Owen Roe Sinister Hand, Lady Rosa, Kilmore, Sharecroppers Wines

Heads Up for Owen Roe
"Gone in a Flash" 2007 Wines
Last Call Yakima Red 05

Four of Owen Roe's fastest-to-sell-out wines
are about to be released. All are made in very small amounts this year. Winemaker David O'Reilly is pictured at right.

Owen Roe
Sinister Hand 07
$21.55/$23.95

Owen Roe's Sinister Hand 2007 is rich and full-bodied. Dark purple in color, with a nose of sweet spice box and white pepper, the wine coats the palate with fresh fruit - sweet red and black cherries, black currant, and blackberries. Smooth and integrated tannins in the finish contain abundant dried cherry, white pepper, cassis, and just a hint of brine and minerals.

The Sinister Hand 2007 combines its usual intense, fleshy, generous qualities with the fresh fruit flavors and balance of the vintage. For 2007, the blend is 62% Grenache, 21% Syrah,and 16% Mourvedre from several Yakima, Washington area vineyards.

Highly recommended - ready to drink, crowd pleasing, generously plump and fleshy yet appropriate to pair with foods such as grilled meat, sausage, and cassoulet.

The Sinister Hand label shows the severed hand of Owen Roe O'Neil- the Irish patriot whose severed hand appears on the coat of arms of winemaker David O'Reilly's family.

If we seem a bit over the top with "very very very very" it's only to make sure all lovers of Sharecroppers Pinot noir get theirs before it runs out. Compared to last year, there's practically no wine- maybe 10% of last year's production. If you order now, you should get what you want. I suspect that the wine will be sold out before its official release in early September. Unbelievably, this is the fifth vintage that Sharecroppers Pinot noir has remained at this price.

Sharecroppers Pinot noir is a blend of Willamette Valley Pinot noir grapes that features flavors of red raspberry and red cherry intermingled with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and white pepper. The wine has a layer of soft tannins and a racy acidity.

Owen Roe
Pinot noir "The Kilmore" 07
$37.76/$41.95

Owen Roe's Kilmore Pinot noir is a big wine, with a finish that hangs on for minutes. A blend of fruit from several North Willamette Valley vineyards, David has created a wine with rich aromas - baking spice and dried flower scents combine with gushing blackberry, black cherry, and marionberry flavors. David makes this wine with a silky texture and fine tannins. Vintage after vintage, the Kilmore's finish seems to echo forever.

The Kilmore is named for the old abbey on the O'Reilly clan's land in Ireland, on Trinity Island. The label is a handpulled etching of a photo of one of the Romanesque arches in the ruins of the Abbey. Very limited.

Owen Roe
Lady Rosa Syrah 07
$40.46/$44.95

Owen Roe's Lady Rosa Syrah is made from Dubrul Vineyard fruit, one of the most highly praised Washington vineyards. It offers intense richness and complexity. Aromas include bitter cocoa, ground coffee, vanilla bean, black fruit, soil, and smoke. The wine shows a refreshing bright streak of acidity that balances dried black cherry and currant flavors. Every year, this is the Owen Roe Syrah you want to spend time with, as you witness the layers of flavor unfold in the glass. Cellaring this wine will produce even more enjoyment.

The 2006 Lady Rosa Syrah received 93 points from Wine Spectator. Approximately 250 cases of the 2007 were produced.

If you know Avalon, you know we love the Yakima Red. It has one of the most intoxicating noses of any red wine we've tried. Heady and luscious black cherry gushes into your senses, complemented by streaks of red berries and cherries, perfectly integrated toast and Yakima earth, smoke, nutmeg, distant roasted coffee, and it still keeps unraveling.

Wine Spectator gave this wine 92 points and said: "Polished and generous, with beautifully focused cherry and plum fruit at the core, shaded with hints of loamy earth, black olive and a distinct minerality. Sweet oak notes add a deft touch on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2015."

A tiny amount ( one fifth of the production of the 2005 vintage) of 2006 Yakima Red was made with limited availability later this year.

We're available by phone at 541-752-7418
from 8 AM Pacific time until 6 PM Pacific time,
Monday through Friday,
and we answer email on Saturdays and Sundays.

Avalon Wine
201 SW 2nd Street
Corvallis OR 97333
541-752-7418
www.avalonwine.com
store@avalonwine.com

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