"The Inside Scoop" Voume 1 - Thanksgiving Innagural Edition.

The Inside Scoop - Volume One

OK Wine-O's...Welcome to the Innagural edition of "The Inside Scoop" on the NWWL Home Blogspace. If you are reading this and arent yet a member - Just check out our Facebook lonk immidiately to the Top RIght of this page, and if you aren't yet a FB Member sign up, it takes 2 minutes, and then just look up NW Wine Lovers in the FB Search engine. Presto..You are "In The Know"

Now - to the real heart of the matter - for all our NWWL Members out there, we are so fortunate to have active NWWL membership that includes several industry folks and I want to personally thank each and every one of you who have contributed information to make this a wonderful first edition!!

Here is some great info on a couple of places to put on your NW WIne Lovers "Don't Miss" List this Season, Along wih some Sage Advice form a true Industry Leader...

Kate Holmes who Pours out at Montinore Vineyards Tasting Room, and really knows her local wineries sent us this reccomendation:


Wayne, Thanksgiving weekend you should head to ADEA. $20 for six wineries - all fabulous. One of my favorite pinots - Matello. Had some good wine at the festival. I only try the pinot becuase I'm such a junkie but the favorites were Utopia, Cubanisimo, Sol et Soleil.

Adea is just south of Gaston. Their website is www.adeawine.com Ann and Dean Fisher own the place and lease space to Bishop Creek, Matello, Twelve, Cancilla and Biggio Hamina. They are super nice people. It's probably the best deal money wise becuase each of the six wineries has several wines. Lots of Pinot! If you go make sure you tell the winemaker from Matello that I sent you. His name is Marcus and he makes some of the best pinot around.

They will be pretty busy but they do the tasting in the winery so there is usually plenty of room. Adea is appointment only and the other wineries are only pouring when they have an open house so you really only get them all together a couple of times a year. They aren't open the Sunday after Thanksgiving so my suggestion is to go early on either Friday or Saturday. Tell Ann hi for me too. I send them lots of people because their wines are great and they're just really nice.

I can tell you that I personally visited the website and this looks to be a great Winery, some really down to earth people and a good option for those of us who dont want to stand in line for 15 minutes just to get in...Thanks Kate and Very Cool...

I Know Kate will be out at Montinore that weekend also, and we have definately featured there website before but if you are out and about, be sure to stop in and say Hi to her - tell her you saw her inside scoop on NW Wine Lovers!! I have never had a bad visit to this awesome NW Staple.... http://www.montinore.com/

Next, from our friend Scott Beherens at "The Wine Beheren" comes this inside info...

Hey wine luvers, Beaux Frere is only open this weekend, not next. Don't want to miss that one.If your out and about the Friday after Turkey day, be sure to swing by The Wine Beheren as i will be pouring some good juice. Scott.

Good word Scott and Thanks for this little tidbit. I would encourage al to stop in and visit His local thriving WIne Business in Forest Grove, and for more info you can look up http://www.thewinebehren.com/

And these sage words come to us from NWWL Member Karl Dinger - Wine Maker of Terra Vina Wines (Formerly Dalla Vina);

Wayne-O - I'd just like to get on my soapbox for just a minute. Since we are moving into the Thanksgiving season, I'd just like to remind everybody that given the state of the economy, it's more important than ever to shop locally. That very first thanksgiving was a harvest festival intended to celebrate nature's bounty with friends and to give thanks for all of the gifts that were received from Mother Earth. In that same spirit, I'd like to encourage all to drink local wines - go out and find a local producer, preferably within 50 miles of your home. Then, proudly serve wines to your guests that highlight the character and quality of the terroir in our beautiful state. Give thanks for your good fortune to be able to enjoy the great wines that are made here in our own backyard. celebrate the occasion and warmth of being with friends and family - that's what's life is really all about, now isn't it?Also, by buying your wines locally, you'll support your local businesses (growers and producers) and the myriad of others involved in the effort, you'll keep money in your local economy, you'll save fuel, you will be able to enjoy top quality wines from Oregon and Washington and you'll reduce your carbon footprint - after all buying from a local producer means the wine did not have to shipped by truck from all over the country. Local First! - we're all in this together remember. Karl

Karl I couldn't agree with you more - Thats precisely what we are all about here at NW WIne Lovers!! Cheers to you!!

Lastly for Volume 1 of this innagural edition of "The Insdie Scoop" here on the NWWL Blogsite I would like to post this report from our new member Barbe Park from the Carlton Wine Makers Studio -

Hi Wayne~ i don't know if you and yours have traveled down to little old carlton, but i think we here in town have the best deal going! thanksgiving weekend, we will have about 21 wineries "showing" and we've added a free shuttle to bus folks around town. ken wright will be open -only tg weekend and memorial!-and we have a few newcomers along mainstreet that have proven to be upncomers! you can stroll into the horseradish cheeseshop and have one of their delectable plates or go whole hog at cielo bleu italian deli, or hopefully, gilbert will have his fabulous dining room, cuvee, open for lunch and dinner!if you head to the north end of town, visit cana's feast winery where if you're lucky, chef lisa has a spread of her todiefor appetizers! and if you're not familiar with them (cuneo wines), they make some of the biggest, boldest reds around!roll down the hill to the carlton winemakers studio (where i happen to work) and for $20, you can try 30 (THIRTY!) wines! Over and over if you wish!So that's my plug. We make it easy. We make it fun. We want you to come out and see what we do, who we are, and love our wines!Good Luck, Wayne, and enjoy your adventure no matter what you choose!

Barbe Park

Boy Barbe - I gotta tell ya - Having been a veteran of many erstwhile tasting excursions through your formerly "Sleepy Little Berg" I can tell you I honestly understand why Carlton is at the Epicenter of our now Multi-Billion Dollar Wine Industry here in Oregon. Well written and Thanks so much for Contributing.

OK Wine Lovers - Stay tuned for more updates and Local Inside Information as it comes...Check us out on Face book at the link posted above or to contribute directly to the "Inside Scoop" just email me at nwwinelovers@live.com And a Very SPecial Thanks to all our Industry Insiders for making this a great first edition of The Inside Scoop on The NWWL Blogspace!!

As Always - Don't Sip and Swerve....Get a Designated Driver, Take Really good care of them, and make sure everyone in the party buys at least one bottle to send home with them and give as a thank you for this most important of participants in your many safe returns to Wine Country.

Peace and Grapes...

Wayne-O

Head "Wine-O"

NW Wine Lovers

nwwinelovers@live.com