When in Portland for the WBC...

The 2012 Wine Bloggers Conference commenced bright and early this past Friday morning, with another round of wonderful wines to taste. It's difficult to imagine tasting wine before noon, but as the saying goes, "When in Rome..." [I was in Portland for a reason!]

Winebow, an importer based in Seattle, provided a sumptuous brunch Friday morning. The featured wines were all from Mendoza, Argentina and the delicious food pairings were inspired by South American cuisine.

The Alma Negra Misterio Rosé ($24/bottle) was one of my favorites. Made from 85% Malbec and 15% Pinot Noir, this was a pale pink sparkling wine with delightful and bright flavors. The ceviche it was paired with was pretty tasty, too.

I also enjoyed the 2009 Bodega Catena Zapata Alta Malbec (spicy and fruit-forward) and the 2010 Bodegas Nieto Senetiner Reserva (a jammy, full-bodied blend of Bonarda, Malbec, Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon).

By 3 pm, we were on our way to Oregon wine country via bus (every bus went to a different winery and the destination of each bus was only disclosed once we were en route). I was pleased to find out that I was aboard the bus going to WillaKenzie Estate, a winery in Yamhill (about an hour away from our Portland hotel).

We were greeted warmly (with gift bags and 100-degree heat) at the beautiful WillaKenzie property. After the vineyard tour, we were all thoroughly drenched with sweat, but the promise of wine and food motivated us to hang in there. Our thirst was quenched with a Pinot Noir comparative tasting with wines from WillaKenzie, as well as neighboring wineries Solena Estate, Elk Cove, Belle Ponte. The winemaker/owner from each of these wineries was present to introduce and discuss their wines (this unique tasting was designed specifically for our bloggers group).

As delicious as the wines were, the highlight of the excursion was the sunset view of the Willamette Valley and the dinner of lamb and roasted vegetables that we enjoyed atop the WillaKenzie property. I would definitely visit this winery again (though preferably on a cooler day).

We were afforded a short break from wine-tasting on Saturday morning. During the lunch break, I went up to the suite of Craig Camp, owner of Cornerstone Winery, where he was hosting a Napa wine tasting.

There was a selection of 2002 Napa Valley Cabernet from various producers (including Opus One, Pride Mountain, and Far Niente). I was pleasantly surprised by the 2002 BV Georges de Latour—it was still dark and concentrated in the [plastic stemless GoVino] glass with intense blackberry flavors.

The entire line-up of Cornerstone wines were also available to taste. Knowing that I already really liked the Cornerstone Pinot Noirs (which I discovered at Pinot Days in June), I sampled the various Cornerstone Cabernet Sauvignons, which were all incredible. The 2009 vintage of “The Cornerstone” was outstanding with opulent black fruit and impressive structure (the kind of wine worth dressing up for, haha). At $125 a bottle, it deserves the red carpet treatment.

Saturday night, King Estate Winery from Eugene provided us with an amazing five-course meal, prepared by their estate chef, and paired with their estate wines. The third course of wild-caught King salmon with gnocchi and sausage paired exquisitely with the King Estate Pinot Noir ($29/bottle). But the final savory course did me in—roast loin of beef and mushrooms with the NxNW Cabernet Sauvignon ($25/bottle) was an awesome duo!

As you can see, there was no shortage of amazing wines at this conference. It was also a great opportunity to network and meet some of my fellow bloggers (please see the “Blog Roll, Please” to the left of this post). 

I would also like to thank the event organizer, Zephyr Adventures, and all of the sponsors. And to all the wineries who participated in the event—your wines were very much appreciated. Cheers!