If it's true that modesty is a sign of greatness, the Dark Horse Tasting Room in Newberg, Oregon can serve as the example. The room, although large, is simply appointed with shelves and a couple of tables, all of which are filled with wine. Really good wine. And it's difficult after tasting some of them not to blast the credit card and clean those shelves out.
The space is shared by Medici, Sineann and Ferrero Cellars wineries. Medici is the oldest and best of the three (not to say the others slouch-they do not). Part of that is the winery's philosophy of gracefully bottle aging wines for extended periods. While most wineries are pouring 2010 at the oldest, Medici is pouring 2007 as their youngest. The results are, as expected, excellent, although perhaps not the staggering brilliance that's claimed. That's OK, because they don't charge you library wine prices. These are current releases and if aged wine is your taste, these are bargains.
The first plantings were in 1976, so already there's more going on in Medici's 2004 East Block Pinot Noir than most wines in the Valley. The nose brought forth a bright cherry note, dusty strawberries, and a briary earthiness. In the mouth there's an earthy cherry flavor, as well as rhubarb. It's old world-ISH from the aging but still has New World fruit, and while it's certainly mellowed, the winemaking style doesn't produce the secondary characteristics that aging usually offers. More earthy than most New World wines, it's true, but it doesn't have the depth of a Burgundy or even some of its Oregon peers. On the other hand, it's not fading a bit and because it's a current release, it's quite a bargain.
Similarly, the 2007 Block 1&2 Reserve showed a distinctly 2007 nose of briars and crushed fruit-a lot of briars. There was a nice, bright acidity, strawberry, raspberry, cherry; delicate, light, young fruit flavors and that signature red cherry note that's a signature of the Chehalem Mountain AVA. The 2004 served as a guide to how good it will be for how long, which is a lot on both counts.
Next we moved on to the roommates. The 2007 Sineann Schindler Vineyard showed a little briar and strawberry. There was mild acid, cherry, strawberry and cocoa flavors but it was shy that day and wasn't showing as well as it might (at least according to the tasting room manager, who tasted every wine at the start of the day, as a professional should).
Oregon is known for Pinot Noir but other grapes are grown here. Ferrero Cellars 2008 Hell's Gate Canyon Zinfandel is a force. The nose has a delectable dill note, with a bit of bell pepper as well. Blackberry and mint flavors make for a very showy, flashy Zinfandel.
Even better was Sineann's 2011 Old Vine Zinfandel. Again, dill in the nose (an Oregon Zin trait?) with crushed raspberry. Cherry, raspberry, blackberry were very ripe fruit flavors but not jammy. This Zinfandel will go toe to toe with any of California's best.
The last, however, shall be first Ice Dance is Sineann's desert wine. Sineann keeps their late harvest, ice wine juice to dosage their wines, rather than dump in cane sugar-nice touch. But if they don't need it, they make the non-vintage Ice Dance. The nose is obviously botrytis-the noble rot. It's spicy and sugary, like baking cookies. Taste it and you'll be overwhelmed by wonderful sweet strawberry flavors. This is a delicious dessert wine. Who needs pie at Thanksgiving or Christmas, if this is around?
Because there are three wineries represented, the lineup changes often. The tasting room is on the way to almost everything else in the Dundee Hill, so it becomes foolish not to stop. All bases are covered for Pinot Noir lovers but also for those who love big, bold California styles. This is a great tasting room to cover a lot of Oregon ground at once, and learn a lot about wine in one sitting. Whether or not it fits your personal taste remains to be seen, but there's no denying the quality on display.
