fri. and Sat., In addition to their own wine, Steelhead Red, you’ll find almost 20 wines by the glass, including 5H, Hinman, Erath and King Estate. 199 East 5th Ave., Eugene.

Le Bar at 5th Street Public Market/Marché: This new bar has an incredible wine list. 296 East 5th Ave., Eugene.

Marché Provisions: Fri. 5-7 pm, Free weekly wine tasting. 296 E. 5th Ave., Eugene.

Mac’s at the Vets Club: Wed. 6-9 pm, Wine, Jazz & Variety Show with Gus Russell & Paul Biondi. A different Oregon winery is featured each week. $8 Burger and Brew night, too. 1626 Willamette St., Eugene.

Café 440: Wed., all day. Wednesday Wine Flights, taste three whites or reds for $10.50. 440 Coburg Rd., Eugene.

B2 Wine Bar: Sat. 8 pm live music with Gerry Rempel Trio with Gus Russell and Mark Schneider; Happy hour Mon.-Fri., 4-6 pm, and 9-10 pm. Loads of Northwest wines offered here. 2794 Shadow Dr., Eugene.

Red Agave: Excellent wine list, including Oregon’s finest from King Estate, Territorial, Evesham Wood and Cristom, to name just a few. ’06 Territorial Capital T Reserve can be found here. 454 Willamette St., Eugene.

Cork and Bottle Shoppe: Fri. 4 pm, free weekly wine or beer tasting. The Cork & Bottle Shoppe is one of Oregon’s only liquor stores that carries a large selection of local and international wine and craft beer, in addition to liquor. 812 Beltline Rd., Springfield.

Jiffy Market: Fri. 5-7 pm, free wine tasting, house picks and pours; Sat. 6-10 pm, purchase a whole sandwich from the deli and receive a Ninkasi pint for $2. 3443 Hilyard St., Eugene.

Café Zenon: Tues., Fifty percent off bottles of wine; Mon-Fri. 5-6:30 pm, $1 off glasses of wine and pints of beer. Find King Estates’ Domaine Pinot Gris and Capitello’s Sauvignon Blanc here at half off on Tuesdays. 898 Pearl St., Eugene.
Izumi Sushi and Grill: Izumi has great sushi and they offer local wine and beer from Hinman, King Estate, Ninkasi and Oakshire. 2773 Shadow View Dr., Eugene.

Sabai Café and Bar: Wines by the glass, $6 and under; excellent local wines from Territorial, King Estate, Capitello and Benton-Lane. 27 Oakway Center, Eugene.

Agate Alley Laboratory: Sat. 10 pm, Late Night at The Lab with $1 off glass pour wine, $3 well drinks and pints, $9.50 pitchers & appetizer special. Twenty-five varieties of wine for $25 dollars. 2645 Willamette St., Eugene.

Kiva Grocery: Wine department focuses on affordable Northwest wines, small European wines and organic wines. Ten percent off mixed cases, 15 percent off unbroken cases. 125 W. 11th, Eugene.

Café Lucky Noodle: Tue. 5:30-7:30 pm Wine Night – all bottles 35 percent off; complimentary wine tasting in the lobby; excellent wine list. 207 East 5th Ave., Eugene.

Granary Wine Bar: Wed., all day, $5 glass pours of house white or red. Find Patchwork Cellars’ delicious Pinot Noir here. 259 E. 5th Ave., Eugene.

Cornucopia Maize Lounge: Daily happy hour 3-6 pm – “3/3/3 at 3″ special, three-dollar micros, wells and wine. 73 E. 13th Ave., Eugene.

 

Wineries and Vineyards

Silvan Ridge Winery: Open daily 12-5 pm, Complimentary taste of five wines in addition to several limited wines that may be tasted for a fee. 27012 Briggs Hill Rd., Eugene.

Spencer Creek Cellars/McBeth Vineyards: January through March, by appointment only,
Wine Tastings in the Barn. 541-521-4381. 85162 McBeth Rd., Eugene.

Sweet Cheeks: Fri. 6-9 pm, Twilight Tasting, sample pairings of Sweet Cheeks wine with Oregon-made artisan cheeses while listening to live music with Tyler Morin; Sun. 12-6 pm, Mimosa Sundays, Fine sparkling wine and live music from 2-4 pm. Bring your own brunch. 27007 Briggs Hill Rd., Eugene.

Domaine Meriwether: Daily 11 am – 4 pm, world renowned Meriwether and Capitello wine can be sampled in the tasting room. 88324 Vineyard Lane, Veneta.

Benton-Lane Winery: Mon. – Fri. 11 am – 5 pm, enjoy one of the Top 100 wines of the world: Benton-Lane 2010 Pinot Gris. Available in the tasting room by taste, glass or bottle. 23924 Territorial Hwy., Monroe.

Pfeiffer Vineyards: Open Mon.-Thu. 11 am – 5 pm and Fri./Sat. 11 am – 9 pm, Keep warm while sipping Pfeiffer wine by the fireplace. 25040 Jaeg Rd., Junction City.

King Estate: Open daily 11 am – 8 pm. Sample some of Oregon’s finest wine, dine on gourmet cuisine, and enjoy a valley view that’s unmatched. Their Acrobat Pinot Gris was recently Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Week. 80854 Territorial Hwy., Eugene.

Sarver Winery: Winter hours: Mon.-Thu. by appointment, Fri.-Sun., 12-6 pm. Sample the different styles of Pinot Gris produced from their 25-year old estate vines, along with full-bodied reds like Cabernet, Syrah and Petite Sirah while taking in an unobstructed view of the Cascades. 2600 Mayola Ln., Eugene.

Chateau Lorane: Open daily, 12-5 pm. Stop by and taste some of their multiple award winners: Melon De Bourgogne, Petit Verdot, Viognier, Asian Girl Merlot, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc and their double award-winning Red Bordeaux blend, Entourage. 27415 Siuslaw River Rd., Lorane.

J. Scott Cellars: Tasting room located in The Wine Place in Yachats. Be sure to stop by and taste these excellent small boutique handmade Rhone varietals from the Pacific Northwest. Specializing in Roussanne, Viognier, Petite Sirah, Syrah and Cabernet…and a little Pinot Noir. 373 North Hwy. 101, Yachats.

Abbelone Vineyards: Another fabulous winery without walls; check back frequently to find out where you can sample their delicious Pinot Noir.

Brigadoon Wine Co.: Winter hours by appointment. Call 541-998-8708. Try Brigadoon’s three excellent wines: a Pinot Blanc and two Pinot Noirs, which can now be enjoyed on their lovely deck with a view, — or if it’s raining, you’ll be invited into their kitchen. 25166 Ferguson Rd., Junction City.

LaVelle Vineyards (winery in Elmira): Friday Night Flights is officially over for the winter season, but it will be back soon. Visit the winery daily, Mon.-Fri., 12-5 pm, and Sat.-Sun., 12-6 pm. 89697 Sheffler Rd., Elmira.

Saginaw Vineyards: Fri. 6-9 pm, Friday Night Live in the Barn featuring Inoke; Open daily, 11 am – 5pm. Sample their traditional style wines in their tasting room located in the original building of a 1905 farmstead. They also specialize in farm fresh fruit wines. 80247 Delight Valley School Rd., Cottage Grove.

Stanton Vineyards: Another local “winery without walls,” so keep an eye out for events where Charlie Stanton will be pouring his delicious wines. Bottles sold at Sundance, Market of Choice, Wineries without Walls in the Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce & Authentica, and in restaurants Marché and Eugene Country Club.

Noble Estate: Open 7 days/week, 12-5 pm. Tasting room with beautiful patio and gorgeous view,. 29210 Gimpl Hill Rd., Eugene.

Briggs Hill Winery: A winery without walls. Check back frequently to see where and when they will be offering samples of their wine.

Iris Vineyards: Mon.- Fri., 11 am – 3 pm. Stop by their state of the art winery and tasting room in Cottage Grove. Three-dollar tasting fee includes free wine glass, cheese and crackers. 195 Palmer Ave., Cottage Grove.

Patchwork Cellars: Christian Fox, owner of Patchwork Cellars, pours his excellent wine at certain events around town. Check back often for his schedule of tastings.

Capitello Wines: Another local winery without walls, so keep an eye out on Capitello’s Facebook page for upcoming events and tastings.

Dylan’s Run: Another winery without walls. Keep an eye out for tastings at the Fern Ridge Chamber of commerce, Wineries without Walls.

 

Save the Date or Reserve Now

Ambrosia Restaurant and Bar: Feb. 1, 5:30-7 pm. First Wednesday Wine Tasting and Sale featuring 10 wines from the portfolio of Buddy Dunn. 174 East Broadway Ave., Eugene.

16Tons (Supreme Bean): Feb. 1, 7-10 pm. Trivia Night at Supreme Bean every Wed. starting in Feb. Stump Trivia, prizes and drink specials. 2864 Willamette St., Eugene.

Lane Events Center (Exhibit Hall): Feb. 10 & 11, Fri. 5-11 pm & Sat. 1-11 pm. KLCC Microbrew Festival. A microbrew tasting event to benefit KLCC 89.7 FM. 50 plus breweries serving 100 plus craft brews. 796 West thirteenth Ave., Eugene.

Pfeiffer Vineyards: Feb. 14, 6-9 pm. A Villa Valentine Dinner. $300 per couple, includes: romantic Tuscan villa setting, candle-light, firelight, roses and a 5 course feast paired with Pfeiffer wines. Reservations required 541-998-2828. 25040 Jaeg Rd., Junction City.

King Estate Winery: Feb. 14, Valentine’s Prix Fixe Dinner. Reservations required, call 541-9842-9874. 80854 Territorial Rd., Eugene.

Wineries without Walls (wine shop & tasting room): Feb. 11, 4:30-6 pm. Wine Lover’s Valentine Event. Michael Bailey of In Vitis for Wine will be teaching the basics of wine tasting and how NOT to feel intimidated at your next winery visit!  He does all this in a casual atmosphere and with a great sense of fun. $20.00 p.p. includes the class, wine and light snacks as well as a sweet little surprise to celebrate the special day! Space is limited. Call 541-232-4225 to reserve your space. Payment must be made prior to February 4. This wine shop and tasting room showcases local wines and is located inside the Fern Ridge Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center in Veneta. 24949 Hwy. 126, Veneta.