Wine Atlas

EUGENE, Ore. - Pinot noirs and chardonnays have put Willamette Valley vineyards on the map. But now a few Oregon wineries are branching out, dabbling in the production of champagne and other sparkling wines.

Vintners say it's a natural fit: Pinot noir and chardonnay grapes, after all, are two of the three varieties used in champagne.

Nationally, sparkling wines accounted for 4.1 percent of all wine purchases in 2005, according to the Wine Institute, an advocacy organization for California's wine producers.

Continue reading

Bader Winery: Free tastings from noon-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and noon-5 p.m. Sunday. Hours are 10 am.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. 711 Grand Blvd., Vancouver; 360-750-1551 or visit www.BaderWinery.com.

Bethany Winery: Free tastings on the second and third Saturday of the month, January through October, and every Saturday and Sunday in November and December. Open 11 a.m.-6 p.m. 4115 N.E. 259th St., Ridgefield; 360-887-3525 or visit www.bethanyvineyards.com.

Continue reading

Many people are familiar with Australia, California, Italy, France and Germany as wine growing regions. Many people have also stumbled upon the wonderful wines of Chile, Argentina and the Northwest and these wines are seeing an increasing surge in popularity. But one wine region which possesses fantastic wines and is often neglected in all the excitement for its more well know counterparts is South Africa.

Continue reading