It’s 4 a.m. The aroma of fresh bread comes from flaming ovens. Buttery croissants are rolled, cut and shaped by hand at Ken’s Artisan Bakery in Portland. An hour later, the sweet smell of fresh baguette dough wafts past four bakers in jeans, t-shirts and aprons, their heads down, their floured hands dividing and shaping smooth, long loaves. The oven door clanks as the bread goes in.
Oregon’s fabled outdoor adventures are just out the door – whether it’s heartthumping whitewater on a wild and remote river, a mountain bike ride in old growth timber, a kayak trip to see a Great Blue Heron, surfing at the Oregon coast or fly-fishing from a historical ranch. 1859 carves out some fascinating places for the perfect Oregon weekenders.
In January, with ten anonymous tasters, 1859 Oregon’s Magazine sampled seven different wines at Grochau Cellars, a winery located in the heart of Portland. Get insight into your next wine purchase with comments, descriptions and ratings found on the following pages.
Oregon is limitless when it comes to family adventures—from clean, sandy beaches to lakeside camp grounds and white-blanketed mountains, this state offers kids the chance to play in any region, any time of the year—parents won’t be disappointed either.
Hit the road on two wheels and really dive into Oregon’s identity—add beer to that and you’ll be an expert by week’s end. Check out Hood River’s Post Canyon, best known for its challenging trails with steep downhills. Finish it off with a few drinks at Double Mountain Brewery and Taproom, an unpretentious pub in the heart of downtown Hood River.
Oregon, with all its diverse glory, has myriad options for the couple looking to get away. From sumptuous sensory experiences at the best restaurants and wineries in the Pacific Northwest to adrenaline-pumping outdoor adventures, there’s something for everyone.
Blanc is the new black, or more accurately, the new noir. At least that’s what they are saying in Paris, New York, London and of course, Oregon wine country. The French have been making Blanc de noir for centuries, a style of sparkling Champagne made into a colorless wine—and created exclusively from dark grapes (Pinot noir and Pinot munier). French wine is often the inspiration for new wine endeavors in Oregon. Consequently, a handful of Oregon producers decided to give the Blanc a whirl, but with one big omission: no bubbles.
The non-effervescent venture was a success. The trail blazer, Domaine Serene, is set to release their seventh vintage of the glistening, white Pinot this year. Others have followed suit with great success. Anne Amie and Ghost Hill both have Pinot noir blanc currently available and Matello will be releasing their first Blanc de noir in May. Oregon Riesling superstar, Trisaetum Winery and Vineyards, is one of the latest to turn noir to blanc with their inaugural release of the 2010 Pinot noir blanc.
With customers as their muses, the folks at Trisaetum decided to dive in after their club members repeatedly asked for the wine. “My co-winemaker Greg McClellan and I decided we’d use some of our leanings from making six different Rieslings each year, and apply them to making a white wine from Pinot noir clusters,” said James Frey, co-winemaker and proprietor of Trisaetum Winery.
Unrefined and outback, Eastern Oregon may be. Still, there are not too many wide open spaces left in this world like this experience-rich region of Eastern Oregon. There’s unmatched camping in the desert, horseback riding in the Steens Mountain Wilderness, horse-pack camping into the Wallowas and rivers to float, but Eastern Oregon’s true resource is its people—from sunstone mining and raising grass-fed beef to the Pendleton Round-Up. Open spaces and open faces are waiting to greet you in Eastern Oregon.
Lose your head and find your heart in Southern Oregon. This vast region encomapsses a top-notch Elizabethan outdoor stage at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the up-and-coming wine-growing regions of the Umpqua and Applegate valleys, and, to the east, Crater Lake. If you decide to spend your Oregon vacation here, don’t forget to float the Rogue, attend Paisley’s famed Mosquito Festival, tour some Southern Oregon caves, wine taste in rustic Roseburg and explore Ashland’s chocolate culture. And if time permits, make a day of it at Mt. Ashland either skiing or snowboarding.
