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I'm whittling down some of the paper clutter. Saved an article from the September 2, 2008 Oregonian (paper). Saved it mostly because I'd like to find a wine or two that I actually liked, but tend to be hesitant on buying them for fear of hating it and wasting money. Please note that the tiny columns do make these actual paragraphs, but they look pretty tiny here. :o)
These dog-loving wines are worth hunting down - by Katherine Cole
What do cows, goats, rabbits, frogs, clams, insects, hippos, elk, wolves, birds of every feather, fish of every fin and last but not least, the kangaroo, have in common?
They sell wine. A lot of wine.
For every snob who selects a bottle based on its vintage and subappellation, probably a hundred shoppers fall for a wine based on its label. These consumers must be animal lovers because bottle-shop shelves are looking more and more like glass menageries.
Of all the bottle beasts, none is more iconic than the domesticated canine. Wine labels that depict dogs make consumers sit up, roll over and beg.
Many wine lovers are also dog lovers, but I think the dog-label trend is driven by the vintners. Nearly every winery seems to have a resident hound; these pooches are lovingly photographed and profiled in the "Wine Dogs" book series and on the back page of the British oeno mag Decanter.
As I began working on this column a couple of weeks ago, the mercury had risen to 101 degrees and our family dog was sprawled out on the basement floor playing dead, tongue hanging at half-mast. I was inspired to round up a pack of dog wines for the dogs of summer, er, September.
Allow me to clarify: By "dog," I do not mean "bad." I simply refer to a wine with a dog on its label. Conveniently - perhaps because vignerons know that no one will take a dog wine too seriously - these wines are not too serious. But they're tasty. I hope these make your tail wag.
2006 Ankeny Vineyard "Hershy's Red" Oregon Pinot Noir ($19)
Dogma: "Hershy is a big chocolate lab - red, robust and vigorous - everything a good dog should be."
Drool Factor: Small but flattering head shot of an open-mouthed Hershy, flashing some tongue and gums.
Slurp Factor: The light cranberry color is a cue that this red can be served slightly chilled on a panting-hot, late-summer day. Cherry, cranberry and orange peel on the nose. Cherry palate has a Campari-like refreshing bitterness, with black notes of raspberry and interesting aromatic bitters to the lightly spiced finish. Estate grown in the Willamette Valley.
Heel to: Fred Meyer Johnson Creek and Sunset, Made in Oregon, other Portland stores.
2006 Dog House "Patches' Pinot" California Pinot Grigio ($8.50)
Dogma: "Dogs know pedigree. They can spot a purebred from a mongrel at 20 paces in the dead of night. What's their secret? World-class noses." (This is one of a littler of wines that includes Charlie's Chard, Checkers' Cab, Maxie's Merlot, and Zeke's Zin. Proceeds benefit Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Drool Factor: Disappointing abstract sketch leads consumers to conclude that Patches is, in fact, a fictional dog.
Slurp Factor: Orange blossom and candied lemon peel on the nose and palate. Mouth-pleasing silky softness on the palate with some honeydew and floral notes. Try it with Caesar salad.
Heel to: Taste Wine Shop
2006 Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red Columbia Valley Red Table Wine ($20)
Dogma: "It took only moments to realize what was happening across the field from my house - a very small animal had fallen into harm's way and was being attacked by a pit bull. The puppy had lost a leg, but found a home. With only three legs, and two on the port side, I named him Port, and he is my best friend."
Drool Factor: Dashing photo of eponymous three-pawed dog, ears pricked up, tongue hanging out.
Slurp Factor: Deep purple color and vibrant nose of black currant compte, bacon and tar continues onto a velvety palate that resonates with black pepper and grippy tannins. Tastes expensive.
Heel to: Phil's Uptown Meat Market, Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Wine About It.
2007 Kramer Vineyards Yamhill-Carlton District Oregon Pinot Gris ($16.50)
Dogma: "Our sustainably farmed estate vineyard is home to a variety of native plants and beneficial insects, including dragonflies, dandelion and wild bachelor buttons."
Drool Factor: Fetching watercolor of Cassie, a squat black lab, flanked by dragonflies.
Slurp Factor: Kissed with pineapple and ginger, with some deep apricot notes, a bit of spritz and a cream pina-colada mouth feel. This sake-like consistency makes it a good match for Japanese fare.
Heel to: Fred Mayer, Urban Decanter.
2007 O'Reilly's Oregon Pinot Noir ($17)
Dogma: "The Owen and o'Reilly families craft tiny lots of win from exceptional vineyard sites throughout the Pacific Northwest."
Drool Factor: Etching of the handsome head of an Irish wolfhound named Fionn, the former mascot of San Francisco's O'Reilly's Irish Pub & Restaurant, which is owned by an O'Reilly cousin.
Slurp Factor: Bright, light cranberry color; candied cherry nose. The palate is lean on fruit but light and refreshing, and its spicy finish packs the punch of a mouthful of Red Hots. A picnic wine for an outing with your favorite four-legged friend.
Heel to: Cellar Door, Oregon Wines on Broadway, Whole Foods, etc.
More dog wines looking for homes:
Visitors to Honeywood Winery in Salem can purchase bottles of "Dog Gone Wine" blackberry, pear or pomegranate wines and pinot noir ($12-24) to benefit the Willamette Humane Society. Details: www.doggonewine.com
Note: Prices are approximate. These wines may be available at stores other than those listed, and you can special-order most wines through your local wine merchant. Ah! I didn't know they could do that. Will have to find a local wine merchant. Hmm.
These dog-loving wines are worth hunting down - by Katherine Cole
What do cows, goats, rabbits, frogs, clams, insects, hippos, elk, wolves, birds of every feather, fish of every fin and last but not least, the kangaroo, have in common?
They sell wine. A lot of wine.
For every snob who selects a bottle based on its vintage and subappellation, probably a hundred shoppers fall for a wine based on its label. These consumers must be animal lovers because bottle-shop shelves are looking more and more like glass menageries.
Of all the bottle beasts, none is more iconic than the domesticated canine. Wine labels that depict dogs make consumers sit up, roll over and beg.
Many wine lovers are also dog lovers, but I think the dog-label trend is driven by the vintners. Nearly every winery seems to have a resident hound; these pooches are lovingly photographed and profiled in the "Wine Dogs" book series and on the back page of the British oeno mag Decanter.
As I began working on this column a couple of weeks ago, the mercury had risen to 101 degrees and our family dog was sprawled out on the basement floor playing dead, tongue hanging at half-mast. I was inspired to round up a pack of dog wines for the dogs of summer, er, September.
Allow me to clarify: By "dog," I do not mean "bad." I simply refer to a wine with a dog on its label. Conveniently - perhaps because vignerons know that no one will take a dog wine too seriously - these wines are not too serious. But they're tasty. I hope these make your tail wag.
2006 Ankeny Vineyard "Hershy's Red" Oregon Pinot Noir ($19)
Dogma: "Hershy is a big chocolate lab - red, robust and vigorous - everything a good dog should be."
Drool Factor: Small but flattering head shot of an open-mouthed Hershy, flashing some tongue and gums.
Slurp Factor: The light cranberry color is a cue that this red can be served slightly chilled on a panting-hot, late-summer day. Cherry, cranberry and orange peel on the nose. Cherry palate has a Campari-like refreshing bitterness, with black notes of raspberry and interesting aromatic bitters to the lightly spiced finish. Estate grown in the Willamette Valley.
Heel to: Fred Meyer Johnson Creek and Sunset, Made in Oregon, other Portland stores.
2006 Dog House "Patches' Pinot" California Pinot Grigio ($8.50)
Dogma: "Dogs know pedigree. They can spot a purebred from a mongrel at 20 paces in the dead of night. What's their secret? World-class noses." (This is one of a littler of wines that includes Charlie's Chard, Checkers' Cab, Maxie's Merlot, and Zeke's Zin. Proceeds benefit Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Drool Factor: Disappointing abstract sketch leads consumers to conclude that Patches is, in fact, a fictional dog.
Slurp Factor: Orange blossom and candied lemon peel on the nose and palate. Mouth-pleasing silky softness on the palate with some honeydew and floral notes. Try it with Caesar salad.
Heel to: Taste Wine Shop
2006 Dunham Cellars Three Legged Red Columbia Valley Red Table Wine ($20)
Dogma: "It took only moments to realize what was happening across the field from my house - a very small animal had fallen into harm's way and was being attacked by a pit bull. The puppy had lost a leg, but found a home. With only three legs, and two on the port side, I named him Port, and he is my best friend."
Drool Factor: Dashing photo of eponymous three-pawed dog, ears pricked up, tongue hanging out.
Slurp Factor: Deep purple color and vibrant nose of black currant compte, bacon and tar continues onto a velvety palate that resonates with black pepper and grippy tannins. Tastes expensive.
Heel to: Phil's Uptown Meat Market, Hollywood Wine & Espresso, Wine About It.
2007 Kramer Vineyards Yamhill-Carlton District Oregon Pinot Gris ($16.50)
Dogma: "Our sustainably farmed estate vineyard is home to a variety of native plants and beneficial insects, including dragonflies, dandelion and wild bachelor buttons."
Drool Factor: Fetching watercolor of Cassie, a squat black lab, flanked by dragonflies.
Slurp Factor: Kissed with pineapple and ginger, with some deep apricot notes, a bit of spritz and a cream pina-colada mouth feel. This sake-like consistency makes it a good match for Japanese fare.
Heel to: Fred Mayer, Urban Decanter.
2007 O'Reilly's Oregon Pinot Noir ($17)
Dogma: "The Owen and o'Reilly families craft tiny lots of win from exceptional vineyard sites throughout the Pacific Northwest."
Drool Factor: Etching of the handsome head of an Irish wolfhound named Fionn, the former mascot of San Francisco's O'Reilly's Irish Pub & Restaurant, which is owned by an O'Reilly cousin.
Slurp Factor: Bright, light cranberry color; candied cherry nose. The palate is lean on fruit but light and refreshing, and its spicy finish packs the punch of a mouthful of Red Hots. A picnic wine for an outing with your favorite four-legged friend.
Heel to: Cellar Door, Oregon Wines on Broadway, Whole Foods, etc.
More dog wines looking for homes:
Visitors to Honeywood Winery in Salem can purchase bottles of "Dog Gone Wine" blackberry, pear or pomegranate wines and pinot noir ($12-24) to benefit the Willamette Humane Society. Details: www.doggonewine.com
Note: Prices are approximate. These wines may be available at stores other than those listed, and you can special-order most wines through your local wine merchant. Ah! I didn't know they could do that. Will have to find a local wine merchant. Hmm.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-26 04:19 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2009-02-26 04:59 am (UTC)From:My fridge currently contains one bottle of white wine from a local winery, but it's been there for months. But I couldn't resist Sweet Cheeks Winery - the name is cute, and they have crows on the labels with glittery eyes. The first bottle I tried from them was actually really good.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-26 05:30 am (UTC)From:I can't have it and even when I could have alcohol I never chose wine. But I will have the kitty bottle. It actually comes in several colors. I think i want white and maybe pink.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-26 03:24 pm (UTC)From:Nothing wrong with collecting them for the bottles! My friend had to buy one called "Bitch" when we were traveling last year - it's got a pink label and a pretty font. She never opened it either.