Italy in the Valley: That’s Amore!
For the 8th straight year in a row, Oregon winemakers are coming together to ensure that no one has to make a trip across the big pond to experience la dolce vita.
Italy in the Valley, held on Sunday, August 21 from 1-5 p.m. at Cana’s Feast, brings Old World stylings to Oregon wine country. Fourteen wineries in total will be pouring such varietals as Arneis, Pinot Grigio, Barbera, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, Dolcetto and Primitivo.
According to Amy Querin, direct sales manager for Cana’s Feast, fruit for these wines is sourced from both Oregon and Washington. Italy in the Valley was created to showcase that Northwest AVAs are capable of producing beautiful renditions of these selections with roots in rolling vineyards of Tuscany, Piedmont and Apulia.
Each $30 ticket includes a light lunch, wine tastings, live music by a strolling accordion player, salami and olive oil samples courtesy of Olympia Provisions and Casal Cristiana and the beautiful, Cypress-accented grounds of Cana’s Feast. Gelato Maestro will also be on hand to provide this traditional Italian dessert for purchase.
Known for their innovative spirit, Oregon producers are not only enjoying a growing reputation for top Italian varietals. A couple of them are pioneers. Ponzi and Cana’s Feast join a mere handful of United States wineries bottling Arneis—a crisp, fruit-forward white with a lightly floral nose. Only a few California AVAs have invested in plantings due to Arneis’ propensity to be finicky (sounds like another grape Oregon grows exceedingly well).
Of those I have tried, paired with the right dishes, a glass of these Oregon-styled varietals is like dining in a traditional trattoria while enjoying the convenience of armchair travel.
There’s the licorice and dark cherry notes of Dolcetto; the bold, savory and earthy components of Sangiovese; Nebbiolo’s fruit-forward nose that teases with rose petals and more than flirts at its similarities to cool-climate Pinot Noir; and Barberra—an acid hound’s go-to Italian varietal that sucks up tomato sauce-based dishes like a thick slice of bread and complements the smoky notes of grilled meats.
For more information or to purchase tickets to Italy in the Valley, go to www.italyinthevalley.com. Cana’s Feast is located at 750 W. Lincoln Street, Carlton, OR 97111.ItItaly
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