This November, we’re also celebrating the very first Native American Heritage Month with several opportunities to experience our nine federally recognized tribes’ lifestyles and traditions.

We’ve also got a fabulous appetizer recipe that would be perfect for your Thanksgiving celebration as well as one last chance to enter to win an Oregon Bounty Getaway.

See you in Oregon, where we’re planning our Thanksgiving Weekend Winery Tour.

Tell us…what’s your favorite winter culinary find in Oregon?

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Not only were the views stunning from the hilltop looking over fields of grapes on the
vines below, but they were pressing grapes for chardonnay and the air was permeated with the sweetness of fresh, crisp grapes. A crowd had gathered on the lawn overlooking the vines and we headed inside for a taste. We opted for the $10 special, a fruit white, a chardonnay with hints of subtle pears and two reds covering the palate of pomegranates and berries. Divine.

When you can’t go to Tuscany, an hour outside of Portland hits the spot. We left Tuscany, for Japan and headed down the road to Torii Mor, known for their Pinot Noir and Japanese gardens. After a White flight of three smooth white wines we wandered out into the garden to a table in the shade. The perfect location for a girl’s day conversation and lots of laughter. Before we knew it we were rolling through hills of vineyards on an Indian summer’s day dancing to the radio and anticipating the final winery. We landed at Erath and didn’t even make it inside. We stood in awe at the landscape, the rolling hills in afternoon sun, the smell of warm red dirt and grapes, the whooshing of wind through the leaves. It was utterly breathtaking and the perfect photo opt. We stood taking it all in and for a moment and feeling like the world stood still long enough to let us imagine we were transported to the far away wine country of Europe. A heavenly Saturday.

Sarah McMurray is a wanderlust, a hopeful romantic, an artist, a writer and a passionate connoisseur of coffee and culture. She holds a BA from Seattle Pacific University and has been transitioning from higher education to the non-profit sector. Currently she resides in Bend, Oregon where she feels she is the luckiest girl in the world to call herself a native.

Read this great story by our friends at WineCountry.com. Their “Top 10″ list will have you eagerly planning your next escape to meet the winemakers and explore the quaint towns of Oregon’s wine country.

Wine hasn’t been big in Oregon’s bucolic Willamette Valley for long – in fact, it was only in the 60s that the first plantings were made in what is now considered by many to be some of the most hallowed ground for wine production in the world. With a cool, moist climate that favors Pinot Noir in particular, the region just an hour’s drive from Portland has fast turned into one of the most exciting places to swirl, sip and savor your way through wine country. Read on for my top ten wines tasted on a recent visit. >>Full Story

Day One: Willamette Valley

I have the toughest job in Oregon: each year I get to travel around the state, meet interesting people in the culinary world, and bring it to you through my “On the Road with Oregon Bounty” blog. This year’s journey begins in the Willamette Valley, at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars at the west end of the Chehalem Valley.

For a petite (5’4”) winemaker, Lynn Penner-Ash fills some big shoes. Lynne spent 14 years crafting nationally-acclaimed wines at Rex Hill Vineyards before leaving in 2002 Lynn to pursue the dream of owning a winery and vineyard in Oregon with her husband Ron. Lynn’s winemaking philosophy comes to life at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, where sustainable practices meet state-of-the-art design. The gravity flow winery sits atop estate vineyards with views of two Cascade Mountain peaks, and has been showcased in numerous publications. She produces wonderful vineyard-designate Pinot noir, Viognier and Syrah.

Lynn is the winemaker mentor in our Oregon Bounty “Cuisinternship” contest, which will give seven lucky people the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Oregon for an ultimate foodie getaway (that’s right, you could spend a week as a winemaker, chef, brewmaster, cheesemaker and chocolatier, distiller, rancher or fisherman). Check out a video about Lynn and learn how to enter the contest.

There are so many great foodie finds in the Willamette Valley., like the signature corned beef hash at Word of Mouth Bistro in Salem, Savoring Oregon Dungeness crab cakes and Pinot gris on the veranda at King Estate Winery south of Eugene, or a slice of fresh apple pie straight from the country ovens at French Prairie Gardens in St. Paul. Go to Travel Oregon’s new culinary travel website to plan a Willamette Valley getaway.

Check back on Tuesday… “On the Road” is all about fishing on the Oregon Coast. Cheers!

I was in the town of Monroe, Oregon for a business presentation at the local library, and arrived an hour early. Looking for something to do, I headed south out of town and stumbled upon one of Oregon’s best-kept treasures. Just a mile or two to the south, Benton-Lane Winery prides itself on its organic and earth-friendly approach, and has earned certification under the internationally sanctioned L.I.V.E (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) program, and regionally sanctioned Salmon Safe program. In short, these winery folks take not only pride in the wines that they produce, but care for the land from which the vintages are derived.

I pulled into the driveway and was struck immediately by the surrounding scenery. Entering the tasting room, a foyer to the left directed my attention to a gorgeous and spacious patio outside. What a perfect gathering spot for a wedding, special event or a wine party!

Venturing up to the counter, I was immediately greeted by a friendly wine tasting attendant (Oregon seems to have a lot of these!) and offered tastes of some of the open wines. Oh, delight!

Their 2006 First Class Pinot Noir couldn’t have been more aptly named; it’s first-class and top notch. Wine Spectator gave the wine 92 points and wow, is that ever the truth. I was amazed and immediately bought a bottle.

A few more purchases later, I walked out, marveling at this exquisite family-run winery. To me, as a (almost) native Oregonian, this is what makes the state special. Oregon’s close-knit wine community are so focused on quality and integrity of their product, and Benton-Lane’s connection to the land that they cultivate are true attributes of what makes this such a great state.

In Oregon we clearly have many fantastic wineries and winemakers who show us new and interesting wines each vintage. Here they show off their unique style along with a lesson on what a good and bad a vintage can bring. Besides wine tasting, wine bars and restaurants also offer a wide selection of local wines as well as those made from around the country and the world. And since Oregon has fabulous food and chefs, why not see what they can do with the wines made from some other far off place? If anything, it is a chance to broaden one’s palate and enjoy a local venue or restaurant.

Earl was showing all Italian wines at this dinner and the pairing couldn’t have been more perfect sitting in Nick’s. First of all, Earl is the most welcoming, jolly guy you could meet walking into a bar. Plus he could swoon you with any glass of wine in C& G’s excellent wine portfolio. We started off clinking our glasses with Prosecco. This is Italy’s bubbly. While perhaps not as famous as Champagne, it is crisp and refreshing and often a more affordable way to start off an evening. Joining me were others in the wine business giving Earl their honest opinion on new wines C&G is considering to add to their portfolio. While there were a few wines I could live without, there were many more I couldn’t imagine not passing my lips again.

During the tasting we sampled wines made from unfamiliar varietals along with the familiar. All of them were unique but streaming with hints of spice, extreme fruit and pepper. We sampled around 17 wines during the evening and Italian wines beg for Italian food. To start off, we had a selection of charcuterie and bread. While some of the meats paired excellent, some spices contrasted with those detectible in the wine. But it all made the tasting more interesting. It was fun to see how food and wine can be the best of friends, or just good neighbors.

Nick’s offers a pre-fixed five-course meal every day except for Monday. Here you choose an appetizer, soup, pasta, salad and entrée, however you can do a la carte as well. I chose to indulge in three of the courses and it was clear that all ingredients were fresh and locally produced. Nick Peirano is the owner but his daughter, Carmen Peirano and son-in-law, Eric Ferguson, recently took over the kitchen. I started with grilled Jerusalem artichokes with green garlic, kalamata olives and butter lettuce. This was definitely my favorite course. This paired best with a 2005 100% Sangiovese by Agricola Piscinale Poggio Di Ponte. The wine smelled of toasted nuts and popcorn with a bit of earthy mushroom. The taste was smooth yet nutty and the saltiness of the olives and earthiness of the artichokes was fantastic. The wine became silky and a fine companion to my starting course. For my second course I had tagliatelle (flat ribbons of pasta similar to fettuccine) with lamb ragu. This paired nicely with another Sangiovese by Podre L. Aione Salve ’04. The pepper in the nose and medium to high tannins in the wine were a perfect match with the rich, meaty sauce. My third course was halibut cooked in parchment paper with artichokes, asparagus and pancetta vinaigrette. A light and summery dish, it was best with the Grottarosso Bianco Aniko made with a grape called Grecanico, which is grown mostly in Sicily. With a tangerine nose and juicy mouth feel and medium body, it was fantastic and able to stand up with no food at all.

Being a dessert lover I had to indulge in one last course. Here I had profiteroles with anise gelato, chocolate sauce and hazelnuts. At this point coffee was my only companion since I had a long drive home. There was no better way to finish the evening.

It is clear that one should never underestimate the wine distributor and how he can teach you something while support a local business. They are often lurking in wine shops, restaurant bars, gourmet food shops or grocery stores. A great way to seek them out is to check local paper listings or get on the mailing list of your favorite places to shop for wine or food. And best of all, you get an education about the region the wine comes from along with a great story to go behind it. Distributors can bring more personality to the wine you are about to put in your shopping cart. And best of all, they always want to welcome you and say goodbye to you with something good in your glass.

Cheers

Portland’s liquid sunshine returns tomorrow – but don’t fear! We’ve got a great indoor event for you to partake in. Head to the Indie Wine Fest for your chance to taste artisanal wines from 40 of Oregon’s Top Craft Winemakers. Along with your wine, you can taste small plates from top area restaurants such as Ten 01, Marche and Wildwood.

So…will we see you there? Buy tickets here!

Last October, Wall Street Journal columnists Dorothy Gaiter and John Brecher featured Oregon PInot Noir in their weekly wine column, Tastings. We’re thrilled that they’ve discoverd what we’ve known for a long time – Oregon PInot Noir is inexpensive and delicious!

So, tell us…what’s your favorite Oregon Pinot Noir?

Speaking of Thanksgiving, make sure to check out this month’s recipe and treat yourself (and your guests) to an Oregon-inspired dish of deliciousness. And don’t forget to enter for a chance to win a Deschutes River fly-fishing vacation.

See you in Oregon, where we’re prepping for ski season!

~The Editors