Tag: Wine

Newberg, Oregon, Wine

North Valley Vineyards

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The North Valley Vineyards tasting room is a classic wood cabin ideal for holiday parties and cozy drinks by the fire. However, we visited the winery on a warm 100 degree day and were unable to participate in these cold weather activities. We were greeted upon arrival with a refreshing glass of rosé and made our way into a beautiful entry completed with a large stone fireplace and elegant rustic finishes. The tasting room maintains a cozy, comfortable elegance in every detail one encounters.

North Valley Vineyards is part of the Soter Vineyards Estate but focuses on making pinot noir distinct to each sub-appellation in the Northern Willamette Valley. They  strive “to grow and craft certifiably earth-friendly, sustainably-farmed wines that are examples of the northern Willamette Valley at its qualitative best.” The wines are divided into 3 classifications or “classics, origins, and reserves.” The classic series are the winery’s core portfolio, with the Origin series being the small production lots from sub-appellations, and the reserves show the finest wines from each harvest.

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Elena contemplating purchase options.

Tasting Notes: Tasting fees are $25 per guest. One fee is waived per bottle purchased.

2017 North Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir

  • This was a wonderful welcome and beginning to the tasting, it had, “a striking salmon color and aromas of watermelon and sour cherry.” YUM!

2015 North Valley Pinot Noir: Origin Ribbon Ridge

  • This pinot noir had a distinct darkness to it with, “smoke and mineral accents…allspice and mocha notes.”
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“The center of the compass icon indicates the center of the Northern Willamette Valley. The directional line points to the location of this AVA in relation to the compass center point.”

2015 North Valley Pinot Noir: Origin Eola-Amity Hills

  • “Offering black raspberry, cherry cola, lavender and spice cake flavors…” How could one resist a wine with such a description when it tastes as described?

2015 North Valley Reserve Pinot Noir

  • A beautiful representation of the North Valley, with “black raspberry complemented by lavender and star anise.”

2016 North Valley Reserve Chardonnay

  • A chardonnay finish with a restorative flavor of, “citrus, golden apple, and summer melon.”
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The beautiful exterior of the cabin tasting room.

What did we buy?

Two bottles of the  2017 North Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir and one bottle of the 2015 North Valley Pinot Noir, origin Eola-Amity Hills.

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Aubear ready for another adventure

Overall experience

We had a fabulous time spending a relaxing afternoon with our welcoming and informative hostess. North Valley  Vineyards is a great place to cool down on a sweltering summer day. Also, we imagine it would be a perfectly cozy pit stop on a grey winter day.  We highly recommend a visit to North Valley Vineyards next time you’re in Newberg.

Cheers and Auf Wiedersehen!

Emilie and Elena

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Columbia Gorge, Newberg, Oregon, Oregon, Trails, Wine

Hazelfern Cellars and Hole-in-the-Wall Falls

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Hazelfern Cellars Tasting Room

HAZELFERN CELLARS

We were excited to visit Hazelfern Cellars for two reasons: 1- They are a newer brand with small scale production and a very cool origin story. They make wine for,  “life’s hardest moments, best moments, or Tuesdays.”  2- We were intrigued by their tasting room style and  unique use of social media.

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Aubear, Elena, Emilie

Laura, co-founder and ‘head honcho’ greeted us when we arrived and took us through a private tasting (they are by appointment only).  The tasting room is housed inside the barn where the wine is made and stored. It is a beautiful unused horse barn turned winery, with a stylistic flare and sweet playlist.

Laura and her husband Bryan originally started as home winemakers, hauling grapes into their garage on Hazelfern Street in North-East Portland (hence the name).  Their hobby turned into a profession and they moved to their current location in Newberg where they began their life as a wine-making family.

 

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Tasting Notes: The tasting fee is $20 per person, but is waived with a two bottle purchase; bottles range from $22-$48.

2017 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Stormy Morning Vineyard, Willamette Valley: The quintessential summer rosé. Described as “strawberries and cream, salted watermelon…” basically we loved it.

2016 Pinot Noir, Silvershot Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills: Grown lower on the vineyard, more meaty and masculine.  Described  as “aromatically complex with an edgy personality…earth tones, crushed hazelnuts.”

2016 Pinot Noir, La Chenaie Vineyard, Eola-Amity Hills: This is grown on the same vineyard as the wine above, but much higher up. This “wild child and a rebel soul” of a wine boasts, “boysenberry, wild plum, and a raspberry puree… with spiced accents.” LOVED IT!

2016 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley: “Precision and texture. Meyer lemon, brûlée’d pear, pineapple, Hawaiian lei flowers, jasmine, lemon thyme, and crushed oyster shell salinity on the finish.”  Neither of us are huge chardonnay fans, but were positively surprised by the flavor of this wine. It had a lot going on. 

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What did we buy?

Between the two of us, we bought 2 bottles of Rosé, a Chardonnay, and a 2016 Pinot Noir, La Chenaie Vineyard.

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Overall Experience

We had high hopes for Hazelfern Cellars and were not disappointed. The wines were on point, the hospitality was incredible, and the ambiance was outstanding. Laura was welcoming, informative, and a lot of fun to hang out with. It was perfect for two aspiring wine aficionados because she told us all about the wine-making process,  but emphasized that there is no wrong answer to wine preference. Overall, we highly recommend Hazelfern Cellars and encourage you to check out their farming and wine making adventures.

 

HOLE-IN-THE-WALL FALLS

Hole in the Wall Hike

The Columbia River Gorge has the greatest concentration of waterfalls in North America. So why wouldn’t you pick a hiking trail that goes to a waterfall?

When we saw the Hole-In-The-Wall waterfall, we knew where it got its name from. It is quite literally a hole in a wall. After doing some more research, we found that this is a man-made waterfall and exists because someone blasted a hole in this wall of rocks around 80 years ago.

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Cabin Creek Falls aka NOT Hole-in-the-Wall Falls

We drove to Starvation Creek State Park, parked the car, and started walking. After a one-hour drive from downtown Portland, we were happy to find a restroom in the parking area. To get to the Hole-In-The-Wall Falls, you follow a paved walkway along the Interstate 84. This makes the waterfall extremely accessible for small children, strollers, or wheelchairs.  We walked around 10-15 minutes from the parking lot to the waterfall.

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On the way to the Hole-In-The-Wall Falls, we passed another, smaller waterfall called Cabin Creek Falls (that we initially mistook for the actual Hole-In-The-Wall Falls – oops). Once you get to the bottom of the waterfall, you will find a sweet little picnic area where you can have your homemade or not so much homemade lunch.

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Real Hole-In-The-Wall Falls

The Hole-In-The-Wall Falls lives up to its name – What you see is what you get.  There are also many other hikes you can take that start at Starvation Creek State Park, but keep in mind many are still closed due to the Eagle Creek Fire. We enjoyed exploring this area, especially the breeze from the waterfalls on a hot summer day.  And, according to Aubear, splashing in the water is very refreshing. 

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Cheers and Auf Wiedersehen!

Emilie and Elena

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