Ashland, Oregon - Vacation - Part 2

Southern Oregon is home to some fantastic wineries.  In general I think Oregon wines are inferior to their European counterparts.  The older Continent just has better value.  How is they can ship a wine across the ocean and sell it at half the cost of a comparable Oregon wine?  This is one of the mysteries of my age.

We had time to visit two wineries during our short vacation.  Our first stop was at RoxyAnn Winery.  

RoxyAnn is home to my favorite Oregon wine -  

 and during our visit we found another favorite.

The wine tasting room is in a converted barn and is at the foot of the vineyard.  I mentioned enjoying Tempranillo wines and the gentleman pouring our wines suggested we visit another winery - Red Lily.  So Sunday after church and visiting old friends we drove over to Red Lily.  Isn't that what everyone does after going to church --- visit a winery for a tasting.  Live dangerously I say...

You arrive at Red Lily by crossing a single lane bridge over a beautiful stream.

The place was busy but that didn't stop us from approaching the bar and tasting a flight of wines.  One of the wines was really good (2011 Lily Girl Rose) and we bought a couple bottles as a reminder of our great vacation.

Two enjoyable wineries in beautiful settings.  We will definitely will go back to RoxyAnn to buy wine.  We would also go back to Red Lilly for a picnic along the river and to taste future vintages.

Wine Buying Tip #1

I enjoy wine and I really enjoy finding a good wine for an inexpensive price. My price classification:

• $15 - $20 - No more than once a month on my budget
• $10 - $15 - Once a week at the most.  I tend to stay in the under $12 range
• $5 - $9.99 - Everyday drinking

Defining a good wine is more difficult because everyone has their own taste.  But if I am pushed against the wall, this list is a good starting point. (from a post on Blog Your Wine ) 

To me, a good wine” must satisfy 5 primary points (listed in order of importance):

• A price that, when compared to the taste, would have lead you to believe it could/should be more expensive. 

• An element of “excitement” and “complexity” that almost urges you to take another sip.

• A balance of fruit and savory notes (or primary and secondary elements, as I like to call them).

• An elegant and fairly extensive finish.

• A “sense of place” i.e. it tastes like where it comes from (a Chianti that tastes like a Chianti, not like a Napa Cabernet)

There are also some wine importers that do a fantastic job selecting wine.  They go to the growers, taste the various barrels of wine and select only those that meet their quality level. Once you find an importer you trust, you have gone a long way toward unraveling the mystery of how to select a wine from the wall of wine you encounter at the store.

Two importers I trust completely.

1. Kermit Lynch -  He has never steered my wrong.  For my palette, any of his wines is fantastic.  His wine is not always cheap but it is always spot on. Here is what his artwork looks like. 

2. Jorge Ordonez - A wonderful selection of Spanish wines.  Spain is a great place for value wines.  His artwork looks like :