![]() ![]() Rosy Cheeks seems to be one of their most popular wines. Their 2012 Dry Riesling ($17) and 2014 Rosy Cheeks ($18) also went home with us. ![]() Their 2007 Blanc de Noirs ($30) was creamy with a bright citrus finish. Sweet Cheeks also produces a sparkling wine. Today it was 40 degrees, max – But the warm hospitality, and tasty wines, did a good job of making us feel comfortable. The view is spectacular and it’s a favorite spot for enjoying a picnic when the weather is warm. Since the last time I’d been there, they had enclosed their open air patio for the winter, making for a lot more room, which is a good thing, because it was packed! Sweet Cheeks is located atop a slope in the middle of farm country, which actually looks like a “behind” – Hence the name “Sweet Cheeks”. Sweet Cheeks is just a quick drive from King Estate. Hands down the best burger you’ll ever eat, plus the ketchup, and the fries, it’s ALL good! (Hint: You can share this one.) The fried chicken – I really appreciated that it was boneless, and it was the juiciest, crispiest, most well seasoned chicken I’ve tasted. The burger – A long time favorite of mine. The oysters – Even the ones we get at our favorite beachside restaurant (steps from where the oysters are harvested) – These were better. I was in heaven!Įverything was the best I had ever tasted. For lunch we noshed on Oysters on the Half Shell with Pinot Blanc Mignonette and Citrus Air, the Estate Burger with estate bacon, aged cheddar, butter leaf, estate pickles, tobacco onions, and black pepper aioli, and the Country Fried Chicken with pickled watermelon and honeycomb. They also grow most of their own produce in their organic gardens that are located on the grounds. King Estate has an onsite restaurant that is out of this world. ![]() Starting with their Pinot Gris (I particularly loved the 2014 Backbone Pinot Gris – $24), Pinot Noirs (huge fan of the 2013 Signature Pinot Noir – $28 & available in stores!), and heavier reds produced under the NxNW label – Walla Walla Syrah and Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.Īs if this tasting tour wasn’t amazing enough, the magic was yet to come – Lunch! With glasses in hand, he led us through a tour of their spectacular wine production area.Īfter our tour – We were treated to a tasting of some of their lovely wines. Their Blanc de Gris dances on your tongue with flavors of light citrus and a backbone of biscuit notes. King Estate – You’ve got a big testament there!īob greeted us in the tasting room and immediately won me over by pouring us some bubbles. But, it may mean even more to you when I let you on the fact that my dad travels internationally at least once a month. He said “Yeah, that’s some of the best food I’ve had in my life!” A statement which means a lot. When I mentioned King Estate, and asked if he remembered it. On our drive down from Portland, I let my dad in on what we’d be checking out on our visit, as he used to live there as well. Two things you may not know about King Estate: (1) The Estate (Domaine) wines are all made from organic grapes (2) It has hands-down the best food to be found in Lane County (IMO). You’ve probably heard of them, and perhaps even spotted their Signature Pinot Noir or Pinot Gris on grocery store shelves. We started with my long-time favorite, as it is the furthest outside of town – King Estate. On this visit, we were able to check out several of our old favorites, and one new spot that I’d not yet been to. There are only a handful of them, but they are definitely wonderful spots to visit. I also miss the people, the small locally-owned restaurants, and the looping paths along the river. I especially think about it when it takes 40-mintutes to drive into downtown Portland for work in the morning! I miss the Eugene traffic – It takes 15 minutes max to get anywhere within the city limits. We love this town and talk frequently about moving back some day. We both love it and couldn’t wait to head back and do a little bit of re-exploring. I lived there for 15 years, moving up here to Portland just a couple years ago. We both went to college at the University of Oregon. Rick and I recently had the opportunity to head back to our old stomping grounds, in Eugene, Oregon. ![]()
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