I have to tell you I got the best text message ever this week!

It is currently late Thursday afternoon, and yes, I am on the back deck wrapping up the newsletter, taking it all in. I was afraid I would have to go back inside earlier because it started to rain just the teeniest bit. But, thank goodness, the sun is coming back tomorrow and next week!

Wine Spectator has a great piece on Lynn Penner-Ash. After 40 years, this will be Lynn's first time not working Harvest. The best part of the article is at the very end.

Jancis Robinson announced Diana Hawkins as the winner of her yearly writing contest this past week. The theme this year was regeneration. I linked to Diana's article because Oregon got a shoutout!

When I read the headline for the following link, "Non-Binary Winemaking: The Rise of Mellow Malo in a Bid for Non-Buttery, Non-Steely Chardonnay." I wasn't too interested, but as I dove deeper, I perked up when I saw Joe Dobbs's new label, Iterum Wines, mentioned. I was fortunate to try the new label at Salmon Bake! I was browsing the Iterum website and noticed a Pinot from Arlyn!!!!

If you watched Sparklers on SOMM TV last year, the good news is that season 2 will start filming in the Spring. It has also been announced Joel McHale is one of the judges. All I know is there better be some paintball action!

I think I am falling down on the job or something with the lack of events to list. There is a Harvest Brunch at Hazelfern tomorrow if there are any tickets left. I did notice some events at Cannon Beach that look fun!

I am currently reading Fairy Tale by Stephen King. Growing up, I sucked down every single book by Mr. King. It was middle school when I started reading the Dark Tower Series. This was about the same time the hair bands of the late 80s were a thing, and whistling the opening to GnR's Patience got a certain someone's attention in Science class.

The Dark Tower series ended up with 7 or 8 books. After the third book, everyone was waiting for the next one. It reminds me of what George R.R Martin is doing with GoT. As Stephen King finished up the series around 2004, I heard somewhere he was going to retire. When I finished the last book, it took me years to be at peace with the ending. It felt lazy after spending 16 years waiting for a conclusion.

When other books by Stephen King came out after the epic series, I refused to read any more of his books. Fairy Tale is the first book of his I have read since. I am about halfway through. The first part of the book was fabulous! I am in a lull halfway through, but I am sure it will pick back up.

Are you wondering, "Why in the world did you waste three paragraphs talking about Stephen King? It has nothing to do with wine!" There is no direct relation, but trust me, there is a relation. Depending on how you look at it, I was fortunate enough to live through the time when this series was created. It took 22 years from when The Gunslinger was first published in 1982 to 2004 when The Dark Tower was released in 2004. I have yet to read The Wind Through the Keyhole, which came out in 2012. It feels wrong on so many levels!

I am trying to say the chapters/books of The Dark Tower happened in real time for me. As much agony as it was, I will not forget the anticipation for every single book released. I even bought special editions of a few books. I treasured each chapter, which will forever be near and dear to my heart. Do you see what I am going with this yet?

I am fortunate to see and partially experience new chapters unfold about wineries. These expeditions I also hold near and dear to my heart. This is why I want to share a new chapter for Lundeen Wine today.

In January, I provided some backstory about Lundeen Wine and the man behind the scenes, Micheal. It has been a long steady journey for Micheal. In 2008, Lundeen Wines was born. Not many people know of the brand, but I was fortunate enough to hear his name come up several times in conversation. He wasn't 100% set up to do traditional tastings in the past, but if you had an "in," he would gladly coordinate a tasting. Earlier this summer, he hosted the first-ever Lundeen Wine Club Party I want to share with you.

The party occurred on August 20th with clear skies. You couldn't ask for a better day to enjoy great wine while being outside! When I walked up to check in, I was asked, "Are you A.J.?" I tried my best to say no, but there aren't many middle-aged bald guys going around Oregon Wine Country telling stories. The person asking was Lacie. She is the Sales Manager and told me a story about a couple who visited a couple of weeks prior. The couple lives in Seattle, read the post I did in January, set up a time to taste, and let Lacie know, "A.J. sent me!" After the tasting, the couple signed up to become club members and drove back down from Seattle to attend the Lundeen Wine Club Party.

I must tell you. It warms my heart to hear people read the newsletter, website, listen to the podcast, and let everyone know, "A.J. sent me!" Thank you so much for doing that!

The first wine to start the event was the Non-Vintage (NV) Willamette Valley Brut. It is a blend of 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Chardonnay. I found it super refreshing, especially on a lovely sunny summer day with a crisp toastiness on the nose and mid-palate.

I knew the event was in the vineyard, but I didn't realize it was also at Micheal's house, where his son will be the fourth generation of the property. The property used to be a farm, and in the 50s, it was torn down to build the house Micheal and his family live in today. Micheal's dad also helped plant the vineyard.

After the NV Brut was gone, I walked over to Micheal. He was pouring the 2017 Willamette Valley Brut Rose while educating everyone about his sparkling wines' riddling process.

While checking out the food, there was a Peaches and Cream Crostini (homemade herbed ricotta, grilled peaches, crispy speck ham). I was in on cloud nine, pairing the Crostini with the Brut Rose! I also tried the Potato Chips w/ Caviar (Salmon roe, creme fraiche) with the Brut Rose. I should have gotten more Brut Rose to go along with the chips and caviar, but hindsight is 20/20.

Also, if you had told the guy from Tennessee (that's me) I would be drinking Sparkling Wine in Oregon with Potato Chips and caviar, I would have said, "You are full of poo poo!" But, I have to say I am enjoying the journey, and I can't wait to experience more!

Back in January, I only tried Micheal's Sparkling Wines. We didn't get into his Chardonnay or the Pinots. I was super excited for the next pour, which was the 2020 Articulate Chardonnay. According to the website, the Articulate label "is the top tier counterpoint to the single vineyard wines."

I was pleased with the 2020 Articulate Chardonnay. It had a lightness on the nose, not overpowering by saying, "I am Chardonnay!" I am guessing it was in neutral oak for a little bit. Oh my goodness, I was in acidity heaven. The structure of this wine was great! At $38/bottle retail, it is worth it on so many levels.

During the party, we had great accidental entertainment. The Air Show at the McMinnville Airport was occurring at the same time. The planes didn't take away too much attention from the wines, but it was still great to see them in action.

Next up was the 2019 Mon Pere Pinot Noir. This is more of a light-bodied Pinot, showing off darker fruit and killer spice on the mid-palate and finish. At $25/bottle, this is a crowd pleaser for a weekend get-together or a Thursday night sipper.

The Steak Skewers (Coal roasted Eola Crest flank steak, cherry pinot mostarda) were coming out, and they were fabulous! I grabbed a pour of the 2019 Articulate Pinot Noir, and it's good that there wasn't a chair at the serving table. I could have been there all day, especially if the bottle of the 2019 Articulate was nearby, gently telling me to pour it into my glass.

Right off the bat, the nose of the Articulate Pinot caught my attention with a more extensive body on the mid-palate compared to the Mon Pere. The spice hits you on entry and wafts onto the mid-palate for a killer long finish grabbing you in the back of the jaw.

There was one more wine to try, and I took my time by wandering around a little, looking at the vines, and taking everything in. There were family pictures on a tree. It is evident on so many levels how important family is to Micheal. When you talk with him, he is a gentle, super attentive gentleman who remembers details and takes the time needed to ensure you are well taken care of. With all that said, the slogan on their website and on the back of their shirts says it all, "Be kind. Work hard. Drink great wine."

The final pour of the day was the 2016 La Cantera Vineyard. This vineyard sits above Rex Hill Winery at about 690 feet. La Cantera immediately grabs your attention on the nose with deep dark fruits intermingled with great spice. The tannin and acidity structure are firmly in place! This easily has ten more years on it, if not more! At $60/bottle, you can't go wrong for a special occasion or to impress friends/family.

As everyone was preparing to leave, Micheal's son ran back and forth, taking orders. I went home with a couple bottles of the Brut Rose and a shirt. I can't appreciate enough the heart and soul Micheal is putting into his business. He lives by the words, "Be kind. Work hard. Drink great wine." If you want to experience some fantastic Sparkling, Chardonnay, and Pinot, I highly encourage you to take a trip to McMinnville and visit Lundeen Wine! If you need other recommendations in the area, let me know, and when you see Micheal, Lacie, or anyone else, keep the tradition going of saying, "A.J. sent me!"

With Gratitude,

A.J.