Here we are, the first Saturday of September. It doesn’t feel possible, and I have zero clue where 2025 went. Fall is so much in the air. Harvest is kicking off all over the place, and weirdly, for some reason, I’m embracing it more than in previous years. I don’t quite understand the why, and that’s ok. If you’ve been a long-time reader, you know how much I normally kick and scream being brought into Fall.

You know I’m always writing about wineries and the people behind those wineries. I want to do a quick shoutout to a company I’ve been working with for almost two years. The company is Bottle 360, and they have a point of sale system for wineries. And to say point of sale is an understatement, but I use the term to give you a frame of reference most of you will understand. They take the place of Commerce7, WineDirect, and OrderPort, just to name a few.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been working closely with Katherine (Kathy) and Tim. The reason I’ve been working with them is because Block 55 integrates reservations directly in real time with Bottle 360. Real time integration is basically unheard of in the wine world, and the team at Bottle 360 made it possible.

You might be asking yourself, “Why in the world is A.J. bringing up Kathy and Tim?” Well, let me tell you a quick story. I did an AI presentation last month for the Willamette Valley Wineries Association. During the presentation, I displayed prompts about researching winery reservation systems. Of course, ChatGPT brought up Block 55. And in the pros of Block 55, ChatGPT mentioned the off the charts integration with Bottle 360. And here’s where I messed up.

When I’m typing away on my MacBook, I have the luxury of overthinking everything I say. I delete paragraphs I don’t like and retype until I get the message I want. Speaking in front of 100 people? I don’t have that sort of luxury. Kathy was in the crowd, and I should have done a callout to her and the team. I was on autopilot. It wasn’t in my “script,” and poof, the opportunity was gone. I felt awful because I was more nervous than a freshman asking out a senior on the cheerleading squad.

I’ve been hearing about so many wineries transitioning from WineDirect to Bottle 360 over the summer, and it’s been so heartwarming to see. If you think I care about uplifting wineries, Kathy and Tim are just as passionate. I’m so grateful Kathy approached me about integrating with them almost two years ago. I can’t wait to see where 2026 takes them. They’re knocking it out of the park.​

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You gotta check out this Geeky Wine Tour!!!​

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Joe Dobbes, the man and a legend is still making the headlines

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Love, Love, Love the wine community helping Linfield!​

Before we dive into the story today, I want to try and help a winery that holds a special place in my heart, Walnut Ridge. They are located near Eugene in Junction City. If you’re looking for Pinot Gris (priced at $1,300 per ton) or Pinot Noir ($1,500 per ton), they have fruit available. They also have some Chardonnay and Gamay if you’re interested.

I normally don’t do this, but like I said, they are close to my heart. And I know beyond a shadow of a doubt they care deeply about what is happening in the soil. Without that heart and soul, good wine doesn’t just magically appear.

If you’re interested in fruit, you know how to click that reply button and I’ll put you in touch.

With it being officially Pumpkin Spice season, I have to go back in time to the first of July and a trip I took to Southern Oregon. This was a trip many months in the works. I was invited to stay at The Overlook overlooking the Cowhorn vineyard. I was overly enthusiastic about the invite because when I visited Cowhorn for the Wine Media Conference in 2021, it was a highlight of the trip. To stay on site and dive deeper was absolute bliss. After some coordination, I was set to stay at The Overlook on a Thursday and Friday night in early July.

In order to understand the present, of course we have to go back in time a little to my September 4th, 2001 newsletter. Isn’t it crazy how that’s almost four years to today’s date? Anyway, around April of 2021, an investment group led mostly by Katherine, aka Mini Banks (now Mini Byers), bought Cowhorn Vineyards from Bill and Barb Steele. The investment group consisted of Mini, her aunt, and friends Mark and Grant Gustafson. Let me throw you a little curveball in case you don’t recognize the name Mini Byers. Her parents were heavily involved in Screaming Eagle. If you’re curious about that, I strongly encourage you to bring up your favorite AI tool like ChatGPT or Claude and do some digging. Notice how I didn’t say “Google it.” Isn’t it weird how we’re moving away from search engines to AI?

During my trip in 2021 to Southern Oregon, my knowledge of the region was pretty sparse. It’s still very much lacking. I say this because I didn’t appreciate Cowhorn the way I appreciate it today. Before my trip this year, I mentioned where I was going to a few people and they raved on and on. Some mentioned how they wanted to get fruit from the site, but it was sold out. Others talked about wanting to visit to learn more about their farming practices. It is such a special place, and my appreciation this time around was far greater than it was four years ago.

If you have the time and some coffee, here’s the link to read the newsletter from 2021​

You might be asking, outside of other people wanting fruit, what else has deepened my appreciation? Well, for starters, in October of 2021 the same investment group bought Johan Vineyards in the Van Duzer Corridor. I’ve been watching them ever since. They’ve hosted so many great events, but I never made it out to visit. I remember when I visited Left Coast Estate and realized Johan shares the same driveway. I was miffed at myself for not doing better research and planning to visit both wineries the same day. I RSVP’d for a summer event, but the idea of driving an hour in Friday rush hour traffic got the best of me. So when I got an invite earlier this year to go back out to Cowhorn, I was more than excited.

The invite included staying at The Overlook for two nights, dinner at Cowhorn Kitchen, and a tasting. Let’s start with The Overlook. It has three bedrooms, sleeps six, and of course overlooks the Cowhorn vineyard. It’s listed on VRBO for about $1,500 per night.

When I walked in the front door, I was blown away. I had to get outside onto the deck and soak up the view of the vineyard. I didn’t have this vantage point four years ago. It was a little warm outside, but I still had to get my laptop out, catch up on all things digital, and sip a glass of wine before dinner. Bliss. Absolute bliss beyond belief.

Dinner was at Cowhorn Kitchen in Jacksonville, about 20 minutes away. When I spoke with the tasting room person earlier in the day, she mentioned Mini was going to meet me at dinner. Even after all these years of interviewing winemakers and exploring new wineries, I had to take a huge swallow after that phone call. Honestly, I would find it easier to sit across from Drew Bledsoe than from Mini. Why? A few reasons. I don’t know Southern Oregon wine the way I should, and there’s something magical about how Mini does things. At this very second, I’d compare her to a young Maggie Harrison. I’d be equally nervous to have dinner with Maggie.

When I walked into the restaurant, it was small and quaint. I was expecting something a little bigger, but it was perfect in so many ways. Mini wasn’t there, and it was starting to look like she wouldn’t be showing up. Phew. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it would have been amazing, but I welcomed the ability to relax, enjoy the wine, and enjoy the food.

The food and the wine, oh my goodness. I want to dive into what blew me away, but let’s start from the top. Cowhorn and Johan wines were available. I started off with the Johan 2021 Three Barrel Pinot Noir. I loved the dark red color in the glass, and every bit of the experience with this Pinot was pleasant. It was solid on every level.

While sipping the Pinot, I devoured the menu. Even though I’m not a huge fan of carrots, the Carrot Gochujang with heirloom carrots, carrot butter, paneer, latke, pickled raisins, and fermented carrots sounded out of this world. It paired okay with the Pinot. They gave me a little skin-contact Pinot Gris to try with it as well, and it was decent. But when I had the 2021 Cowhorn Grenache, it was fan-freaking-tabulous. The spice from the Gochujang brought out a lingering spice in the wine. I’ll never forget that pairing.

Next up was the Pasta Enrico with a 2020 Reserve Syrah. Before I get to the Syrah, here’s how the pasta was described on the menu: nduja basil pesto, house-made Italian sausage, toasted pine nuts, fresh basil, and Parmigiano Reggiano. Oh my goodness, talk about mouthwatering. The pasta was perfectly al dente, and I loved the house-made sausage.

Let’s talk about the 2020 Reserve Syrah. You might be thinking, “A.J., why in the world would you drink a 2020 wine? Wildfires!” You’re absolutely right. The reason I chose it is because four years ago I tasted it from the barrel and loved it. I wanted to see what I thought of it now. Also, how often do you get a five-year-old glass pour in a restaurant? Usually you’re looking at much younger wines. I had to give it a shot. I was so pleased. It was smooth with a touch of tannin, and still had room to age. Pairing it with the pasta was a total delight.

After the carrots, pasta, and wine, I didn’t have much room for dessert. But you know the saying, “When in Paris.” I had to indulge. It was incredible. If you’re in Jacksonville, visit Cowhorn Kitchen. You won’t be disappointed.

There’s something about Southern Oregon towns. The deer like to roam the streets.

I enjoy being a morning person. I get more done by 8:00 than most do all day. The price? I go to bed early. When I got back to The Overlook after dinner, it was a little after 9:00, and my body said bedtime. I couldn’t do it though. Sitting outside in the dark overlooking the Cowhorn vineyard was spectacular. I opened the fridge to grab some water, and someone had snuck in a bottle of Cowhorn Viognier. Oh no! I poured a glass, sat outside, and soaked up the stars and the sounds of nature. I told myself I was going to walk the vineyard in the morning.

The next morning, I worked through a couple of obstacles in my head, and there was no way I could walk the vineyard. I was bummed but made a promise to myself to do it the next day. One of the obstacles was running into Medford and getting back by noon for my tasting at Cowhorn. I barely made it. With 30 minutes to spare, I walked down from The Overlook to the tasting room. It was just as I remembered, but this time I got to sit and enjoy.

It was noon on a Friday, and I was the only person in the tasting room. Olivia was pouring the wines, and we had some great conversation between pours. But I’m already over 2,000 words, and I haven’t even talked about the vineyard walk. Let’s focus on the wines.

2023 Viognier

This was the bottle someone put in the fridge for me. It was the first time I really sat down and contemplated what was in the glass. Please note, I am far from a Viognier scholar. I don’t have a set expectation of what I should be tasting. That said, I really enjoyed how nice and acidic this was through the mid-palate with a floral nose. I would easily drink this on any summer day. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it.

2021 Marsanne Roussanne

Here’s another wine I know very little about. This blend of Marsanne and Roussanne is still very new to me. I need more exploration before I can explain what’s happening here. I’m curious to learn more, and anything else I say would come from a place of ignorance. So I’ll just say this: explore it for yourself and have fun.

2022 Grenache

This was the wine I absolutely loved with the carrot dish the night before. Tasting it without food was really interesting. I expected to fall head over heels again, but at three years old and without food, this was a big wine. I still enjoyed it, but it caught me a little off guard. I would love to revisit this wine again in ten years.

2022 GSM

This GSM blend is made up of 68 percent Syrah, 24 percent Grenache, and 8 percent Mourvèdre. I don’t get the opportunity to taste GSM blends very often in Oregon, and I have to say I really enjoyed this one. The fruit was showing really well, with just a bit of tannin, and the finish was super pleasant.

2019 Deuce Red Wine

This is a blend of 15 percent Syrah, 55 percent Tempranillo, and 30 percent Mourvèdre. Again, not a blend you see very often in Oregon. The red color in the glass was beautiful. Keep in mind, this wine was made by the previous owners before Mini purchased the property. I was surprised by how light the body was. I expected it to be meatier, but I had no complaints. The fruit is still very much alive, and there is still a bit of tannin even after six years. This would be a fun one to revisit five to ten years from now.

2021 Estate Syrah

This is not the reserve Syrah from dinner the night before. It’s a year younger, and yes, I have to compare it. This was a super pleasurable wine. It didn’t have the same depth I found in the reserve, but it showed off really nice fruit and a clean, soft finish with almost no tannin.

After finishing with Olivia, I had another tasting scheduled in Ashland with Resistance Wine Company. Earlier this year, Resistance became a Block 55 customer. Being in the area, I had to visit. I love their branding, and the tasting room is a breath of fresh air. Kirk is doing a fantastic job hosting events and building community. You have to experience it for yourself next time you’re in Southern Oregon.

Before dinner that night, I found myself at South Stage Cellars and was shocked to see Pinotage on the tasting menu. I had to try it. Pinotage in Oregon is extremely rare. The staff mentioned they may be the only ones working with it in the state. What an unexpected treat.

After dinner, I sat outside with another glass of wine. You would think I’d be wined out by then, but when I’m exploring, my curiosity has no limits. Sitting there in silence was exactly what I needed. I say silence, but life around me was anything but. There’s something I’ve heard winemakers say over and over about biodynamic vineyards, and this was the first time I truly experienced it. Life was buzzing all around me. You could hear it and see it everywhere. That life is what lets the vineyard shine. Nature taking care of nature. Sitting there under the stars, just listening, was one of the most powerful ways I’ve ever experienced that idea.

The next morning, I was determined to walk the vineyard. What an experience that was. If you’ve ever listened to winemakers talk about microclimates, you know the term gets used often. What fascinates me about Cowhorn is how the vineyard sits in a valley between two ridgelines to the east and west. When I started walking, the sun was still hidden behind the eastern slope. By the time I finished, it had started peeking over the edge. I don’t even have the words for how magical it felt. Sometimes not having the words is perfectly okay. I hope the photos I captured that morning do it some justice.

After that vineyard walk, I had to hit the road to make it back for a dinner in Newberg. I’m thinking I’ll save that story for the December newsletter. But as I walked up from the vineyard back to The Overlook, I felt it. That constant tension in my shoulders that always tries to defy gravity finally gave up, just for a little while.

I started this newsletter six years ago to share the hidden gemstones of wine country. I’m more than confident that fewer than five people in my immediate wine circle know about Cowhorn. It is a truly magical place. When you stay at The Overlook and eat at Cowhorn Kitchen, the experience is something else entirely.

And when I say “over the top,” I want to be clear. I don’t mean jaw-dropping or mind-blowing in the flashy way. I mean connection. I mean heart and soul. When you take the time to breathe, to listen to the birds, the bees, and the rustling in the vineyard, you start to feel centered. For me, that is what “over the top” truly means.

If my storytelling wasn’t enough and you still have a little coffee left, check out this Forbes article on Cowhorn.

So here we are at the last paragraph of the newsletter. Close to 3,500 words later. Sometimes, I just can’t stop typing. And you already know what I’m going to say. I don’t need to tell you when to visit Cowhorn or remind you to tell Olivia in the tasting room, “A.J. sent me.” You know that already. If I’m going to take the time to share a place with you, it is absolutely worth the experience.

With Gratitude,

A.J.