Within the hills of West Linn, with a view of Rock Island within the Willamette River and Mount Hood on the horizon, there’s a wine oasis that you could be not be aware of. It’s known as Pete’s Mountain Winery & Vineyard, and after one go to, you’ll need to take your whole associates there.
Pete’s Mountain is finest recognized for: hospitality. Kristy and Mike Thayer are so humble and gracious, I instantly felt welcome and relaxed. “It’s our dwelling, it’s the place we reside, and we wish individuals to really feel snug right here,” Mike Thayer stated.
A “should strive” present launch: 2023 Pete’s Mountain “Haley’s Block” Pinot Noir ($42 – 13.5% ABV)
Like all Pete’s Mountain wines, Haley’s Block is made by Laurent Montalieu of Soléna Property, Hyland Estates and NW Wine Firm fame, and Anne Sery, NW Wine Firm’s director of winemaking.
The wine smells like a heat raspberry pie, garnished with aromas of contemporary rosemary and a cup of Rishi Bergamot Rose tea. That tea mixes pink rooibos, rose petals and bergamot. That’s how good this wine smells.
Accompanied by shiny acidity and tannins that ever so gently tough up the roof of your mouth, the wine’s ripe boysenberry, raspberry and fig flavors will make any night higher.
Innovation: The Thayers supply a wine membership that isn’t a wine membership. Mike Thayer provides that their non-wine membership additionally provides “higher costs than any wine membership in America.”
“We at all times inform those who we don’t have a wine membership, however we type of do. You simply have to indicate up. It’s a low bar,” Mike Thayer stated.
The Thayers elaborated that anybody who visits the vineyard is handled with equal care and a focus, so it’s like everyone seems to be a membership member.
And that pricing? Combine and match six bottles to obtain a 15% low cost. With a mix-and-match case, that low cost jumps to 25%. This implies you may get Haley’s Block for $36 or $31 in mix-and-match six-packs or circumstances, respectively.
Better of all, you get wine membership remedy with out having to decide to common wine shipments
Historical past: The Thayer household is celebrating two important anniversaries this 12 months – the twenty fifth anniversary of planting their first vines and the twentieth anniversary of their first classic. Immediately they make roughly 3,800 circumstances of principally pinot noir and chardonnay, together with smaller quantities of sauvignon blanc, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon and syrah.
The Thayer’s vineyard and winery are positioned on Pete’s Mountain, which is known as in honor of Peter A. Weiss. “Dutch Pete,” as he was recognized, emigrated to Oregon in 1845, the place he staked a 327-acre declare on the 839-foot peak that now bears his given identify. Weiss might be finest remembered for working a ferry on the Willamette River.
What we don’t know: The Thayer’s tasting room was initially an alpaca barn. When the Thayers determined to not increase alpacas, they eliminated the stalls. They then transformed it into the elegantly appointed tasting room you see immediately.
Title sport: Is it Petes Mountain, or is it Pete’s Mountain. The reply is “sure.”
The vineyard makes use of an apostrophe as a tip of the cap to Weiss. The highway to the vineyard, nonetheless, is Petes Mountain Street. We seemingly have the U.S. Board on Geographic Names (BGN) to thank for the confusion.
Since its formation in 1890, the BGN has discouraged the usage of the possessive apostrophe and ‘s’ inside the physique of correct geographic names. The coverage goals to keep away from implying possession related to pure options, hoping to discourage Petes from Sampras to Schulberg from laying declare to Pete’s Mountain.
How you can style: The Thayer’s serve up wine, reside music and lightweight bites from 5 to eight:30 p.m. on Fridays, from Could via September. Reservations can be found at 5 and seven p.m.
12 months-round, Pete’s Mountain is open on Sundays from midday to five:30 p.m. Sundays. Tastings take 90 minutes, and reservations can be found at midday, 2 and 4 p.m.
Sunday tastings, which embody charcuterie boards and lightweight bites, are $25. Any visitor shopping for two or extra bottles can have their tasting payment refunded.
Stroll-ins are welcome, however reservations via tock are inspired.
Scorching tip: Michele Van Kleef of Calobo fame performs Pete’s Mountain on Aug. 22.
The place to purchase: Pete’s Mountain wines can be found on the vineyard and Market of Alternative, J. Willy’s and Sushi Kuni, all in West Linn. Pete’s Mountain wines are additionally accessible in Cannon Seaside at Contemporary Meals and the Stephanie Inn.
5-8:30 p.m. Friday, Could-September; noon-5:30 p.m. Sundays year-round, 28101 S.W. Petes Mountain Street, West Linn, petesmountainvineyard.com or 503-656-2130.
— Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Fanatic Journal. He will be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To learn extra of his protection, go to oregonlive.com/wine
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