May is Oregon Wine Month, and the Oregon Wine Board is welcoming it in style with “Unwine’d”, a major event in Portland on Sunday, April 29^th.  More than 85 wineries and over a dozen restaurants will be showcasing extraordinary wine and food, casting a spotlight on the incredible breadth and depth of Oregon’s fertile, vibrant landscape.

Unwine’d is being held at Portland’s Left Bank Annex, from 3pm-6pm. Trade and Media early access is from 2pm-3pm.  Tickets are just $50 and can be purchased through the Oregon Wine Board’s website.

ConsciousWine is honored to have been invited and is especially proud to participate in Unwine’d, and to join our colleagues in celebrating not just the overall growth and success of Oregon’s wineries and farms, but specifically the growing and thriving community of organic and biodynamic farms and vineyards.

To demonstrate just how spectacular these wines are, ConsciousWine’s Jeffrey Weissler will be pouring at least two exceptional wines from Cowhorn Vineyards located in Jacksonville and Dominio IV located in McMinnville.

Don’t miss a chance to see Jeff Weissler in person, sharing and talking wine.  Jeff is an expert on wines made from organic, biodynamic grapes and a passionate advocate for what’s happening in Oregon.

Come to Unwine’d on April 29^th and say “hi”!

In Blog Roll, Conferences, ConsciousWine, In The News, Jeff's Blog, Media, Sustainable Practices, Tasting Wine, Winery Events | Tagged with biodynamic, education, events, Food Related, oregon, organic wine, sustainability, Travel, willamette valley

Driving south of McMinnville on Highway 18, you’ll make a right turn before winding a few miles then starting to climb. There’s lots of climbing to do on your way to arriving at the top of the hill where you’ll find The Inn at Youngberg Hill.

After a few exhales taking in the view, I could feel the relaxation take over. Surrounded by vineyards & forest, it’s quite the place. We’re stoked to say it’s the destination for 3 nights for the winners of our Willamette Valley Wine & Food Experience Sweepstakes, May 1-3. The drawing is March 31st, and all you have to do to be entered is sign up on our e-mail list!

Coming through their gate, there were 2 cows to the left. That’s a good sign in ConsciousWine land. Why? Animals on the farm is one of our 12 practices that we look for. It’s also a common practice with biodynamic® farming. I had not heard that Youngberg Hill was doing biodynamic farming practices, but a big surprise was unveiled in the upcoming conversation.

Starting in 2011, Rudy Marchesi of Montinore (a wonderful biodynamic certified property in the Northern Willamette Valley), was brought on to guide the vineyard practices. I’ve filmed a bunch of video with Rudy, and he’s a rock star in his approach, practices and personality!

Youngberg Hill is the most recent addition to the ConsciousWine List. After 2 hours with owner & winemaker Wayne Bailey to learn about their practices, see their vineyard & taste their wines, I knew they were a match with the 4 Principles of ConsciousWine. What are those principles?

Organically grown grapes
Sustainably farmed
Creating vital products
That taste great!

Congrats to Wayne Bailey, his team and Youngberg Hill for making it to the ConsciousWine List. We hope to have their wines available in our Shop before too long & are looking forward to their hosting the Sweepstakes trip!

Rock on’ …

In Jeff's Blog, Wineries | Tagged with events, oregon, organic wine, willamette valley

Dundee, Oregon is the heart of Willamette Valley wine country. Between Newberg and McMinnville on Highway 99 things slow down as single lanes each way pass through businesses and wineries to the left and right. Waiting to be discovered are a few magical hot spots. My favorite Dundee discovery is The The Red Hills Market at 115 7th Street.

Amazing baked goods, a great wine stash, wood fired pizza from scratch, Stumptown coffee, hand-crafted sandwiches, local meats, cheeses, a passion for local, an outside with seductively comfortable wine stave chairs and a community centric atmosphere are the manifestation & passion of owners Jody & Michelle Kropf, Chef Shiloh Ficek, and a fun, engaging, knowledgeable staff.

I moved into the area this past July. Where to hang out was question number one. Within a month of exploring, Red Hills Market was part of my routine, and half-a-year later it hasn’t let up. Whether it’s coffee and internet time, lunch and meet up with some winemakers, or chill over pizza and beer (or for a bottle of wine from their wine wall), my left arm has kind of been replaced by The Red Hills Market! It’s been pure pleasure to have Jody and the gang doing there thing so close to home.

Having said all that, they’re a big part of our upcoming contest for a trip to the Willamette Valley. Jody has a traveling pizza oven and he’ll be bringing it out to Youngberg Hill Winery (where the trip winners) will be staying for the opening night dinner of the trip.

Since good things often attract other good things, there’s another gem to be discovered on the 2nd floor above Red Hills Market. That comes in the form of the Wine Country Cooking Studio. Chef and owner Wendy Bennett has just opened this spot for offering the community cooking classes. On the final night of our May 1-3 Willamette Valley Sweepstakes, Wendy will be leading a 3 course participatory cooking class that will include wines from Brooks Winery!

When you’ve got Dundee, Oregon on your calendar, go out of your way to eat & hang out at The Red Hills Market. They’ve got that passion for local, organic, sustainable, vital, quality products that makes for a perfect marriage with ConsciousWine.

The Red Hills Market
115 SW 7th
Dundee, Oregon
971.832.8414

In Jeff's Blog, Restaurants, Wine & Food | Tagged with events, Food Related, oregon, Travel, willamette valley

…The last coat of paint is being applied and the shelves are being stocked!

After four years of talking, tasting, reading, thinking, working, playing, conferences, pulling a website together, pulling out lots of hair (wait, I didn’t have any to start with), and thanks to a great team of ConsciousWine folks, it’s time to bring THE SHOP at ConsciousWine to you.  As of September 12, 2011, THE SHOP is open! Continue reading “The Shop at Conscious Wine” »

In Jeff's Blog, The Shop | Tagged with events

The first time I visited Cowhorn Vineyards (in Southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley), I was particularly drawn to the diversity in the ecosystem of which they’re a part. Specifically, the mountains behind the vineyard, the river across the road, and the vines coming alive out of a dried river bed. It felt like the overall eco-system was vitally supported while farming was in action. I remember looking up at one point, and co-owner Bill Steele said, “That’s a golden eagle with a 6 foot wingspan.” Continue reading “Vineyards for the Birds” »

In Jeff's Blog, Storytelling, Wineries | Tagged with events, oregon, Travel

Tasting notes for wine come in many forms. Bold, fat, lean, crisp, textured, nuanced, elegant, racy and sophisticated. Wine-knows often speak of berries, earth, herbs and things a rare few would associate with wine. They speak of flaws like oxidation, volatile acidity, H2S,  and ethyl acetate. I know some of that stuff, and some I’ve even allowed myself to say in public. Continue reading “Tasting Notes for Wine” »

In Jeff's Blog, Tasting Wine | Tagged with events, oregon, tasting notes

Sustainable wine is one of those terms that just makes my head spin. Is sustainability referring to economics, the environment, or social equity? Does sustainable wine refer to wine that ages, being made with the environment in mind, or supporting a financial bottom line that keeps the winery sustainable? Continue reading “Sustainable Wine: What Exactly Does That Mean?” »

In Certifications, Digging Deeper, Jeff's Blog, Tasting Wine | Tagged with events, oregon, sustainability, the 4 principles

Matthew Domingo and partner Erin Daugherty, have created a “farm to fork” program that feeds the belly and the soul. When I think about what nourishes me, lots of things come to mind. It’s a balance of elements combined in ways sometimes difficult to explain. Continue reading “Farm to Fork: </br>Vital Choices for Palate & Planet” »

In Jeff's Blog, Restaurants, Sustainable Practices, Wine & Food, Wineries | Tagged with Dinners, education, events, Food Related, Matthew Domingo, oregon, Vitality

The Wine Bloggers Conference wrapped up recently in Charlottesville, Virginia and I was very sad to not be able to attend this year’s conference. I was hoping to go and had voted for that destination as a location at the previous year’s conference. I followed friends who were there on Twitter and Facebook as best as I could. I was also following because Penticton, BC (in the Okanagan Valley) had been shortlisted to host the conference in 2012. Continue reading “Being Proud of Home” »

In Conferences, Guest Bloggers, Jeff's Blog | Tagged with events, Luke Whittall

Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO) announced today the details of the 4th Annual Wings and Wine Gala. The fundraising event will celebrate over a decade of conservation benefiting birds and habitat. The festive event will showcase regional wine and beer along with tasty eats and music by local bluegrass band Siskiyou Summit. Continue reading “Klamath Bird Observatory Celebrates Bird Conservation at 4th Annual Wings and Wine Gala” »

In Jeff's Blog, Sustainable Practices, World | Tagged with education, events, oregon

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