Wine and all that jazz: Pinots and pianos at Silverton fest

By Dixon Bledsoe

In a “wine walk” format, Silverton’s third annual Wine and Jazz festival  May 9 offers 11 downtown venues where patrons can sample vintages grown in the region and listen to live jazz. 

Highly successful in its first two years, the 2009 lineup has a lot to offer for this year’s festival-goer. Eleven wineries are participating, more than 50 musicians will be performing, and the Mel Brown B3 Quartet will serve as the closing act. 

General festival hours are noon to 9 p.m. with the grand finale at the Elks Lodge on High Street from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 

Silverton restaurants and businesses will be open with several serving as venues for both music and tastings. 

“The level of talent in this Wine and Jazz Festival is rarely witnessed in towns of this size,” said Ken Hector, who is helping with public relations. 

The wines are also known to be outstanding and varied.

Many varieties will be poured from the now-famous East Willamette Valley vineyards and winemakers. 

Pete Buffington and his wife, Marcia, owns Abiqua Wind Winery.  Their 2007 double gold medal winner (2008 San Francisco International Wine Competition), Chloe’s Breeze Mueller-Thurgau to the show. Their granddaughter, Chloe, was the inspiration.

Isaac’s Reserve, a 2006 Pinot noir, inspired by a grandson, will also join the tasting fun. 

“We will be offering dessert wines to Pinot noir and Pinot gris, and we are especially proud to offer Chloe’s Breeze. The Mueller-Thurgau is from a lowly Swiss grape that is tasteless in the vineyard but makes a spectacular world class sipper. We call it Riesling’s better cousin,” laughed Buffington. 

Hanson Vineyards of Monitor is bringing its Pinot gris, Pinot noir and Pinot blanc offerings. 

Dr. Maurice Collada’s Cubanisimo Winery of West Salem will be featured as well as Coehlo Winery out of Amity with its premium port-style  Portuguese varietal wines. 

Other wineries participating include Arcane Cellars at Wheatland Winery, Silver Falls Vineyard, Piluso Vineyard and Winery, Vitis Ridge, Christopher Bridge Cellars, Pudding River, and St. Josef’s Winery.

Mel Brown, a native Oregonian, artistic director, highly accredited Northwest drummer, bandleader and educator, has been a fixture on the Portland jazz scene for more than 40 years. He has been called both “The Gentleman of Jazz” and “The Musician’s Musician.” 

His group will close out the festival with the final performance at the spacious Elks Lodge on High Street.

Howard Hinsdale of Howard Hinsdale Cellars in downtown Silverton is president of the festival board this year. He will also host a wine and jazz venue.

Jose Delarosa, owner of Allison and Israel Jewelers, is vice president of the Festival and his business is one of the venues.

John Bateman, the treasurer, said the Silverton Wine and Jazz Festival is going to be great fun.

“It provides a glimpse to Silverton’s future where there will be no empty commercial sites and there will be a vigorous community with more fine restaurants and places to stay and vacation,” said Bateman, who is also a winemaker and owner of Pudding River Wine Cellars.