Oregon Wine Board Tour: Day 2

Chardonnay at Del Rio Vineyards

Day two of the Oregon Wine Harvest Tour with the Oregon Wine Board begins with an early breakfast to learn about the Southern Oregon climate from expert Gregory Jones, a professor and research climatologist in the Department of Environmental Studies at Southern Oregon University. After breakfast, we’re heading straight to the Southern Oregon Wine Institute (SOWI) for a tour of this new cutting edge facility, followed by a tasting and lunch with Chris Lake of SOWI, Earl Jones of Abacela Winery, Steve Reustle of Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyard and Terry Brandborg of Brandborg Estate.

After we leave SOWI, we’re driving north to my stomping grounds, Eugene, where we’ll have a vineyard and winery tour of King Estate Winery – one of my favorite wineries in the state. I’m super excited about a Pinot Gris instruction and tasting with Quentin Ransone of King Estate, Jesse Lange of Lange Estate and Jerry Murray of Van Duzer Winery – all three of these wineries are known for making exceptional Pinot Gris. We’ll also be enjoying dinner at King Estate’s excellent restaurant before staying the night at The Ranch – a guest house on the King Estate preoperty.

I’ll be live blogging along the way, as long as I’m in an area where my cell phone company has service. I’m really looking forward to day two of my Oregon Wine Harvest Tour from Ashland to Newberg, cheers!

LIVE FROM THE ROAD

[liveblog]