Yesterday was Counter Culture at Anne Amie Vineyards, the launchpad for the International Pinot Noir Celebration and what a ideal way to début such an event. While IPNC seems like a fantastic opportunity to learn and spend a lot of spare money (it costs over a thousand dollars), Counter Culture saunters in like it's cool cousin, the one who's been abroad with lots of stories to tell over glasses (or bottles) of wine.
I arrived early because I was a volunteer at the event, which meant that I was able to distribute govinos (the glasses at the bottom of the post) and welcome guests to the best night of their week (or month, depending on how much fun you're used to having). Some had clearly arrived aboard the IPNC limo while others stumbled out of the 'party shuttle' from Portland. Once everyone had arrived, they set me loose and I was able to partake in the bounty of fine wines and 'street food' from some of Portland's most renown restaurateurs or food truck proprietors.
While fried carbohydrates and pulled meats seemed to run the show, you didn't find anyone complaining. Certainly not me. While I sneakily returned again and again for Smallwares' Braised Shortrib Arepa with Hoisin, Mayo and Cabbage Kimchi, my fellow gastronomes raved about the Good Old Fashioned Crawfish Boil from Imperial, which, undeniably, offered the best corncob of my life.
It was up to each of us how we wanted to tackle the arena that was constructed at Anne Amie. If you're like me, you ran around haphazardly, eating a little of this here, a little of that there, and then there again. And again. Or you're like my boyfriend and his friend (both engineers, mind you) who systematically started on one end and did every pairing as they were instructed to do and paused for brief moments of reflection between stops. There was such an apparent struggle taking place in their minds when they opted to skip an ice-cream station that was placed in the middle of their meticulous rotation.
So, let's talk wines. That's what it's all about, right? I, regrettably, was the designated driver for two of my favorite professors and was in no place to jeopardize their lives or my good standing with them, so I did not get to sample as many wines as I would have otherwise liked to. However, there were a few that stood out and that I'll surely drink again.
One of the wines I enjoyed most, I regret to inform you, was not 'natural' as are most of the wines that I'll write about. It was, however, delicious and a worth while reason to deviate from my normal quest of exclusively 'natural/authentic' (whatever term suits you) wines. The Anne Amie 2012 Cuvée A Müller Thurgau was one of the single best things I put in my mouth all night. While it smelled subtly of honeysuckle and green apple, in the mouth there were notes of lime and an overall great acidity which quenched the thirst and tickled the palate. It was also a very hot day and I'd been welcoming guests and handling wine glasses for the past two hours. Furthermore, this was the first sip of wine I'd tasted in a few days, so perhaps I was primed and it was easy to love it. However, I came back for a second tasting later in the night and adored it just the same.
Another wine I really appreciated was the 2010 Gewürtztraminer (which I found out means spicy traminer) from Breggo in Boonville, CA. My palate is not as attuned as winemaker Ryan Hodgins', however, when he described the flavors of rose petal, tropical fruit, honeysuckle and lemongrass, I understood why I so enjoyed drinking this wine. It was paired with a pretzel (a call out to the German heritage of Gewürtztraminer, as if you couldn't have guessed by that mouthful of a name). While many muttering co-eds around me lamented the fact that they didn't have a beer with which to wash down their pretzel, I couldn't have been happier with my Gewürtz in hand (and mustard on my nose).
Finally, and, shall I say, most interestingly, was Montinore Estates which offered an exquisite 2012 Pinot Gris with flavors of citrus and a "lingering minerality". I'm not sure I should be using the word minerality, as I don't know exactly what it means, yet, I know enough to know that it is contested among winos far more informed that I. Regardless, the wine was one of the highlights, as was talking to the winemaker, Ben, a super nice, down-to-earth guy who invited my cohorts and me for a barrel tasting at the Estate. This is of particular interest to me, because, as it turns out, this wine is certified by Demeter, and therefore, biodynamic and organic. I look forward to learning about what preparations they're using and what are the ideologies behind their decision to produce biodynamic wines here in the Willamette Valley.
The night ended with a team of fire dancers (yes, fire dancers!) that spun poi and climbed on eachother while balls of fire danced around them. For the guests who had satiated their penchant for both food and wine, they could lounge on the sloping hill that overlooked the valley and the coastal range and watch the setting sun. Amorous couples cuddled on hammocks, others danced to the great beats of DJ Duo. Me, I just took in the beauty that was happening both all around me and in my body. After all, I'd wined and dined on Portland's best libations, the air was warm, the moon was out. Someone nearby who must have be feeling equally content said, 'is this not the fullest expression of the human experience or what?' and I must say, I quite agree.
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