February 2008 - FORIS VINEYARDS AND WINERY ROGUE VALLEY , OREGON

A visit to our winery explains our choice for the name FORIS . Latin for "out of doors", foris conveys the mood of the flowing rivers and lush, fir-covered Siskiyou Mountains which surround our vineyards. We are nestled in the remote Illinois River Valley of southwest Oregon .

2006 Pinot Noir $18
A blend of six vineyards located throughout Southern Oregons' Illinois Valley , Subtle aromas suggest darker colored fruit with tones of chocolate. Medium bodied, with subtle tannins and easy acidity. Raspberries and wild blackberries on the palate. Again a chocolate, mocha suggestion. Spice and pleasant acidity intermingle with the fruit on the long, focused finish. Just beginning to show what it will evolve into.


2003 Pinot Noir "Maple Ranch Vineyards" $26
This version of our Reserve Pinot Noir came solely from our Estate Maple Ranch about 4 miles northeast of the winery. These vineyards are comprised of various proportions of Pommard, Wadensville, UC-Davis and Dijon clones. This blend is based mostly upon the structure and intensity of the Dijon 115 clone, filled in with the chocolate character of the Pommard and a small portion of the fruit forward character of Wadensville. Deep aromas of dark fruits, earth and Pinot spice. Big and broad on the palate with fine, chewy tannins. Cherries, raspberries and mocha, with a hint of anise and lavender. Some Asian spice, as well. Nicely focused with a long, chocolaty finish. Better with some aeration while still young.


2004 Omaka Springs Pinot Noir, Marlborough $14.99
This vineyard was first planted in 1989 and is now giving owners/winemakers Geoff and Robina Jensen execellent fruit to craft their wines. This 2004 vintage is aged for twelve months in small French barrels, which accentuates the lovely cherry and boysenberry aromas of the wine, while giving it a subtle touch of spice. It is mouth-filling and has ripe tannins,that weave seamlessly into the long, rich finish.

2006 Sherwood Estate Pinot Noir, Waipara $15.99
The selected fruit was harvested in excellent condition from early to mid April before being transported to the winery . The fruit was de-stemmed, lightly crushed and tipped into open top fermenting tanks to undergo a pre-fermentation cool "soak" period. After fermentation, the cap was hand plunged 3 times per day, and spent an average of 17 days "on skins". The wine was then oak aged for 4 months prior to blending, fining, filtering and bottling.

2004 Zaca Mesa "Z Cuvee - Estate Bottled" Santa Ynez Valley $15.99
This unique combination of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsaut is inspired by the Chateauneuf-de-Pape's where they have been blending these wines together for centuries, creating wines that are greater than the sum of their parts. After hand harvesting, the grapes were gently destemmed, fermented and barrel aged separately for seven months, then combined and aged for an additional nine months in French oak barrels. Each grape adds its own nuance: Grenache adds rich raspberry fl avors; Mourvèdre brings notes of blueberry; Syrah, flavors of blackberry and ripe tannins and a touch of Cinsaut's dusty berry notes. These layers of flavor enable this wine to pair with a wide variety of foods from mushroom pizza to rosemary crusted leg of lamb.

2005 Domaine de Barroubio Rouge $10.99
35% Syrah , 35% Grenache, 30% Carignan
As a blend of almost equal parts of three grapes, this wine exhibits traits that are characteristic of each variety. The Syrah contributes aromas and flavors of black fruit and spice; the Carignan adds exotic spices, sandalwood and black pepper; while the Grenache gives forth red fruit, leather and garrigue (scrub-brush of wild rosemary, thyme, juniper, sage and other aromatic herbs.) At first glance this wine may just appear to be an easy-drinking, simple wine. With further study, this wine reveals its complexity. These grapes combine in such a way to make this wine a well balanced sum of its parts.

2003 Pezzi King Merlot "Susie's Reserve" Sonoma County , California $19.99
James and Jane Rowe established Pezzi King Vineyards in 1993, when Jim discovered a beautiful vineyard nestled in the hills of Dry Creek Valley during a weekend visit from San Francisco . Aware of the vineyard's superior terroir and captivated by the site's natural beauty, he purchased the 137-acre estate and undertook its beautiful transformation into one of the leading producers in the acclaimed Dry Creek Valley appellation.

Wine Notes: Black raspberry and cherry, spicy cinnamon, mocha and incense. Dark ruby color, with multiple layers of flavors that cascade on the palate. Well structured and balanced, climaxing with finesse and elegance. Sorry, no idea who Susie is.