18 OREGON WINE TOURING GUIDE SOUTHERN OREGON Bountiful Southern Oregon grows more than 70 different grape varieties. With a thriving tree-fruit industry, hundreds of small-scale vegetable and livestock farms, forests filled with game and wild mushrooms, and some of the best fly-fishing rivers in the nation, its culinary landscape is equally diverse. All these options make pairing wine and food here a particular pleasure. “The wines in Southern Oregon are really friendly to pair with food because they have this beautiful acidity throughout, because of our special climate here,” says Jessica Colburn, co-owner and wine director at Decant, a family-owned fine-dining restaurant in Medford with an expansive wine program. “We have so many different microclimates and elevation levels and soil types.” For a classic Southern Oregon combination, Colburn suggests pairing a traditional-method sparkling Chardonnay like Maison Jussiaume’s Brut Blanc de Blancs with dishes that meld sweet and savory flavors, like a tartlet with caramelized onions, pears and locally made Rogue Creamery blue cheese. Still Chardonnay is another great pairing for local pears and apples, says Colburn, since the two can have similar notes. If you’re feasting on fresh steelhead pulled from the Rogue or Umpqua, Colburn says aromatic whites like Vermentino, Albariño or Torrontés can be a good choice — but so too can lighterbodied, thinner-skinned red varieties like Pinot noir, Sangiovese or Barbera. Heavier local reds like Cabernet franc and Petite sirah shine with flavorful wild game like rabbit or duck, which are complemented by dark-fruit flavors and more structured tannins. Southern Oregon’s viticultural diversity also extends to winemaking. Wines inspired by the traditional winemaking techniques of Europe rub shoulders with provocative modern bottlings that push the envelope in terms of sustainability, philosophy and flavor — sometimes all in a single producer’s portfolio. At MÄS in Ashland, chef Josh Dorcak is particularly inspired by local wines that surprise. “When wines don’t follow their traditional character, you’re mentally engaged differently. You’re more open to possibility,” says Dorcak. He loves serving orange wines like biodynamic producer Troon Vineyard’s Kubli Bench Amber in MÄS’ multicourse paired menus. “I think orange wine just has more substance and character behind it. It lasts a little longer and hits a different part of your palate,” says Dorcak. Slightly softer acidity also makes it easier to pair with very savory or umami flavors, like tomatoes or uni. Plus, he says customers love the change of pace: “It’s totally different from what you had prior, so you’re engaged. It’s intellectual. You’re in it.” A pretty good microcosm, in other words, for the many delightful surprises of Southern Oregon wine. OREGON COAST Year-round cool temperatures and a short growing season mean it’s a challenge to ripen wine grapes on the Oregon Coast. Still, the Pacific Ocean plays a key role in the climate of all of Oregon’s winegrowing regions. Many wines from cool and nearcoastal sites — such as those in the Elkton AVA in the maritime western reaches of the Umpqua River — are often natural pairings for the crown jewel of Oregon Coast cuisine: seafood. At Local Ocean, an employee-owned seafood restaurant in Newport, many meals start with fresh raw oysters. “No surprise here: I prefer to pair them with a nice dry bottle of bubbles,” says bar director Colt Deitrick. “Sokol Blosser makes an excellent Bluebird Cuvée brut sparkling wine that has just the right levels of acidity and minerality to complement the natural flavor of an oyster — and I love the contrast in textures as well.” Another flagship bivalve of the Oregon Coast is the razor clam. John Nelson, chef/owner of Anna’s Table in Cannon Beach, grew up digging razor clams to make extra money as a high school student in Astoria. Today he says these meaty, succulent bivalves are a perfect excuse to drink one of his favorite wines. "With razor clams, I love a good dry Pinot blanc," says Nelson. "And in the Northwest, we produce some impeccable Pinot blancs." Clockwise from below: Troon Vineyard; MÄS; Meridian Restaurant & Bar CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: TROON VINEYARD; LINDSEY BOLLING; MERIDIAN RESTAUARANT & BAR
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