I am a person of crazy ideas. They come to me in droves. I share them freely with the people I love without any expectation that something will come of them. I just keep throwing them out and see what takes root and grows. So, here we go.I want to organize a fundraiser called "The Erratic Rock Wine Walk". The Erratic Rock is a huge chunk of a type of stone only found in Canada. It was delivered to the Willamette Valley courtesy of the Missoula Floods. Around 13,000 years ago a huge fresh water lake built up near Missoula, Montana (where my daughter lives.) Somewhere along the way this rock was picked up along with some ice and rafted down the Columbia Gorge, then detouring up the valley to just west of McMinnville. The Erratic Rock Wine Walk would be worth the effort if only to make and distribute a shirt emblazoned with the title. I think it's catchy.
So, on the Monday of Memorial Day weekend, off we went. We decided to try a walk that I've been thinking about for a long time. I was touring the upper reaches of Momtazi Vineyard with Tahmaine and she pointed to a gate and said that it connected directly to the vineyard which is located to the east of theirs. This vineyard shall go unnamed. And that's a shame, because my friend John Stomme is painting a beautiful huge mural on the side
So, on the Monday of Memorial Day weekend, off we went. We decided to try a walk that I've been thinking about for a long time. I was touring the upper reaches of Momtazi Vineyard with Tahmaine and she pointed to a gate and said that it connected directly to the vineyard which is located to the east of theirs. This vineyard shall go unnamed. And that's a shame, because my friend John Stomme is painting a beautiful huge mural on the side
of the building located next to their wonderful outdoor deck. But I won't say who they are. Why? Because they told us we could not go trespassing on their vineyard in order to get to Maysara on the other side of the hill. I was thunderstruck. Really? Now, there are good reasons to not let people walk through your vineyard. Usually these prohibitions have to do with vine stock that is self rooted, and therefore susceptible to the root louse phylloxera. This vineyard does not have that issue. Had I been asked I would have been happy to wipe off my shoes with a water and bleach solution to make absolutely sure.
I have really gotten into walking around vineyards. It started when I was working crush at Coeur de Terre last fall. There is something so pleasing, so peaceful and wonderful about walking along all of those precisely planted rows. So, we left that place and stopped off at the actual Erratic Rock. I've lived here for almost 10 years and have never seen it before. It's at the top of a steep paved path. We met an older woman at the top who said that she had lived on a farm just a little ways from that rock. "We use to play on it all the time, but we didn't have any idea that it was special."
After the rock we decided to head up to . . . well, you can probably guess where we went. I always feel welcome at Coeur de Terre, and Scott and Lisa allow me to walk around on a regular basis. The thing about this winery is it just doesn't seem to have any bad angles. Every view is beautiful. Our friend Betty is working there for the weekend, so we get to taste beautiful wine, talk to wonderful friends, and enjoy stunning views.
We are so blessed with wine and friends and good health. Such blessings make me want to bless others, and that is what I'd like to do with this walk. If you want to help me organize it, just let me know.
