Helvetia Vineyards & Winery Update
Valentine’s Day Vintner’s Dinner 2016
Our Valentine’s Day Dinner is SOLD OUT. Thank you! Please save the date: St. Patrick’s Day is our next Wine & Dine event.
That being said, please know that we still have some amazing Valentine’s Day Weekend Tours and Tastings, as well as special gourmet chocolates and gifts in our tasting room. Plan a special day away just 15 minutes from Portland. We hope to see you soon.
Every year Helvetia Winery’s proprietor, John Platt, and Chef Dave Clark present a Vintner’s Valentine’s Day Dinner. Local food is sourced, a five course meal is prepared, and library wines are opened and paired perfectly. It will be a night to remember with limited seating, so reserve your spot today.
Helvetia Winery Vintner’s Valentine’s Day Dinner
First Course
Smoked Salmon Quiche
Second Course
Fusilli Bucati w/Smoked Bell Pepper Sauce and Cured Black Olives
Third Course
Crab Stack w/Dungeness and Blue Crab, Avocado, Hearts of Palm
Entree Course
Roasted Pork Tenderloin Stuffed w/Wild Mushroom Pate
Dessert
A delectable dessert surprise!
Mulled Wine Recipe
Perfect for a snowy day – Mulled Wine.
Mulled wine is a winter tradition popular around the world, especially during Halloween and Christmas. In Scandinavia, it is called glögg (pronounced “glug”), which simply means “heated up.” In Germany, it is known as Glühwein, “glow[ing] wine.” In Poland, it is grzane wino or “heated wine,” and in Italy, vin brulé, “burnt wine.” The French and the Spanish call it vin chaud and vino caliente, respectively—both terms mean “hot wine.”
Mulled wine is heated wine to which various spices have been added. It is usually sweetened with sugar and often a spirit, usually Brandy, is added. The ingredients added to the wine vary from country to country, but mulled wine almost always starts with a red wine base, usually one that is full-bodied and fruity. For traditional Christmas mulled wine, flavors of orange, cinnamon, and cloves predominate. Other spices such as nutmeg, vanilla, ginger, peppercorn, cardamom, and anise are also commonly used.
A version of mulled wine poplar in Medieval Europe was called Potus Ypocras. Legend has it that this name was in honor of the Greek physician Hippocrates who made medicinal remedies using wine, herbs and honey. By the 17th century, recipes for mulled wine became more complex and unique to specific geographic regions. The French liked using apples and almonds. The British typically favored Bordeaux with orange peel and cinnamon, though they sometimes added brandy and milk. Scandinavian recipes called for raisins, bitters, and blanched almonds. Swedish glögg became more of a punch, with brandy or sherry added. In Spain, Potus Ypocras inspired the creation of the warm-weather beverage sangria—red wine was brewed with ginger, cinnamon, pepper, and fruit, and then it was chilled and served cold. Today, North American versions of mulled wine frequently substitute cranberries and brown sugar for the traditional orange and honey ingredients in European recipes.
Here is a great recipe for mulled wine, courtesy of Gimme some Oven
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine (we suggest Pinot Noir)
- 1 orange, sliced into rounds
- 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
- 1/4 cup honey or sugar
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 star anise
- optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise
DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients in a non-aluminum saucepan, and bring to a simmer (not a boil — you don’t want to boil the alcohol out!) over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and let the wine simmer for at least 15 minutes or up to 3 hours. Strain, and serve warm with your desired garnishes.
*You can also place the oranges, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise in a cheesecloth. Then simply strain and pull out the bundle when ready to serve.
Enjoy!
Helvetia’s Holiday Hours- Extended through the New Year
Join Us Every Afternoon through the New Year
With Christmas and Hanukkah in the past, and New Years Eve around the corner, this week is the perfect time to come out to Helvetia Vineyards and Winery. Just 25 minutes from Portland, but a world away from the Holiday hustle and bustle. We have extended Helvetia’s Holiday Hours through the New Year.
Join us in our tasting room, and relax by our wood stove while enjoying a tasting of our artisan wines while taking advantage of our after Christmas sales on gifts and wines. Or call ahead and schedule a tour. Our proprietor John Platt would love to show you around, and tell you what makes Helvetia Winery so special. A Helvetia Winery tour is the perfect way to give your out of town guests an Oregon experience. And if you take advantage of our Groupon Offer, you can save 50%.
Recharge your spirit while taking in the breathtaking vistas that our wine farm has to offer.
Our hours through the New Year are 12-5pm every day. We are closed on New Years Day, but open the remainder of the weekend. We look forward to serving you.
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- Holiday Decor
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- Save on Gift Items
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- Award Winning Wines
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- Dylan Wright shares love of wine.
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- Join us for a tasting and relax
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- We look forward to hosting you.
Groupon Is Offering the Helvetia Winery Tour!
“The tour at Helvetia Winery was nothing short of incredible. I learned so much about the wine making process and some local history as well. Tasting wines straight from the barrel followed by an extremely informative bottled wine tasting was so much fun. WAY above and beyond what I expected. I’ll definitely be back!” ~Sharissa D.
Learn about winemaking and enjoy the Helvetia brand of Oregon sunshine along with tribal-caught Columbia River salmon. The tour starts with the “dirt on dirt” an explanation of terroir, the unique characteristics of a vineyard that, when paired with a wine grape varietal, produces the grapes that constitute the wine. We also add a short history of the land now called Helvetia including an introduction to the Atfalati, the original inhabitants who enjoyed life on a rich oak savannah prior to contact with European fur trappers and then American explorers.
Discussion is followed by a short walk or ride (depending upon the weather and the mobility of our guests) to the winery where we will explain the winemaking process and taste a bit of the 2015 vintage from the barrels.
The tour concludes with a tasting of the wines we are currently offering paired with tribal-caught smoked salmon from the Columbia River.
Any questions?
“Interesting tour – great wine, nice people.” – Ann V.
We have just listed tour dates through March on our booking calendar so, once they’ve received their gift voucher, your friends will be able to choose a convenient date and time to visit. Tours will be available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons as well as Tuesday through Thursday during Christmas week.
“What a great Living Social. We probably would have never found this gem of a winery without this special. The tour was great, the wine was even better and John was very informative and a perfect host. Looking forward to our next visit.” ~Tony and Raechill
Lillian Pitt at the Winery this Saturday
Native American Artist Lillian Pitt
Native American artist, Lillian Pitt, a Warm Springs tribal member, will be with us on Saturday, December 19 from 12:30 until 4:00 to talk about her art and the ancient themes and stories behind its meanings. Lillian’s work celebrates the landscape, animals, legends and traditions of her ancestors, the River People and their salmon-based economy. Many of her images were inspired by rock carvings and colorings from the Columbia River Gorge. Today her contemporary sculptures, prints and wearable art are in private collections, museums, galleries and public spaces worldwide.
To learn more about Lillian Pitt, take a few moments to watch the video below:
Click for Video
Recipe: French Onion Soup
As the weather cools, French onion soup always hits the spot. This dish from All Recipes is so simple, but so good, especially if you use a rich and flavorful stock, the sweetest of slow cooked onions, a thick piece of crusty bread, and good-quality nutty Gruyere. Pairing soup with wine can be a bit tricky and it’s a bit counterintuitive to match liquid with liquid, but believe me, a good glass of wine makes this meal even better.
French Onion Soup Gratinee
INGREDIENTS:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large red onions, thinly sliced
- 2 large sweet onions, thinly sliced
- 1 (48 fluid ounce) can chicken broth
- 1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
- 1/2 cup Helvetia Pinot Noir
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 sprigs fresh parsley
- 1 sprig fresh thyme leaves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
GRATINEE GARNISH:
- 4 thick slices French or Italian bread
- 8 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese slices, room temperature
- 1/2 cup shredded Asiago or mozzarella cheese, room temperature
French Onion Soup is perfectly paired with a glass of Pinot Noir to warm up a cold winter’s night.
PREPARATION:
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir in salt, red onions and sweet onions. Cook 35 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and almost syrupy.
- Mix chicken broth, beef broth, red wine and Worcestershire sauce into pot. Bundle the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf with twine and place in pot. Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and discard the herbs. Reduce the heat to low, mix in vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep over low heat to stay hot while you prepare the bread.
- Preheat oven broiler. Arrange bread slices on a baking sheet and broil 3 minutes, turning once, until well toasted on both sides. Remove from heat; do not turn off broiler.
- Arrange 4 large oven safe bowls or crocks on a rimmed baking sheet. Fill each bowl 2/3 full with hot soup. Top each bowl with 1 slice toasted bread, 2 slice Gruyere cheese and 1/4 of the Asiago or mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle a little bit of paprika over the top of each one.
- Broil 5 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. As it softens, the cheese will cascade over the sides of the crock and form a beautifully melted crusty seal. Serve immediately!
Depending on the depth and meatiness of the stock you use in this soup, you could go with wines of varying weight. Hevletia Winery Pinot Noir captures the middle ground, and this 2010 vintage’s deep plum and berry fruit as well as a touch of smoke and lush texture to match the soup.
Enjoy!
Cranberry Sauce with Pinot Noir
A fresh take on a Thanksgiving tradition. Asian and Indian influences turn ordinary cranberry sauce into something special. This northwestern classic highlights cranberries with pinot noir, curry and ginger.
refashioned from epicurius
YIELD: 2 1/2 cups
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 cups raw cranberries
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
- 2 cups Helvetia Pinot Noir (2014 vintage used here)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
- 2 teaspoons curry powder
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
PREPARATION
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add cranberries and fresh ginger; strir until cranberries begin to burst, about 3 minutes. Add wine and sugar; boil until mixture is reduced to 2 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes. Add crystallized ginger, curry powder and five-spice powder. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover;chill.) Serve sauce cold.
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- Assemble Ingredients
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- Cook Cranberries with ginger and Pinot
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- Bring to a boil for 15 minutes
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- Add candied ginger, curry and five spice powder. Chill for 2 hours -3 days
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- Cranberry sauce with Pinot
Thanksgiving In the Vineyards and At the Winery.
Helvetia Winery Pinot Noir Grapes Just before Fall Harvest
Thanksgiving has special meaning for our winery as well as for wineries throughout the United States. It truly marks a time of thanks and celebration as a new wine vintage settles down for the winter.
Unlike most farming operations, harvest is only the beginning of the end of the growing season at a winery that grows its own fruit. Following harvest, the grapes used for white wines are pressed and the juice is allowed to settle before yeast is added.
Fermentation then begins, converting sugar to alcohol and the juice to a wine preserved from spoilage by its acidity and alcohol. For red wines, the grapes are crushed and the juice ferments on the skins with the pulp and seeds for up to three weeks extracting colors and flavors. At some time before or during the fermentation process, last year’s wine is moved from barrel to bottle or another container in order to free up space to cellar the new wines.
Our Tranquil Winery
Towards the middle of November (2011 being an exception), active fermentation has either halted or slowed to the point where the wine is still and the winery is quiet except, perhaps, for the dull pop of a bung sent to the ceiling by the yeasts’ last gasps.
By Thanksgiving, we of the wine business move out of the cellar to the lights of the holidays where we can greet our guests with wine released from the cellar, news of the vintage and prospects for the upcoming year. We look forward to welcoming you to our tasting room, and sharing our bounty with you. This year’s releases include 2014 Estate Pinot Noir, 2014 Gewurztraminer, and 2014 Chardonnay. 2014 was the warmest year of the decade and the fruit was ripe yielding intense fruit but not quite the complexity that comes from a cool year’s hangtime because the ripening period was shorter than in cooler years.
Tribal-Caught Smoked Salmon Available this Thanksgiving Weekend
Randy Settler, Yakama tribal fisher, will have smoked chinook salmon available on Friday and Sunday afternoons at the winery. Frozen or fresh-smoked, this Northwest delicacy is a perfect accompaniment as an appetizer with our pinot noir of any vintage.
Burning the Boogg at Helvetia Winery
Members of Portland’s Swiss community and the people of Helvetia, OR renew the medieval Swiss custom of burning an effigy of ol’ man winter with hope for a long, warm summer.
Memorial Day 2015
It was a magical Memorial Day and a wonderful weekend filled with community, Dave’s delicious food, tribal salmon, our refreshing new 2014 Rose of Pinot Noir and the 2014 Pinot Gris.
Thank you to all who made it out!
JimmyGuitar
Jimmy Boyer stringing us along on Memorial Day 2015
Lynn-Jimmy
Lynn and Jimmy in a thoughtful moment
Pippin
Pippin enjoying the band
Coco&Kid
Coco is always close by
MemorableMusic
Memorial Day food, wine and music
Memorial Day Tasting 2015
Zandy-Rachel
Zandy & Rachael
BarnVines
Vines on the Yungen House
Pippin
TastingTime
Our Wines and Ambacht Brews
Family Dinner
Enjoying time together
DylanHandsOnWine
Dylan Wright shares love of wine.
MillerTrees
Ready for your December living room
Serenity
Enjoying the view
Serving
Elizabeth helping serving Dave’s delicious food.
Music Stand
Elizabeth and John tending to the band
Food and Wine
Enjoying Dave’s Cuisine
Community
Relaxing with the Neighbors
Neighbors
Community is a part of Helvetia
Smoked Salmon
Enjoying the fire as the salmon cooks.
Grimm Episode Filmed At Helvetia Winery
The episode filmed at the Jakob Yungen House was aired on March 20, 2015. and is available from Amazon for $2.99. Scenes shot at the farm begin about three and one-half minutes into the actual episode and end about 12 minutes from the beginning of the show.
The transition begins
The Grimm crew cleared all wine from the Jakob Yungen House before bringing in the new furnishings.
The Grimm effort of converting the Jakob Yungen House into a home for a single mom and her two children began on Monday, January 5th at 6:30 a.m. for filming on the following Thursday.
Up Front
Adding picket fence.
Set Decorators
The remodeling of the Jakob Yungen House begins.
New Living Room
Giving the first floor more living room.
Winery Transition
Pippin has barely a clue.
New Furniture
A real rocker.
Repainting the bedrooms
This crew had the room repainted by noon.
Greens Arrive
Remodeling the forest.
Pallets of furniture
A total remodel inside.
1st floor revisited
A bit of new furniture and curtains.
Lots o’ lamps
The furnishings, even the lamps, need to fit within the theme.
Stainless tasting table
Off to storage for a week.
Grade-All
The Grade-All forklift was used to set the light towers,
Greens management
All for the forest remodel
Rigging Truck
Ready for rigging.