Speaking of wine-

Some new and delightful selections on our wine list, as described by our JORY Restaurant Manager & Sommelier, Ken :

“A couple of things worth noting:
 
1) Harper Voit Wines – Drew Voit was formerly the winemaker at Shea winery and has since started his own label with his wife, Tandy Harper. This label produces pinot noir and pinot blanc. The pinot noir is very good and a bargain for its quality ($48 on Jory’s list) and his pinot blanc is among the very best in the valley. They are small now and readily available. While they may remain small, I expect some big press in the future to limit availability. Get it while you can, these wines are better than most.

2) The next crop of second generation wine maker’s in the valley are coming of age. Cody Wright (son of Ken Wright, stepson of Rollin Soles) is making expressive and focused wines for his Purple Hands label and the Mike Etzel (Beaux Frères Vineyards & Winery  owner/winemaker) sons – Mike, Jared, and Nathan – are producing age worthy wines that show depth and nuance under the witty “Coattails” label.

Check them out at:
 
http://www.coattailswine.com/
 
http://purplehandswine.com/
 
Have a great day!”

Maggie Harrison, winemaker for Antica Terra - a Forbes Q&A:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/katiebell/2012/11/02/the-best-oregon-pinot-noir-is-grown-on-rocks/

A good read about how special a place Willamette Valley is:

Willamette Valley, a sense of place with soul

Roasted Delicata Squash Soup
Maple-Bacon Dumplings, Grilled Sweet Corn, Crème Fraîche
Serves 6-8 people

For the Soup:
2 delicata squash, peeled, seeded and cut into large dice
1 sweet onion, small diced
2 carrots, small diced
1 leek, thinly sliced (white part only)
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely minced
1 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp thyme, picked
1 bay leaf
1 qt. chicken stock
salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
2 T chives, chopped (for garnish)
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

In a large pot, sauté the squash, onions, carrots, and leeks with olive oil on medium high heat. Stir frequently to avoid burning the bottom of the pot. Sauté until caramelized. Next, add the shallots, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook for about five minutes to develop the flavors of the herbs. 

Add the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pot to release all the caramelization at the bottom of the pot. Bring the soup to a boil then turn down to a simmer. Simmer until all the vegetables are tender. Once the vegetables are cooked through, turn off the heat, and remove the bay leaf. 

Blend the soup in a blender until smooth and adjust with salt and pepper to taste.  Keep at a gentle simmer for the dumplings.

For the Sweet Corn:
4 ears of sweet corn, shucked
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Rub the ears of corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the grill, but not over direct flames to avoid flare-up. (Flare-ups add an unpleasant flavor.) Once cooked through, allow to cool just enough to be handled.  Next, cut off the kernels from the cob from top to bottom. Keep the sweetcorn kernals warm, and set aside.

For the Dumplings:
2 ½ c cake flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
2 T melted butter
1 c whole milk
2 T maple syrup
1 c bacon, cooked and chopped
1 T parsley, chopped
1 T shallot, chopped
1 T chives, chopped
1 t thyme, chopped

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl. Add melted butter, milk, herbs, maple, and bacon and gently fold with a wooden spoon until mixture just comes together. Be very careful not to over mix the batter. (Overmixing will make the dumplings dense.) Drop dumpling batter into the gently simmering soup using a spoon, over the surface of the stew. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.

Once the dumplings are fully cooked, ladle the soup into a bowl. Garnish with the grilled sweet corn, and a generous dollop of crème fraîche on top. The soup may be garnished with extra chives if desired. Enjoy.

In Oregon’s, a quest for wine identity pays off.

http://www.sfgate.com/wine/article/In-Oregon-a-quest-for-wine-identity-pays-off-3923421.php

Truffle pioneers hope the fungi business someday rivals that of Oregon wine

http://www.registerguard.com/web/business/28880520-41/truffle-truffles-oregon-lefevre-grow.html.csp

Portland a great springboard for exploring Oregon wineries

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/10/08/2707993/portland-a-good-springboard-for.html

One of the most complete and robust Willamette Valley wine tasting articles I have seen in a bit.  It’s really thorough, and a great read, by Haley Hamilton, Side Dish from D Magazine (Dallas Foodies).

But it covers just about everything you could hope for. Wonderful road sign, to boot. =)

http://sidedish.dmagazine.com/2012/10/11/what-to-drink-now-willamette-valley/

Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.com/html/wineadviser/2019269909_pacificpadviser14.html

Chehalem wines tasting as good as ever

Harry Peterson-Nedry planted his Ridgecrest vineyard in 1982 and brought in his first grapes in 1985. The vineyard location, the Ribbon Ridge AVA, is home to some of the best pinot noir vineyards in the country.