The Wineries...
Day Four
Our fourth day in the valley was actually dedicated to seeking out local artists and trying our best to not taste wine. Either fortunately or unfortunately, we failed. In general I found the art scene within the valley itself to be slightly disappointing. For a short diversion I thought the Lawrence Gallery south of McMinnville to be the highlight although quite pricy. Swing by Mysara winery while out there or grab a quick lunch at Fresh Palate above the gallery.
After seeking art and mildly failing we stopped by the Ponzi Wine Bar for a quick tasting. Although the place is nice I fail to see the allure. They tasted anywhere from 4-6 wines including the requisite Ponzi wine being on the menu. Based on the wines selections, prices and beer on tap I thought this would be a nice place to “hang” but not a place for serious wine aficionados to do tastings. For what that’s worth.
After such a rousing success at the Ponzi Wine Bar we decided to make the trek up the hill to Torii Mor. Most of the Pinot Noir was good here including the good to very good 2005 Reserve “Deux Verres” which I purchased but overall I found the lineup erratic. Kudos for pouring the Willamette Pinot Noir from magnum. Admonishment for pouring the 19% Port of Syrah at the finish. Some of us have to drive down the hill afterwards…assuming we survive tasting the wine itself.
We finished our fourth day of impromptu tastings at Lange, “just around the corner” from Torii Mor. I found the wines to be basically “pedestrian” overall but the view alone is worth the tasting fee. The 2005 Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir is the clear winner here at road’s end.