2008's most memorable wines
Friday | 26 December 2008
By Jon Bonné, Chronicle Wine Editor
As the year draws to a close, I start thinking back on which wines have left their mark.
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Thanksgiving wines to chat about
Tuesday | 18 November 2008
By Kate Leeper
2007 Cowhorn Applegate Valley Marsanne Roussanne ($19): A winner with the "I-just-want-something-light-and-dry" crowd, this silky white blend is a blend of two grapes (originally hailing from France's northern Rhone) that were farmed biodynamically in southern Oregon. With turkey, it shows complementary notes of herbs, lemons and minerals. With stuffing, unusual components of hay and quince come to the forefront, finishing with spicy ginger and white pepper. Find it at Bales Thriftway Marketplaces; Cork on Northeast Alberta Street and Northwest Lovejoy Street; Fred Meyer Burlingame; Market of Choice stores; QFC Mount Tabor and Sellwood; and Quinn's Prime and Vine.
Eccentrically produced, 'biodynamic' wines offer intense character
Sunday | 05 October 2008
By Matt Kramer
You've seen the word pop up here from time to time. I assure you it elicits the full spectrum of emotions from winemakers and wine lovers, from rage to reverence. The word is "biodynamic."
Some rail against it as mystical voodoo. Others see it as a form of salvation, restoring vineyards and wine --and us --to a more naturalistic, balanced sensibility.
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The Top 100 Northwest Wines
Monday | 01 September 2008
By Jessica Voelker and Condé Cox
#62 • 2006 Cowhorn Vineyard and Garden Syrah, $32
The name refers to the biodynamic practice of stuffing a cowhorn with animal dung and burying it on winery property during winter, then digging it up, adding water, and spraying the vines with the mixture. Taste Blueberry flavors set it apart from the syrah pack. Sip tip Another wine to wow your enviro pals, this all-natural syrah is a welcome guest at any vegan feast. Cellar life 5+
Biodynamic wine is still going strong
Wednesday | 23 July 2008
By Cleve Twitchell
"Don't panic, this wine's biodynamic" read the headline on a column in this space back on Dec. 27, 2006. It introduced Cowhorn, a new winery in the Applegate Valley that pledged to follow biodynamic practices.
A year and a half later, Cowhorn has wines on the market, and so does its winemaker. I recently tried three of them.
Cowhorn 2006 Syrah ($32) is a special, distinctive, rich wine that holds up well after opening. I thought it was at its best on day three. The aftertaste has a hint of sweetness.
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Keep close to home with eco-friendly wines from Oregon
Tuesday | 22 July 2008
By Katherine Cole
Already, more than a quarter of the state's vineyard acreage is organic, sustainable or biodynamic
Last week we looked at how wine consumers can be eco-conscious when they shop.
As I was writing that column, I found that I kept repeating the same mantra: Buy local.
When we buy locally produced goods we cut down on energy expended in shipping and transportation and, at the same time, support our local economy.
But there's added eco-value to buying locally bottled vino: Oregon wine is a world leader in sustainable production and a model for other industries throughout the state.
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Growing grapes by the moon
Friday | 20 June 2008
By Michele Mihalovich
But Barbara, 46, and her husband Bill, 47, did something beyond building an outdoor tasting room to set their vineyard apart. The Cowhorn Vineyard and Garden, snuggled next to the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains in the Applegate Valley, is Southern Oregon's only certified biodynamic and organic vineyard and farm.
"Most people know what organic is," said Barbara. "Biodynamic goes one step further."
Like organic farms, biodynamic farms steer clear of artificial chemical use. But, according to Demeter International, the world's only biodynamic farm certifier, a biodynamic farm is managed as a living organism.
"It's truly based on the oldest principles of farming," Barbara said.
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