AgriVino Wine Center Opens Today at Abbey Road Farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley with 56 Wines for Tasting
Posted: May 5th, 08
Owners John and Judi Stuart refurbish old equestrian barn on 82-acre farm with state-of-the-art Enomatic wine tasting system; AgriVino Wine Center a first stop for visitors to Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine region
PORTLAND, Oregon (May 5, 2008) - The doors open today at the new AgriVino Wine Center in the epicenter of Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine region. As part of the 82-acre Abbey Road Farm, AgriVino Wine Center features 56 wines daily for tasting, including many of the Willamette Valley’s small production wines, as well as some of the pioneer wines that helped shape Oregon’s premier wine region. AgriVino is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and will also offer an on-site sommelier, light food and retail wine sales.
“When we purchased Abbey Road Farm back in 2003, our vision was to help visitors learn more about the Willamette Valley’s thriving wine industry,” said John Stuart, who owns Abbey Road Farm with his wife, Judi. “Our farm is within easy reach of more than 200 wineries and vineyards and we always envisioned a hospitality center to serve first time, and repeat visitors.”
“Wine Stables” House Wine Preservation System
With a knack for refurbishing old structures, John Stuart created AgriVino Wine Center in one of the farm’s old equestrian barns. Stuart and his design team reinvented the existing horse stables and turned them into “wine stables” to house the new Enomatic wine preservation system. Three separate wine stables will hold 16 bottles each and a sommelier station will display another eight-bottle unit. The wine center will also feature rustic cabinetry crafted from old wine barrels by a local woodworker. A fully equipped kitchen will be available for private events or winemaker dinners.
“AgriVino is an innovative and educational approach to wine hospitality,” says John Stuart. “This is an exciting new concept to showcase the many world class wines produced in the Willamette Valley. Working with the wine community and the Oregon Liquor Control Commission on this project, we are confident this center will lead to more return visits from an informed and satisfied guest.”
Define your Palate
AgriVino features a custom designed Enomatic wine preservation system with 56 wines available for sampling. “This system allows us to offer a variety of wines from every price point,” says Stuart. The wine dispensing system uses argon that pressurizes and displaces oxygen in the bottle. Thus, air does not come into contact with the wine which allows the wine to stay fresh and bottles can remain open for several weeks. The Enomatic integrated distribution system is computerized to control portion sizes - from one-ounce to five-ounce pours. At AgriVino, the system also allows customers to purchase a certain amount of one-ounce tastes up to a pre-set limit and select each wine themselves. The self selection aspect gives wine enthusiasts control over their own tasting experience and allows them to set their own pace as they “define their palate” - whether by varietal, vintage or region. AgriVino will also have staff available to help guide visitors to local wineries that provide the styles they seek. “We want to be a model for the wine industry when it comes to educating visitors in our tasting room,” says Stuart. “Additionally, our intent is to assist customers with an understanding of proper tasting techniques and convey a message that consumption should be done in a responsible and safe way.”
First Stop for Visitors to Wine Country
With 56 wines to choose from, AgriVino is an ideal first stop for visitors to the Willamette Valley. “I want AgriVino to be a launching pad for a day in wine country,” says Stuart. “It is not our intent to monopolize the visitor’s experience, but rather to elevate their understanding of what type of wine they enjoy so that their visit to wine country is more focused and valuable.” Each wine comes with wine tasting notes written by the winemaker, as well as a map directing visitors to the winery’s tasting room. For smaller wineries without a tasting room or with limited hours, AgriVino offers visitors a chance to taste wines seven days a week. AgriVino also offers a retail shop with all the featured wines available for sale by the bottle or case. Some of the Oregon wines include: Anderson Family, Coleman, Redman, Adea, Evergreen, Bishop Creek, Youngberg Hill, Matello, Domaine Drouhin and Cana’s Feast.”
AgriVino Manager Brings Experience from Farallon and Aqua in San Francisco
Todd Steele joins AgriVino as the manager and shares his passion for Oregon wines with both visitors and local winemakers. Steele comes to AgriVino from Nick’s Italian Café in McMinnville, where he was the front of the house manager and wine and beverage director for the past year. Prior to Nick’s, Steel held positions at some of San Francisco’s most prestigious dining destinations, including Aqua, Postrio and most recently, Farallon. Steele moved to the Willamette Valley to work with his friend Carmen Pierano, who recently took over Nick’s. “I was always a fan of Oregon wines, but after one day touring the Willamette Valley and meeting with winemakers, I knew this region was responsible for the most distinctive wines in America,” said Steele.
Kenny Rankin Headlines Grand Opening Party - July 5th
John and Judi Stuart will celebrate the 5th anniversary of Abbey Road Farm, as well as the grand opening of AgriVino on Saturday, July 5th with a concert featuring singer and songwriter Kenny Rankin. The ticket cost is $100 per person and includes the concert, a country BBQ prepared by local caterer, The RibSlayer, and a selection of wines commissioned for the Stuart’s fifth anniversary at Abbey Road. For tickets, please contact Abbey Road Farm at 503-852-6278 or visit www.abbeyroadfarm.com.
About Abbey Road Farm
This 82-acre sustainable family farm in the heart of the Willamette Valley’s popular wine country is also one of the country’s most unique bed and breakfasts. Five guest suites are housed in converted grain silos complete with radiant floor heat, Jacuzzi tubs and Egyptian cotton bed linens. Owners Judi and John Stuart traded careers in the insurance business for a new adventure overseeing llamas, alpacas, donkeys, free-range chickens and crops of Royal Anne cherries and fescue grass. Visitors to Abbey Road Farm are encouraged to take strolls through the English gardens, or simply relax under an oak tree with a glass of local Oregon Pinot Noir. Gourmet breakfasts at the bed and breakfast benefit from ingredients such as bacon and sausage from local Carlton Farms, as well as goat cheese from their very own herd of dairy goats, eggs from the farm’s free-range chickens and the fresh herbs and vegetables from Judi’s garden. Abbey Road Farm also boasts event facilities from a small private conference center with DSL internet connection, large indoor and outdoor event centers and an English garden - perfect for weddings, parties and family reunions. The new parlor in the center silo now offers guests a relaxing communal space to unwind. The newest venture, AgriVino Wine Center, is open to visitors exploring the Willamette Valley wine region. The wine center features 56 wines by the taste using an innovative wine preservation system custom designed and built for AgriVino in Italy. Just a 45 minute drive from Portland, Abbey Road Farm is surrounded by 22 wineries in Carlton and more than 200 wineries in the close vicinity of the Willamette Valley. For more information, please visit www.abbeyroadfarm.com or call 503-852-6278. AgriVino is located at 10280 NE Oak Springs Farm Road in Carlton, Oregon and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily starting May 5, 2008. Visit www.agrivino.com.
