Reflecting on the 2012 Portland Showcase of Wine and Cheese
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012 — posted by Matthew Delaney
The evening of Friday, February 24th was greeted by an event of charitable delights. The recent Portland Showcase of Wine and Cheese was a monumental collaboration of wineries, cheese advocates, local confection artists, savory meat experts, and proud philanthropic sponsors. The room was vast yet filled with wine enthusiasts eager to support a worthy cause. Proceeds from this event were presented to the Boys and Girls Club of Portland Metropolitan Area to help children grow into successful adults constantly working to better themselves and their surroundings. It’s truly impressive to witness such great effort put forth in support of Portland’s youth.
The Portland Showcase featured approximately 170 wines from 83 wineries ranging in origin from the Columbia and Willamette Valleys to Napa and Sonoma California. The varietal selection was equally impressive; sampling included Merlots, Cabernets, Pinos, Riesling, Zins and Chardonnays, Bruts and Moscats, Fume Blanc, Shiraz, Petites, Chenin Blanc, and Port. The long decorated tables offered dizzying line-ups of delicious red and white wines waiting to be imbibed. Obviously, there would be no feasible way to properly review each vintage in one article but included below are a few that stand out among the rest in exceptional aroma and flavor.
Ferrari-Carano Merlot 2007
This Merlot was surprisingly mellow. I would expect some sort of malolactic fermentation was employed in its making, but I cannot be certain. The aroma was overwhelmingly fruity and the color was a nice deep crimson. I would pair this wine with a rich tomato-based Italian dish or a slow-cooked roast aside garlic mashed potatoes. In preparation for this article, I researched prices of the wines I chose to review and was happy to see this pleasing wine sells for around $16. Overall, this Merlot was mild and its tannins were unassuming. I would certainly sip this Ferrari-Carano Merlot again.
King Estate Pinot Noir 2009
Hailing from Willamette Valley, this Pinot Noir scored an 89 by Wine Spectator. Although I was not aware of this recognition when I sampled the wine, I can certainly understand the prestige. This exquisite wine has a glowing cherry color and a fruity aroma with notes of vanilla. The description written in the informational handout described caramel notes; I agree this wine is remarkably buttery with an incredibly smooth mouth feel. I would describe the flavors as spicy with smokey and woody hints. The tannins are tartly present but not dominating. Priced online at around $26, this Pinot Noir is yet more proof of the quality Oregon can produce.
2008 Viridian Pinot Gris
Viridian’s Pinot Gris was a light and refreshing break fro
m deeper red wines mid-evening. Valued at around $15 a bottle, this Willamette Valley white is accurately advertised as crisp and clean. The aroma is delicately floral with fresh late-summer fruit tones. The flavor is distinctly that of ripe pear and juicy red apple. As whites go, this one is noteworthy especially considering the low cost.
Wilson Daniels- Roth Sauvignon Blanc 2010
Visually appealing with a light honey hue, the Roth Sauvignon Blanc was another white I found to be quite tasty. This white is a choreographed dance between tart lemony flavors and sweet fruity pear and apple notes. As the finale of this delicious California Sauvignon Blanc, soft peppery hints linger on the tongue. The nose is clearly a tango of floral and fruit. Later, I discovered Wine Spectator agrees with the quality of this wine by awarding an 89 rating.
The other truly remarkable wines I had the privilege of sampling included an $89 bottle of Silver Oak 2006 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a $50 Rombauer Cabernet Sauvignon Diamond 2006. Also, I had the pleasure of tasting De Lille Cellars Del Grand Ciel Syrah 2006 which is a richly complex blend of berry flavor, smooth vanilla notes, and hints of fine liqueur. Additionally present from De Lille Cellars was a Doyenne Roussanne 2008. This white represents the perfection of summer with its succulent floral aromas and peachy ripe flavors. The texture of this wine is elegantly smooth; overall a delight to experience.
I plan on indulging next year for a good cause and to savor some of the wines I simply couldn’t get to on this occasion. I was thoroughly satisfied with the wine selection, superb edible snacks, and mood-setting live jazz complete with a Frank Sinatra imitator.
By Matthew Delaney, The Wine’dUp Blog and Which Wine Cooler
