Oregon blends will sport 'claret' on their labels

P icture an English gentleman of a certain age, puffing on a pipe and leafing through a thick leather-bound book. By his side are a decanter and glass, both brimming with ruby-red wine. Or, as he'd call it, claret.

Well, get ready to don your best herringbone tweed, because now we're calling it claret, too.

"Claret" -- not to be confused with clairet, clairette or clarete (also wine terms) -- is the British word for a Bordeaux-style blend. In December, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission OK'd a petition from RoxyAnnWinery to make it a legal term for such blends made in Oregon.

If you purchase a bottle of Oregon claret, chances are it's mostly cabernet sauvignon and merlot, perhaps with a bit of cabernet franc for good measure. It may also contain the traditional Bordeaux varieties petit verdot, malbec or carmenere.

RoxyAnn, Del Rio, Tyrus Evan and A to Z all make a claret; look for the name on more labels in the future. "I know of a couple of wineries that have stopped pursuing a proprietary name and have happily jumped on the bandwagon and said, 'Hey -- let's market claret as a Southern Oregon signature,' " says RoxyAnn winemaker Gus Janeway.

It may sound fusty and British, but we'd be in legal trouble if we were to use the term "Bordeaux." And "Meritage," a trademarked Californian name for Bordeaux-style blends, has plenty of faults: It's a rather silly word that means nothing to most consumers, and the snooty Meritage Association requires a hefty fee from its members.

So "claret" it is. Tallyho and all that.

Sign of the wine

Also new on labels: the "Southern Oregon" America Viticultural Area designation, effective as of Feb. 7. The new designation will appear on labels of wines made from grapes drawn from the Rogue, Applegate and/or Umpqua valleys.

Wait, the what valley?

If you're asking that question, you're not alone. "The area as a whole suffers from a drive-by, fly-by syndrome," laments Terry Brandborg of the Umpqua Valley's Brandborg Vineyard and Winery.

Never mind that Oregon's first modern winery, HillCrest Vineyard, is in the Umpqua. Fact is, it's a small wine region situated between the better-known Willamette and Rogue valleys. Blink, and you might miss it.

Until now, that is. Because in December, the Umpqua Chapter of the Oregon Winegrowers Association unveiled a 150-square-foot purple-and-gold calling card: the first directional sign approved by the Oregon Department of Transportation since 1977.

OK, let's be honest: It's a billboard. But -- despite its flagrant color scheme -- it's a tasteful one. It informs travelers on Interstate 5 heading north (milepost 106) that "UMPQUA VALLEY WINE COUNTRY" exists. And hey, it's right here, so why not visit?

"We've had a few people stop in from the billboard," reports Patrick Spangler, whose Spangler Vineyards and Winery (formerly La Garza Cellars) enjoys the closest proximity to the sign.

Which is encouraging. And which is why the brave Umpquans plan to erect four more billboards to announce their presence to travelers arriving from all directions. Until then, Spangler says with a sigh, "People kind of vaguely maybe know that there are some wineries in the area."

Jimi's legacy

Jimi Brooks named his wines after Greek and Roman gods and celestial formations. And he was like a hero of classical literature: Larger-than-life in both stature and character, with an impish mug you might find on a marble statue of Dionysus framed by -- at times -- a mane of leonine curls. He was a passionate spokesman for biodynamic farming and a host of legendary wine-country bacchanals, not to mention a damn fine winemaker.

So when he died suddenly of an aortic aneurysm at the age of 38 just before last year's harvest, all of us who admired him and loved his wines were devastated.

But while Brooks is gone, his spirit can still be found in the wines he made under the Maysara label. And his Brooks label will continue to commemorate him in years to come. A lineup of wineries that reads like a greatest hits of the Willamette Valley -- Bergstrom, Chehalem, Cristom, Francis Tannahill, J. Christopher, J.K. Carriere, Maysara, Patricia Green, Ponzi, Solena, Westrey and more -- harvested his 2004 fruit and vinified it the way he would have, producing approximately 3,000 cases total.

The group plans to keep the Brooks label going in the future. "We're going to continue it, probably at a lesser quantity. Our goals are to create a scholarship for interns to come out during harvest as well as some kind of biodynamic educational lecture series for the wine community," says Janie Brooks Heuck, Brooks' sister, adding that her brother had been involved in these activities.

Like so many heroes cut short in their primes, Brooks inspired something legendary that will live on.

What tastes good

I'll admit it: I'm partial to Porter. It's a delicious beer, but it's also my dog's name, as well as the name of the black Lab who courteously greets shoppers at Every Day Wine (1520 N.E. Alberta St.; 503-331-7119).

I recently enjoyed his good-humored reception when I stopped in to sample a wonderful lineup of Washington reds. If I had to pick two (apart from Viento's "Cuvee Tuition" Sangiovese, already a favorite), they'd be James Leigh Cellars' "Palette" Walla Walla Valley 2002 ($21) and Cougar Crest's "Estate-Grown" Walla Walla Valley Cabernet Franc 2002 ($24; note that all wine prices vary from store to store).

The "Palette" is a blend (or shall I call it a claret?) of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc with fragrant and flavorful with black currant, soft tannins and bracing acidity. A nose of sagebrush makes this a solid bet to pair with rosemary-crusted lamb.

As for the Cougar Crest, you don't very often see a 100-percent cabernet franc, and for good reason: It can taste lean and vegetal (apologies to Chateau Cheval-Blanc) if not treated right. Not so this. It's got a round warmth to it and pleasant flavors of ripe huckleberries and anise. The aroma is herbal and leathery, the tannins restrained.

It's tricky to keep power and finesse in balance. Just ask Porter as he trots around Every Day Wine, wagging his tail, yet leaving precarious displays of wine bottles and glasses undisturbed. A dog that can do this is worth petting. And a wine that can do this is worth drinking.

Katherine Cole: 1320 S.W. Broadway, Portland, OR 97201; FOODday@news.oregonian.com