PDXposed at Indie 09
KGW’s PDXposed visited the 2009 Portland Indie Wine Festival’s Grand Tasting on May 2nd. Click here to check out the segment, which features an interview with PDXposed host Jon Olson and PIWF Founder Lisa Donoughe.
Enjoy!
2009 Official Indie Wineries!
The Portland Indie Wine Festival Announces Selected Wineries for 2009
Forty of Oregon’s premier craft wineries will pour at the fifth annual Portland Indie Wine Festival on May 2nd
The fifth annual Portland Indie Wine Festival has announced the names of the 40 Oregon craft wineries selected to pour their artisanal wines at the PIWF Grand Tasting, held Saturday, May 2nd from 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. in Northwest Portland’s Industrial District. Sixty-one wines will be poured in the Portland Wine Project’s new 10,000 square foot urban winery, alongside some of the city’s top restaurants.
“This was a record-setting year in terms of the diversity, quantity and quality of the wine entries,” said Lisa Donoughe, PIWF founder. An all-time high of 194 wines were submitted by 69 wineries, many of whom have just released their first or second vintages. “We’re excited to be a part of an artisanal wine movement that is garnering national attention for these amazing small producers,” adds Donoughe.
Selected wineries (in alphabetical order)
1789 Wines
Anam Cara Cellars
Ancient Cellars
Apolloni Vineyards
ArborBrook Vineyards
Artisanal Wine Cellars
Barking Frog Winery
Big Table Farms
Boedecker Cellars
Capitello Wines
Carlton Cellars
Carlton Hill Wine Company
Christopher Bridge Cellars
Coeur De Terre Vineyard
Dukes Family Vineyards
Et Fille
Folin Cellars
Gino Cuneo Cellars
Hawkins Cellars
J. Scott Cellars
Johan Vineyards
Kelly Fox Wines
Lenné
Longsword Vineyard
Misty Oaks Vineyard
Monks Gate
Nuthatch Cellars
Pudding River Wine Cellars
Quady North
Ribbon Ridge Vineyard
Rizzo Winery
Séjourné
Seufert Winery
Seven of Hearts
Thistle Wines
Three Angles Wine Cellar
VIDON Vineyard
WildAire Cellars
Winderlea Vineyard & Winery
Zenas Wines
The wines were selected in a comprehensive blind tasting conducted on March 9th, 2009 at the Hotel Vintage Plaza. The judging panel consisted of 10 wine professionals, including winemaker Dick Erath (Founder of Erath Vineyards), wine and spirits writer Toby Cecchini (New York Times, GQ), sommelier Erica Landon (Ten 01), restaurateur Kimberly Paley (Paley’s Place) and winemaker Jason Lett (BlackCap of Oregon, Eyrie Vineyards). For a complete list of 2009 judges, please visit http://www.indiewinefestival.com/judges.php.
On May 2nd, join the independent producers that represent the heart and soul of Oregon’s world-class wine industry at the Portland Wine Project, located in Northwest Portland’s Industrial District. The fifth annual Portland Indie Wine Festival is the opportunity to meet the next generation of winemakers from emerging cellars across the state while enjoying small plates from local restaurants and chefs. Restaurant partners include Alma Chocolates, The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar, Davis Street Tavern, Marché, Pazzo Ristorante, Phresh Organic Catering, Pyramid Brewery and Restaurant, Red Star Roasthouse & Tavern, Simpatica Catering and Dining Hall, Ten 01, Whole Foods and Wildwood.
Tickets are now on sale, and may be purchased online at www.indiewinefestival.com. General admission is $75 with tasting times from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. and VIP admission is $125 with tasting times from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
Indie 2009: Format Concerns Addressed
We’ve recently received some questions and concerns about the changes to this year’s Indie Wine Festival. We wanted to explain the reasons for the changes, and also give you, the Indie consumer, the opportunity to share with us your thoughts about these changes.
Our goal is to create an excellent, memorable and cost-effective event that benefits both winemaker and consumer. To better help us meet that goal, we made the decision to alter the format of the Festival this year. Rather than the two day event of the past, we have decided to hold the Grand Tasting on a single day, May 2nd. We made this decision for many reasons. We wanted to give all the wineries involved with the event equal access to the consumer. The wineries feel that the format in the past wasn’t fair to those who poured on Sunday since the Festival had significantly more foot traffic on Saturday. By holding the tasting on a single day, festival goers will be able to experience all 40 wineries, which will also give the wineries the opportunity to interact with all Indie attendees.
We also wanted to make the event more cost-effective. We know we don’t need to tell you that times are tough these days, and as a stand alone self-sustaining Festival, we feel we must do everything possible to make the event as cost-effective as possible while still maintaining the level of excellence for which Indie is known.
It is true that the key aspect of the VIP ticket is that it allows the purchaser access to the Festival an hour earlier than those who purchase general admission tickets. Not only does this give VIP ticket holders an entire extra hour of tasting, it also gives them the opportunity for greater interaction with the producers, as there will be far fewer people at the VIP tasting than there will be once the general admission doors open at 2:00.
We are confident that the 2009 Indie Wine Festival will be one of the best wine events in town, not despite the changes in format, but because of them. If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions about improvements we can make to the Festival, please continue to let us know. You can contact us by posting a comment on the blog, or by e-mailing us at info@indiewinefestival.com. We want this event to be yours, and we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Three Ways to Dine With Indie
You don’t have to wait until May 2nd to take part in the Portland Indie Wine Festival. Below are three fun and delicious (and price sensitive) ways you can sip, dine and unwind with Indie in the PDX area before the Grand Tasting event.
1) The Delectable Downtown Dining Deal, March 17 – April 9th
The Delectable Downtown Dining Deal is a four-week dining promotion designed as a way to encourage diners to try new downtown restaurants at an affordable price point. Eleven restaurants have created a special three-course prix-fixe menu priced at $20.09 that will be available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from March 17th – April 9th. Diners will also receive a promotional check insert that has a discount code for $20 off the purchase of a ticket to the Portland Indie Wine Festival – that’s the price of the meal! A complete list of all participating restaurants can be found at: www.downtownportland.org
2) The Indie Wine Festival Producers Dinner, May 1st at Ten 01, tickets available here.
Take your place at the table next to an Indie producer and enjoy this one-of-a-kind Indie library pairing dinner hosted by Ten 01’s award-winning Sommelier Erica Landon. This intimate gathering kicks off the fifth festival weekend and gives guests access to special wines that have been tucked away in our Indie Wine Cellar. This is THE chance to discover early Indie vintages and enjoy vertical flights that are no longer available to the public because of the small production, all while sitting beside and getting to know the winemakers who exemplify Oregon’s craft wine industry.
The dinner will kick off with a walk around reception tasting where several Oregon winemakers will be on site pouring their wines. Later guests will enjoy a five-course meal prepared by Ten 01’s new Executive Chef, Benjamin Parks. Buy tickets online here.
3) Indie Wine Flight at Pazzo Ristorante, March – May
Pazzo Ristorante and the PIWF have partnered to offer a special “ABC’s of Oregon Pinot” flight, consisting of three Indie wines available in the restaurant and bar from March to end of May for $14. Wines featured include: Apolloni ’07 Pinot Blanc, Boedecker ’05 Athena Pinot Noir and Capitello ’07 Pinot Gris. For more information about Pazzo, visit http://www.pazzo.com/.
Judging Recap
1 day. 194 wines. 10 judges. 29 tweets.
Judging for the 2009 Indie Wine Festival was a definite success! Volunteers arrived at the Hotel Vintage Plaza at 7 in the morning for final preparations to make sure the day would run smoothly (and it did!). By the time judges started arriving at 9, we were running like a well-oiled machine!
We can’t say enough about how wonderful all of our Indie judges were. Tasting 194 wines (an Indie record!) in a single day is a daunting task, but the judges accomplished it beautifully and professionally. It was so interesting to hear what each of the judges was looking for in the wine. This is especially true of the differences between the winemaker and non-winemaker judges! Each wine was tasted (and sometimes re-tasted), and in the end the judges- via blind scoring- were able to select the 40 wines that will be poured at the Festival in May. The winning wines will be announced at the beginning of April.
By 6:00 in the evening, after a day full of wine, we were all ready for a beer, so we headed downstairs to Pazzo and enjoyed their great happy hour deals while recapping the great day.
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make judging go so well. With a crew this great, we can’t wait until the next Indie event! Make sure you buy your tickets so that you can taste the winning wines and see if you agree with the judges’ decisions!
New Indie Ad
We are excited to share our great new Indie ad with you! It features clips from past Indies and was produced by Portland’s very own Andrew Saunderson. Check it out below, and on the Downtown Marketing Initiative website!
Don’t forget to buy your tickets to this year’s Festival- they’re selling fast and can be purchased here.
Fifth Anniversary Top 5!
In honor of Indie’s fifth anniversary we’ve made a list of the top five reasons you should check out this year’s festival! Here they are, in reverse order:
5. The food! Who wouldn’t want to savor delicious small plates, prepared by top local chefs, that pair beautifully with the selection of wines poured at the Festival?
4. The opportunity to be part of the first ever Producers Dinner. Seriously, this event promises to be an unforgettable night- dinner with up and coming Indie producers at one of Portland’s best restaurants, Ten 01, hosted by award-winning sommelier Erica Landon. Best of all, the proceeds from this fundraising event benefit the Indie Wine Foundation! Great food, great company, and a great cause. What more could you ask for?
3. New location! As you may know, this year’s event is being held at the brand new Portland Wine Project. Where better to check out the best craft winemakers than at one of the newest and coolest urban wineries in Portland?
2. VIP Access. By purchasing VIP tickets to this year’s Festival, you will be among the first to experience the Portland Wine Project. And because you’ll be allowed into the event an hour before everyone else, you’ll be able to beat the crowds and have more time to interact with the producers.
1. The wine (of course)! Where else can you experience 40 artisan wines crafted by producers that make 2500 cases or fewer? One of the coolest things about Indie is that you actually get to meet the winemakers as they pour their wine for you to enjoy. Bonus: don’t forget about about this year’s recession-proof Indie warehouse sale, where we’ll sell Indie alumni wine by the case for a discount of up to 20 percent.
Are you as excited as we are for Indie’s fifth anniversary?? We hope so!
Don’t forget that tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. See you in May!
First 2009 Indie Judge Announced!
We’d like to give a warm Indie welcome to our first official 2009 Festival Judge, Toby Cecchini. Toby is a writer and bartender based in New York City, and has writtenon food, wine and spirits for GQ, Food and Wine and The New York Times. His first book, Cosmopolitan: A Bartender’s Life, was published in 2003. He is currently at work on his second book, a travelogue of spirits based on his travels for the New York Times’ Living and Travel magazines.
We’re so excited that Toby is able to make the trek to Portland this year, and can’t wait to see what he thinks about all our fabulous indie wines!
Keep an eye out in the coming days for more judge announcements…
2009 Festival Tickets On Sale Now!
Tickets to the 2009 Indie Wine Festival are now available for purchase online. This year’s Grand Tasting will take place on Saturday, May 2nd at the Portland Wine Project. General Admission Tickets cost $75 and grant you access to the Tasting from 2-6pm. We are also offering special VIP Admission Tickets, which allow you to enter the Festival at 1pm, one hour earlier than General Admission Ticket holders. VIP Admission Tickets are available for $125, and are perfect for those who prefer to browse without the crowds.
Tickets are also available for an exciting new Indie event- the first ever Producers Dinner. This brand new event will be hosted by award-winning sommelier Erica Landon at the Pearl District’s nationally acclaimed restaurant, Ten 01. The Producers Dinner will feature exclusive flights of Indie library wines (most of which are no longer available to the public!) and guests will be seated among Indie rising star winemakers. Tickets are limited and cost $150 per person. You won’t want to miss this event; it will definitely be a night to remember!
Tickets to both events can be purchased through the Indie Wine Festival website.
PS: We will begin announcing the 2009 Festival Judges in the coming days…be sure to keep an eye out!
2009 Indie Wine Festival Details
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 30th, 2009
The Portland Indie Wine Festival Celebrates Fifth Anniversary
The Most Intimate, Authentic Wine Experience of the Year, Now One Big Day
WHAT:
The Portland Indie Wine Festival (PIWF) is Portland’s premier wine weekend showcasing Oregon’s top artisanal winemakers. At this award-winning event, Portland’s best chefs serve up local fare while guests taste the first release of the year from 40 impossible-to-find Oregon producers.
The PIWF ensures quality. All wineries featured in the Grand Tasting are selected by an expert panel comprised of nationally acclaimed members of the media, wine buyers and seasoned winemakers, who taste through 150 + wines to determine who pours in May.
WHEN:
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009
1 p.m. – 6 p.m. for VIP Admission
2 p.m. – 6 p.m. for General Admission
WHERE:
Portland Wine Project
2621 NW 30th Ave.
Portland, OR 97210
HOW:
Tickets go on sale Feb. 1st and are available at www.indiewinefestival.com.
VIP Tickets: $125
General Tickets: $75
WHY:
There are lots of great opportunities to enjoy Oregon wines, the Portland Indie Wine Festival is the only chance to discover Oregon’s undiscovered.
~ What’s New In 2009 ~
NEW VENUE:
The Portland Indie Wine Festival is now at the Portland Wine Project, a new 10,000 square foot urban winery and tasting room in Northwest Portland’s Industrial District.
ONE DAY ONLY:
The PIWF Grand Tasting takes place on Saturday, May 2nd as opposed to Saturday and Sunday. That means 2x’s the wine, 2x’s the food, 2x’s the experience, but not 2x’s the price.
VIP TICKETS:
VIP tickets are available for those who prefer to browse without the crowds.
VIP ticket price: $125 – hours: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
General ticket price: $75 – hours: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.
NON-PROFIT:
2009 marks the launch of the Indie Wine Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit dedicated to preserving and sustaining the art of craft winemaking. The PIWF is the signature event of the Indie Wine Foundation.
PRODUCERS DINNER:
Friday, May 1st, the Indie Wine Foundation is producing its first ever fundraising dinner hosted by award-winning sommelier Erica Landon at the nationally acclaimed Pearl District restaurant, Ten 01. The Producers Dinner will feature exclusive flights of Indie library wines, most of which are no longer available to the public. Guests will be seated among Indie rising star winemakers. Tickets are $150/person.
Tickets are limited and will be available at www.indiewinefestival.com starting Feb. 1st.
INDIE WAREHOUSE SALE:
The PIWF has introduced a new recession-focused event to take place during Saturday’s Grand Tasting – The Indie WINEhouse Sale – where ALL Indie alumni are invited to sell wine by the case, providing an added sales opportunity for the wineries and discount for consumers. Discounts will vary, but it’s estimated that consumers will save up to 20 percent on these purchases. A ticket to the festival is required for shopping.
~ Indie Online ~
WEBSITE: www.indiewinefestival.com
FLICKR: www.flickr.com/photos/indiewinefestival
BLOG: https://indiewinefestival.wordpress.com
**Video and photos available upon request**
The Portland Indie Wine Festival was the 2007 recipient of Travel Portland’s President’s Award.
The 2009 Portland Indie Wine Festival is presented by Pihl Excavating. Co-produced by LAD communications and Flint Design co. Additional sponsors include Boedecker Cellars, Davis Wright Tremaine, LLP, Grochau Cellars, Hotel Vintage Plaza, Imbibe Magazine, Irvine & Company, LLC, Pazzo Ristorante, Portland Wine Project, Portland Wine Storage, Ten 01 and Travel Portland.
# # #
Media Contacts:
LAD communications
Lisa Donoughe / 503.827.6564 / lisa@ladcommunications.com
Katie Burnett / 503.827.6564 / katieb@ladcommunications.com
Portland Indie Wine Festival 
