wine Archives | The Good Hearted Woman

Four Scenic Stops on the Applegate Valley Wine Trail

Take a drive on the Applegate Valley Wine Trail and experience the best of Southern Oregon wine country: stunning scenic beauty, small-town warmth, uncrowded tasting rooms, and artisan winemakers committed to their craft.

Whether you are on a quest for the perfect bottle of Oregon wine or just want to take a beautiful drive through Southern Oregon back-country, you’ll find what you’re looking for on the Applegate Valley Wine Trail.

Extending for 50 miles, from the California border to Grants Pass along the Applegate River, the fertile Applegate Valley is home to “fragrant lavender fields, meticulous small family farms growing organic produce, roaming herds of grass-fed cattle, and numerous vineyards and wineries.“[Applegate Valley Wine Trail]

The Applegate Valley Wine Trail includes eighteen unique member wineries that produce a diverse array of wines. Today, we’re sharing some highlights from four of those wineries – a perfect itinerary for a day of sightseeing and wine-tasting!

Wooldridge Creek Winery, Creamery & Charcuterie
Troon Vineyard
Schmidt Family Vineyards
Red Lily Vineyards

Troon Vineyard: Applegate Valley Wine Trail {Southern Oregon Travel} | The Good Hearted Woman

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WOOLDRIDGE CREEK WINERY, CREAMERY & CHARCUTERIE

Specialties: Small batch estate wines, sustainability and stewardship, congenial conversation, artisan cheeses, and charcuterie.

First established as a “hobby” vineyard back in the ’70’s, Wooldridge Creek has evolved over the decades into a thriving vineyard, winery, creamery and charcuterie business. Owners Ted, Mary, Greg, and Kara adhere to seven-generation principles, a philosophy that is clearly reflected in their dedication to both community and stewardship of the land.

At Wooldridge Creek, their commitment to sustainability is at the heart of everything they do. They take their role as stewards of the land seriously, and have maintained certifications for the Salmon Safe and LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) programs as well as Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Renewable Energy Program for over a decade. They also participate in their local watershed protection association.

On a personal note, this was one of the friendliest, most welcoming tasting rooms we’ve visited – I could have hung out there all day! (I went back twice in one month, if that says anything.) The grounds are beautiful, with broad, sweeping views of the valley; and the entire place has a much less “fussy” vibe than many tasting rooms do… in other words, it very much appealed to my inner hippie.

In a move very much in keeping with their role as “stewards of the land,” Wooldridge Creek opened their CrushPad Creamery in 2015, making it Oregon’s first joint creamery and winery. The creamery is located on the winery’s crush pad and offers visitors a chance to view the entire cheese making process. They currently source cow and goat milk from two local organic dairies, and make many styles of cheese, from fresh and soft to aged, hard cheeses.

In 2017, Wooldridge made another addition: charcuterie – fermenting local vegetables and curing a selection of meats – to their repertoire. They offer three platters to complement their wine flights: a cheese platter, a charcuterie platter, or a combination of the two.

Wooldridge Creek has 56 acres planted in twelve varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Viognier, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Tempranillo.

When you visit, be sure to say hello to the winery cat!

Wooldridge Creek Winery
818 Slagle Cr. Rd
Grants Pass, OR 97527
541.846.6364
admin@wcwinery.com

Tasting Room Hours: 11-5 Daily
Tasting Fee: $10
(Refunded With Purchase)

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TROON VINEYARD

Specialties: Zinfandels, unique blends, and “Good Times & Fine Wines”

In 1972, Dick Troon planted one of the first vineyards in the Applegate Valley. Since that time, the Troon estate has grown to 100 acres with over 40 acres of grapes planted. Known for their signature Zinfandels and unique blends, they are also pioneering varietals such as Vermentino and Tannat. (Their Druid Fluids blend is especially popular.)

The exceptionally well-kept grounds give visitors plenty of options for relaxing, including bocce ball courts, picnic tables, and a giant chess game. Guests can play while they enjoy a plate of cheeses and a glass of wine… or they can just sit back and take in the view.

It has always been my assertion that everything tastes better when served with a smile, and Troon wines definitely support this claim. In the last year, Mr B and I have visited both Troon tasting rooms a couple of times, and found their staff to be enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and exceptionally friendly. (BIG kudos to the team in Carlton – they are amazing!)

Troon Vineyard
1475 Kubli Road
Grants Pass, Oregon 97527
541.846.9900
tastingroom@troonvineyard.com

Troon Carlton Wine Bar
250 N. Kutch Street
Carlton, OR 97111
503.852.3084
carlton@troonvineyard.com

Tasting Room Hours: Open Daily 11 am – 5 pm, June-Aug 11 am – 6 pm
Tasting Fee: $10
(Refunded With Purchase)

SCHMIDT FAMILY VINEYARDS

Specialties: Big reds, country charm, wood-fired pizza, beautiful gardens, and Northwest ambience

Wine and wine making have always been a passion for Cal Schmidt, and in 2000 with the purchase of the old Bennett Ranch on the fertile Kubli Bench, he and his wife Judy realized his lifelong dream of owning a vineyard.

What struck me most about Schmidt Family Vineyards was the care and attention that have been put creating a “complete experience.” In addition to the vineyards themselves, there is a large, picturesque pond, several acres of herb and flower gardens, gazebos, and numerous walking paths for visitors to use as they unwind and enjoy in a beautiful, relaxing setting.

The Craftman-style tasting room at Schmidt Family Vineyards is absolutely stunning.

In addition to their estate wines, Schmidt Family Vineyards offers a quality menu to enhance your wine tasting experience as well, with all food made to order using farm fresh ingredients. We found the wood-fired pizzas to be quite tasty! (Their website also shares recipes, complete with tasting notes!)

Schmidt Family Vineyards

330 Kubli Road
Grants Pass, OR 97527
541-846-9985

schmidt@sfvineyards.com

Tasting Room Hours: 7 days a week from 12-5pm. Open on Fridays from 12-8pm.
Food is served 12-4:30 pm, Thurs-Monday
Tasting Fee: $10 for the Vintner Flight & $12 for the Garden Flight (served in test tubes for easily touring the gardens).
The Vintner’s Flight is complimentary to Wine Club Members. The Garden Flight is 50% off for Wine Club Members.

RED LILY VINEYARDS

Specialties: Spanish Centric Wines, scenic fall color, and cozy conversation.

Red Lily Vineyards is a small, family-owned winery committed to a single goal — producing the finest Spanish-inspired wines possible. Owners Les and Rachael Martin fell in love with Spanish wines years ago, and have “made it their life’s work to cultivate the highest quality wines possible.”

Like all many of the vineyards in the Applegate Valley, you can visit Red Lily Vineyards anytime, but I highly recommend that you put them on your fall wine-tour itinerary when the autumn chill sets the grounds ablaze with vibrant color.

Red Lily’s tasting room is a beautiful example of architectural reclamation. With views of both the valley and the Applegate River, this former feeder barn turned tasting room offers guests both inside and outside seating, an outdoor fireplace, and outdoor heaters to stay warm and cozy. When we visited, we found the prices to be reasonable and the tasting room staff extremely helpful.

Wine flights are served in a test-tube rack, which initially seemed a bit strange, but as it turned out, made a very practical presentation.

Varietals produced by Red Lily Vineyards include Albarino, Grenache, Tempranillo and Touriga Nacional.

Red Lily Vineyards

Les and Rachael Martin, Owners
11777 Hwy. 238
Jacksonville OR 97530

Phone: (541) 846-6800
Fax: (541) 846-0601
info@redlilyvineyards.com

Winter Hours (Nov-Apr) Thursday – Sunday
11:00 am – 5:00 pm

Summer Hours (May-Oct) Daily
11:00 am -5:00 pm

Tasting Fee: $5
(Refunded With Purchase of 2 Bottles of Wine)

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Rogue Creamery {+ 24 Delicious Blue Cheese Recipes}

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^{Disclosure: My visit to Wooldridge Creek, Schmidt, and Troon Wineries, including tastings, were complimentary as part of a Travel Oregon press trip. As always, all opinions and images are my own. This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running, and at the same time allow us to keep traditional advertising to a minimum. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}

Newport Seafood & Wine Festival: 11 Tips to Know Before Your Go

January 23 By Renée ♥ 18 Comments

Knowing what to expect and being prepared will make all the difference when you attend the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival.

A few years ago while attending a casual dinner gathering of Portland food and wine bloggers in Portland, I happen to mention that I had just returned from a weekend at the coast.

Me: “Guess what I just did last weekend, guys!?! (Everyone looks at me expectantly.) “I went to the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival. For the first time.”
Group: [Collective low-key head shaking] “Why, Renée? What were you thinking?!?”
Me: “I know. I should have known. I really should have known.”
Group: [Knowing chuckles and nodding.]
Me: “It was a total frat party.”
Group: “Accurate. It’s a lot better if you’re prepared for it though.”

True story, folks. Be prepared.

11 Things You Need to Know Before Attending the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival | The Good Hearted Woman

Jenny and I met these enthusiastic ladies while waiting in the shuttle line. They attend the Festival every year together to celebrate their friend’s birthday.

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

It all started out like an adventure waiting to happen. My BFF Jenny and I packed up the car for much needed a girls’ weekend at the beach, where we planned to spend our time tasting some of the best wines around and eating piles of delicious seafood. Well, we definitely made a memory – no question about that – but we also got an clear-cut reminder that, like Disneyland on a hot August afternoon, expectation and reality are not always the same thing.

That said, let me be clear: the point of this post is not to discourage you from attending the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival: quite the contrary! It is my hope that this post will give you the information you need so that, when you go, you can have a great time; and (most importantly) avoid having any big, unwelcome surprises along the way. In other words, this is the post I wish I had read before I went.

This is the post I wish I'd read *before* I went to the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival {Newport, Oregon} #travel #traveloregon @seafoodandwine Click To Tweet

The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival

Held annually in Newport Oregon on the 4th weekend of February

Every February since 1978, the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival in Newport, Oregon has attracted visitors from around the world. At the Festival, Pacific Northwest wineries pour their finest wines, culinary professionals serve up delectable seafood creations, and local artists and craftsmen showcase a variety of fine art, sculptures, photography, pottery, and jewelry. Knowing what to expect and being prepared will make all the difference in your experience.

[Note that this is a over-21 event. Children are not allowed, nor are pets unless they are a service animal.]

Pre-Festival Prep

1. Book your stay in Newport early. Each year, the Festival draws some 25,000 additional people to this coastal community of 10,000, making overnight options scarce, so if you want to stay in town, be sure to plan ahead. Or, better yet, plan your overnight stay in one of the many nearby coastal towns. Maybe it’s just my imagination, but Newport overnight accommodations during the Festival seem significantly more pricey than they are other times of the year. (Whaaa?!?!) You may find a better deal by staying 20 or 30 minutes north or south of Newport.

2. Purchase your tickets online to save. You can save between 10% and 20% by purchasing your tickets online. Note that Saturday entrance is by E-Ticket only. There is NO GENERAL ADMISSION on Saturday. Standby may be available after 1pm depending on capacity; however, standby tickets are considerably more expensive.

3. Eat a good meal before you go. This is just common sense, especially if you plan to do a lot of wine tasting. You probably want to avoid spicy or heavily seasoned food in order to keep your taste buds neutral, but it’s a good idea to have something in your stomach.

Speaking of food, I think that the single biggest disappointment about the Festival for me when I attended was due wholly to my incorrect perception that because title of the Festival was “Seafood & Wine,” that there would be a balance of, well, seafood and wine. Logically, what followed in my mind was that I would have many luscious seafood options from which to choose for a midday meal.

The reality was, not so much. From my perspective (and I’m sure some would disagree) this Festival is all about the Wine: the seafood is just a nice opening act, and an overpriced one at that. With that said, the food vendor list for this year’s festival seems to have significantly expanded since we attended, so it might be a bit more balanced now.

Getting There

4. Take advantage of the shuttle service. The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival provides a FREE bus shuttle to all patrons of the Festival. The shuttle stops at many of the local hotels, motels and popular Newport neighborhoods. Shuttles stop running 1 hour after the closing of the Festival. On Saturday the hours are extended for service to area restaurants. Even if you are staying a ways out of town, I suggest parking at one of the shuttle stops and taking the shuttle bus to the actual event location, as parking there can be a significant challenge much of the time.

There are also many private groups that obtain a license to operate as a temporary cab service through the City of Newport. These cab services are available throughout the Festival weekend in addition to the regular cab companies in Newport.

5. Go early and leave early. At peak times of the day (particularly on Saturday) there can be a bit of a wait to get in, so be prepared to chill in line for a little while. (And “chill” you will! Remember, this is the Oregon Coast in February, folks.) The upside to this is that you will have the opportunity to meet some truly interesting characters.

The best days to go to avoid the college partiers are Thursday night or Sunday, the later being the most “adult” day of the Festival. Sunday is also a good day for finding deals, as vendors don’t want to tote all that wine back with them.

This couple, like many, dressed up for the occasion.

When You Go

6. Do not drink all the wine. [Read: Don’t be a jackass.] At one point while Jenny and I were threading our way through the crowds, it seemed as though wine glasses were falling to the ground around us like plates at a Greek wedding, due mostly to the fact that their owners had lost the ability to hold onto a glass properly.

Each time a glass popped and shattered on the asphalt floor, individuals in the nearby crowd expressed one of two distinct reactions: (1) clapping, cheering, and general appreciation for the glass owner’s achievement of apparent inebriation, or (2) head-shaking and eye-rolling at the glass owner’s achievement of apparent inebriation. Personally, and at risk of sounding old and judgy, the truth is, if you drink all the wine, you will end up looking like a jackass to at least half the crowd. If you’re cool with that, great. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Mulled blueberry wine, made from a novelty wine from Springbank Farm in Lebanon, Oregon was one of my favorite things at the Festival. It was especially welcome on a crisp February afternoon.

7. Keep in mind that the Vendors are people, too. Vendors can get cranky after a weekend of dealing with ~~drunken revelers and college carousers~~ wine tasters, so if they seem a bit frustrated at times, try to offer a little compassion and a kind word. (You might even get a free tasting out of it 😉)

10 Things You Need to Know Before Attending the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival | The Good Hearted Woman

This Cardwell Hill Cellars vendor was very friendly, and such a good sport for posing for my “exhausted vendor” pic.

Good to Know:

8. You probably don’t want to take your teetotaling friends. I have a lot of friends who don’t consume alcohol under any circumstances, and I attend many food events at which alcohol is served to which I would feel completely comfortable taking them… but this ain’t one of ’em. The focus of the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival is on Wine first and foremost, and as someone who abstained for much of my adult life, I can tell you, this event just isn’t geared for the non-imbibing demographic, at all.

In addition to wine and seafood, there are a number of artisan & crafter booths at the Festival, and this was one of my favorites! Mugwump designs & creates handbags, wallets, & other fashion accessories using reclaimed/recycled materials.

9. Actual wine tastings are NOT INCLUDED in the price of your ticket. If this is your first large-scale wine tasting event, this may come as a surprise. If you plan to do a lot of tasting, come prepared with a pocket full of small bills.

10. Wine awards are (apparently) like soccer trophies: everyone gets one. However, (and I’m just guessing here) not all awards are created equal. Now, I’m no wine expert by any stretch, especially when it comes to “wine awards.” All I can tell you is that practically every bottle I saw on display had some kind of ribbon or medal hanging around its neck. The Newport Seafood & Wine Festival hands out Gold, Silver, Bronze and Best-In-Show awards, but beyond that there are tons of wine awards on display from countless other competitions.

11. There will be at least four times more people there than you imagine. If you are one of those people like I am (INFP here) who find crowds a little intimidating (or terrifying), I strongly urge you to avoid going on Saturday at all. This is the busiest day of the Festival (followed closely by Friday evening) and the one that attracts the most “revelers” as well. The best time for crowd-shy folks is Thursday night (which is also the media night), or early in the day on Friday or Sunday.

10 Things You Should Know Before Attending the Newport Seafood & Wine Festival.

Image Credit: Oregon Coast Visitors Association [Used with permission.]

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Have you ever attended the Newport Seafood & Seafood Festival? (Or any large-scale wine festival?) Share your best advice or tips in the comments below.

Rogue Creamery {+ 24 Delicious Blue Cheese Recipes}

November 10 By Renée ♥ 5 Comments

Rogue Creamery began producing blue cheese in 1954, and today, they continue to draw both inspiration and resources from Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley, offering award-winning varieties of outstanding handcrafted blue cheese, cheddar cheese, and TouVelle.

^{This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.}

For many years, I erroneously thought that blue cheese, Roquetfort, Gorgonzola and the like were distinctly different cheeses. And they are… but they aren’t. Like Swiss- and cheddar-style cheeses, there are a wide variety of blue cheeses, each with its own unique flavor and textures, but they can ofttimes be used interchangeably in recipes. So before we go any farther, let’s take a moment to discuss what blue cheese is.

Blue Cheese Basics

Blue cheese is most often made from cow, sheep, or goat milk.
Blue cheese is made by culturing milk with Penicillium, a type of mold.
Different blue cheeses are cultured in various ways, using unique strains of Penicullium, giving them their distinct flavor, texture, and aroma.
In the European Union, many blue cheeses (e.g., Roquefort, Gorgonzola and Stilton) are protected, and can bear their name only if they have been made in a particular region.

Some Popular Varieties of Blue Cheese

Cabrales – Traditionally made from mixing goat and sheep’s milk together, Cabrales has a strong, spicy flavor.
Danish Blue – This strong blue cheese is creamy, with a semi-soft texture.
Dorset Blue Vinney – This English blue cheese is made with unpasteurized, skimmed cow’s milk, and has a hard texture, a crusty outer layer, and a strong aroma and taste.
Gorgonzola – Made with either cow or goat’s milk (sometimes both), Gorgonzola is a firm, creamy cheese with a salty and often slightly sweet taste.
Roquefort – Famously green-veined, Roquefort has a tangy, salty flavor with sweet undertones.
Stilton – This semi-soft cheese is made from unpasteurized cow’s milk, and has a strong aroma and outstanding flavor.

A Trip Back in Time: Rogue Creamery {Est. 1933}

There’s something comforting and wonderful about the rustic feel of a real, honest-to-goodness (emphasis on the goodness!) cheese shop, and the Rogue Creamery is about as honest a cheese shop as they come. Founded in 1933 at the height of the depression, Rogue Creamery began producing blue cheese in 1954. Today, they continue to draw both inspiration and resources from Southern Oregon’s Rogue River Valley, and offer award-winning varieties of outstanding handcrafted blue cheese, cheddar cheese, and TouVelle.

Step inside to sample cheeses to your heart’s content. Hungry travelers can order one of their crazy-good panini-style grilled cheese sandwiches, prepared with more than a generous amount of cheese. A great place to pack a perfect picnic, Rogue Creamery also offers a carefully curated selection of deli items, crackers, fruit, beer, and wine, as well as local artisan jams, jellies and sauces. The staff at the shop is helpful and knowledgeable, and will be more than happy to help you with your selections.

PRO TIP: There are always samples available, but if something you want to try isn’t out, all you need to do it ask.

The poets have been mysteriously silent on the subject of cheese. {Gilbert K. Chesterton} Click To Tweet

Rogue Creamery Notes:

Smokey Blue: Referred to in-house as “Beginner Blue,” this smooth, smokey blue packs in all of the flavor (and then some) without the harsh, bitey quality of some blue cheeses. This classic Roquefort-style blue cheese is cold smoked sixteen hours with Oregon Hazelnut shells, resulting in a sweet, creamy, smoky flavor. It crumbles well, and is “easy to eat” as blue cheese goes, and pairs well with well-rounded “food” wines that are on the fruity side and lighter on tannins and acidity.
LaDiDa Lavender Cheddar: I know – it sounds weird, but Mr B and I both love this uniquely floral cheese. LaDiDa would be perfect on a dessert tray with chocolate or scones, and paired with a light dessert wine.
Caveman Blue: Full-bodied, buttery, and AMAZING! Rogue Creamery uses a unique aging environment to create this golden-hued blue that tastes of sweet, fresh buttermilk with hints of tropical fruit. Caveman’s earthy undertones pair well with a wide range of beverages, from bold reds to sweeter desert wines to full-flavored Stouts.
Blue Heaven (Powdered Cheese): Blue Heaven is a proprietary blend of Oregon Blue, Oregonzola, Crater Lake Blue and special reserve blue cheeses. Perfect for sprinkling on salads, breads, popcorn, nuts, and anything else you can think of.

PRO TIP: Not a fan of dry, tannin-rich red wines? Me either. But next time you have the chance, try some with a bite of blue cheese. You may be pleasantly surprised (as I was) to discover that the pairing opens up whole new venues to you. Tannins literally bind to the cheese’s protein and fat, measurably softening the astringent qualities of the tannins, and making the entire tasting experience smoother in the process.

BLUE CHEESE RECIPE ROUND-UP

Blue Cheese is an amazingly versatile cheese; equally perfect on a fruit and cheese plate or as a stand-out ingredient in your next meal. Here’s a little Blue Inspiration 😉 from some of my favorite bloggers.

** Recipes are pictured in order, clockwise from the top left corner of each image.

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^{Disclosure: My first trip to the Southern Oregon Artisan Corridor was as part of the #TrailsToFeast Travel Oregon press trip.This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!}