Last Saturday marked the 7th Portland Indie Wine & Food Festival, and wow, was it a success!

We’d like to thank everyone involved from our generous sponsors, craft winemakers and chefs to our passionate volunteers and attendees who all exhibited their passion, love and support for Oregon’s craft winemaking community.

It’s after all the hard work is done (we’re happy it’s Friday!), that we have a chance to see the positive response from our media and consumer attendees.  Thanks for the support and here are a few highlights:

Paul Gregutt, Seattle Times
http://www.paulgregutt.com/2011/05/when-to-spit-and-not-to-split.html

Jennifer Heigl, The Daily Blender
http://www.dailyblender.com/2011/05/celebrating-independent-wines-at-portlands-indie-wine-food-festival/

Allison Jones, Portland Monthly’s Eat Beat
http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/blogs/eat-beat/pourings-and-pairings-may-2011/#

Don Bourassa, Yelp.com
http://www.yelp.com/biz/portland-indie-wine-and-food-festival-portland

Today’s Indie Spotlight is on Coeur de Terre Vineyards, producers of estate grown Pinot Noir from their vineyard in McMinnville, located in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range. Scott and Lisa Neal do it all: they  live on the estate, plant the vineyard, farm the land and make the wine themselves.

Coeur de Terre is a family business and Scott and Lisa love to show visitors around the beautiful place they call home. Call 503-883-4111 to schedule a private tour of the vineyards, winery and for a private tasting.

Q: What do you do other than winemaking?
A: We not only make our own wine, we manage our own vineyard and graft our own vines.  I guess you could say we live, breath it, and sweat Pinot Noir! We like to think we’re the Ultimate Indie Winery!

Q: What wine are you excited about showing at the festival this year?
A: Our 2009 Oregon Pinot Noir, is not our highest end win, but it is an amazing quality entry level wine for $20. Voted Best Value Pick across the board. It is a “Wine for The People!”

Q: What do you drink while you cook?
A:  I am hooked on Nick’s Back Room (in McMinnville) Basil Gimlet and love to sip my version of that amazing fresh basil experience.

Q: What do would you pair with some of your wines?
A: Riesling – Anything SPICY!  Pinot Gris – Shell Fish…anything BRINY works!  Rose’ – Bouillabaisse!  Oregon Pinot Noir – Slow Smoked Pulled Pork with Blueberry Chutney!  08 Estate Pinot Noir – LAMB, Rosemary, garlic rub with steamed asparagus!  06 Renelle’s Block Pinot Noir – A Meal In Itself! Yummm

Q: Are you bringing any wines that are only going to be available at the festival or will sell out?
A: We will be pouring our 2008 Estate Pinot Noir, which technically IS sold out, however will bring a little and sell by the bottle.

Q: Why do you love the Indie Wine Festival?

A: We have been invited to participate in Indie almost every year and have been honored to be included. We like to say that we were “Discovered” at the PIWF Trade tasting. Avalon was introduced to our wines and then wrote an amazing article about our vineyard/winery. We still have customers that come down our gravel road because they read that article. We believe in PIWF because the wines are tasted blindly, meaning the winemaker/grower has “earned” a place at the table.  If you didn’t get invited, it is because there were wines that were better received by the judges, the politics are OUT! There should be NO Politics in WINE!  The attendees are typically highly educated and are looking for exactly what we are offering, hand crafted – artisanal wines.

Thanks guys! If you’d like to talk to the winemakers yourself, be sure to get your tickets for this year’s Portland Indie Wine and Food Festival, shaking up Portland’s wine scene May 14, 2011!