Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs 2018, our first still white wine made from estate grown Pinot Noir grapes on Chehalem Mountains; Three Feathers Torio Vineyard, received a Silver Medal in this year’s McMinnville Wine & Food Classic!
Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs 2018
The 27th annual Mac Classic Wine Competition was held in McMinnville on January 11, 2020 and featured a panel of 16 industry judges including wine buyers and writers such as Otto Han of New Seasons Market, Michael Alberty at The Oregonian and Eric Degerman of Great Northwest Wine.
Come and visit our stand during the McMinnville Wine & Food Classic – SIP event from March 13-15, 2020 at Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum.
The Three Feathers team poses for a portrait during the McMinnville Wine & Food Classic SIP on March 8, 2019.
A bottle of Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs at our man-made two acre lake
Living with the Wildlife | Part 2
Three Feathers is blessed with an abundance of water. We have two, year-round springs on the property. The main spring fills the man-made two acre lake that is used to irrigate during dry summers. We also use it for recreation after long days of hot work haying or working on the vines. The water is always refreshing and our dock allows for hours of fun.
The second spring was once used as drinking water for the farm house. They had an elaborate system between the well and the spring that they could switch back and forth. The spring creates a small pond, filled with willows, reeds and other aquatics near our planting of Pinot Gris.
I am sure that we are not the only ones using all of this water. The main pond has a large colony of salamanders and crawdads. There is always the occasional duck family, heron, kingfishers and flocks of swallows in the summer. Of course deer, and sightings of bear and bobcat. And recently a few goldfish, gone “native”, are flashing occasionally yellow or white under the surface.
A rare crawdad sighting
In the past two years we have had a couple of not so welcome guests. The telltale signs of a beaver started showing up in the spillway. There are many beavers on the mountain and we have had several dams at another sites on our property.
This one must have tracked the overflow from the pond and settled in along the bank. As long as the water was high we did not see any signs of beaver activity but as soon as we removed the sluice gate to allow excess rainwater to flow out during the winter the level dropped and it instinctively started to try to keep the level high by peeling sticks with its teeth and placing them across the mouth of the overflow. No matter how many times we remove the debris the “busy beaver” comes back and puts in more sticks.
Beaver activity in the spillway
This summer our foreman told me that there was a mystery creature in the smaller pond. Trails leading in and out of the water – occasional brief sightings and chattering noises – but nothing identifiable. Then trees started to fall. No longer a mystery – another beaver! This one has an easier time of it and he has blocked up the flow of water raising the level of the pond to overflowing into the vineyard. This is not funny anymore!
We’re not sure what the solution is but I doubt there is a chance for peaceful coexistence. My next question is do beavers chew on grape vines?
Season’s Greetings from Three Feathers Estate & Vineyard
Season’s Greetings from Three Feathers Estate & Vineyard
Three Feathers wishes all of you a fabulous Holiday Season and a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Join us during Wine Country Thanksgiving from Friday to Sunday at Lady Hill Winery in Saint Paul to celebrate over a wine tasting and Event Only Special Offer!
Tasting Notes from Paris with Love – Collective Intelligence Wine Tasting Workshop in Paris, France
Tasting Notes from Parisis the continuation of our cross-cultural wine story. As revealed in our previous article Smuggled!, Three Feathers wines have been traveling to France for several years now. In the spirit of Pinot Noir grape vines themselves that traveled across the Atlantic in cross-agricultural exchanges between France and the United States, our wines have sallied forth in search of new horizons and new palates.
In early November, Three Feathers organized a wine tasting workshop in Paris at Studio Galerie B&B for professionals in the industry as well individuals passionate about Pinot Noir. The goal of the event was to present our wines to a select international audience and receive their written feedback and constructive comments. Working in small groups of 3 or 4, we asked our guests to review, discuss and rate our wines based on the standard procedure for wine tasting; the eye, the nose, the palate using vocabulary appropriate for Pinot Noir.
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
Three Feathers wine tasting workshop at Studio Galerie B&B, Pari
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
Exhibition views from Lieux-dits by Elise Prudhomme at Studio Galerie B&B
We are amazed and pleased at the results of our Collective Intelligence Wine Tasting Workshop from all perspectives! Note only did a lot of ink flow about our wines, but ideas burst forth for marketing / communication and future production. Our savvy “collective palate” has produced beautiful tasting notes from Paris with Love.
Without further ado, and in tandem with a series of Tasting Note Still Life photographs made by Three Feathers partner and photographer Elise Prudhomme, here they are:
Tasting notes Study #1 – Three Feathers 2018 Blanc de Noirs
2018 Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs
Pale pink in color with amber highlights, this wine’s fruity nose reveals a highly perfumed bouquet of fresh flowers reminiscent of champagne. Vivid on the palate with a hint of brioche, it finishes with aromas of strawberries, green apple and melon.
Pairing notes : Shellfish, notably oysters, cockles and clams – Spaghetti with Clams.
Tasting notes Study #2 – Three Feathers 2017 Pinot Noir 667
2017 Three Feathers Pinot Noir 667
An intense ruby color, this wine has an expressive and fruity nose with nutty aromas. Lively and robust in the mouth, its tannins bring structure, power and complexity with flavors of hazelnut and candied fruit, finishing with a subtle note of mushrooms.
Pairing notes : Game such as duck or deer
Tasting notes Study #3 – Three Feathers 2017 Cuvée Virginia in front of a découpage painting by Dorothea Virginia Roosevelt
2017 Three Feathers Cuvée Virginia
The Cuvée has a beautiful cherry red color, brilliant and limpid, that presents a warm bouquet of spices and cocoa. Ample and supple on the palate, the fine-grained tannins add to the spicy notes of Blackberry and Currant, finishing with a slight earthy note.
Pairing notes : An ample wine that pairs well with savory plates as well as desserts such as chocolate cake.
Picnic pairing with Pan Bagnat and a bottle of 2016 Three Feathers Pinot Noir.
2016 Three Feathers Pinot Noir 667
This wine presents an intense, clear garnet color with a touch of brick. The distinctive nose is very aromatic and fruity with a hint of earthiness. Light, supple and long on the palate, the flavors evoke cherry and ripe red fruits finishing with notes of leather, vanilla and kirsch.
Pairing notes : A unique wine that merits being associated with any meal.
EVENT ONLY SPECIAL OFFER BUY 3 BOTTLES OF RED and GET 1 BOTTLE OF RED FREE!
Friday, November 29 to Sunday, December 1st from 11 am to 5 pm
EVENT ONLY SPECIAL OFFER on Three Feathers Red Wines Buy 3 bottles of Red Wine and get 1 bottle of Red Wine FREE! *
Wine Country Thanksgiving | Willamette Valley Wineries
For the first time this Thanksgiving, Three Feathers Estate will be participating in the biggest wine tasting event of the season, the Wine Country Thanksgiving Wine Tour. This tour features many vineyards, like ourselves, who are not generally open to the public and gives those who appreciate the unusual a taste of our limited production. We will be sharing this event with our wine making partner, Lady Hill Winery in St. Paul. They have a gorgeous facility where we make our wines and their tasting room, across from the historic Champoeg State Park, is very special.
We will be serving all of our wines, including our 2018 Cuvée Virginia which will be making it’s debut, at this Open House event in the Columban Hall Tasting Room. Come and enjoy an afternoon of fine wines and music in this historic Oregon setting and sample our special Smoked Turkey sandwiches with cranberry cream cheese spread.
Lady Hill Winery 8400 Champoeg Rd NE St. Paul, OR 97137
*Offer is valid on location at Lady Hill Winery for the event duration only while supplies last
Three Feathers wines make great gifts for the Holidays, especially when they are presented in these simple, sturdy and colorful carrying bags. Visit us during one of our numerous tasting events in November and pick up a bottle or two – Wrapped and Ready!
Here is our fabulous November line-up of wine tasting events:
November 14 – Pouring at Taste on 23rd from 6 – 8 pm
November 15 – MEMBERS ONLY – Wine Tasting at the Portland Golf Club 5:30 – 7:30 pm
November 16 – Wine Tasting at Decarli Restaurant 5:30 – 7:30 pm
November 27 – Pouring at Seasons and Regions Seafood Grill 5:30 – 7:30 pm
November 29 to December 1 – Wine Country Thanksgiving at Lady Hill Winery 11:00 am – 5:00 pm
September is an anxious time for Vineyard owners. We all are hoping for optimum harvest
conditions; perfectly ripened fruit, warm dry autumn days and a crew that is ready
to pick when we are – an ideal harvest scenario.
This year Three Feathers Vineyard looked pretty good; disease-free,
unlike other vineyards in the valley with mold issues, with fruit that was
progressing according to schedule and warm dry weather.
Harvesting 2019 Pinot Gris
Then on the 8th of September, we got some
rain. That’s nice. The rain washed off the dust and the plants
got watered – not a problem, right? But
ever since that day, we experienced cooler temperatures and intermittent rain,
even a few downpours.
Rain at harvest season creates problems with ripening sugars in the grapes. Every time it rains, the sugars are diluted and intense flavors reduced. It takes several succeeding days of dry weather to get the sugars back where they were before. The possibility of rot or damaged fruit increases. As the fruit hangs on the vines the birds become an issue. Cooler temperatures can put the plants into dormancy and they never get to the point that we hope for.
We didn’t expect to pick until the end of September or early
October so we will waited, watched, tasted and tested.
Early harvest morning
October 2, 2019 | Snatching Victory from the Jaws of Defeat
The harvest season
in Oregon has been a challenging one with cold temperatures, occasional pouring
rain and flocks of hungry birds. We have all been doing a balancing act between
getting our fruit to ripen as in previous, warmer years, and keeping the fruit
from spoiling or getting eaten.
There are few
options for preventing the bird predation- netting is costly and time consuming,
bird cannons annoy the neighbors as well as us, and decoys don’t fool any of
them for long. There is the option of hiring a falconer (bring back jousting as
well!). Basically you just have to hope you get the grapes picked before the
birds get them all.
Birds nest during harvest time
Today we succeeded
in avoiding the rain, rot, birds and freezing temps and have completed the
harvest in Three Feathers. Pickers arrived at dawn and swarmed the vineyard
with their buckets – plucking Victory from the Jaws of Defeat. It took no time
at all to fill the bins with our succulent Pinot Noir. Christine picked a small
crop of Pinot Gris and kept an eye on the progress. David, Scott and Victor
moved bins with our big New Holland tractor.
We are satisfied,
having avoided mildew that plagued other vineyards and brought our grapes in
despite all the issues. The 2019 Vineyard season is over and it was not “for
the birds”.
Slice and serve with a glass of Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs.
Parma-style Carrot Cake by Giada De Laurentiis
This fabulously subtle and unique Carrot Cake, Parma-style recipe by Giada De Laurentiis, makes repeat performances in our family ever since we discovered it on the Food Network.
Lightly sweet, not too spicy, well-balanced and zingy with a touch of fennel and lemon zest, this carrot cake can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or at tea time and makes a perfect finish to an evening meal.
While we are watching, waiting and measuring our Pinot Noir grapes with bated breath for the right Brix level to harvest, we whipped up a Parma-style Carrot Cake to share with you, complete with helpful step-by-step illustrations.
Ingredients to make a Parma-style Carrot Cake
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup pine nuts (about 6 ounces) 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 lemon, zested and juiced 2 cups peeled and chopped carrots (about 6 carrots) 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 5 eggs Powdered sugar to garnish
MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE
We substitute Pamela’s Baking & Pancake Mix for the flour in even quantities and omit the baking powder since this gluten-free mix contains baking powder in it already. This particular mix is made with almond flour and makes a moister cake than the regular flour version.
In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Place the pine nuts, 1/2 cup sugar, and fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse to mince the nuts. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and the carrots. Pulse to mince the carrots. Add the mascarpone cheese and pulse until the cheese is incorporated.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer, cream together the butter and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well blended.
Add the carrot mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined. Add in the reserved dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated.
Place the mixture in a lightly greased and floured 8 by 10 by-2-inch baking dish. We use silicone without greasing.
Bake for 55 to 60 minutes at 375 degrees F.
Slice and serve with a glass of Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs.
Serve with a glass of our 2018 Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs (white Pinot Noir), whose tasting notes of melon, citrus and green apple pair beautifully with this delicate Parma-style Carrot Cake.
Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs served at Decarli restaurant in Beaverton, OR
Beginning Friday, July 19th, our Blanc de Noirs will be available by the glass at Decarli Restaurant in downtown Beaverton, 4545 SW Watson Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97005. For reservations, call 503-641-3223.
Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs up on the wine board at Decarli
Additionally, the Blanc de Noirs and the 2017 Cuvée will be available to purchase by the bottle.
Interior view of Decarli Restaurant, Beaverton, OR
This is a lovely family recipe that you can easily make on-the-go, or create from leftovers (such as barbecued sausage links) for a new nourishing meal.
Our lighter, low-carb version uses cauliflower instead of potatoes : cauliflower is such a versatile vegetable and marries well in flavor texture with smoky sausage and smooth hard-boiled eggs.
Hungarian Sausage Bake Recipe coming out of the oven.
VERSION # 1
Ingredients: 1/2 lb of Hungarian Sausage (we use Beef Polksa Kielbasa), sliced 1/2 lb potatoes 4 hard boiled eggs, sliced Salt and pepper to taste 2 T of paprika (Penzeys Hungarian-style Paprika is great for this recipe) 2 T butter 2 cups sour cream 1 tsp flour 1/4 cup light cream 2 T bread crumbs
VERSION # 2
Substitute lightly steamed cauliflower for the potatoes. To make this recipe gluten-free, use cornflakes or gluten-free bread crumbs and potato flour.
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pre-cook the sausages separately by roasting them simply in the oven. If they are set in links, four links should be sufficient.
Boil the potatoes with their skins in salted water for 15 minutes. Peel and slice when cool. If you are substituting with cauliflower, break the head into florets and steam them lightly.
Butter a 12″ x 8″ x 2″ baking dish (Pyrex works well) and arrange half of the potatoes, sausage and eggs in a layer.
Combine the paprika, salt, sour cream, flour and light cream.
Spread the cream mixture over the first layer.
Make a second layer with the remaining ingredients and top with bread crumbs.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Serve this hearty casserole with a simple green salad and a fresh bottle of our 2018 Three Feathers Blanc de Noirs (white Pinot Noir), which adds a fruity and acidic touch.
