The Grapes:
One of the noblest black grapes, if longevity is a factor in nobility.
The great grape of the northern Rhone Valley of France, Syrah's origins
are the subject of much debate and hypothesis. Syrah did not
originate in the city of Shiraz in Iran, as many stories have it, but
most likely originated from the vineyards of the Northern Rhone. More
recent DNA studies by UC Davis have concluded that Syrah is the result
of a cross of the “Dureza” and “Mondeuse Blanche” grape varieties,
probably emanating from the slopes of Hermitage. Washington State is
becoming known for its syrah wines in recent years. Southern Oregon growers
also are growing Syrah now, as are Southern Okanagan Valley growers in
British Columbia.
This Rhone varietal seems to have a future in select wine regions of the
Pacific Northwest. In fact, some believe it will become
the region's next Merlot.
Tempranillo wines can be
consumed young, but are considered at their best when aged,
especially in oak barrels. They are lightly colored
and age well in both American and French oak.
Tempranillo's aromas and flavors usually combine the
elements of berries, plum, tobacco, vanilla, leather and
herb.
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Click
on a varietal below to find out more about it Learn about white wine varietals Red Wine Varieties
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Petite Sirah (peh TEET sir AHH) |
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| The Grapes: Petite Sirah is really none other than the obscure Rhone variety Durif, yet it was mistaken for true Syrah in California for more than a quarter century. While Syrah and Petite Sirah are both Rhone grapes, they are not related. Durif (sometimes spelled "Duriff"), named after a Dr. Durif who first propagated the grape around 1880 in the Rhone Valley, is an unpopular variety grown in tiny quantities in the Midi of southeastern France. It is now being grown on a limited number of vineyards in Eastern Washington and the southern Willamette Valley of Oregon. | The Wine: Until the 1970's, Petite Sirah's claim to fame was as a blending wine. Since then it has emerged as a noble varietal in its own right. Petite Sirah produces a very dark, almost inky wine that tends to be massive, tannic and long lived. It is similar to Syrah in flavor, but usually exhibits heartiness in place of Syrah's elegance. | |||||
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Petit Verdot (peh TEE vair DOUGH) |
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The Grapes: Historically,
Petit Verdot was used as a minor component in many of Bordeaux’s finest
encepagement. While many ‘New World’ producers continue to use
Petit Verdot as a minor component of Bordeaux-type blends, an
ever-growing number are using the grape to make deeply pigmented, highly
extracted and aromatic single varietal labeled wines. |
The Wine: When able to ripen fully the grape can add a rich purple color, firm tannins and an exotic floral and spicy perfume to the resulting wines. | |||||
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Pinot Meunier (PEE noh moon YAY) |
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| The Grapes: An early ripening mutation of Pinot noir, Pinot Meunier is planted sparsely in Pacific Northwest wine regions. In contrast, it is planted to approximately one third of the vineyards in France's Champagne region. A few vineyards of Oregon and British Columbia contain this red grape, famous for its role in traditional Champagnes. It is generally used in the Northwest for the fruitiness it contributes to wines both still and sparkling. Sometimes produced as a single varietal, its early ripening nature make this red vinifera ideal for cool climate viticulture. |
The Wine: At least one Oregon producer
makes a still red
wine from these grapes, while a few use it in sparkling wines made to the méthode
champenoise standard. Wines made from these grapes are a
lighter-style red with more full fruit and softer tannins than Pinot Noir.
Often characterized by lively cherry flavors, with a bit of pepper in the
aroma.
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| Red Blends | ||||||
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While European wines are most often blends of two or more varietals, wines produced in the Pacific Northwest (and throughout the U.S. and Canada) are predominantly single varietals. Some believe a blended wine represents the highest form of the winemaker's art, giving her or him the freedom to use a number of varietals to create the structure and flavor they are seeking. In fact many so-called single varietals actually contain a portion of one or more other varietals, as long as the volumes contained do not exceed limits set by corresponding regulations of state and province. "Meritage" wines are becoming a more prevalent naming standard for wines blended with Bordeaux varietals throughout the Northwest. In the case of red wines, a Bordeaux-type blend must contain two or more Bordeaux varietals... Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petite Verdot, Malbec and Carmenère, an ancient Bordeaux grape. Other blended wines may carry proprietary names or a simple "Table Wine" designation. |
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Featured Wines
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Rotberger (RAHT burger) |
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The Grapes: Result of a cross with the Trollinger variety. Used to produce fruity, early maturing light red wines in cool-climate areas. Has no relationship with the Rotburger variety bearing nearly similar name. |
The Wine: Gray Monk Estate Winery, located in the far north end of the Okanagan Valley (50º latitude), is the only known North American producer of this light-red wine. Considered a Rosé wine. | |||||
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Sangiovese (san-geo-VAY-zee) |
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| The Grapes: Fine quality, traditional Italian red wine grape; origins are central Italy. In Tuscany this grape is sometimes call "San Gioveto". Washington State has been planting some of these grapes with great results, and the wines are beginning to be released. | The Wine: Used in the region of Tuscany for some of Italy's most famous red wines. It is the principle variety used for Chianti. As a varietal wine, Sangiovese is rich and intense. | |||||
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Featured Wines |
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| Tempranillo | ||||||
| The Grapes: A variety of Vitis vinifera, a red grape native to Spain where it is widely grown and known as Spain's noble grape. Tempranillo translates to "little early one," which alludes to its tendency to ripen early compared with many other red varietals. Tempranillo is a thick-skinned black grape used to make full-bodied red wines. Interestingly, most traditional Spanish growing regions have indigenous names for Tempranillo like Tinta de Toro, Tinto Fino, Tinta del Pais, and Cencibel. Now Tempranillo is being taken seriously in the new world, and it is grown in small amounts in Pacific Northwest wine regions. |
The Wine: Tempranillo
is typically a medium- to very full-bodied wine with low to moderate acidity
and medium-short to long-term aging capacity.
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Zinfandel (ZIN fun dell) |
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| The Grapes: The European origins of Zinfandel are uncertain with the varietal label appearing as early as 1883. This variety is productive and ripens readily. Oregon's warmest wine region, the Rogue Valley appellation, grows small quantities of this versatile grape. | The Wine: Zinfandel is praised for its versatility and ease of fermentation. Wines are made from the grape at all stages of ripeness: under ripe grapes are used for rosé wines; ripe for reds; overripe for port wines. Red wines are dry, full-bodied, intensely flavored, with plenty of tannins. With minimum coaxing from winemakers, premium Zinfandel's can be rich, peppery, full of ripe fruit flavors and lush texture. | |||||
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Featured Wine |
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Zweigelt |
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| The Grapes: A relatively new grape variety that is big in Austria and making some interesting inroads in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley. It was in the 1920s that Dr. Fritz Zweigelt, working at the Klosterneuburg research station, came up with a cross of two varieties: Blaufränkisch (also known as Lemberger) and St. Laurent. It became Austria’s most popular red-wine grape, and its fairly early ripening and generous yield made it a winner among its growers. | The Wine: At its best, it combines the bite and fruity character of the Blaufränkisch grape and the body of the St. Laurent. Because of its fruity characteristics, it has been compared to the wines produced from the Gamay grape, like the red wines of Beaujolais. If the body of the wine is full, it can be age-worthy and serious, although most Zweigelt is drunk young. | |||||
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Featured Wine |
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Pacific Northwest Wine
Shops, Tasting Rooms, |
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Oregon Featured Businesses
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Other Suggested Oregon Wine
Shops, |
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38 on Central Allegri Wine Shop Alloro Wine Bar &
Restaurant
ALU Wine Bar
Avalon Wine Gift
& Gourmet
B2 Wine Bar
Bella Sera Wine Bar
Blackbird Wine Shop
Blu Cork Wine Bar
Broadway
Bistro & Market Carpe Vinum
Cellar Bar
The Cellar on 10th Chateaulin Wine
Shoppe Cork • a bottle shop Cork Cellars, Inc.
The Cork & Stein Bistro
Cornell Wine Co.
Crush
Cru Wine Bar Dari's Bistro
Del Rio Vineyards Tasting Room Dino's Italian Cafe
& Wine Bar Domestic Gourmet E&R Wine Shop Gem Wine Cellar The Gift House Grand Vines
The Great Pacific Wine
Healthy Habits
The Hop & Vine
Horse Radish Cheese & Wine
Bar Jacksonville Inn Wine & Gift Shop
LaVelle Wine Bar and Bistro
Liner & Elsen Wine Merchants
Liquid Assets
Lucy's Wine Bar
Merenda Restaurant and Wine Bar
Mt. Tabor Fine Wines
Nib,
a Dessert
and Wine Bar
Noah's... a wine bar Noble Rot Northwest Food & Gifts NW Wine Bar (Umpqua Valley wine tastings) 116 NE Locust Street Oakland, OR 97462 541-459-2727 305 Oakway Mall Eugene, OR 97401 Phone: (541) 343-3088 511 E. Third Street McMinnville, OR 97218 One
Oregon Wine Warehouse
Oswego Wine Co.
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Pacific Wine Club Paley's Place Salem, OR 97302 503-364-3009
Parallel 45 The Pearl Wine Shop Pilaf Restaurant
& Wine Bar Ponzi
Tasting Room & Wine Bar Portland Wine Merchants Pour Wine Bar & Bistro
Press, A Wine Bar & Bottle Shop
Private Reserve Wine Shop Raise Your Glass Renaissance Premium (Pouring local premium wines) Carriage House, Voorhies Mansion at Eden Valley Orchards 2310 Voorhies Road Medford, OR 97501 541-512-2955
Salut! Wine Company
Santiam Wine Company
Sip D'Vine South End Wine & Gifts Split Wine Bar
Storyteller Wine Company
Sundance Wine Cellars
The Tasting Room The Tasting Room Terroir Restaurant &
Wine Bar
Thirst
Wine Bar & Bistro
Thirst
Wine Bar & Bistro
Uva Wine Bar
Village Market & Deli Vino Manzanita Vino Mercato
Vino Paradiso
Vinopolis Wine Shop Vintage Vine The Vintner's Room Vite, A Wine Bar West Side Wine Store White Buffalo Wines
Whiteside's Beer & Wine
Willamette Valley
Vineyards
Wine About It Wine and Romance
The Wine Bar Wineopolis The Wine Sellers
The Wine Shop & Tasting Bar
Winestock Wine Unwind
Wizer's Lake Grove Market
Zupan's Market
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Oregon Wine Storage 1812 Washington Street Vancouver, WA 98668 360-693-2700 2222 NW Quimby St. (at 22nd Ave.) Portland, OR 97210 503-241-9463 306 SE Ash Street Portland, OR 97214 503 231-1121
Premier Storage - Hillsboro
TVS Wine Cellars
Willamette Wine
Storage
Copyright © 1997 - 2012 Susan R. O'Hara. All rights reserved. Last revised: 01/30/2012
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