www.lux-review.com Page 35 LUX 2018 Food & Drink Awards DANCIN Vineyards crafts delicious wines and vintages all of which are named after movements within ballet. We profile the vineyard to find out more. DANCIN Vineyards Best Viticulture & Culinary Destination 2018 - Pacific Northwest preserving the natural soul and essence of the famously fragile, expressive and finicky Pinot noir grape. This simple and elegant style of winemaking eschews many of the modern conveniences afforded by industrial winemaking processes such as harsh pumps, fruit augers and otherwise unnecessary actions that can damage and detract from the fragile beauty of Pinot noir, and the five other varieties they produce. This artisanal, hands-on approach means that no detail is overlooked, no corners are cut, and no compromises are made during the crafting of their wines. Today, DANCIN is the discipline of cultivating seven separate clones of Pinot noir along with four distinct clones of Chardonnay to create several exquisite expressions of Oregon Pinot noir and Chardonnay. They blend these clones the way an artist mixes hues on a painter’s palette. They also artfully craft Barbera, Sangiovese, Syrah, Zinfandel and Port-style Pinot noir, and their various wines and vintages are named after movements within ballet, a form of dance wherein dedication and discipline are integral to the grace and beauty of the final performance. Every bottle of DANCIN, each glass of their award-winning wine, is the harmonious interplay of art and science; a dynamic dance of soil, sun, ancient alchemy, modern technology and human touch. Drinkers are invited to join in the process and taste the transformation. The result is delicious. Their award-winning Burgundian-style Pinots and their critically acclaimed Chardonnays along with the other varietals they produce are truly world-class. Their food is simple, terroir-inspired Italian fare using the freshest local ingredients. Their winery and tasting room are set magnificently on the forested foothills of Southern Oregon overlooking the Rogue DANCIN prides itself on being a marriage of science and art: the pairing of simple Italian fare and fine wine. The wines created at the vineyard showcase the sincere passion of Founders Dan and Cindy. Within a year of their storybook meeting in 1995, Dan and Cindy (DANCIN) began researching wine and viticulture at UC Davis. Soon after their move north to Oregon, they continued their studies by enrolling in classes at Oregon State University among others, and in 2007, they discovered a perfect plot of land nestled within the forested foothills of southern Oregon, just outside of the beautiful gold rush community of Jacksonville. In 2009, they planted their first vineyard, and thus began their annual dance with nature. A northeast facing, high elevation slope, benefitting from the late afternoon shade provided by the surrounding tall pines and cedars, it would become the perfect terroir for growing Pinot noir and Chardonnay with a sense of place. Planted to seven distinct clones of Pinot noir and four distinct clones of Chardonnay, the vineyards are meticulously maintained through continual assessment during each and every facet of the growing season, making every effort to achieve vine balance. At the point of perfect ripeness, each cluster is hand harvested and sorted, first in the vineyard, and then two separate times on the crushpad, as their limited production exquisite Pinot noirs and Chardonnays along with the other varieties they produce, are hand-crafted using minimalist, old world techniques that complement the practices in the vineyard. Using the natural cooling of the hillside, their gravity-flow winery was built into the earth and designed in accordance with the centuries- long tradition of ultra-gentle winemaking in the Burgundy region of France, which focuses on Valley, one of the most unique terroirs in the wine making world. Alongside this, the winery’s tasting room consists of seven different areas, most of which are located outdoors and each having its own unique personality where conversations over fine wine and delicious food made with locally sourced ingredients can be savored and enjoyed. Seating options include the patio, overlooking the Koi pond or the grassy picnic area under a graceful black walnut tree. Alternatively, guests can choose to be on the terrace or under the covered and heated piazza space or inside the wine cellar. Finally, they can enjoy their offerings at the eighteen- foot-long fire bar or the stand-up bar inside the tasting room where they can have a front row view of the fresh culinary creations being prepared from the adjacent kitchen. Additionally, DANCIN is also home to its own in-ground earth oven where outdoor cooking and tribal style salmon bakes can be enjoyed. Ultimately, DANCIN is a dance with their guests. Each wine tasting, each food pairing, each day at their vineyard is a performance that invites our visitors to experience the essence of the Oregon lifestyle, in harmony with nature. Company: DANCIN Vineyards Address: 4477 South Stage Road, Medford, OR 97501, USA Phone: 001 541 245 1133 Email:
[email protected] Web Address: dancinvineyards.com