Over a week into our 12 Wines of Swissmas, we finally visit an American winery favorite, and it’s a new personal favorite that Wisconsinites have been eagerly embracing after trying their first glass.  It hails from Hillsboro, Oregon, a bit west of Portland.  This Pacific Northwest winery, Oak Knoll, has produced some of the finest Pinot Noirs in the United States since entering the industry in 1970.  Its location in Washington County has assisted winemaker Jeff Herinckx in regularly producing quality wines and getting to experiment with some new things as of the recent years of harvesting and wine-making.

One of the wines that have arisen from the whites in Oak Knoll’s vineyard’s is a blend of Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Muller Thurgau and White Riesling.  It’s said that while the winemaker was working late one night he saw what appeared to be the outline of a white animal drinking from the pressed grape vats.  Perhaps it was the ghost of the 1939 blue ribbon heifer Penelope that once spent its days on the old Oak Knoll dairy farm that predated the winery’s foundation on the same site.  Call it superstition or appeasement of … cow spirits?  …Either way, Oak Knoll played it safe and dedicated this fruit and sweetness blend to that apparition of Penelope, or whichever cow it might have been, Toasted Cow was born.

Oak Knoll – Toasted Cow – White Vintners Blend

Toasted Cow – White Vintners Blend Avg. Retail: $14-$17 ABV: 12.5%

The label ever so accurately portrays what Penelope or any cow may look like after slurping out of the fermenting grape vats for a while, hooves up passed out with a smile.  Enjoy this one responsibly and try not to mimic the cow on the label however.   It might be difficult though because this white blend goes down very easily and without so much sugar that it maintains a nice balance.

Should it be a surprise anyway, especially here in Wisconsin, that we endear ourselves to a wine that emulates a couple things (cows and boozin’) that Wisconsin brings to mind in folks?  Is a Toasted Cow where “Drunken Beef” comes from?  Ok, I kid around…but I’m not kidding when I suggest that whatever your fun activities are next that involve a little drinking, pour a Toasted Cow libation to ol’ Penelope and enjoy the fruits of her apparition, and a great Oregon winery.

Since Toasted Cow is relatively new to Wisconsin, ask for it at your local wine shop or where you buy your bottles of joy.  Swiss Cellars can source it and have it in your neighborhood soon…and we promise you won’t have to wait ’til the cows come home for it to get there.

For more information, visit www.swisscellars.com or follow and message us on Twitter or Instagram @SwissCellars – We’ll keep our posts brief when we give you more information, updates and info on where to buy and find our wines.

Cheers!
@TripleJx