Eleven bottles and counting

We started with the Pinot Noir as soon as we walked into Tina’s, a cute little restaurant in Dundee. The bartender was great, the wait staff were friendly and helpful, and made us feel at home.
Since we had eaten a big lunch, we settled on appetizers, including a nice caprese salad, some fried oysters with a sorrel mayo, and some delicious goat cheese. We drank a Willamette Pinot, and bought one to take back to the room.
Being tired from a long day of travel, and the three bottles we had with lunch, we hit the bed pretty early.
But, we awoke rested and ready, and polished off last night’s second bottle on our way to tour Domaine Serene, at ten in the morning. Pinot Noir, it’s not just for breakfast any more.
Ah, Domain Serene. Billy hooked us up, not to be outdone by Kristin, and a nice job he did. We got the backstage pass tour, learning about their processes, philosophy, and vineyards. Then we drank a shitload of their wine, and I can remember a damn thing about the tour! We bought five bottles, then headed back toward Newberg. But we didn’t make it down the hill before we stopped at another winery, Deponte Cellars, and tasted more. I think we bought a bottle there, too (I guess that actually makes it twelve bottles…). Our pourer was from Asheville, NC, and attended UNC. Small world (but I wouldn’t want to paint it).
Then it was down the hill, stopping in Dundee at Ponzi’s tasting room. We had some salami, bread and cheese, with some delicious plums marinated in dolcetta. Oh my god, that was good. I think.
Since we had reservations at a lovely B&B at the coast, we figured we better head that way before we got too out of hand. We drank about four bottles on the way, and cracked another as soon as we got to the inn. I don’t want to say I was drinking and driving, but there was some driving involved. Garman got us to the coast, although that bitch giving the direction got annoying after a while (“Keep left. Keep Left.” Sheesh!)
Our hostess at The Grand Victorian B&B, Eileen, had some Tillamook cheese and some lovely appetizers ready for us, and we enjoyed our wine and relaxed for a while. Then we tried to carry our bags upstairs, and that’s when the laughter started.
Fortunately, there was a restaurant around the corner, in walking distance, so the Jeep stayed parked for the night. I had a delicious piece of swordfish, and we drank another Willamette Pinot, before heading back to the inn. We opened one more of Domaine Serene’s finest, and the day ended in a blur.
As Scarlet O’Hara said, tomorrow is another day.