Cork Cellars: Wine Bar and Bottle Shop

Port, Cheese, and Chocolate Tasting

2009-10-31T09:39:00.000-07:00

What a fantastic Port, Cheese, and Chocolate Tasting hosted on Thursday, Oct. 29th! Our good friend, and Kopke expert, Earl Cramer-Brown, was on hand to educate and talk about the oldest Port producer in Portugal, Kopke. 6 Ports were served - the Ruby, Tawny, 10-year, 1985 Cohleita, 1977 Cohleita, and a rare 1934 Dry White Port. Each of the ports were served with cheese or chocolate, paired to enhance both the cheese, chocolate, and port!

All the ports, cheeses, and chocolates were available, and are still, available for purchase! Stop in for more information. Join us for our next tasting on Thursday, Nov. 5th - Holiday Party Wines - with SPECIAL LIVE MUSIC from Portland French Troubadour, Eric John Kaiser.

Power Outage Doesn't Phase Cork Customers...

2009-06-08T19:14:00.000-07:00

Last week the City of Sisters experienced a couple power outages during a pretty big wind and rain storm. Didn't seem like that big a deal...until the power went out...twice! The first time, around 3:30pm, it seemed the power wouldn't go back on at all! I almost considered shutting the shop down for the night. But, come 4:30pm the lights came back on and folks started showing up.

It was Thursday, as we were supposed to have a wine tasting event - BBQ wines. Well, I think the quirky weather held some people back. But those who showed got quite the tasting - and a fun evening! Come about 6pm the power went out again - but that didn't slow us down!

Food was consumed, wine was enjoyed - and I'm not sure anyone noticed the power was out! The windows provided enough light throughout the bar area - but I'll tell you, it was tough making up some platters in the kitchen - it was dark! The boys and gals (pic to right) enjoyed several bottles of great wine. The power finally came back on about 7pm - just in time for everyone to pay with their credit cards and head out for their evening. It was a fun and enjoyable night - if you didn't come out because of the power outage - well, don't let that dissuade you...we'll be there in light and in dark times!

Visit us this weekend in Sisters for the Rodeo! One of the greatest little rodeo shows in the West!

Mike Rocks the House

2009-05-12T18:47:00.000-07:00

Mike Potter made another showing at Cork Cellars last Saturday night to play some great tunes. Acoustic guitar, Mike plays a variety of songs from original scores to old-time sing-along favorites.

Have you met Mike? A retail consultant with a passion for music. After a full life of work and family, Mike rediscovered his passion that began back at the age of 8, and began to play guitar again. This time, Mike decided to go all out - he's obtaining his masters in music on the guitar. Boy, did it show! He's a master behind the instrument, with lively finger work and a soft, easy voice. He engages the crowd - so before you know it, you're singing along to great old tunes.

Music at Cork Cellars for the spring, is coming to a close. There's just a couple more weeks to catch a band or vocalist, check out the website for all the upcoming events. And, if you loved the music this winter and spring - we'll get back to the live music once the weather has turned. But for now, come in and enjoy the summer weather on our outdoor patio with great wines and food. Cheers.

Enjoying Italian Wines

2009-05-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

Mark and I got out last week, and what better way to enjoy some time out than to spend the evening drinking and eating Italian. Our great friend, Earl, hosted a wine dinner at Nick's Italian Cafe in downtown McMinneville. We sampled over 17 wines that just arrived in the US, for many of them, this is the first vintage ever to be sold here.

The evening started with several salami platters - Nick's cures many of its own salami's, and makes a killer bologna. After sampling and hearing about many of the wines, we ordered off the five course menu. Unable to control myself with the salamis, I decided against the full five courses and indulged in just a couple. I opted for an appetizer of mushrooms, asparagus and spinach, the slow roasted lamb for the main course, and an arugula salad to help cleanse the palate. What a meal! Of course, the wines were also exceptional.

For me, the biggest hit was a 2007 Scanavino Barbera D'Asti. Lovely and easy to drink, it was soft around the edges with a smooth finish (for such a young wine). Coming in around $15 retail - it definitely stole the show! Not forgetting that it's almost summer, we also sampled several whites, and found the Grottarosso Bianco Degli Scudi-Inzolia very nice. It had some lovely stone fruit notes without being overpowering, with a dry, classy finish.

We had a fantastic evening and would recommend visiting Nick's if you are in the area. They boast great pizza's for lunch, as well! As far as the wines, we picked up our favorites to feature at the shop. Look for the upcoming Italian wine tasting on our event web site, we'll get it scheduled as soon as the wines arrive! Cheers.

Getting out with Nora

2009-05-04T08:48:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how fast time flies with a new one in tow. There's not much time outside of feedings and sleep schedules. But, I have managed to stay pretty much up to speed on the "goings on" of Cork Cellars, and have even been stopping by the shop with Nora to socialize and get out!

I've gradually gotten back into sampling wine and enjoying a glass every now and then - and have some new favorites I'd like to share. If you didn't get a chance to sample and/or have a glass of the Abeja Cabernet when it was on the glass list, I must say, you missed out! The new release, the 2006, was a little tight (though if you decant it or leave it open for a full day, it really opens up), and as it opened up in my glass, I reveled over the complexity of the Washington fruit. Layers of dark fruit and hints of chocolate. A little like mocha with tobacco notes hiding under the the layers. It's no secret that I've been a supporter of the Abeja wines since owning the shop - in fact - I have a library of the Abeja Cab's hiding in the wine refrigerator. So it's no surprise that this vintage is another stellar wine. There may be a couple more bottles on the shelf - it sells out fast, so stop in a grab it while it's there. Enjoy now - but if you have the patience, this wine excels with a few years in the cellar.

Another great afternoon at the shop, with my good friends Daly and her daughter Laney (Daly and her husband JT own Lutton's), I enjoyed a nice refreshing white wine, the Isenhower Snapdragon - a Roussanne/Viognier blend also from Washington. This wine screams summer with fresh apricot and peach aromas, floral notes, and a tiny hint of honeysuckle. It's about that time of year when new releases of white wines hit the market in time for the warm weather. Now we just need the warm weather.

Lastly, Nora and I took my sister (who now lives in Portland) out to wine country last weekend to enjoy some wine and meet up with old friends. The 2007 Pinot's being released are just outstanding - you really can't go wrong picking up ANY 2007. These wines are all ready to drink now - but again, a few years in the cellar and the wines will round out and mellow adding complexity. Our favorite stop, by far, was Scott Paul Winery (the picture is me, Nora, and Scott Wright of Scott Paul Winery) in Carlton. Scott's always been one of our favorites, and this year is no exception. The new release Martha Pierre - coming in at a very reasonable price, is lovely with nice complexity. The Le Paulee shows strong fruit characteristics with cherry and earthy notes. And, the flagship Audrey is out of this world! Every sniff, every taste - you can sense a new flavor and can't get enough. This wine is very limited - and I do happen to have a few bottles on the shelf. If you love Pinot Noir, this is the bottle to have!

That's it for now. Mark, Nora, and I are headed over to McMinneville tomorrow to attend a trade wine dinner featuring some newly imported Italian Wines. We'll report back with some new favorites and hopefully share them with you. Cheers.

Cork Cellars' Newest Addition

2009-03-17T15:56:00.000-07:00

We're proud to announce the newest addition to the Cork Cellars Family, baby Nora Jeane Pelletier. Born March 14th at 2:39pm, Nora was 9lbs 2oz. and came in at a whopping 21.5 in long. Mark and I want to extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone - all of you have been so grateful and encouraging!

Mama, Papa, and Baby Pelletier are all doing fine and resting at home. We haven't had a chance to celebrate yet - but plan on popping open a bottle of 1999 Vilmart & Cie Coeur de Cuvee Champagne to toast the healthy arrival of the new one.

We look forward to introducing Nora to you all when she's ready! In the mean time, take advantage of all the great happenings at Cork Cellars - maybe you'll catch us there soon.

I'll also be excited to hear who won the pool! Thanks to everyone who has been so supportive throughout the months - be sure to check and see if you've won the gift certificate to the spa...we'll be pouring you a glass of champagne to celebrate your correct guess! Cheers, Emily

TOTALLY TUESDAY's at Cork Cellars

2009-03-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

We're with ya - as local business owners we understand the need to tighten up those straps as we all try and get through this tough economic time. But, we also realize that it's still important to get out every once in a while, socialize, laugh, and have a good time with friends and family. That's why, starting St. Patty's Day 2009 - Tuesday, March 17th, we're launching TOTALLY TUESDAY's.

Totally Tuesday is an expansion of our 10% Tuesday's - so, not only will our customers receive 10% off your purchase of 3 or more bottles of wine every Tuesday, but you can also sit down in our comfortable tasting bar and get ANY TIME OF THE DAY:

$1 off your glass of wine
$2 Mirror Pond and Bud Light bottles
$1 off grilled paninis and decadent desserts

You read it right! It's a great deal on our already reasonable prices, so we encourage you to take advantage of it. We look forward to serving you!

A reminder about our wines by the glass list. Cork Cellars has a very unique business plan to encourage our customers to ALWAYS be trying new and exciting wines - from here and around the world. We STILL change our wines by the glass list every week, allowing you to come in and try a variety of wines, varietals, and producers, WITHOUT the big city prices. In fact, our wine list prices are really reasonable, considering the quality of wine and compared to places even around Central Oregon! Combine that with a friendly staff and a great selection of wines to take home, Cork Cellars is a great place to hang out, learn, and enjoy food & wine. That's our goal.

We look forward to seeing & serving you on Tuesday's for TOTALLY TUESDAY!

Discovering Italy: Cheese and Wine Tasting of Northern Italy

2009-03-10T18:00:00.001-07:00

Our first attempt of a more "structured" wine event was scheduled Thursday, Feb. 19th. With our good friends, Juri and Kinley Sbandati, we featured a Northern Italian Wines and Cheeses tasting event. Juri, who is an Italian historian and personal chef from Florence, Italy, spent some time talking about the northern Italian regions and the cheeses you typically find there. Earl, our good friend and Italian wine guru, then spoke about wines and they are typically paired with the cheeses.

Here, Juri and I are discussing the evenings activities. We structured the event to have a 30 minute (or so - Juri got to talking so I think it went much longer than that) presentation about the cheeses. Guests were greeted with a glass of Prosecco (Italian sparkling wine that is common to hand out when a guests comes to your door) for the first part of the presentation.

Then, Juri started to "cut the cheese" (which, by the way, has no comical meaning in Italian - so Kinley had to explain to him why everyone laughed when I encouraged him to get "cutting"). His family has a rich history in the culinary field, and this great cutting board that is over 100 years old was passed down to him.

We had 5 different cheeses, and 4 different wines paired with each cheese. The information presented by Earl and Juri was fantastic - encouraging great questions and second tastings around. The group gave great vibes, and it was a fantastic evening of knowledge, food, and wine. For a full list of the wines and cheeses presented that evening, please feel free to stop in the shop and ask. We can set you up to have your own tasting! And, if you missed this great event and are interested in learning more, look for another planned event in the upcoming months. The event was so successful that we plan to move down the country and present wines and cheeses from Central Italy next!

More Music at the Wine Shop

2009-03-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

Each Sat. night we feature a local music artist - and we couldn't be MORE happy with the quality, sound, and excitement from these live music nights. It's a great venue to come and listen, a relaxing atmosphere, always great wines by the glass, and great food to consume.

Feb. 21st was the first appearance of NTT ("entity") at our place, and it was a HIT! Kevin and Deb played an array of music that hit home for everyone there. The combination of musical instruments, the classic vocals, it all added up to a great night of music. They are playing again on March 28th. If you missed the first show - make it to this one, it's fantastic!

On Feb. 28th, Willie Carmichael ROCKED the house - again - with his original music and special guests. No doubt, if you made this show, you know why he is so popular! Standing room only, I didn't have much room to move around, but the folks didn't seem to mind. And, not only is Willie one of our favorite artists to play - he is SO generous, he came with loads of his current CD and passed them out to ALL the party goers as a thank you for coming! Now, he's a busy man and he's not planning on coming back to play until Friday, April 17th. Put that on your calendar - it's the My Own Two Hands Art Stroll, and Sisters will be hopping with live music, lots of art, wine, and food. We will see you then.

Live music is planned through the end of April. Check out our website for the next event!

Meet the Staff of Cork Cellars

2009-03-03T10:09:00.001-08:00

It's no wonder folks who visit Cork Cellars call it "The Cheers" of Sisters - we strive to provide all our customers with a great atmosphere and fantastic service where "everyone knows your name". And, it all starts with our awesome staff!

Over the next two months, my staff is taking over Cork Cellars - come meet them and see why I entrust them all to you. From left to right, we've got Kim, Kerry, Patty, Bill, and Melissa. Missing from the picture is Ellina and Sondy (and me - I'm taking the picture).

A majority of the time, when you visit Cork Cellars, you'll see Bill and Melissa. Both have been working with me for almost a year and a half.

Melissa, who lives just around the corner from Cork, has 2 young girls and a husband who works for the Forest Service. She is great with customers and knows the in's and out's of the day-to-day operations at Cork. If you need to order wine for a special event or for personal consumption, let her know! She'll be working closely with me and our distributors over the next couple of months to make sure all of your orders are filled!

Bill, and his wife Cheryl, live in Bend and are definitely wine aficionado's! We became fast friends about 2 years ago, and after about 6 months, I finally coaxed him into working at the shop part time! He's great behind the bar, serving up glasses of wine and great food. He loves talking about wine and wine tasting - so if you have questions - he has the answers.

Kerry and his wife are retired and live in Sisters - and have been great customers since their move here to Central Oregon full time. I guess what I'm saying is that Kerry definitely knows the ropes of the shop - he's been in for wine tastings, sampled everything on the food menu, relaxed with a glass of wine, and can pull off wine from the shelf blindfolded:) Don't hesitate to come in and give him a try - he's our newest member of the team and doing great!

Kim, Patty, Ellina, and Sondy are my best friends in town who have worked at Cork as occasionally as I needed someone to fill in. Sondy and I have been working together on Friday evenings for over 2 years - she's about to have a baby as well, so you won't see her much in the upcoming months. The other 3 lovely ladies have stepped up to the plate to help while I'm on maternity leave. All I can say is watch out! If they are working, you are guaranteed to have a GREAT time, laugh, and meet some regulars.

Here's a picture of us, including me! Again, stop on in and meet the great staff at Cork Cellars. Cheers!

Jammin' with Willie Carmichael

2009-02-10T12:01:00.000-08:00

Another rockin' night at Cork Cellars for our Winter Music Series. Sat. night, Jan. 31st, Willie Charmichael arrived with his son-in-law in tow. Ted plays the upright bass - HOW coll is that. They played to a full house all night keeping us entertained and laughing. We had special guests in the audience - muscians Micheal Daly - who will be playing at Cork in April, Dan Chavers - a local folk artist, and Brad Tisdel - of the Sisters Folk Festival and a local favorite artist who has played at Cork Cellars last year.

The Winter Music Series is in full-swing - if you haven't been able to make an event yet, don't fret, you have 2 more months of music to put on your calendar! The only Sat. we do not have music planned is Feb. 14th. If you're looking for more Willie: he's coming back on Feb. 28th. Feb. 28th will be a VERY special night - it will be my last night at the shop before I have my 2-month maternity leave - I look forward to a big, swinging night of music and friends, and look forward to seeing you all there!

Other performers scheduled in the upcoming weeks: Feb. 21st: NTT. Feb. 28th: Willie. March 7th: Little Fish. For all the upcoming events check out our event list! See you soon.

A Jolly Pumpkin Good Time

2009-02-03T10:33:00.000-08:00

Another great event we planned (didn't really plan, but it worked out) was a visit to the Jolly Pumpkin Brewery in Dexter, Michigan late in December 2008. Explaining my business to a friend, I mentioned I sold several micro-brews at the shop, including a Jolly Pumpkin beer from Michigan. My friend informed me that the Brewery was indeed close to Ann Arbor and that they did offer tours! Well, imagine my surprise when I called them that they were having a private tour later in the week that we could join - so we set our calendars and headed out on the assigned day!

Jolly Pumpkin Brewery is a unique Brewery in the heart of tiny-town Dexter, just west of Ann Arbor, MI. It's unique, in that, there are VERY FEW breweries that age all of their beer in wood casks (wood barrels that are exactly the same as wine barrels). The combination of ingredients, and time in the barrel differs with each beer. It was an incredibly fun learning experience - and fun to taste all the different beers!

The Brewery, itself, is located in a small building, just a block off of the downtown main street. It's completely unassuming - in fact, we had trouble finding it, as all the signage they had was a small decal on the front door! They typically don't offer the place as a "tasting room" - it's really just one big room jam packed with barrels, boxes, and brewing equipment.

The owner, Ron, his wife, and a handful of employees made the tour fun. Ron showed us around the brewery and offered up some of his tricks and trades to making the great beer. One point I should mention, Jolly Pumpkin Brewery does not make pumpkin beer. It turns out that the owners were drinking beer one night contemplating the name of the brewery they were about to start - and Jolly Pumpkin Brewery stuck out as an enjoyable, fun, funny, and easy going name - and it stuck! It was more than several years into it - and at last years batch, that a very formal request was offered for them to make a seasonal pumpkin beer...and they finally did. It was quite delicious! That's our brewery tour group with owner, Ron (picture to the left).

So, in short - we had a Jolly Pumpkin good time visiting this great brewery in Michigan, and are proud to offer these beers at our shop in Sisters, Oregon. Look for a Jolly Pumpkin Brew tasting at our shop in March or April of 2009! Cheers.

Checking Out the Wine Scene in Michigan

2008-12-18T08:05:00.000-08:00

Recently, Mark and I traveled to Michigan to visit my dad and attend a college friend's wedding. Of course, if you know me at all, you know I can't travel anywhere without checking into the wine scene! Here's our review...

Mark, my dad, and I visited Vinology for lunch - it's a wine bar, wine shop, and restaurant (sounds a lot like Cork Cellars!) in Ann Arbor, MI - home of my Alma Mater, University of Michigan. It's right downtown Ann Arbor, in a really cool, old building with brick walls and a cellar basement. The restaurant seating and the bar area were separated by a big wall, so you didn't get a good connecting vibe of maybe tasting wine vs. going into a restaurant for food.

The wine list was fair, I thought, for Michigan. They did have a very cool "rating" system - little indicators on the wine list if it was bubbly, bold, fruitty, sweet, etc. My dad's a big Chardonnay fan, so we (the guys) split a bottle of the Newton "Red Label" Chard. Not the most expensive one the list, but up there. No Oregon Chard's made it to the menu here. As far as lunch goes, the menu read much more wonderfully than the actual flavors of the food. They do focus on a seasonal menu, purchasing organic and local foods from around MI, which is very cool. But, our waitress pointed out that they were just getting going with a new kitchen staff, and the food reflected: it was fairly non-descript and average.

The "shopping" part of Vinology was in the cellar basement - very cool, dark, and unique. The actual wine shop was more of a tasting room with the wine situated in racking around 3 sides of the room. They had a few good choices, but I would say it wasn't necessarily a place to just go buy wine, it was more of a tasting bar that you could take wine home at 30% below restaurant pricing if you chose. They did have a very cool private tasting room, which I would reserve in a heart beat for special occasions. It was also in the basement, with cool lighting and a private bar. Check that out if you find yourself in Ann Arbor. Final Review: stop in for a glass of wine and check out the cellar...but definitely eat at another higher rated restaurant in downtown Ann Arbor.

The most surprising wine find in Ann Arbor was Village Corner, a small "general" shop on the campus of UofM. I had read a couple blogs mentioning a decent selection of wine, so I thought I would check it out! Well, you walk into this place and your first impression is not a good one! Dirty shelves of toilet paper and standard college kid dorm goods is an eye sore. But venture deeper in, and you will definitely get a welcoming surprise! Around the corner, and then a few more, you'll find a fantastic selection of wines from around the world - and at very decent prices. Mark and I spent some time perusing the wines and finding some gems and some standards. The Oregon selection was limited, but really good. We found some Bergstrom, St. Innocent, WillaKenzie, and even Patton Valley Vineyards! They were priced accordingly, so you'll have to spend a few extra dollars to sample these Oregon beauties, but know that they are fantastic wines that aren't that readily available - even in Oregon!

The one big surprise was finding a Burgundy from Scott Wright's Imported portfolio. For as little wine as Scott imports, it's great that you Ann Arborites have a chance to try them! My only real complaint regarding Village Corner, is that service is pretty bad. About 4 college kids hang around the register and bs - not one person asked if we had any questions, and I seriously doubt they really would have had any knowledge of the wine anyway. I'm not sure if the owner or someone who is knowledgeable about wine hangs out there in the afternoon...he or she is seriously sitting on some fantastic wine and I would only venture to guess would need to be there to help any serious wine buyer make a selection.
But, if you're in the area and need wine, this is a great place to spend some time and money. You just need a little patience - college kids are college kids...

Thankfully, as far as wine consumption during our trip, Mark and I sent some of our favorite wine via UPS to my dad's long before we left. The boys had a good time sampling through a few of my favorites - I always love to see folks enjoy the wine as much as I did! Cheers, Emily

Jazzin' it up

2008-11-26T09:48:00.000-08:00

Last Sat. Cork Cellars was hopping with people listening to Sisters' own J3 Trio. Actually, there were 4 guys - and if you closed your eyes, you could have sworn you were at a San Francisco Jazz Club. These guys were good!

We had the leader, Jody, on the trumpet. His son, Jared, on the stand up bass. And, Jared's good friends, Steven on guitar, and Tanner on the drum.

J3 Trio will be back at Cork Cellars Dec. 20th for the famed Christmas Carol event. It will be fun jazz music with a holiday twist...and a few glasses of wine the crowd starts to sing!

Getting Ready for the Winter

2008-11-18T09:06:00.000-08:00

What a beautiful fall we're having in Central Oregon. Bright, sunny days with cool, clear nights. It's the time of year most folks transition into drinking red wines in the evening.

It's also why our Holiday Wine Tasting Series "Hearty Wines for the Winter" is always a popular event. It's a chance to try new vintages of great, bold red wines perfect to share this winter.

This year, Earl from C&G Wines, stopped in to present an array of red wines from Washington and California.

We started off with "Big Nose" - a red blend (mainly Cabernet and Merlot) from Washington that retails for $14. The wine proved a big hit for the big nose - full bodied with dark raspberries and a hint of vanilla, and a big finish.

From there we moved on to 2 Fall Line wines from Washington. First the Horse Heaven Hills Red Blend (Merlot, Cab, & Cab Franc). With just a 430 case production, this 2005 vintage was smokin'! It received 92 Pts. from Wine & Spirits that was well justified. Pretty on the nose without over-explosive notes of lavender and black cherry. With hints of mocha and tobacco on the finish, this complex wine was one of my favorites on the list. It retails for $32 and this vintage won't last long before we have to move on to the 2006.

The new vintage of Fall Line Cab was next in your glass. Just released, this wine is showing excellent now, but will hold for several years as well. It's 100% Cabernet, and 100% fantastic! Another 92 Pt. score from Wine Advocate, these guys are on the radar for producing some serious wine. The nose offers up notes of vanilla bean, coconut, black currants, and blackberry liqueur. Complex in the mouth with a long finish. Retails for $32.

We travelled south to California for the next wine - Bucklin Cabernet. If you were lucky enough to make our Buckin wine tasting over the summer, you met Will Bucklin. He's the co-owner and winemaker for this California Winery. They sell a majority of their fruit to famous wineries, and keep some for a small production lot of wine. The 2006 Cab had just been bottled when Will visited last time, so we didn't showcase the wine then. It's amazing what 6 months in the bottle will do for a cab - this wine was dynamite! With just over 450 cases produced, this wine is deep and complex (the vines are over 25 years old), with aromas of cedar, licorice, and anise with a fruit component of cherry, blackberry and currants. At $25, this is a great wine to have on hand this winter.

The final taste goes to the O'Shea Scarborough Syrah called "the black cask". These guys produce wine from their garage - but don't be fooled, it's definitely a syrah from Washington that will be making it's mark on the wine industry. Dark, juicy fruits fill your nose and your mouth - with hints of dark vanilla bean, boysenberry jam, and chocolate. At just 75 cases produced, this won't last long if you want to give it a swirl.

If you missed this event - don't fret. We've got another 1.5 months of great wine tasting events lined up every Thursday evening from 5-8pm. Check out the events on our event website.

Another Rockin' Night of Music

2008-11-04T10:50:00.000-08:00

Willie Carmichael is one of the nicest, coolest, and greatest musicians I've ever met! His partner in crime, Ed, is equally as fun to hang out with. And, if you missed the music event at Cork Cellars Saturday, Nov. 1st - you missed one of the most fun, most rockin' night in Sisters!
Willie and Ed rocked non-stop for 2 hours to a full house, playing original tunes that ranged from fun, to slow, lamenting on love, and other great tunes. Bill and I enjoyed the music while serving up glasses of wine and great food from our menu.

Several regulars showed up for this event, including Sisters' favorites, the Newports. They arrived a little late, so didn't get the best seats in the house, but they got first row! Debbie works in the Redmond School District, and recently started the "Americana Project" at her school (modeled off the successful program at the Sisters High School). Willie is a major volunteer for the Americana Project, and is working with Debbie out in Redmond on the program! What a great combo!

We've got more live music scheduled the remainder of November, and an event in December. Check it out and come visit us for these great events. And, if all goes well, we'll plan some more of Willie in the winter months. We look forward to seeing you:) Cheers!

An Evening in Burgundy with Scott Wright

2008-11-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, Oct. 29th, 20 wine enthusiasts gathered at Jen's Garden for an exclusive Cork Cellars Event, "An Evening in Burgundy" with Scott Wright of Scott Paul Cellars.

About once a year Cork Cellars will host an exclusive wine dinner, offering 20 people a rare opportunity to sample extraordinary wines carefully paired with exquisite food. This year our featured guest was Scott Wright, of Scott Paul Cellars.

Scott hails from the music industry, but has always had a passion for wine, growing up with a father who enjoyed fabulous Burgundy and other French wine. Scott's passion for wine began early, and when he (his wife and daughter) decided to finally leave the music industry - he knew exactly where he was headed - to Oregon, to start a winery and produce classic Burgundian style Pinot Noir's. He did just that, his winery, Scott Paul Cellars, is now in it's 10th vintage, producing beautiful, elegant, and passionate Pinot Noir (some of my absolute favorites). While continuing his knowledge of producing fine wine, Scott has travelled extensively in the Burgundy and Champagne regions of France. A few years ago, he brought back some of his favorite wines, and is now offereing a small portfolio of rare, small production Burgundy and Champagne to Oenophiles around the US.

I met Scott several years ago. Scott, his wife, Martha, and his daughter, Martha Pierre, visit Central Oregon each summer to vacation - and had stopped by the shop to see what we were all about. Of course, at the time, I didn't know who he was...I recall the first time he walked through the door, I was helping some other customers and had turned to say hello. As I turned, I noticed this gentleman had a Scott Paul Cellars ballcap on, I said "hi, welcome to Cork Cellars. Gosh, Scott Paul Cellars is the best Oregon Pinot Noir I've ever had, you must like it too!" An enduring friendship was quickly established:) On his last visit through Sisters, we concocted an evening to showcase some of his favorite imported Burgundy's to share with a handful of customers, and our event was born.

Of course, Burgundy and Champagne of that stature require excellent food - and what better person to prepare that than TR and Carol of Jen's Garden. The event was held there, with family style seating in an elegant, but casual and warm atmosphere. Our 20 guests were seated and enjoyed meeting Scott who spoke about his passion for wine and his history with the Burgundy region, as we served the first pairing:

Smoked Salmon Timable with Roasted Tomatoes, Herbed Cream Cheese over Swirl Montana Rye Toast - served with a 2006 Philippe Chavy Puligny-Montrechet. This 100% Chardonnay was the most elegant Chardonnay I've ever tasted. So floral in the nose with rich notes of almonds, a full & rich mouth-feel, but so well balanced with nice acidity to compliment the smoked salmon. This wine retails for $60.

The second course featured the 2006 Rene Leclerc Gevrey-Chambertin (Pinot Noir) served with a puffed pastry filled with seafood and wild mushrooms and lemon-chive buerre-blanc. This style of Pinot Noir was so elegant and feminine. The body and color were light, but loaded with fresh raspberry and spice notes. An elegant mouth-feel led to a complex and rewarding finish. This is a very lovely Pinot Noir that retails for $60.

The main course featured Scott's own Scott Paul Le Paulee Pinot Noir. TR paired this wine with Tranches de Boeuf: marinated natural cascade beef over oven-roasted fingerling potatoes and a undescribeable demi-glaze with hints of cherry, balsamic, and red wine. Scott's Pinot Noir paired beautifully with this dish - the hints of cherry spice, and earth rounded out in this complex wine. This wine retails for $40.

The salad course: mixed greens with roasted kimberly red pears, candied almonds, french brie cheese, and champagne vinaigrette was paired with the 2006 Francois Lamarche Vosne-Romanee Premier-Cru. This larger than life Burgundy is showing incredible right now, but will show even better in a few years. Red berry fruit and rose petal combine nicely with spicy and pure flavors. This wine retails for $120.

By this point, our guests have received exceptional service and an abundance of information on Burgundy and Scott's experience. The food and wine outstanding, conversation flowing, laughing, and anticipation for the last course has filled the air. Besides a love for Burgundy, Scott also shares a passion of mine, Champagne! What better way to end the evening, but to pair a fabulous dessert with a classic grower Champagne.

For the dessert, Jen (of Jen's Garden) prepared a chocolate slice of heaven, with hints of hazelnuts, topped with cream and pomegranate compote. Each savory bite was equally savory paired with the 1999 Marc Chauvet Special Club, an exquisite full bodied Champagne with toasted amonds, honey, and small bubbles. Very few bottles of this wine get imported into the US, and we can see why they want to keep it all! This bottle retails for $60.

We can't thank Scott enough for his expertise and fine wines. We all had such a wonderful time, enjoying food, wine, and good friends. If you missed the dinner, don't fret, I have the wine available at the shop for purchase - but get yours now before they're gone. If you'd like to attend one of our exclusive wine dinners, please let me know and I'll put you on our waiting list. Cheers!

The Quon's Perform

2008-10-27T08:35:00.000-07:00

It was a quiet night at Cork Cellars, Sat. Oct. 25th, until The Quon's (Mark and Linda) set up and started playing. To a small intimate crowd, the Quon's bedazzled us with a huge array of cover music...Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Jonnie Cash, James Taylor, and more! Then, they broke out into some original tunes - a series called the "Oregon Trail" - inspired by those who trekked across our great land.

If I'm not mistaken, this was the first time The Quon's played in Sisters - though they've been customers of the shop many times. They mostly play in Bend, and I can see why they are in hot demand. I was more enthralled by the quality of their music, so I forgot to take pictures. But, you can check out some of their tunes and their bio on myspace.

If you missed this event, don't fret. Everyone at the shop requested they be asked to return, and I agree! Check out our events calendar to see all of our upcoming events. Our music events are really spectacular - quiet, intimate, great wine, casual atmosphere. I highly recommend coming to our next event - Willie Carmichael on Nov. 1st.

Another Great Music Event at the Cork

2008-10-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

With the music series underway, it's no question that good music is going to plague the town of Sisters for the next month! Sat., Oct. 18th we had Elise and Warren from SMUDGE play at the shop. The time flew by as we listened to the sound of Elise's rich, deep voice carry through the air. It felt more like the big city, New York or San Francisco, rather than Sisters.

It was also a special night for me, I had two special guests in the house that made it a night to remember! My dad, who lives in Michigan, was visiting. Many of you have met him (Frank), he's been instrumental in getting the wine shop together - helping at both the initial move and the remodel. Each time he visits he keeps himself busy with my list of "To-Do's" around the shop. It is truly special to have him visit on an evening like this to see the business thrive and enjoy the good food and wine.

We also had my good friends Jessica and Jodell stop in the shop for some delicious wine and tasty desserts! The sisters have been good friends of mine since we moved to town 5 years ago, helping me to build the friend base that I have today. Jodell manages the Bend downtown store, Urban Minx. Have you been there? It's got the hottest new clothes and styles. And Jessica works in the non-profit industry with kids. Both Jessica and Jodell have supported Cork Cellars since its' inception over 3 years ago, both have been wine of the month club members when it was still in it's infancy stages, helping design the concept and get it off the ground. Often times you can visit Urban Minx on a first Friday and enjoy wine supplied by Cork Cellars!

We do hope you can find time in the upcoming months to visit the shop on a music evening. All of our events are intended to be casual and easy going. Stop in with friends, or meet new ones! All of our upcoming tasting events and music events are posted on our website and updated weekly. We look forward to seeing you! Cheers.

A Birthday Celebration at Cork Cellars

2008-10-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

It's just too much fun when one of our favorite local customers has a birthday! The regular crowd showed up on a Friday night to help celebrate one more year of life of our good friend, Jeff.

Wine and food were consumed, and good times were had by all. Here, the birthday boy is on the right, hanging out with myself (in orange), his wife (Ellina), and our good friend Earl.

Of course, like all good relationships, Jeff and Ellina came into our lives via a passion for wine. Quickly realizing we had more than wine in common, a deeper friendship ensued, and not only are Jeff and Ellina staples of the wine shop, they are great friends. More than once Jeff (and Ellina) has been out to the wine shop to help with maintenance...hanging posters & coat hooks, helping with the remodel, fixing the hot water tank, you name it, he's helped with it! So, a birthday couldn't go by without balloons and a birthday cake. And...I won't tell you how many candles are on that cake...and that we almost had a fire alarm go off after the candles got put out!

All in all it was a great celebration, and the wine shop is proud to be such a great gathering place in our community.

Friday nights at the wine bar are great nights to stop in and meet the locals. There's always a great crowd of fun-loving, wine-drinking folks who share good laughs and love to meet new people. If it's your birthday or not, come on in and say hi! We look forward to serving you. Cheers.

Little Fish Performs at Cork Cellars

2008-10-14T08:52:00.000-07:00

The first live music in our event series happened last Sat. night and it was a huge success! Deb and Bo Yager of Little Fish performed 7-9pm with all sorts of original tunes that kept you smiling and having a good time. Cork Cellars was cozy, and filled with music loving folks out to hear the duo.

Deb and Bo Yager, a smaller version of their band Little Fish (2 folks instead of 4), are from Austin, Texas and moved to Bend about 3 years ago. I happened to meet them through business connections, and we quickly realized we had lots in common...including a passion for wine and good music! Our friendship deepened, and it really was with great honor that they agreed to play at Cork Cellars. If I could have them play every weekend, I would! Deb and Bo did not take a break in the two hours they played, keeping the crowd engaged and having a good time. They played lots of great tunes, including a couple of my favorites "Cats & Dogs" and "I'm not the Outdoor Type". And, Bo played a couple of solo tunes from his new album.

If you missed the event with Little Fish - mark your calendars! They are coming back Nov. 15th from 7-9pm. But, don't miss out this week, we've got Elise and Warren from SMUDGE here to rattle you with blues & jazz. This fantastic duo from Bend is hot right now, come check it out!

An Apology for UpKeep

2008-10-01T08:32:00.000-07:00

This is a quick blog, almost 1 year since my last...and it's an apology! So many cool wine events, dinners, tastings, etc. have happened since the wine dinner of Nov. 2007 (the last blog) and I haven't written a word or posted pictures of any of them. My apologies. This page is intended to provide you with an insight of our on-goings at Cork Cellars, and my goal is to spend more time getting that information out to you.

I have my camera in hand ready for the perfect shot. Come get your photo taken at the next tasting, which is Oct. 9th from 5-8pm. Our theme is Best Value Petit Sirah - this varietal is huge and juicy, just perfect for our Central Oregon cool fall nights. And you don't have to spend a fortune - all of the wines are priced right! This will be a $6 tasting fee - and no reservations needed. See you soon.

Italian Feast

2007-11-10T09:09:00.001-08:00

Don't let my lapse in blogging set you back - we've been going strong at the wine shop & wine bar. This latest blog is a recap on our first wine dinner at the wine shop, An Italian Feast with a seven year vertical of Oddero Barolos from 1995-2001.

21 fabulous customers of mine walked into a dazzling shop transformed for the evening; candlelit, classy, warm, and relaxing - ready for the evening. We started with a glass of 2004 Soligo Prosecco; great conversation began immediately. Earl Cramer-Brown, our Oddero Barolo expert, then started us on the tasting - we sampled seven wines from Oddero Winery, all Barolo's from their estate vineyard, dating back to the late 1800's. While learning and sipping on these fantastic wines, food was abundant. The antipasta course was laid out by Kinley and Juri of Sbandati Personal Chef.

After the tasting, we began our wine dinner - 5 courses paired with different vintage Barolo's.

The whole event was captured beautifully by our esteemed guest, Leigh Brown, who writes for Travel Oregon. Read her account of the wine dinner.

It was an incredible event, and we look forward to hosting our next!

Tyrus Evan Wines

2006-10-10T15:57:00.000-07:00

As part of my job in the wine industry, I have to keep up on all the wines in the press, what's getting great scores, and who's buying what. I often read about wines, try and get my hands on them, and if they are really good, offer them to my customers. However, every once in a while I find a treasure that is, well, less known, and then it gets great press. It's always fun to find wines, enjoy them, and then read that others have enjoyed them as much as me!

Such is the case with Tyrus Evan wine. A second label to Ken Wright (named after his two sons), the Tyrus Evan label focuses on more "big" wines, like Syrah and bordeaux blends ( a walla walla blend, a cab franc, etc.) Recently, Tyrus Evan was featured in the Wine Press NW newsletter. The 2004 Del Rio Syrah recieved an "outstanding" rating.

If you are interested in trying Tyrus Evan Wine, you can email me (emily@corkcellars.com) and reserve your bottle today. We currently have in stock -

2004 Tyrus Evan Cab Franc (my favorite)
2004 Tyrus Evan Syrah
2004 Tyrus Evan Malbec
2003 Tyrus Evan Walla Walla Claret

All are outstanding wines - full and complex. This wine is made in small lot production, so once it's gone, it's gone!

Wine by the River with Oregon Vineyard Selection

2006-10-02T17:01:00.000-07:00

Friday and Saturday, Sept. 29th and 30th, we showcased our wine cellar racking and services at Bend's Wine by the River. Wine by the River is a non-profit event benefitting the Hospice of Bend-LaPine, and features over 50 wineries from Oregon, Washington and California, food vendors, and artists. This was a fantastic venue for us to catch up with previous wine cellar clients, visit with wineries & friends, and showcase wine cellar information to potential clients.

It was a beautiful two days in Bend, Oregon. The weather was clear, and it was nice and warm, a perfect time to sip on crisp whites in the afternoon, and full-bodied reds in the cool evening. While Mark and I worked and spoke with clients most of the day, we did get a chance to try some familiar wines, as well as try some new wines from the region.

Of course, one of our favorite winery's in Oregon, was at hand in the winner's venue - Domaine Meriweather - who won "best white" with the Captain Clark Sparkling Brut. The Captain Clark sparkling is a blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, made in the traditional champagne method. This wine sees over seven years in the bottle, and is aged to a smooth, crisp brut with tiny bubbles, loads of flavor and a smooth finish. Domaine Meriweather was the first place we sent our friends and previous wine cellars clients, Larry and Irma Robinson (cellar shown at right). Although the Robinson wine cellar was completed last year, we still keep in touch. Larry and Irma are very gracious, and often let us show off their wine cellar to potential clients. They are also great customers of the wine shop, and take advantage of our great discounts and delivery service.

Other great booths at Wine by the River this year were Spindrift Cellars, Harris Bridge Vineyards, and keeping us awake and with good treats - DiLusso's Coffee and Bi-Bop Biscotti were on hand. It got very busy Saturday afternoon and into the evening.

A long day of talking with folks about how to store wine, why they would love to have a wine cellar, and everything that goes along with a wine cellar project is tons of fun, but can get overwhelming at times. But, no one can really complain when you're talking about wine and working with great people who make you laugh and have a great time working... like Mark. Cheerful through the whole weekend, as shown left (below) - Mark posing like he's opening a bottle of Harris Bridge Pinot Noir Desert wine... problem is, it's empty!

If you missed us this year at Wine by the River, don't fret! We showcase Oregon Vineyard Selection's custom and modular racking, climate control, and cellar accessory options at Cork Cellars Wine Shop in Sisters. We also offer free consultations to anyone interested in getting started with a wine cellar project. Please visit or call us for more information.

Visit to Domaine de la Terre Rouge

2006-10-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

Domaine de la Terre Rouge is located in the Sierra Foothills, in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley - just outside of Plymouth, CA. The wine region there has a lot to offer, and if you have the opportunity, I highly suggest a trip down there - I know the Willamette Valley is only about a 3-hour trip, but how many times can you go to the same place? :) It takes about 10 hours from Bend and don't leave without a visit to Domaine de le Terre Rouge. I did end up going to a couple other wineries in the area, but can say that the best wines for my palate came from Terre Rouge (meaning "red earth").

Domaine de la Terre Rouge makes two labels - Domaine de la Terre Rouge and Easton both by winemaker/owner Bill Easton. The Terre Rouge label is used for Rhône-style wines, while the Easton label is used for non-Rhône wines. For me, both of the labels suit my palate, but I do prefer the Terre Rouge label if I were forced to choose. I sit and drink a wine from either label, and wonder if it's possible for Bill to make a wine I don't like! Apparently, so far, it has not been possible.

The grapes (shown right) are this year's Syrah - already fermented and waiting for the barrel. Bill bottle-ages his wines, sometimes for a good chunk of time - for example, this year's Noir (his flagship wine) is a 1999. I also purchased a delicious Zin from the tasting room that is a 1999. You can also get other years of the Noir from the tasting room depending on your tastes and budget.

Bill suggested Amador Foothills and Shenandoah Valley/Sobon to me in my search for another tasty Zin - but of course, mentioned that his were still the best. I'd have to agree - and if you'd like to try one of them, come on into Cork Cellars.

A Willamette Valley Wine Tasting Trip

2006-08-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

On August 27th we made a trip out to the Willamette Valley to keep up with the latest and greatest in the area. We started out at Argyle, located in Dundee, OR - about a 2.5 hour trip from Bend, OR. They have a really nice lineup of wines, and great sparkling, which is always the best way to start out any wine tasting trip!

From Argyle we hit Archery Summit winery, Penner-Ash, Scott Paul, and Tyrus Evan. I can't say there was even one wine we didn't like at any of the wineries, however, the two spot light wines of the trip were the Scott Paul Le Paulee Pinot Noir and the Tyrus Evan Cabernet Franc.

On Monday the 28th we stopped at the Carlton Winemakers Studio for a wine trade tasting. This typically includes various wineries that set up tasting for those of us "in the trade", i.e. restaurant employees, wine shop owners, wine bar owners, etc. The highlights from this tasting were the Domaine Meriwether Captain Clark, Domaine Meriwether Prestige Rose, Hamacher Pinot Noir, and the Dominius IV Syrah.

It was a very relaxing trip, we had some great wines - and it's great to get out and meet the winemakers and folks that make it all happen!

Buzz from Domaine Meriwether visits Cork Cellars

2006-08-26T15:26:00.000-07:00

Buzz, from Domaine Meriwether came to Cork Cellars August 19th to host a complimentary wine tasting. We had 4 sparkling wines open in honor of National Sparkling Wine Night (so-named by Ron Loutherback, founder of The Wine Club. The sampled sparkling wines:

Discovery - made in the Brut style from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes
William Clark Cuvee - their flagship wine made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (different percentages than the Discovery)
Fort Clatsop Cuvee Blanc de Blancs - 100% Chardonnay, made in the traditional Champagne style
Prestige Rose - Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, turned rose at triage-time

The day was perfect - perfect wines, weather and customers. The group was a lot of fun - we had some locals (show here - Stephanie and Dennis), and also some tourists came in to enjoy the informative session, as well as enjoy some great wines.

We had some great feedback - primarily that people learned a lot, and thought that the wines were fantastic. We can't wait until next year so that we can celebrate this "holiday" again - in style.

More pictures from the event.

Quilt Show weekend in Sisters, OR

2006-07-15T13:49:00.000-07:00

Last weekend was Quilt Show in Sisters - people come from all over to see the 1200 colorful quilts hung on all the buildings downtown. Sisters becomes an extremely busy place!

Cork Cellars welcomed Eagle & Rose Winery from Napa Valley as a guest to provide complimentary wine tasting to those in town on this busy occassion! We had a great time with the out-of-towners - it's enjoyable for us to treat people to wines especially picked for the hot summer months.

The town has died down a little since the show, and it's finally getting back to normal one week after the event... but we have more wine-tasting events planned! Plus, you can always taste something new during all open hours for a very low price! Click here for this week's wine menu.

Our next complimentary event:

Thursday, July 20th
4pm-7pm
Join wine aficionado, Lillie Blakely, as she presents bright whites and bbq reds for the summer season. complimentary

For more information about other events, please see our website.

Our Regulars

2006-07-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Thursday and Friday nights have become "locals night" at Cork Cellars - we have a great group of people that come in both evenings... we have such a great time, we wish that every night was locals night!

Because we are open late (until 9pm) Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we're able to cater to some of the locals, as well as the tourists coming through town. There's not much else open late in Sisters, so it's a nice place to relax, have a couple glasses of wine, some appetizers to share (that can end up making a meal) and a wonderful dessert! The flourless chocolate cake is to-die-for - especially with the Harris Bridge Pinot Noir dessert wine...

Angeline's bakery is next door, and has live music during the summer months on both Friday and Saturday evenings - so for a fun-filled evening night in Sisters, start at Cork Cellars with a good glass of wine, sit outside while enjoying the music next door... then make your way over to Angeline's to finish off the evening! You'll have a great time - it's a promise!

Preparing for Central Oregon's Wine of the Month Clubs

2006-06-30T12:57:00.000-07:00

We're here hanging out at the house in Bend, getting ready for our Central Oregon Wine of the Month Club - and as you can see Rali is helping with the Newsletters.

We deliver all around Bend the last Friday of every month... and this is the day! Thursday night we get all the wines ready for delivery, and put in a newsletter that outlines the wines we have chosen for the participants. The feedback has been excellent, and we enjoy spending the time finding the best wines that we can! It's been fun for us, as well as fun for our customers... and Rali has fun too!

Currently Cork Cellars is offering two monthly wine clubs:

Big Bang
The Big Bang Club philosophy is to offer the best "bang for the buck" wine to our customers. We intend to track down great wines from around the world, for great prices. Tickle your taste buds with varietals best in class for value and quality. The cost for the Big Bang Club wine selection will not exceed $20 per month.

Club Cork
The Club Cork philosophy is to offer members an opportunity to try unique wines a vintner might set aside for their own personal enjoyment. We're dedicated to finding wines with characteristics and captivating flavors that can elevate your senses - and our goal: to provide members with memorable wines that have a clearly noticeable edge over other perfectly acceptable wines. The cost for the Club Cork wine selection will not exceed $50 per month.

Each Club includes 2 specially chosen wines per month.

For both clubs you can choose to receive one RED and one WHITE --OR-- 2 bottles of the monthly RED wine selection --OR-- 2 bottles of the monthly WHITE wine selection.

Visit the Cork Cellars website for more information on the wine clubs offered, or stop in the shop! We're in Sisters across from the Chamber of Commerce.

The Grand Re-Opening

2006-06-24T15:38:00.000-07:00

Cork Cellars opened across from the Chamber in downtown Sisters after spending about a year in the same building as the Common Threads clothing store to expand into a wine bar - including food, wine by the glass, and flights (sample size of 4 wines from our weekly list).