August Cellars is located on Chehalem Mountain, Newberg, Oregon, and part of the new AVA “Chehalem Ridge”. The land is 42 acres of working orchard purchased by the owners in 1942 and planted in English Walnuts, Italian Prunes and 13 acres of Pinot Noir.
The winery itself was opened in 2002 and houses not only its own production but that of five other smaller wineries. The idea was to have a place where smaller wineries could have their finely crafted artisanal wines featured and tasted, and actually process them in a larger professional environment.
A visit to this winery is quite enjoyable with family members and tasting room staff extremely knowledgeable of their wines and the others served in the tasting room. The tasting room itself, large, airy open, with a glass wall where you can view the cask room and storage area. I had the pleasure of being introduced to August Cellars superb wines by the original owners daughter, Grace and her son Thomas Schaad. They both certainly know their wines, and what they are producing put a smile on my face with every swirl and sip.
As August Cellars is located right in the heart of Pinot Noir Country in Northwest Oregon it’s no surprise that their 2007 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir received my full attention. As it’s poured you get a whiff of red fruit and a swirl before bringing the glass to your nose brings a nice aroma of bing cherry, cinnamon and a hint of vanilla. The flavors of the fruit are really medium bodied, smooth with a subtle with sophisticated length to this wine. You will find that 2007 produced near perfect weather in the Willamette Valley for Pinot Noir grapes because of a cool fall producing grapes without over ripening. If you are interested in a solid but not overly priced Pinot Noir to enjoy with a freshly caught salmon, grilled steak, or pretty much anything you like, then this is a great choice.
Website: www.augustcellars.com
Here’s a delicious food pairing for the 2007 Pinot Noir by August Cellars
Fresh Salmon with Honey and Citrus
Honey and citrus juices flavor these tasty salmon fillets. Serve this salmon with rice or potatoes and fresh cooked green beans or peas.
Ingredients:
4 salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each, skin on
4 tablespoons honey
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Grease a 9x13x2-inch baking pan.
Heat oven to 400°. Place salmon, skin-side down, in the prepared baking pan. Combine the honey, lime juice, and orange juice, stirring until well blended. Sprinkle the fillets with salt and pepper then spoon the honey and juice mixture over the fillets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Serves 4.
