2020 Terra Vina Wines Cabernet Franc and The Winery
The Background
Photo from Terra Vina Wines
Terra Vina Wines owners are Carole and Karl Dinger with Karl being the winemaker. They moved 26 years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area and started a vineyard on their property almost immediately. Their estate vineyard consists of 16.5 acres and has a limited number of varietals growing. Their vineyard is on Parrett Mountain in the Chehalem Mountains AVA.
He does source grapes from various other locations, primarily in Eastern Oregon and Washington. Their wines produced are purposed to be “full–bodied and opulent” according to Karl. Their reputation in Oregon is that they are known for “Big Reds”.
Their total yearly production is approximately 3,000 cases. Their current line of red wines is extensive beyond their Cabernet Franc with Pinot Noir, Grenache, Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Primitivo, Syrah, Malbec, Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. Their white wines include Pinot Noir Blanc, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. They even have two sparkling wines being a Rose and Zinfandel. Karl typically makes about 250 cases of each varietal or blend produced.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
I was introduced to Terra Vina Wines from a friend of mine, John Lewis who lives in Oregon. John knowing I put on the Annual International Cabernet Franc Wine Competition and Celebration, mentioned to Karl he should enter the competition as his Cabernet Franc was so tasteful. So his Cabernet Franc entry was submitted for last March. It proved John to be spot on!
At the 4th International Annual Cabernet Franc Wine Competition in the Category 3 for Northwest Cabernet Franc (Oregon & Washington) their 2020 Cabernet Franc won Best of Class and Best of Show from the People’s Choice Judges!! It also won a Gold Medal from the People’s Choice Judges
The Tasting Rooms
Photo from Terra Vina Wines
They currently have two tasting rooms, one at 585 NE Third Street in McMinnville Oregon, which hosts both indoor and outdoor tastings. Their vineyard is open on the 2nd and 4th weekends and reservations are strongly encouraged.
On a phone interview with Karl, the conversation of his philosophy of winemaking came up and his unique and candid answer was that he considers himself a “performance actor”. Winemaking to meet for the audience (consumers) to be enjoyed and appreciated. He likened winemaking to being a perfect combination of “science and art”. One of his distinct and insightful views about wine was in the statement “wine is the catalyst that elevates an experience”. Simply put having dinner with a good meal is wonderful but having it with a solid wine makes a memorable experience. Over the years, wine has been thought of as a memory book as one recalls great experiences with various wines.
They currently use a custom crush facility for making their wines and have started the process to have their own production set up in the coming years.
The Wine “Wine is bottled poetry” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Having never tasted this wine or any of Terra Vina Wines, the assumption was that it would be a light and airy Cabernet Franc from the Northwest, which is characteristic for the terroir. Right from the pour into the glass something was different about this wine, it was a deep magenta in color and a medium-heavy viscosity.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the nose freshly picked raspberry and ripe blueberry notes and aromas swirled in the senses. Once on the palate, this wine morphed into the most startling, dominant and beautiful blueberry flavors not normally experience to this level in a Cabernet Franc. When talking with Karl, he purposes to pick his fruit to taste (while obviously still having scientific measurements of Ph and sugar) and is typically past when most wineries pick. The fruit coming from Elephant Mountain, in the Yakima Valley (a north/south orientation) and near the river on the Eastern slope, the fruit gets the afternoon sun and then cools down to the 40’s at night. This keeps the acidity high and the fruit producing an exquisite taste eliminating pyrazines (bell pepper characteristic). This was a fruit forward wine with residuals flavors of soft oak and vanilla.
Photo ©Michael Kelly
On the finish the acidity is present and the tannins were grippy and yet velvety producing what would best described as “chewy”. This was no soft and cuddly Cabernet Franc from the Northwest. Karl mentioned he uses 1/3 new American oak barrels from the northern Appalachian Mountains as it helps impart a “soft sweetness” on the finish. The balance of barrel treatment is a combination of once or twice used American and French oak barrels. The wine is listed on their website $42/bottle and 250 cases were produced.
The Food and Wine Pairing “Food without wine is a corpse; wine without food is a ghost. United and well matched, they are as body and soul: living partners” – Andre Simon
Photo ©Michael Kelly
Pulled this wine to go with whole wheat pasta with a tomato/garlic sauce with a combination of ground Italian sausage and ground beef. Accompanied by a fresh garden salad and garlic French bread. The wine was spectacular with the mildly zesty sauce to make a winning duet last evening.
Their awards were absolutely deserved for this wine! Can’t wait to visit them and taste some additional wines.
Sláinte,
Michael