Wine Wednesday: Erath Winery

When my husband and I first moved back to Portland, Oregon, one of the first wineries we fell in love with was Erath.

Nestled in the Dundee Hills and founded more than 40 years ago by Dick Erath, Erath Winery flourished for years a small family-owned operation that eventually was purchased in 2006 and grown even further by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates.

When I learned that our next #TGTaste Twitter party was featuring not only homegrown Erath Winery, but specifically Erath Pinot Noir and Erath Pinot Gris, my Oregon wine-loving heart swooned over the moon. In general, Pinot Noir tends to be my favorite red wine, and Pinot Gris is my favorite white wine. This was a most welcome delivery to my doorstep today!

Why I Love Pinot Noirs

Oregon Pinot Noirs are my favorite of all Pinot Noirs. I admittedly am biased, but there’s something rich about drinking deliciousness that comes from earth so close to home, from grapes picked and cared for by those who live, work, and give back to the same community. My bias aside, if you haven’t tried an Oregon Pinot Noir yet, I highly recommend that you do. Here’s why:

• Oregon Pinot Noirs vary greatly on the red spectrum (in my experience; you may disagree). You’ll find some that are richer and bolder than traditional Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and you will also find some that are lighter. Regardless of your preference, I truly believe you will find an Oregon Pinot Noir that suits your fancy.
• Oregon Pinot Noirs are highly versatile when it comes to food pairings. Pinot Noirs in general are well-balanced, and I’ve enjoyed Oregon varieties with everything from light salads to hearty pizzas to decadent steaks.

Why I Love Pinot Gris

• I’m not normally a fan of too-sweet white wines and too-dry white wines, and Pinot Gris hits the sweet spot in the middle.
• You still taste hints of fruit combinations and be rewarded with a clean, crisp finish.

The challenge now: what to pair with these wines for the next #TGTaste Twitter party? I’m thinking immediately of a surf & turf type of dinner. Perhaps a petite steak (to pair with the Pinot Noir), with a simple seared salmon, and cucumber side salad (to pair with the Pinot Gris).

What would you suggest I make to pair with these two wines?

Click here to learn more about the next Thirsty Girl #TGTaste Twitter Party, sponsored by Erath Winery, and join the fun!
Wednesday, August 15
5pm Pacific time / 8pm Eastern time
Twitter: use hashtag #TGTaste

Be sure to follow Thirsty Girl and Erath on Twitter, and feel free to follow me (@UrbanBlissMedia) on Twitter as well.

Let’s hope I have enough restraint to save some of the wine for next week’s tasting… Cheers! :)

Disclosure: I received wine as part of the promotion for the Thirsty Girl TGTaste Twitter Party. All opinions are my own, as are the images. If you Pin, Tweet, or share Urban Bliss images on Facebook, please link directly back to this post. Thank you!