notes from a vineyard, after a few glasses of wine
This August we spent 2 weeks in Mosier Oregon with my mom and step dad. It was our third summer indulging in their beautiful home and its proximity to vineyards, the Columbia River and this year we added in a few days on the coast. I left our trip feeling like I had spent two wonderful weeks at summer camp - boat rides, bike rides, late night star gazing, misty seaside mornings, mixed in with so much great wine tasting…my kind of camp baby! While we were there, fall started to creep through the tree branches, turning the rich green to a neon yellow and adding a crisp punch to the morning air.
Aaron and I always indulge in the gift of family child care when we are in Mosier and plan a few vineyard dates. We decided to repeat two phenomenal spots that we enjoyed last year - Syncline Vineyard and Hiyu Wine Farm. Syncline is a family favorite. The vineyard is on the Washington side of the river and the seating is scattered throughout a gorgeous lush garden. Each table is enveloped by plants for an incredibly private space. The wines are old world, created with heritage vines that have been meticulously cultivated to grow in the windy dry climate of the Gorge. This year they had a Gruner Veltliner that immediately transported us to a crisp fall day in Bavaria. We sat there daydreaming about how flavor can truly take your mind to places you’ve never even been before. It’s a gateway for imagination - at least to the culinary obsessed. Flavors carry stories and this flavor did not disappoint, nor did the story that played out in my head. We bought three bottles.
Our other repeat experience was a tasting menu lunch in the garden of Hiyu Wine Farm. Hiyu is in the hills above Hood River. It’s nestled into a rolling vineyard backdrop with wild flowers overgrowing in the most perfectly curated chaos. Our menu this year was phenomenal. The food and the wine was some of the best we’ve had all year long. The majority of the menu is vegetarian because mostly everything is grown on their property. Even my meat loving husband left the experience satisfied and full. One of the wines poured for the tasting was incredibly special. We both took a sip and made that comical eye contact of “oh my god are you tasting this!?”. We declared that we needed a bottle…of the $150/bottle perfection. Luckily for us we got a hospitality discount of 30% off, basically highway robbery in the restaurant world! They finished the meal with a cider produced from their pears and apples. It was bright, crisp and foggy in the best kind of way. I’ve included an image of their beautiful menu below.
Some of this month's Shared Plates menu is inspired by that brief Bavarian daydream. September tends to put me in the mood to learn more about German and Austrian food and traditions. Many popular stables fit perfectly into the bumper season weather. Plus Oktoberfest is actually in September so we’re sticking with the party and going German - Crisp Schnitzel served with a fresh salad with farmers market greens and tomatoes. An incredible cheese dip made of jarlsberg and gouda and a lightened up version of clam chowder. The chowder may feel like it comes out of left field but when we visited the misty coast of Oregon I managed to eat 3 cups of chowder plus a pound of steamer clams in 24 hours. It was a perfect fix for my love of the bi-valves. Plus an apple cake that would make any grandma proud. It’s rich, moist and full of warm spice. Prost!
The Wine : Syncline 2022 Gruner Veltliner
Some Tunes : September Only Knows
