I like to end on a high (punny I know!), so let's start with the negative. Most of the reds we tried weren't outstanding. They were all nice, drinkable vintages, but few had standout characteristics. I like wines that have personalities and evoke the grape, the soil, and the growing conditions. Most of what we tried fell a bit flat. 

One exception was the 2004 Cos d'Estournel from Bordeaux. This blend, poured by none other than winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prat himself, has garnered 94 points from Wine Spectator. I can totally see why. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cab Franc, it is lush, fruity, and complex but not mystifyingly so. It would go perfectly with either the venison sausage from Blackberry Farms, or the BBQ pork with edamame from Dogwood. Both were great, but the creativity found in Dogwood chefs Shane Touhy and Scott Black's dish had people all around commenting on how wonderful it was. 

Another outstanding red from Oregon was the Willamette Valley Whole Cluster Fermented Pinot Noir. It was lighter and fruitier than most Pinots, including its sister vintage, and would be perfect on a warm spring or summer evening. In fact, as I sit on my porch writing this right now, I would love a glass. And if Nick Melvin from Parish would swing by and drop off some of the non-floured-thicken oyster bisque and crawfish he was serving, well Joe and I would be in heaven! And while I told him so in person, I actually want to thank Chef Melvin here publicly for making a bisque sans flour so that all of us out in the world living gluten-free can enjoy it. And enjoy it I did. 

Kitri McGuire was on hand to pour for Sokol Blosser. I enjoy their Evolution, so I tried their Dundee Hills Pinot Gris and Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. Kitri is lovely and so are the wines. I love earthy, mineraly wines and the Pinot Gris rocks the rock. The creamy finish on this would be a point / counterpoint to Aqua Blue's miso glazed sea bass with shiitaki and spinach. The chef was working hard to prepare each of these samples live. I took a look at the menu, and this is a standard feature. Go eat it. Seriously.  It  would be great with Joe's favorite dish, Spice Market's cod with Malaysian chili sauce. It's also a regular feature so take your pick of Asian inspired seafood to go with a good wine from Oregon. 

From the tasting we entered the tent where great fun was had with goodies like sausages, cheeses, and more wine that were on our table. The live auction is a riot - there are so many great trips and wines offered that our paddle went up several times! No wins though. At the silent auction, I walked away with 6 magnums of Casa Lapostalle 1999 Merlot. What was I thinking? Here's a shot of our table during the auction.... that might tell you what I was thinking

I'm saving my personal favorites from the tasting though for the end of the article as always... aren't you supposed to. Unless, that is, you're an eat dessert first kind of person. Runner up for the auction was Eberle Viognier. Hailing from Paso Robles, CA, it was one of the few California wines I was digging with a big spoon. It would be a great pairing with Two Urban Licks' Thai tuna tartare on a potato chip. 

My favorite entree would have to go to Blue Point though. Their Thai duck salad was phenomenal. Having just made duck the other weekend, it made me want to go back and try a whole new spin, this time with papaya and a crisp white wine to accompany it. Unfortunately, this isn't on their dinner menu. Blue Point, if you ever read this, please add it. It was that good!

The winning wine... oh it was good. It was so good I went and asked for seconds. And with asking, I had a chance to speak to the winemaker himself. Isn't it great when you get the opportunity to do that! This winemaker, Andrew Levi, is an East Coast guy who fell in love with West Coast wines on his way to law school. Needless to say, he never studied for the bar, but he did learn to make phenomenal wines. Of his two offerings, both shined brightly, but only one was like the North Star. I am no classically trained critic, but I know what I like. Skipstone Makena's Vineyard Viognier is just that. It has mineral without tasting like dirt. It has floral notes without evoking Easter lilies. Fruity peach tastes come to mind without being cloying. It has just enough citrus to balance the whole combination into one creamy, luscious sip. While this vineyard is a recent market entry, Skipstone wine, a gem from Oregon, is truly special.  I feel privileged to be a guest at the Atlanta Wine Auction and getting to sample Skipstone wine. It was a true joy. 

Enjoy the rest of our photos... if you were there, or have enjoyed any of these wines or venues, let me know what you think! And based on what I sampled.... I really need to get to Oregon the next time I'm itching for "wine country".