Big Thanks to Dan at Back Room Wines!!

Dan Dawson of Back Room Wines just did a wonderful feature on our wine along with two others!! you can read below a few excerpts or go to him web site here for the full story

Every so often a winery owner and winemaker (in this case it's usually one and the same) come in with a little more passion, thoughtfulness and love for wine than many. I've picked out three of these wineries, and a wine from each, that taste great as all get-out AND have soul. I mean it-I can "taste the love" in these wines. Now, wines like these aren't to everyone's taste, but I know many of you who love the artisanal wines with a taste of place. If this is the case, you'll enjoy these. Almost goes without saying that with so little wine made, I expect these wines to be plucked up pretty quickly. I hope to fill your order in full, and get it to you quickly (deliveries to me can take a little longer when the wineries handle their own shipping).
Enjoy my notes.

BIG TABLE FARM Syrah, California 2006

Clare Carver and Brian Marcy moved from Napa (a few blocks from BRW) to Oregon's Willamette Valley a couple of years ago. Brian is the winemaker (graduate of Turley Wine Cellars, Marcassin and others). Clare is an artist, professional wine label designer and the sales force (she came to Back Room Wines to show me their wine.) They love wine, food & life. They'll be planting vineyard and in due time will make their own Pinot Noir. Until then, we have a special Syrah to enjoy.

This is 100% "White Hawk Vineyard" Santa Barbara County Syrah. Big Table Farm captures the royalty of the Syrah grape: complexity, flavor, intensity, deliciousness, ability to age with grace. As the Big Table Farm Syrah arrived just last week, this is the wine I show folks who ask, "what's new and exciting to you now?"
Tasting notes: Perfect example of fine, "artisan" California Syrah: rich, dark fruit (mulberry, sweet blueberry, black currants) and Rhone-esque black pepper, olive and baconfat. Ample spice. Good acidity to support the big flavors. Fine match with red meats. 175 cases.

Dara in PA - this ones for you!

Mary (my sister in Law) and her two lovely kids came to visit and are still here - we've made granola, baked a lemon pie and are going to enjoy goat burgers tonight! It's been a lovely visit and Eoin has been helping with all the chores and is quite the equestrian!

Chicks and saws!!!

Today was a VERY fun day - Brian and I went to tree school that the OSU extension service put on - So first half of the day brian took classes on milling and mapping and I took a class called chainsawing for women - no we were NOT in bikinis boys!! we learned how to sharpen and maintain the saw as well as use it safely!! : ) oh boy that was very fun!! - the afternoon sessions Brian and I took together - a class on truffels which was awesome and then finished up the day learning a ton about water rights!! It was a great day!!! a super nice break from our busy lives - it was kind of like a date in a funny kind of way - and I got to learn a new skill - vrooom hukka hukkka watch out I'm gonna go cut some fire wood now!!

buying wine is a tiny bit easier...

Hey there's a new and improved even easier order form on the web site now : ) it's an editable pdf and then you can e-mail it to me with one click!!! it's VERY sexy if you ask me : ) if order forms can be sexy that is ....

http://www.bigtablefarm.com/attachments/File/09_orderform.pdf

indy wine!!

Just got news that our wine has been selected by jury to be part of the 2009 Portland Indie Wine Festival! more on that soon!!

http://www.indiewinefestival.com

In good hands!!

Saturday was a horse "play day" at an arena close by hosted by the draft horse club which Duane who I've talked about lots got me involved in - I met another halflinger person sheila a while back through this group and she and I "horse-pooled" over to the arena shiela has been very generous with trailer and equipment! There where lots of beautiful horses and mules there and lots of sharing of info, equipmnet, advise and just plain enjoying good company - this 4up was somthing you don't see very often : )








The big exciting news of the day was Duane gave Huston his first 'start' we've been putting tack on him and ground driving and taking all the set up steps over the last 8 months - but this is the first time huston wore the whole outfit and pulled anything behind him - it was pretty darn thrilling to watch.... Duane drove him like a pro and guided him through this first time. Duane was completely nonplussed though all Hustons balks and fear and helped him to understand this was not going to be hard and that he'd be fine ... Huston did GREAT and mostly because he was in such expert hands once again I'm deeply indebted to Duane for all his help and guidence with both my horses - I drove hummer lots that day with a cart and few other things too - he was a jem! both horses where exposed to all kinds of new things they where both rock stars!!! I finished the day wet and tired and grinning from ear to ear!! happy to have such great horse friends and happy to be the caretakers of these two wonderful animals!!!







In other news I have a wonderful neighbor up the canyon who is a bird lover and she made me two bluebird houses which I put up friday after she came down and consulted me on where to put them!! I'm hoping for a two paris of blue birds - we'll see they are shy birds but with these neat houses I'm hopeful!! Thanks Kay!

BTF wines being poured in PDX

BTF wines being poured in PDX THIS SUNDAY!!!

Hi all - if you'd like to try our wines and support a good cause come out to Pour Wine bar - here are the details -

Sunday, March 15, 4:30PM

Pour Wine Bar
2755 Broadway (at NE 28th and Broadway)
Portland, OR US


Please come and enjoy some great wine for a good cause. Project Bona Fide is a non-profit operating in rural Nicaragua. They run a permaculture farm and community center with the goal of creating a sustainable economy and environment for the people of Isla Ometepe. All donations go directly to the project and their many programs. There will be wine from 5 different Oregon wineriers, kindly being donated by sustainable growers and winemakers. Plus la variety of local cheeses ¡Andale pues!

There is a $15 suggested donation for the tasting, but no admission charge. I will also be selling art and jewelry from Nicaragua and all the sales go 100% to the project

http://www.projectbonafide.com/

new spring prices on BTF wine

Hello blog followers - if you haven't' visited our Big Table Farm web site give it a look!! www.bigtablefarm.com

The 2008 vintage is finally finished fermenting and the initial tasting promises that this wine will be on par with (or better than) what you've come to expect from us. We continue to make our California Syrah as well as a very limited amount of Oregon Pinot Noir. The 2007 Syrah is happily maturing in barrel and will be bottled late this summer with the 2008 Pinot Noir.

The BIG news from Big Table Farm is that we are making our highly praised 2006 California Syrah available at a reduced price.  At $45, we feel that this is an excellent value for a wine of this quality.  It is drinking better and better every time we try it.

We have procured a credit card machine to make it easier for you to buy wine from us.  We are also using a new shipping company which allows us to ship to 43 states. And to sweeten the pot we will pay for shipping if you order before April 1st.

Life on the farm keeps us on our toes at all times.  We are sensing the coming of spring. The chickens have finally begun to lay prolifically.  The cows, goats and horses are as happy as we are to see the light green haze of spring grass as we rotate their pastures around the farm.  This past week, we received a new batch of weaner pigs, and the arrival of our spring chicks is imminent. All of this has Clare VERY excited.

We really appreciate your business and support.  If you are ever in the area, please stop in and let us pour you a glass of our latest vintage.  You can get more details about our wine and ordering on our website at www.bigtablefarm.com or by simply picking up the phone and giving us a call 503.662.3129. Please feel free to forward this post to any one you think would enjoy ours wines.


We look forward to hearing from you!

Cheers! - Clare and Brian



Syrah now $45
Rose is now $18

and till april 1st free shipping!!

spring = eggs!!

we are finally up to over 3 dozen a day now! - very exciting : ) the girls are really earning their keep these days -

couldn't resist!!

the pasture is still pretty wet from the spring rain but they are happy non the less!! : )

meet te girls!!!

The new pigs have arrived at Big Table this past weekend - They are Berk/Duroc crosses and are happy and healthy!