Mountains to Metro is an annual wine and food event put on by The Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers. This year, the event was held at The Governor Hotel in downtown Portland and featured wine from 37 local wineries and food from 15 restaurants and catering companies.
With so many tables awaiting us, Kel and I decided on a game plan. Our approach: inside loop, then outside loop for wine, food was a free for all. It worked out nicely. We certainly didn’t get to sample everything, but we were impressed with the overall quality of the vendors. Here’s our list of favorites from the night, starting with wine.
Our Favorite Wines:
1) J.K. Carriere Glass Willamette Valley White Pinot Noir
This $20 rosé was light, almost spritz-y, and not too sweet. Kel and I think it would be perfect for sipping during the summer.
2) 2008 Lachini Vineyards Cuvée Giselle Pinot Noir
We liked all of Lachini’s offerings, including the Pinot port, but the 2008 Cuvée Giselle was our favorite of the bunch. Well-balanced with bright fruit tones, this would make an excellent dinner accompaniment.
3) 2010 Cooper Mountain Life Reserve Pinot Noir
No sulfites are added to this Pinot and Kel and I could definitely taste the difference between the bottle of Life and the other Cooper Mountain Pinot Noirs with added sulfites. While wines without sulfites can be tricky because they usually don’t maintain their quality for long once opened, we really liked the almost effervescent quality of this Pinot. Sadly, a limited amount of bottles are left and are only available in Cooper Mountain’s tasting room.
Favorite Foods:
1) Brisket Sliders from Simpatica
Simpatica is a full-service catering company but they also have a dining hall where they serve prix-fixe dinners on Friday and Saturday nights and brunch on Sundays. Menus change weekly and reservations are required for dinners. We might have gone back for seconds of these sliders. (Ok, we definitely went back for seconds.)
2) Croissant with Rhubarb, Apple, and Tarragon Sauce from Phresh Organic Catering
While the croissants were nothing out of the ordinary, we found the sauce that accompanied them to be quite delightful. It was also nice to chat with Phresh’s owner and chef Rob Leon about his focus on organic food and sustainable practices.
3) Chocolate Macarons from Sterling Catering
Sterling Catering is also home to Sterling Cookies, which produces a number of different cookies, tarts, and bars. These macarons were perfectly chewy and we loved the bit of salt added on top to enhance the chocolatey flavor. Sterling cookies are available by order and at local farmers markets.
This was a delicious and fun event, and we can’t wait to go back again next year!