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Spring Newsletter, May 2009
Spring has been showing itself around these parts
and the warm sun on distant hills reminds us of how much we love road-tripping. As a group, who wouldn't advocate for any given merry-go-round to fly off its spindle? The idea of setting a trajectory and just getting gone has always beckoned. We like the sunglasses swell enough, but the adventure of a shared journey with friends, traipsing towards some mutually agreeable fiction is what, frankly, keeps our backsides in the seat. It keeps us moving, acts as a throttle. Equal parts intent and distraction suffice as a steering wheel. What would we use a brake for anyway?
In this regard, we can only assure you that we are still traveling. Between you and us at J.K. Carriere, we're ten years together on a long road stretching towards a bright horizon. In 1999 we eagerly turned the key and fired the cylinders, and at some point you miraculously climbed on board. I like to think it was for the personality, but more probably the Pinot. We've drank wine, swapped lies, swallowed flies, told stories and shivered together in the old barn. We are grateful to have gathered community, spilled juice, and spread Oregon from the McClure's nostalgic property. Come, one final time, in May and see us before we are gone from here. It won't long be this way.
By early summer it will be time to wobble from our orbit and set out yet again on a road-trip to higher ground, this time only three miles and a lifetime to our east, on Parrett Mountain. We were advised that waiting and starting to farm as octogenarians is contra-indicated by most physicians, except in Montana. So, this spring we stuck a few acres of Pinot in the ground. We've built a cedar barn of this century, with some kick, on top of a drop-dead beautiful 40-acre hill of red cobble. You will not find a shrine to anyone. You will find authenticity and hard work correctly done. That, and good wine is our best guess.
In the end, during these headlines of fear shouting louder than joy, it's a risk. It requires the nod of acknowledgment, then stepping anyway. You have supported and doubled down on us over the years, and it was time we heeded your good encouragement with a view to the long horizon. Getting somewhere may or may not be simple, but it absolutely requires the action . go! To do otherwise is not a road-trip, it's not living, it's simply sitting, in a car.
Come and be, with us,
Jim
Owner/winemaker/driver
and Allison, Linda, Andrew, Erika and Krieg
The J.K. Carriere crew
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 The news from Parrett Mountain
From brushy to beautiful, weeds to wow, what a difference a year makes.
Hopefully you've seen and heard about the awesome progress we made over the winter on our new vineyard and winery up on Parrett Mountain. The first blocks of Pommard clone Pinot noir are planted, the building is slated to be completed by early summer, and we are excited to share with you our new project.
So, it's up the hill, full tilt forward. And make no mistake, our intent is to scoop you up and take you with us. We're told that in late June the building shell will be finished, though with licensing up in the air (by agencies with acronyms like TTB and OLCC), some finishing projects that fall squarely in our court, and the physical job of moving, we were reluctant to schedule opening events that might end up needing to be changed. So we're looking to mid-September for our official grand opening of the new winery and tasting room, and of course we'll be in touch later with the details about that event.
Until then, and beyond, we'll still be able to be found at our old barn off of Benjamin Road. If you're interested in scheduling a summer tasting, give us a call or email and we will gladly accommodate you and your guests in one place or the other.
Visit the photo gallery
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New Release: 2007 Provocateur WV Pinot Noir
Then no longer matters. Now does. The story of this bottling has nothing to do with wine, but rather, economics and Johnny Cash. We bottle our wine much later than most and had assembled our blends in barrel by the time the economy hit the skids. Doesn't matter. Could have stayed the course and been fine, but it's decidedly better to be a winery than a warehouse. So, we went berserk. We fueled the fires of value. We declassified barrels of stellar wine from our most respected vineyards (Shea and Gemini and Anderson and Temperance Hill) into this Provocateur blend. We fell in . those burning rings of fire. The economy went down, down, down, but our quality grew higher. And our wallet burns, burns, burns.those rings of fire . those Provocateur rings of fire.
$24/bottle ($21/bottle case & club price)
Order 2007 Provocateur
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 New Release: 2008 Glass WV White Pinot
2008 as a vintage was cooler and late hanging until the nice ripening kiss of an Indian summer. It's the setup and blessing that hones the knife edge in a cool-climate Pinot noir region, whether producing reds in Oregon or Blanc de Noirs in Champagne. Those on their game in the vineyard were rewarded with long ripening flavor development and preservation of acidity, elements critical to producing exceptional "white from reds." May we present our argument for the importance of wine texture, our claim for color not being a flavor and our case for a case, to quench your thirst this summer.
In glass this 2008 Glass is the pale silvery pink of Champagne lingerie. The nose screams citrus and musk in the manner of flowering lime trees. On the palate the surprising and lip-tingling acidity of mouth-watering sherbet is pulled by a harnessed team of lemons and limes for a cool eternity into your warm summer night.
$20/bottle ($18/bottle case & club price)
Order 2008 Glass
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 What else is available?
2006 WV Pinot Noir: A ripe and supple red, reflective of the warm 2006 vintage, yet balanced and true to the Pinot noir varietal. This is J.K. Carriere's flagship wine, and we think you should have some! $42 (case price $36)
2006 WV Chardonnay: A classic, minimally oaked Chardonnay with a weighty mouthfeel and citrus finish. $32 (case price $28)
2006 Anderson Family WV Pinot Noir: The most structured of JKC's single-vineyard designates, with dark cherry, smoke, game and earth. $65 (case price $58)
2006 Gemini Vineyard WV Pinot Noir: The newest of our single-vineyards, built on a frame of ripe red cherry, linear acid and mouth-filling tannins. $65 (case price $58)
2006 Shea Vineyard WV Pinot Noir: A luscious, available and opulent balloon of red/black fruit. $65 (case price $58)
Magnums are also available; please inquire!
Order form
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We hope to be seeing you in a few weeks, or alternately, sending you some wine!
J.K. Carriere
30295 Hwy 99W
Newberg, OR 97132
jkcarriere.com
503/554-0721 (Jim)
503/460-0579 (phone orders & fax)
Email Jim
Email Linda |
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