Need Wine?

Call us at
541-752-7418
we love to talk
with our customers about
NW wines!

Store manager Ann Crowley-
10-6PM M-Sat

---

Cole Danehower on
Oregon Wine

This is the best guide, bar none, to Oregon's wines. Insightful articles, interesting reviews, in depth interviews- you'll find them all here. Worth every penny if you're interested in Oregon wine.

Andy Perdue
on
Northwest Wine

Andy is editor of
Wine Press NW

Check it out!

Adventures in the Northwest
By Christina Kelly, our columnist and roving reporter

“Wine for the Leap Year, and a Proposal”

By Christina Kelly

It was the last day of February Leap Year and I knew something was up when my friend Carole asked me to purchase a special bottle of wine.

She and her boyfriend Kevin were coming to dinner that night and I could see she had something mysterious up her sleeve.

“How special is special?” I asked, knowing she would not give up much information. Carole had the will and determination of an Olympic athlete.

“Very special,” Carole said with a grin. “I trust your judgment on this one. If all goes well, there could be a kind of celebration. I’d like something outstanding.”

Earlier in the week, Carole asked me about Leap Year traditions. Suspecting what she had in mind, I jumped the gun, er, shotgun, so to speak.

“Leap Year Day is said to be the time when traditions are overturned and women can leap at the chance to propose to their man,” I explained, looking for a clue that showed I had hit the mark.

“This tradition is acceptable? I mean, do people recognize it as valid?” she asked seriously.

Carole was originally from Moscow. Some American traditions just didn’t translate well for her, although she had a few off-the-wall traditions herself.

Ten years ago, Carole came to the United States to study and never looked back towards Russia again. She and Kevin met three years ago and fell immediately in love.

Kevin grew up in Alaska and had some experience with the Russian culture. He was intrigued with Carole’s determination to capture the American Dream. He was inspired by her fiery will to make a life in the United States. He was in love with her bright red hair, clear blue eyes, porcelain face and small brown freckles.

He could often be seen in the background, struggling not to laugh at Carole’s headstrong approach, amused and touched by her bull-in-the-China shop methods.

Carole was the fuel that sparked Kevin into being more than just an affable engineer who never had a cross word to say about anyone. Through her eyes, Kevin was able to sense the wonder of childhood discovery again, but with a brilliance that didn’t exist before.

Still, Kevin was slow on the take cautious, methodical and over-analytical. By the time Kevin made decisions about important matters, he often missed the boat, or opportunities.

When Carole asked me about Leap Year Day, I knew the hot-tempered firecracker was planning to take matters in her own hands.

And I clearly wanted to be a part of the adventure.

I knew Carole would give me a big budget to work with. Problem was, she didn’t give me much time.

A few months before, I’d tasted a 1995 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon that was dazzling. I knew where to get another bottle for about $70. I also had a 1998 Panther Creek Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir from Oregon on hand that I thought was rather seductive.

The hot tub was clean and inviting on a cold February night, when the temperature would be right at the freezing level. But the sky would be clear of clouds, providing a view of the nighttime sky that could take away your breath.

“It’s very cold in Moscow chills to the bone,” Carole once remarked while sitting in the hot tub. “I like this heat. I can look out on the cold for the first time and not feel sad.

“Ha! I am warm on a cold night,” she shouted to no one in particular. Kevin and I just smiled and enjoyed the moment.

Dinner was filled with chit-chat, ironies of the world and discussions about good books to read for the upcoming summer. If Kevin was aware of the upcoming event, he didn’t let on.

The Beringer was fabulous with warm, silky tannins and superb concentration. We tasted blackberry and a burst of black currant and plum. It was a killer wine the kind that changes my voice from plain to sultry after a few sips.

“Christina, would you mind if Kevin and I had a quick dip in the hot tub?” Carole asked. This was not an unusual request. They used the tub frequently during the cold winter months, and I was happy to have their company, or leave them alone to whisper under the stars.

It was so hard not to grin, feeling like I was in on the secret and wanting to shout that I knew what was about to happen. I gave them about 15 minutes before I opened the sliding glass door to the outside and asked if they needed anything.

“We’re fine,” Kevin said. “I am just waiting for Carole to ask me something. She is hesitating and I am getting impatient.”

Shocked, I realized that we hadn’t fooled Kevin. In fact, he was rather enjoying the moment.

Carole told me later that the first thing Kevin asked when they got in the hot tub was, “Well, don’t you have something to ask me?”

The question took her off-guard, thus the hesitation. She began to squirm as he intently watched her face, waiting for the question.

“In the tradition of the American Leap Year Day, I ask you to marry me,” she blurted.

I peaked out the window and saw him embrace his bride-to-be. Then, very quietly, I grabbed my guitar and began softly playing, “I Only Have Eyes For You.” It was one of those moments that seemed frozen in time. I would be a part of their history forever. They would tell their children how Carole proposed to Kevin in a hot tub on Leap Year Day, serenaded by their friend, Christina.

After opening the Panther Creek Pinot, we toasted each other, enjoying the full, aromatic flavor of the wine. It was a good choice a good match --all the way around.