Hello, World! Currently, I find myself bundled in layers of sweatpants, wool socks & fluffy blankets, drinking coffee and losing concentration. After an unseasonably warm January, we are right back on track with a cold, grey & slow-moving February— but for once, it isn’t raining. That means I’m listening to a lot of crime podcasts and putting some miles on my little dog’s legs. I’ve been procrastinating about putting pen to paper or fingers to keystrokes, but better late than never.
The first time Frank and I went to the Valley was for a 3-day bikepacking excursion, which incidentally was also my first time visiting Oregon Wine Country. After doing some research and asking around, we made our tasting reservations (a necessity given the pandemic) and found our campsites. Luckily, if traveling by bike or foot, you are then eligible to use the cheap and often manicured hiker/biker camp spots at state campgrounds. We opted to park in Dayton (home of the amazing Joel Palmer House) and rode 12 miles into Newberg for our first tasting. For camping, we stayed at the Willamette Mission State Park and the Champoeg State Park. For our full Strava route, click here for day one, day two, and day three.
Biking through the Valley was no small feat. We were well rewarded with views of rolling hills, rich with vineyards, nursery crops, and other edibles. Long winding roads exposed nooks in the hillsides where award-winning wineries quietly prepare for summer ripening.
Alexana Winery was our first tasting reservation. The winery came up when I asked Frank if he knew anyone from his previous life as a restauranteur in Washington Wine Country, someone that might be worth a visit. Frank, in fact, remembered a regular customer of his named Bryan Weill. Bryan had previously worked at Hogue Winery before accepting the position of winemaker at Alexana in 2011. Bryan told Frank to say hello if he ever found himself in Oregon— and six years later, that is exactly what we did.
Alexana is a beautiful winery that rests on the rolling hilltops of the Dundee Hills and specializes in estate-grown Pinot as well as specially curated single-vineyard Pinots from around the Willamette Valley. Their newly renovated tasting room shines focus on the gorgeous view of the estate. Our flight featured their top selections of Pinot and Chardonnay. Each Pinot was unique and balanced with various deep notes of red fruit, cherry cola, and subtle oak flavors of baking spices. We finished our tasting and purchased a few bottles. Since we were traveling entirely by bike, we made a plan to return at the end of our visit with our car to collect the bottles before heading home.
After Alexana, we rode into McMinnville, a warm town with a historic downtown scene. We rode by boutiques, gift shops, tasting rooms, and a wealth of restaurants. We took our chances at a tapas restaurant, La Rambla. We feasted on small bites, local sparkling wine, and a few glasses of Spanish varietals, Tempranillo and Albariño. We then rode to our first camping spot, the Willamette Valley Mission State Park. We took a tiny water taxi across the river and had our choice of a totally vacant hiker/biker campground.
The following day after a modest breakfast of hot oats, peanut butter, tortillas & instant coffee, our next stop was a recommendation from a fellow bike rider & wino, Anderson Family Vineyards. Anderson is a very small winery located in Newberg, owned by Cliff & Allison Anderson. They are entirely estate-grown wines grown organically in basalt soil along the steep slopes of Dundee Hills. The owners led us through our tasting, where we got to try verticals of both Chardonnay and Pinot. Allison entertained us with stories of how the vineyard came to be, why they never consider a barrel truly “neutral,” and even let us listen in to the white barrels as they fermented away, the yeast popping and crackling like pop rocks. The Chardonnays were light, refreshing, and well-rounded, and had dynamic stone fruit and green apple notes. Each vintage was uniquely different and cascaded down my pallet like satin.
Our second campground was the Champoeg State Park, a huge park with a wealth of walking and biking trails, disc golf, fishing, kayaking, picnic sites & family-friendly yurts. Had we arrived earlier, we would have taken the time to explore the long, winding bike trails. Alas, we arrived late in the day and were both hungry & had bellies full of wine. Regardless, we did get to breathe in the scenery of the park as we set up camp for another night.
Our final tasting was at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, another well-known winery located in the Dundee Hills. Lynn Penner-Ash began making wine under her label in 2005. At the time she was the first female winemaker in Oregon to make wine under a self-named label. In 2006 she also became the head winemaker for Alexana Winery, which she would eventually turn over fully to Bryan in 2015. Just like Alexana, her winery features estate Pinot and single-vineyard Pinot. Penner-Ash focuses on their relationships with the vineyards they source from, each one being carefully chosen to represent a variety of AVAs in the Valley.
Each one of Lynne’s Pinots was complex and showcased the bright fruit flavors characteristic of Oregon. I was enchanted with the 2018 Syrah. Its richness, vibrancy & dash of smokiness made me forget I was still in the heart of Pinot. We were fortunate enough to be able to try their Pas de Nom series, which features their best barrel selections. Pas de Nom literally translates to “no name,” a title sufficient for a simple, sophisticated, and intensely fruity Pinot.
At the conclusion of our weekend, we made our rounds to each winery to pick up the bottles we had purchased. Alexana was our last stop before heading home. Perfect timing to run into Bryan. Upon introductions, Bryan and Frank caught up with one another, and Bryan offered to give us a tour of the facility. We tried a couple of young 2020 reds that were being prepared for bottling, along with some (more) finished wines. Before we left, Bryan mentioned he was looking for a harvest chef and asked Frank if he knew anyone that would be interested. It wasn’t until we were in the car driving away that Frank looked at me and asked, “What’s a harvest chef?” Five months later, Frank and I would find ourselves living in a converted 2016 Ford Transit 250, parked in a family friend’s driveway, showering in a public gym, and getting our hands, nails, and teeth thoroughly stained in Oregon juice.
