DECEMBER CHEERS : simplebooklet.com

4 Cheers NW • December 2019CHEERS NORTHWESTContributsANTHONY ST. CLAIRMATTHEW MEADORVALERIE ESTELLE ROGERSFrom ction writing to craft beer fea-tures, travel writing to food blogging, Anthony has worked as a professional writer and online content specialist since 2000. Credits include Beer West, Eugene Magazine,The Register-Guard, Oregon Beer Growler, FIX.com, Oregon Business and more.Travel writer, Valerie Rogers is many things. Among them are expert traveler, average golfer, Pinot Noir consumer, slow-dinner acionado and a Portland Timbers fan. She wants to “travel the world and always return home to McMinnville, Oregon, the best little big town on the planet.”Matthew Meador once drank three bottles of cabernet at a friend’s wedding. The resulting hangover convinced him writing about wine might be an alternative to just drinking it. He is now on a mission to share the power food and drink have to bring people together. TAMMY COOK • PUBLISHERDirector of Sales & Marketing971.261.9651 tammy@cheersnorthwest.com Oh, the weather outside is frightful but the spirits are so delightful… Passion is a word that comes to mind when mentioning the hand-crafted spirits from the stills of the Northwest. From Oregon, Washington, Montana and Idaho the spirits are owing. Visiting these tasting rooms and distilleries brings a whole new meaning to avor — avor that explode on your palate! From gins to vodkas, from rums to whiskeys and fruit brandies and much more, our Northwest artisans offer unique spirits for your beverage pleasure — mixed or straight up, it’s your choice! A few of my favorite gathering places include Portland’s Distillery Row, Wash-ington’s Snohomish County distilleries, and don’t forget Boise, Idaho’s diverse distilleries through out the potato state. In McMinnville, Oregon, Ransom Wine Co. & Distillery offers a wine, ver-mouths and spirits tasting room, locat-ed on quaint Third Street — great place to visit and partake in your choice of libations. On the Columbia River Gorge in Hood River, my ultimate wine, food, music and spirits tasting room is Hood Crest Winery and Distillers. Patrik and Tess Barr are great hosts as guests sit around their very own crackling re. TAMMY COOKPUBLISHERPATTY MAMULAPatty is a freelance art, entertain-ment, and culture writer based in Portland, Oregon. Patty says "the Pacic Northwest is home to industrious and innovative shermen, farmers, artists, and craftsmen who create the unique avor of the Pacic Northwest." She tells their stories.ROBERT SUDEITHGeneral Manager503.899.8999 robert@cheersnorthwest.comCHRISTY NIELSEN Creative Director971.237.0552Christy@cheersnorthwest.comCHEERS NORTHWESTContact UsNothing is less spectacular than viewing Hoody (Mt. Hood for non-Oregonians) while you nibble on pizza, sip estate-grown Pinot Noir and, nally, your taste buds will explode when you sample the tart cherry cordial. Experience it yourself — you won’t be sorry with any of the recommendations! As we look into 2020, my hope is that all of our readers — that’s you! — will pick up our January issue, Cheers Northwest Planner, to begin to map out your upcom-ing excursions to the Northwest’s wineries, distilleries, breweries, restaurants and lodging facilities. Thank you to our writers for the past three issues and I look forward to the new year. Let’s raise a glass of bubbles... Cheers from all of us at Cheers Northwest maga-zine!

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6 Cheers NW • December 2019CHEERS NORTHWESTSwag Artisan chocolate fudge and trufes made by the Brigittine Monks of Amity, Oregon. It’s the perfect way to try six different trufe avors—one each of Amaretto, Cherry, Dark Chocolate, Maple, Milk Chocolate and Raspberry. It offers a host of avors to savor and share, a collection of chocolate deca-dence, an inspiration of tastes you’ll truly appreciate. Enough to choose one or two favorite avors, then order a box of six. Brigittine.org Jacobsen Sea Salt is carefully hand-har-vested directly from the cold, pristine waters of Netarts Bay on the Oregon coast They offera salt that is infused with Pinot Noir and carries notes of va-nilla and sweet red fruit. It pairs well with braised beef, pasta with marinara, or summer berries with burrata. PInot Noir infusion courtest of Grochau Cellars. JacobsenSalt.com This year’s limited-edition Argyle Winery Art of Sparkling set features three stun-ning new labels gracing our 2016 Argyle Vintage Brut. Packaged in a beautiful three-bottle gift box and featuring profiles of the artists, it makes an unforgettable gift for anyone who loves great wine and fine art. Set Includes: 3 bottles (one of each limited-edition label) 2016 Argyle Vintage Brut, artist proles, custom gift box, tasting for two, ground shipping, donation to Friends of Trees ArgyleWinery.com Melting Pot Candy’s delicious, award winning Toffee is made with Belgian dark chocolate, hand selected almonds which are minced to perfection, and carefully put together with love and magic. The perfect combination of dark chocolate, almond, and toffee in each bite! You can visit the shop in historic downtown Independence at 206 S. Main Street or call them at 503.930.3525. MeltingPotCandy.com Every year, Caravan Coffee’s roasters set out to create a magical one of a kind Christmas Coffee Blend and this year they outdid themselves. One sip will have you dreaming of a white Christmas while spreading peace on earth everywhere you go during the most wonderful time of the year. It imparts notes of apple pie, blueberry and maple syrup - perfect for Christmas morning. CaravanCoffee.com

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8 Cheers NW • December 2019 There’s no place like home for mixing up your own holiday spirits. Whether you’re hosting a holiday get-together at your place or just want a December drink to help you unwind from the rush of the season, it’s easier than you might think to re up a few festive cocktails. Holiday cocktails are all about bringing the cheer to what can also be a stressful season — and a gray, dreary time of year in the Northwest. That’s why holiday cocktails often feature rich colors, such as Christmas reds and holiday avors like can-dy-cane peppermint. Warming spices and aromas lift the spirits, perfect for when you want to foster togetherness at a gathering, or bring a little person-al holiday cheer to your busy day. Popular holiday spirits and liqueurs include white creme de cacao, peppermint or cinnamon schnapps, cherry- or chili-infused vodkas, orange liqueur and warming brown spirits such as rums and bourbons. Howev-er, your holiday bar doesn’t have to rival your favorite mixologist’s. Even a couple of well-chosen bottles can have you well on your way to crafting holiday cocktails that will make you the toast of the season. For Heritage Distilling, based in Washington and Oregon, the most popular spirits for holiday cocktails in-clude their award-winning BSB (Brown Sugar Bourbon), overproof BSB 103 and Coffee Vodka. And already com-manding a presence at home bars is their new Commander’s Spiced Rum, which ofcially launches December 7 at Heritage’s Eugene distillery. It’s the ne touches, though, that really bring out the festive warmth in home holiday cocktails. “For classic holiday spices such as cinnamon, star anise, clove and allspice, you can infuse vodkas, or shake whole spices with each individual drink,” says Philip Robbins, Eugene-based head of mixology for Heritage Distilling. “My favorite easy and fun way to spice up a drink is to make an infused simple syrup.”MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHTMake your celebrations even more festive with these make-at-home cocktailsBY ANTHONY ST. CLAIRPHOTO COURTESY OF HERITAGE DISTILLING

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9December 2019 • Cheers NW A simple syrup is an affordable, fast way to bring a home-blended taste to your holiday cocktails: All you need is equal parts water and sugar, plus whole spices. It’s also easy to make large amounts of simple syrup to pack up in small bottles — perfect for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, party favors and little surprise holiday presents that truly give a homemade personal touch. In a sauce pan, Robbins pours two cups of water and adds his choice of whole spices such as six cinna-mon sticks, ve star anise pods, ten cardamom pods, eight whole cloves, a dozen allspice berries, six sliced rounds of fresh ginger or three-inch strips of orange peel. (Or mix and match spices for your own custom house holiday spice blend.) Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool, then strain out the whole spices. Add two cups sugar and whisk until fully dissolved. Infused syrups can keep for up to two weeks in the fridge. Want to make a larger batch? Just remember to keep an equal one-to-one ratio of water and sugar, and scale up your spices to taste. In addition to syrups and spirits, bitters and glassware are other easy ways to add pizzazz to your holidays. While a basic Angostura never goes out of style, today’s bitters are nearly as diverse as craft spirits. Bitters can be infused with various botanicals and produce to bring out a range of avors and aromas, including pear, vanilla, orange, cherry, lime, rhubarb, lemon, peach or even celery. Special-occasion glassware — or festive garnishes such as small candy canes — can be another way to use presentation to warm up your winter occasions. Glasses that are red or use holiday designs can complement the drink inside, from specialty chis-eled tumblers to Santa-red cocktail glasses. From the rich reds of sugar-coated cranberries to a winter-welcome bright pop of green from fresh mint leaves, garnishes are another way to spice up both the presentation and the aroma of your cocktails. With a piney scent and Christmas tree-evok-ing shape, sprigs of hearty herbs such as rosemary are naturally sooth-ing and warming. Candy cane straws, star-shaped sugar cookies or whole cinnamon sticks enhance aroma and avor, adding a fun, whimsical touch to the glass. Or, make a festive rim with salts, sugars, cocoa powder, powdered spices or even crumbled cookies. A secret weapon to your cocktail making? It’s all in how you shake — and for how long. Making sure your cocktail shaker is sealed well, hold it horizontally and shake for 30 seconds. The additional mixing and chilling will help you pour out perfect cocktails every time. Last but not least, make sure you are choosing quality spirits. You don’t have to blow your holiday budget to stock your home bar, but look for quality regional craft spirits from area distilleries. They’ll impress your guests and anyone visiting from out of town — and you’ll get a warm holiday glow from knowing you’re supporting the Northwest’s growing craft distilleries. Home cocktails are a great way to bring holiday cheer to all your season’s gatherings and occasions. Try out these three featured holiday cocktail recipes from Heritage Distill-ing. Enjoy, and happy holidays!CHEERS NORTHWESTSpiritsSton FencI  highbal glas wit ic ad:2 o. pice u, uc a Heritag Distillin’ Commande’ Spice RuTo wit unfiltere appl cideAd 2 dashe Angostur Bier an ti. Garnis wit  min pri.PHOTO COURTESY OF HERITAGE DISTILLING

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10 Cheers NW • December 2019Lio’ TaiI  cocktai hake ad:1.5 o. bourbo, uc a Heritag Distillin’ BSB 103.5 o. Allspic Da.5 o. fres lim juic4 dashe Angostur BierAd ic an hak. Doubl trai int  cocktai goble. Garnis wit a orang pee. Bonu point: Flam th orang pee. Ligh  matc an wai fo th ulfurou mel t ubsid. Holdin th orang wit th ki id towar th flam, queez you inde finge an thum towar eac othe. Thi wil ad expresse citru oil t th cocktai, an yo ca the ad th pee a a optiona garnis.CHEERS NORTHWESTSpiritsOang Ginge ToddI  heate mu ad:2 o. y whiske, uc a Heritag Distillin’ Dua Barre Oang Ry.5 o RAFT GingeOn whol cinnamo ticOn orang lic pierce wit cloveMi al ingredient togethe, the to wit ho wate an ti t combin an infus.

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12 Cheers NW • December 2019 From Astoria at the mouth of the mighty Columbia River, to Brookings at the California border, Oregon boasts 363 miles of pristine public coastline — and over 20 breweries where you can enjoy craft beer at the country’s western edge. Whether nipping to the Coast for a weekend or making an end-to-end beercation, here are a few can’t-miss stops.Astoria Brewing, Astoriaastoriabrewingcompany.comWith ve breweries — the most any-where on the Oregon Coast — a good place to start wetting coasters on the Coast is some Oregon brewing histo-ry. Astoria Brewing has been serving up since 1997 — back when it was “microbrew,” not “craft beer.” Fifteen taps pour the usual suspects such as IPAs and pale ales, but keep an eye out for unique exbeeriences like San-dy’s Altzbier German Pale, Skipper’s Sourmash Stout and Sunset Mango Sour. You can enjoy your pint while looking out at the Columbia River and the Astoria–Megler Bridge — the last Oregon-Washington connection before the river ows into the Pacic.Fort George Brewery, Astoriafortgeorgebrewery.comA visit to Astoria’s beer scene isn’t complete without checking out the expanding Fort George Brewery, right on the waterfront. Especially known for their February Stout Month, Fort George recently announced plans to expand into a 124,000-square-foot building. The former cannery will now be the home of Fort George’s canning line, a 60-barrel brewhouse, panoram-ic views of the Columbia and an array of light and dark beers such as Over-dub Session IPA, Waves of Silence Stout, Crysknife IPA and, of course, From Astoria With Love Stout.Public Coast Brewing, Cannon Beachpubliccoastbrewing.comOREGON COAST CRAFT BREWERIES363 miles of the best beer and spectacular scenery on the Pacific CoastBY ANTHONY ST. CLAIRPHOTO COURTESY OF ARCH ROCK BREWING COMPANY

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13December 2019 • Cheers NWThe famous Oregon Beach Bill of 1967 established Oregon’s coastline as public property. That statewide spirit of community, access and taking care of what you love is home not only at the beach, but at Public Coast Brewing. Founded in 2016, the brewery is on the northern edge of town, where Ecola Creek curves north. When you visit, check out beers as distinctive as the North Coast’s rocky geography: Old Bog Farm Cran-berry Kettle Sour, The People’s Pale Ale, Sea Sprig Rosemary Session IPA, and — if you can get it — La Noche de Cabra Traditional Bock.Beachcrest Brewing, Gleneden Beachbeachcrestbrewing.comJust as America’s craft beer boom has spread across the country and around the world, craft breweries are nding that smaller communities can also be welcoming homes for local-minded brewers. Located in the Shops at Salishan, Beachcrest sits just off Highway 101 at the southern end of Siletz Bay. Since opening in 2018, Beachcrest has become a local mainstay for live music and quirky events — including a Dec. 14 holiday sing-along that encourages the wearing of lurid Christmas sweaters, the munching of lots of cookies and the enjoyment of house beers such as Siletz Bay Hazy IPA, Sweet ‘n Tart Raspberry Strong Ale and Coastal Knight Imperial CDA.Depoe Bay Brewing, Depoe Baydepoebaybrewing.com and thehorn.pubLocated in The Horn Public House & Brewery, Depoe Bay Brewing’s small team brings big beers to the Oregon Coast. The former site of a coastal tourist attraction, the 1927 building also served as a Coast Guard barracks during World War II, reinvent-ed as a pub and brewery in 2016. Pair your winter storm watching with Sir Charles Scotch Ale, Sea Witch Icelandic Porter, Dead Reckoning 2019 Winter Warmer or Little Whale Cream Ale.Wolf Tree Brewery Taproom, Newportwolftreebrewery.comWhile Wolf Tree’s Seal Rock produc-tion brewery isn’t a public space, the South Beach taproom on the southern end of Newport is happy to serve you (no minors allowed, though). From a second-oor space in the Wilder Corner Building, you can enjoy free popcorn along with over a dozen brew selections, including agship Spruce Tip Ale, Sails Up Saison and Belgian Dip Dark Strong Ale. Don’t forget to grab a pint of Tumornator Triple IPA: named in honor of tumor-ghting neurosurgeon William E. Hitselberger M.D., who passed away in 2014; a portion of the proceeds from every pint is donated to local charities.Yachats Brewing & Farmstore, Yachatsyachatsbrewing.comTucked between Newport and Florence, Yachats might be a small community, but it’s also home to one of the Coast’s most innovative brew-eries. Brewing on a seven-barrel brew-house since 2016, Yachats Brewing’s specialty bottles are can’t miss beer events: Cetacea Saison with Szechuan Peppercorns, Salal Sour Ale with Salal Berries and Peche Oak-Fermented Saison with Peaches. Also check out their year-round taps, including Thor’s Well India Pale Ale, Perpetua Xtra Pale Ale and Coastal Dark Ale.7 Devils Brewing, Coos Bay7devilsbrewery.comWhile there’s no craft brewery in Florence, nearby 7 Devils in Coos Bay heads up the Southern Coast’s solid beer presence. With a focus on cele-brating “coastal creativity,” the fami-ly-owned brewery aims to have their beers and pub feel just as restorative and inspiring as walking on the beach. Find your personal restoration in a serving of Groundswell IPA, Chinook Redd Ale, Lighthouse Session Pale Ale or McCullough Mocha Stout.Bandon Brewing Company & Pizzeria, Bandonbandonbrewingco.comPizza and beer: is it the reason we have two hands? Located near the Coquille River, at the entrance to Old Town Bandon, the brewery and pizzeria combines wood-red pizzas CHEERS NORTHWESTBeerPHOTO COURTESY OF ARCH ROCK BREWING COMPANYPHOTO COURTESY OF PUBLIC COAST ROCK BREWING CO.

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14 Cheers NW • December 2019with Northwest favorite styles such as Sand Circles Pale Ale, One-Eyed Jack IPA or a Wagon Wheel Road Porter.Arch Rock Brewing Co., Gold Beacharchrockbeer.comAs you go farther south down the Oregon Coast, it might seem like the weather gets wetter but the beer dries up. That’s not the case though. Locat-ed at the next-to-last bend before the Rogue River meets the Pacic, Arch Rock Brewing opened in 2013 in a former cabinet shop. From a 15-barrel brewhouse, Arch Rock puts out three beers: Gold Beach Lager, Pistol River Pale and the award-winning State of Jefferson Porter.Chetco Brewing Company, Brookingschetcobrew.comSmall-town brewing, world-class beer: Oregon’s last brewery before the California line offers 16 taps pouring all-vegan beers. The dog-friendly brewery views itself as a community space, where people can gather over a pint of Willa Nelson IPA, Evacuation Ale, Raymond’s Fathead Red or Chloe Brown Ale.CHEERS NORTHWESTBeerPHOTO COURTESY OF WOLF TREE BREWERYBuoy Beer, Astoriabuoybeer.comHondo’s Brew Pub, Astoriahondosbrew.netReach Break Brewing, Astoriareachbreak.comSeaside Brewing, Seasideseasidebrewery.comPelican Brewing, Pacic City & Tillamookpelicanbrewing.comde Garde Brewing, Tillamookdegardebrewing.comMcMenamins Lighthouse Brewpub, Lincoln Citymcmenamins.com/lighthouse-brewpubRusty Truck Brewing, Lincoln Cityrustytruckbrewing.comBier One Brewing, Newportlocu.com/places/bier-one-newport-usNewport Brewing Co., Newportnewportbrewingcompany.comRogue Brewer’s, Newportrogue.comCHECK OUT THESE OTHER OREGON COAST BREWERIES

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16 Cheers NW • December 2019 Sparkling wine is the essence of ef-fervescence. While bubbles are their hallmark, not all sparkling’s bubbles are created equally. Méthode champenoise was devel-oped by Dom Perignon in the 1600s — only grapes grown and produced in the Champagne region of France can legally be called Champagne. Chateau Bianca Winery, in the Van Duzer Corridor AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley, produces all three of its sparkling selections traditionally. Owner and winemaker Andreas Wetzel learned this method when his family owned Laurel Ridge Winery with an-nual production of 10,000 sparkling cases. Wetzel purchased his 87 acres in 1990, incorporating traditions from his German winemaking ancestors. The traditional method involves making base wine, bottling it, then adding yeast and sugar for secondary fermentation. The wines are aged on their lees, the yeast particles. “Some have been on their lees for 15 years or more,” Wetzel said. The longer they age, the more expensive the wines become and the more doughy and creamy the aroma they attain. After aging, the bottles are riddled or turned incrementally until upside down. At the end of the process, the yeast lies in the neck. The yeast plug is then disgorged and the bottle topped off with the original wine and a little sugar, followed by the cork and wire hood. “With this method, the CO2 is bound up in the liquid so it re-leases slowly, retaining effervescence longer,” said Wetzel. Wetzel makes a Cuvée Blanc, a sparkling Riesling in a traditional German style to honor his grandfather who had a small winery in Northern Bavaria. The avor is fruit-forward with some residual sugar. “We’ve found a good market in Japan ESSENCE OF EFFERVESCENCEBY PATTY MAMULAFestive wines bubble up for holiday celebrationsPHOTO BY REBECCA WIGGINS, UNSPLASH

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17December 2019 • Cheers NWbecause it pairs well with sushi,” said Wetzel. It’s priced at $29. Wetzel makes Brut Rose every other year with 100 percent estate-grown Pinot Noir. “It’s probably the most widely known dry style,” said Wetzel. This sparkling ages for 18 months and sells for $30. Chateau Bianca’s most elite spar-kling is a Blanc De Blanc made with extra chardonnay. “This process is much longer, the wine is nished naturally. No dosage is added,” said Wetzel. Production is very limited, 100 cases at most — the 2001 is $50. “Sparkling wines show every aw in the wine. They’re sensitive to develop-ing off-characteristics during second-ary fermentation. When picking for sparkling, you don’t pick as ripe of fruit. And you denitely don’t take the decision to make sparkling after the fact,” said Wetzel. About 15 miles northeast of Chateau Bianca is Johan Vineyards, in the same AVA and owned by Dag Johan Sundby, who purchased 175 acres in 2005. Johan offers two sparkling wines made in a totally different style known as Pet Nat, an ancestral style pre-dating champagne. Winemaker Morgan Beck describes the process. “First we let native fermentation start. After a little skin contact, the grapes are pressed and fermented with their own natu-ral yeast. It takes a couple months until the point when there’s a spe-cic amount of sugar per grams. It nishes in the bottle and creates the carbonation.” The time from tank to bottle varies, depending on nutrients and pace of fermentation. In this process the lees fall to the bottom. They are not removed, disgorged or ltered, adding a creamy, tart compo-nent to the wine. Beck makes Petillant Naturel Pinot Noir and Petillant Naturel Melon, a white grape from the Muscadet region in France. The 2018 Pet Nat Pinot is available for $23. The 2017 and 2018 Pet Nat Melon sold out but the 2019 will be released in late spring. “We determine when to release by tasting,” she said. “We want at least 96 percent of the fermentation nished. That’s what gives it bubbles,” she said. Pet Nats are usually lighter than champagne and slightly sweeter. Beck said key components for making this type of sparkling are acidity and ripe fruit avors. “We farm a block of Pinot Noir on our vineyard specically for the Pet Nat,” she said. “They go to all seven of our national markets and three international ones.” Beck noted all Johan wines are certi-ed biodynamic. Just off Highway 14 above the tiny town of Lyle, Syncline Winery sits high on the Washington cliffs over-looking the Columbia Gorge. Sharing a close connection to the land, the winery’s name itself is a geologic term for a fold of rock layers. James and Poppie Mantone bought the 35-acre hillside property in 1996. “We came to the Gorge for kayaking and loved it,” he said. The couple was eager to start their own business in the Gorge. Syncline’s estate vineyards are planted on native grasslands, never cultivated. For James there was no question about farming biodynamical-ly. He carefully mapped out his soils based on its geologic characteristics. “It takes more time but the process is respective of the grapes and soil,” he CHEERS NORTHWESTWinePHOTO BY PATTY MAMULAPHOTO BY REBECCA WIGGINS, UNSPLASH

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18 Cheers NW • December 2019said. By next spring, he plans to have a total of 11 acres of Gamay, Syrah, Mondeuse (a French red grape), Grüner Veltliner (a white Austrian grape) and Furmint (a white Hungarian grape). While James focuses on Rhône-style wines, he also makes traditional sparklings. “I learned how to make champagne from a fth-generation champenoise maker,” he said. James’ 2017 Gruner Veltliner Brut Scintilla-tion was “inspired by the mountain sparkling wines of Austria,” he said. “Growing grapes in the mountains leads to wines with elevated acids since our diurnal temperature swings can vary as much as 50 degrees.” “We’re emphasizing freshness over bready champagne characteristics,” said James. Still, he used the tradi-tional production method. The bottles were hand-riddled and disgorged this September. “I think wines should taste like a place looks,” said James. “The Gorge with its precipitous cliffs should pro-duce wines that have angles to reect the areas they’re grown in.” Bottles of Syncline’s 2016 Blanc De Blanc, produced with chardonnay grapes from Celilo Vineyard are on riddling racks now and should be available by early spring. “We still have some 2014 Blanc De Noir that will sit for six to eight years before we bring it out to riddle,” said James. He anticipates releasing that in 2021. From the Columbia Gorge to the cranberry coast of Washington — an area not know for grapes — sits another sparkling wine producer with a vast array of wines. Westport Winery and Garden Resort in Aber-deen, Washington is the rst winery in Grey’s Harbor County on the Pacic Coast of Washington. After moving to Washington in 1993 with their children while running the largest dive shop in Hawaii, Kim and Blain Roberts bought the 20 acres in 2007. “We wanted to buy some prop-erty near where I grew up in Wash-ington,” said Kim, “but discovered we weren’t very good at retirement.” Extension agents encouraged the couple to grow grapes, which they tried to do for four years before admitting defeat. In the meantime, Kim had been appointed to the Washington Wine Commission, which put her into contact with wineries and growers throughout the state. The Roberts decided to buy grapes and make wine with the assistance of their winemaker son, Dana, who completed WSU’s wine program, and their daughter, Carrie, who nished accounting school and became gener-al manager. Today, their Washington winery showcases 15 acres of display CHEERS NORTHWESTWinePHOTO COURTESY OF JOHAN VINEYARDS

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19December 2019 • Cheers NWgardens, the winery and warehouse, tasting room and gift shop, a restaurant, their homes and newly-opened distillery. The Roberts also operate a tasting room and kite shop in Seaside. Each of Westport’s 37 wines benets a local charity. “We’ve donated more than $500,000 since we started in 2008,” said Kim. Four sparkling wine choices are made by the process of forced carbonation. This method simply takes a still wine and carbonates it in a pressurized tank. Rapture of the Deep is Westport’s most popu-lar sparkling, made with cranberries from Ocean Spray. A sparkling Riesling called Maritime and a sparkling Gewürztraminer called Going Coastal are also featured along with a sparkling almond called Boom Runner, described as tasting like a French pastry. All retail for $29.CHEERS NORTHWESTWineChateau Bianca 17485 Hwy 22, Dallas, Oregonwww.chateaubianca.com • 503-623-6181Open daily 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.Johan Vineyards4285 N Pacic Hwy, Rickreall, Oregonwww.johanvineyards.com • 503-623-8642Open daily noon – 5 p.m., Feb. – Dec.Syncline Winery111 Balch Road, Lyle, Washington www.wynclinewine.com • 509-365-4361Open Thursday – Sunday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.Closed Christmas and New Year’sWestport Winery Garden Resort1 S Arbor Road, Aberdeen, Washingtonwww.westportwinery.com • 360-648-2224Open daily 8 a.m. – 7 p.m., and until 8 p.m. Friday and SaturdayWestport Winery Seaside810 Broadway, Seaside, Oregonwww.westportwinery.com • 503-739-7322 Open daily 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.PHOTO COURTESY OF JOHAN VINEYARDSPHOTO COURTESY OF SYNCLINE WINERYPHOTO COURTESY OF WESTPORT WINERY

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20 Cheers NW • December 2019Ae you feline festive?Ae you feline festive?Please in Buha Kat WineryPlease in Buha Kat Winery f a f aMeowy ChristmasMeowy ChristmasBazrBazrSaturday, December 21st • 12 - 4 pm17020 Ruben Lane • Sandy, OR503-668-3124 • BuddhakatWinery.comBLOODY REFRESHINGOur Mixers are crafted in small batches in Oregon, using meticulously selected, fresh and Organic ingredients.Attention to detail and quality is something you can taste and certain to elevate your cocktails from compromise into classic.MARY’S MIXERS16869 SW 65th Ave Suite 130 • Lake Oswego • Oregon • Mary’sMixers.com • 503-449-7173Hauer of the Dauen Winery16425 SE Webfoot Road ∙ Dayton ∙ 503-868-7359Saturday & Sunday noon - 5pm or by appointment A Boutique WineryPINOT WITH A VIEWIn McMinnville, Oregon’s Historic District, visit Pinot Vista Vineyard’s Wine Tasting Lounge for a Unique Tasting Experience.Join us for events, music, seasonal and happy hours and more!448 NE 3rd Street • McMinnville, OR • (503) 474-6361 www.PinotVistaTastingLounge.com

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22 Cheers NW • December 2019 The Claw, as it’s affectionately called by locals, is a town of 11,000 residents hidden in plain sight just 20 miles east of Tacoma, Washing-ton. Located 22 miles northwest of Mount Rainier, the city is surrounded by 40,000 neighbors making up that area of King County. Enumclaw — pronounced just as it is written with a long e — is often passed through by motorists on the way to the mountain or chosen as a quick stop to replen-ish gasoline or snacks. From the I-5 corridor and the rush to don your skis, it can feel like the beauty of the ve-mile plateau that is Enumclaw is just a pass-through, gone like a blip. But there is so much to see and do in and around Enumclaw! As the gateway to Mount Rainier National Park, it’s important to note that within 15 minutes of downtown Enumclaw, three more beautiful state parks await your visit: Nolte, Flaming Geyser, Kanaskat-Palmer. Or you could enjoy a hike up Mt. Peak, a walk around Deep Lake, hot air balloon rides and — appropriate to this season — a reindeer farm! Rainier Reindeer Ranch is located eight miles from downtown Enumc-law, the perfect holiday adventure. Meet a pair of reindeer who spend November and December bringing joy to hundreds by participating in annual holiday events. When not at area festivals, anyone over the age of 12 can visit in groups of up to 10 people with a reservation — and spend quality time with the reindeer. Enjoy the opportunity to learn about reindeer and what makes them unique, a chance to be up close and personal with them, walking, brush-ing and feeding these rare caribou. When on the working farm, guests may also have an opportunity to per-form other fun chores like collecting chicken eggs. But now, let’s take a closer look at Enumclaw itself! After a quick return downtown and parking the car at the-most-convenient downtown lodg-ing, The Guesthouse, it’s all walking VISITING ENUMCLAW, WASHINGTONBY VALERIE ESTELLE ROGERSThe almost hidden gem you’re passing by on the way to skiingPHOTOS BY VALERIE ESTELLE ROGERS

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23December 2019 • Cheers NWfrom here! The Guesthouse is located directly across the street from Logging Legacy Park, which show-cases the deep roots of the area’s long logging history. A large bronze statue of two straining oxen joined by a yoke with their drover guiding them, stands squarely in the center of the park, a massive reminder of the town’s celebrated past. Strolling the downtown shopping streets takes you past antique stores, the This-n-That lled with endless treasures, boutique apparel shopping, a bakery and a welcom-ing coffee shop. You can’t miss the iconic pub, The Mint, which dates back to 1906 and reopened in 2013. The Enumclaw Music store, which opened in 1985, features two very retro upright pianos just outside the entry, waiting on the sidewalk for daring passersby to tickle the old ivories. Eight rows of string lights hang high across the street from one side to the other, split only by the street lamp, four rows on each side of the main intersection. At dusk, just as the sun is setting, these lovely lights cast a warm glow which nearly transports you to a magical place. Walking under the welcoming luminescence with your soft winter gloves and scarf gently draped around your neck, this very well may be a movie set. Four beverage stops of note are located in Enumclaw: one distillery, two breweries, and a winery. This may be reason enough to anchor your Mount Rainier trip in this perfect mid-size town! With brothers-in-law Sam Agnew and Tyler Teeple at the helm and a team of four co-founders — Thomas, Werner, Greene and Gonzolas — Pursuit Distillery occupies a promi-nent place in Enumclaw’s hospitality culture. Pursuit will whet your taste for vodka, whiskey and soon, even gin. At the tender age of four years, the distillery has hooked up with the powerhouse Columbia Distributing, and is appearing all over the North-west, everywhere the huge beverage distributor reaches. The parent company to many sub-labels for area restaurants, Pursuit Distillery prides itself on using as many local ingre-dients as possible to support the area economy. For the enthusiast, a barrel club is available — a group of four friends can sign up and make all the decisions from taste to bottling on a small barrel batch of bourbon which produces approximately 27 DOWNTOWN WITHV. EstellePHOTOS BY VALERIE ESTELLE ROGERS

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24 Cheers NW • December 2019bottles. “If you have a dream, pursue it,” founder Ty once said, giving birth to Enumclaw’s must-visit Pursuit Distillery. Just around the corner in the indus-trial neighborhood the distillery calls home, you’ll nd Cole Street Brew-ery, opened in 2014. Owner Sean McDonald grew up in Enumclaw, a passionate homebrewer-turned-busi-ness-owner. With no television distractions, Cole Street Brewery is intentionally designed to encourage conversation, welcoming people to talk to one another. An active events calendar is maintained, featuring events ranging from culinary cook-offs between professionals and home chefs to exciting escape room parties. McDonald loves to “support the people who support us” and says he enjoys living in his hometown, a great community where everyone supports each other. A short walk from Cole Street Station brings you to Enumclaw’s other brewery, Headworks Brewing. Housed in the 1927 historic Enum-claw Laundry building on the corner of Railroad and Marshall streets, Headworks is owned and run by John and Wendy Santamaria with their son, Gino, serving as head brewer. After a four-year renovation bring-ing the old building up to code and ready for guests, the beer has been owing freely since 2014. Special-izing in handcrafted small batches, the brewery boasts 16 taps and 18 beers brewing at all times. Proudly kid- and dog-friendly, Headworks hosts numerous events and on Fri-days, you can enjoy excellent pizza from a local food truck. If you’re lucky, you might catch local legend Chef Ky Loop with a pop-up food cart of his own ranging from fancy dogs to sweet capicola and even steak. If it’s a glass of wine you’re after, Leony’s Cellar has just what you’re looking for. Currently the only active winery in town, Leony’s has cornered the market. Owners Sandi and Salva-dor Moreno were searching sale ads for a wine barrel when they found an entire winery to buy instead. The previous owner agreed to teach the Morenos how to make wine and the rest, as they say, is history. Five years later with two gold medals and a thriving wine club, locals and visitors alike love Leony’s Cellar! After a long day hiking, skiing or even pub-crawling Enumclaw, food is bound to be high on your list. Grifn and Wells — appropriately situated on the corner of Grifn Avenue and Wells Street — is just the nod to a French Café you didn’t know you needed. But believe it: you need it. Chef and owner Amy Price creates outstanding dishes such as crepes with chanterelles, chicken and roast-ed squash, and quiche with chicken, bacon, chard and buratta. Specials are handwritten in chalk while the red dinner plates and corner window offer all the good vibes needed in DOWNTOWN WITHV. Estelle

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25December 2019 • Cheers NWthis elevated atmosphere. Chef Amy can name the multiple farms provid-ing the ingredients for your dinner, as farm-to-table products are integral to her restaurant. With ten tables, the misconception that Grifn and Wells is fancy and exclusive is better described as approachable — the café is open to everyone, so bring your kids! Craving beer-braised rabbit sau-sage, or pan-seared Chilean rock crab mac and cheese? Or maybe just the average wild game special of the day? Then Jackson’s — located in the very heart of downtown — is where you want to visit. Imagine a pub atmosphere featuring a shelf of 120 whiskeys in stock, anything from Jim Beam to 23-year-old Pappy’s. The popular house Bloody Mary is made with local Pursuit Distillery vodka. If you’re in the mood for some seri-ous red sauce and the exuberant and comforting sounds of family, conver-sation and laughter, make your way to Il Siciliano for an Italian experience to treat all your senses. Expect a short waiting list at the front door but bring your appetite because the portions are anything but small! Before strolling the two blocks to the Chalet Theater for a new release lm or the front row of a Sir Mix-A-Lot concert, be sure to grab a sweet bite at Ann’s Fudge and Bakery or Sweet Necessities. Both offer different forms of tempting homemade choc-olate, ready to melt in your mouth. At Sweet Necessities, you can also stock up on one of 100 varieties of loose leaf tea for later sipping. Enumclaw and its neighboring town of Buckley have an active and friendly rivalry among their sports teams dating back to 1953. As the story goes, at one time a single high school was split into two and located in each of the two towns. Just one problem: the two schools kept the same mascot, the Hornets! At just three miles apart, separated only by a bridge, the two Hornet football teams face off each year in the intense and very important Battle of the Bridge. The losing team is taunt-ingly dubbed the Bumblebees by the victors. Prep football with a view of DOWNTOWN WITHV. EstelleMt. Rainier in the background — it doesn’t get much more American than that! When asked what makes Enumclaw special, local folks agree: in addition to this special community being very family-friendly, it is lled with amaz-ing organizations and local support for businesses is enthusiastic and constant, making this a great place to grow your dream!

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28 Cheers NW • December 2019GUANCIA BRASATA NORTHWEST RECIPESRosmarino Osteria ItalianaThis dish is very good served with creamy potatoes or polenta and roasted beets.FROM DARIO & SHEENA PISONI INGREDIENTS10 veal Cheeks1 cup extra virgin olive oil3 carrots3 ribs of chopped celery1 big sweet onion5 black garlic cloves (normal garlic good too)3 nice branches of fresh RosemarySaltPepper1/4lb unsalted butter1 bottle of bold red wine1 tbsp potato starchPreheat the oven at 225ºF.DIRECTIONSIn a large braising pan drizzle olive oil, butter, onions, carrots, celery, herbs and garlic on a low re to sweat.Season the veal cheeks with salt and pepper and seared them in a nice, hot pan drizzled with olive oil. Flip and sear till golden brown on both sides.Move the seared cheeks on top of the vegetables in the braising pan.Sprinkle some potato starch, stir and then add the bottle of red wine. If sauce is too thick, add some water and salt. Let the alcohol of the wine evaporate and cover with a lid.Put the braising pan into the oven for 3 hours shaking the braising pan every three hours.Wine Pairing - Zerba Cellars - 2016 Estate Syrahwww.osteriarosmarino.com • 714 E. First St., Newberg, Oregon • 503-438-6211(Braised Veal Cheeks)

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29December 2019 • Cheers NWNORTHWEST RECIPESCarlton Farmswww.carltonfarms.com • 10600 NW Westside Road, Carlton, Oregon • 503-852-7166PRIME RIB ROASTThe perfect main course for your holiday dinner.FROM CARLTON FARMSINGREDIENTSRoast:1 Carlton Farms Prime Rib Roast (2 to 4 ribs), small end, chine (back bone removed) (6 to 8 pounds)1 can (14 to 14-1/2 ounces) ready-to-serve beef broth2 teaspoons chopped fresh thymeSaltRub:2 tablespoons pepper seasoning blend2 tablespoons minced garlicPreheat the oven at 350ºF.DIRECTIONSHeat oven to 350ºF. Combine rub ingredients in small bowl; reserve 2 tbsp for au jus. Press remaining rub evenly onto all surfaces of beef roast.Place roast, fat side up, in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is centered in thickest part of beef, not resting in fat or touching bone. Do not add water or cover. Roast in 350ºF oven 2-1/4 to 2-1/2 hours for medium rare; 2-3/4 to 3 hours for medium doneness.Remove roast when meat thermometer registers 135ºF for medium rare; 150ºF for medium. Transfer roast to carving board; tent loosely with aluminum foil. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes. (Temperature will continue to rise about 10ºF to reach 145ºF for medium rare; 160ºF for medium.)Combine broth and reserved rub in small saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes. Stir in thyme; continue simmering 2 minutes. Carve roast into slices. Season with salt, as desired. Serve with au jus.

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30 Cheers NW • December 2019 When I was naming this column in the inaugural issue of Cheers North-west a few months ago, I really only considered two names. Because this is a food-and-spirits publication, it made the most sense to name the column “Last Call,” after the univer-sally-known “last call for alcohol” hollered just before closing time in bars everywhere. Since this column appears at the end of the magazine, it seemed especially tting as a part-ing message — the obvious choice. But I liked the second option better even though it was probably too nuanced for readers unfamiliar with the verse by the same name: “The Parting Glass.” Now, Celticfolk are the masters of the send-off. No other people has produced verse of the quality and quantity the Celtic have to signal the end. And the end of what? Most Celtic send-off verses are suitable for anything from the nal moments of a gathering of good friends to the death of a life well-lived plus every ending in between — in my mind, maybe even the column appearing in the last pages of a magazine. Simultaneously humorous and haunting, joyful and teary, these songs evoke emotion and underscore the memorable moments of whatever event they’re marking at the moment the present becomes the past. For the purposes of this column, I’m including the Scottish, Irish, Welsh, Breton, Cornish and Manx as Celts — I do not want to debate whether “The Parting Glass” is more Irish or Scotch. Whatever the case, it was widely regarded as the most popular folk song in both Ireland and Scotland, boasting even a late stanza apparently added by the inimitable Robert Burns. “The Parting Glass” was the most popular song, that is, until Robert Burns wrote another one. Which brings us, ttingly, to the end of 2019 and a better-known Celtic send-off, “Auld Lang Syne.” We all sing it at midnight, the end of New Year’s Eve. Or we sing the bits we can remember, anyway. But really, SENDING OFF 2019 IN AULD LANG STYLEToasting the end of the year as we usher in a new oneBY MATTHEW MEADOR

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31December 2019 • Cheers NWLAST CALL WITHMattwhat is this ditty we’ve known-but-not-known our entire lives? According to Wikipedia, the title is literally trans-lated to modern English as “old long since” but might be more appropri-ately interpreted as “for the sake of old times” as we use the song now. Robert Burns, the gifted Scottish poet I already mentioned, wrote the song in 1788 — but even a full Burns credit is iffy. The phrase “auld lang syne” appeared in similar and earlier works by Robert Ayton, Allan Ramsay and James Watson. Further, the entire rst verse might be entirely attributed to Watson, even though Burns rmly has the rest of the tune tied up in his name and is widely considered to have more or less nessed the tune into the version we know today. As a person whose family hails from that part of the world, I nd it curi-ously comforting the roots of these simple folk songs are at once clear yet muddled, straightforward yet com-plicated — kind of like the lands and peoples which inspired them. I like to think the independent and contrary character of the Celts is similar to the independent and contrary spirit found in the Pacic Northwest. So as we say “last call” and bid farewell to 2019, channel your Celtic spirit and lift your glass of Northwest spirits to toast the new year with “Auld Lang Syne” and maybe even “The Parting Glass.” I’ve provided the THE PARTING GLASSAT LEFT: Illustration to Robert Burns’ poem Auld Lang Syne by J.M. Wright and Edward Scriven. lyrics to both here (you can nd many excellent performances of both on YouTube — check out the 2013 Derry version of The Parting Glass Shaun Davey wrote and performed for choir and orchestra). I chose “Last Call” for the name of this column but “The Parting Glass” was a close second. Come to think of it, if “Auld Lang Syne” hadn’t become so inextricably linked with this one hol-iday, it could’ve served as a column title, too. At least I hope Robert Burns would’ve approved.Happy New Year!O, all the money e’er I had,I spent it in good company.And all the harm that ever I’ve done,alas it was to none but me.And all I’ve done for want of witto mem’ry now I can’t recall;So ll to me the parting glass,Good night and joy be to you all.O, all the comrades e’er I had,They’re sorry for my going away.And all the sweethearts e’er I had,They’d wished me one more day to stay.But since it falls unto my lot,That I should rise and you should not,I gently rise and softly call,Goodnight and joy be to you all.If I had money enough to spend,And leisure time to sit awhile.There is a fair maid in this town,That sorely has my heart beguiled.Her rosy cheeks and ruby lips,I own, she has my heart in thrall;Then ll to me the parting glass,Good night and joy be to you all.Should old acquaintance be forgot,and never brought to mind?Should old acquaintance be forgot,and old lang syne?For auld lang syne, my dear,for auld lang syne,we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,for auld lang syne.And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!and surely I’ll buy mine!And we’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet,for auld lang syne.For auld lang syne, my dear,for auld lang syne,we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,for auld lang syne.We two have run about the slopes,and picked the daisies ne;But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,since auld lang syne.For auld lang syne, my dear,for auld lang syne,we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,for auld lang syne.We two have paddled in the stream,from morning sun till dine;But seas between us broad have roaredsince auld lang syne.For auld lang syne, my dear,for auld lang syne,we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,for auld lang syne.And there’s a hand my trusty friend!And give me a hand o’ thine!And we’ll take a right good-will draught,for auld lang syne.For auld lang syne, my dear,for auld lang syne,we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,for auld lang syne.AULD LANG SYNE

DECEMBER CHEERS

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