SIP Magazine Feature: Gaia, Forged in Flame
Looking for a unique wine tasting venue in Oregon’s renowned Willamette Valley wine region? Set amidst the stunning Japanese gardens of Saffron Fields Vineyard, and the art and architecture of their Willamette Valley tasting room, the second annual sculptural event ‘Gaia 2023: Forged With Flame’ brings together the large-form ceramic sculpture of Katy McFadden, the powerful wood techniques of [...]
Spectacular Wineries of Oregon – Saffron Fields Winery
Thanks so much to Spectacular Wineries of Oregon for the great write up and photos.
Musings – Spring 2023
Musings – Whither the Capsule? Periodically I get asked about the disappearance of the wine capsule from our Saffron Fields’ bottles. The capsule is that iconic, some might say irritating and dangerous, foil wrapper that encapsulates the mouth of the bottle. Champions of the feature say it is a required pairing for a truly fine bottle of wine, like [...]
Seasons – Spring 2023
Seasons – Winter Pruning Well before you read this and long before you taste the fruits of their labors, Daniel Fey’s crew are working their way down the rows of vines above the Saffron Fields tasting room, pruning the sleeping vines in the cold winter light. Clay cakes the soles of their shoes. The weather is dry. The January [...]
Tastings – Spring 2023
Tastings - Clone Wars Cloning was invented by George Lucas in an early Star Wars film and subsequently improved by Scottish scientists through the development of Dolly, the sheep. At least that’s what Chat GPT tells us. But really, clones are serious business in the wine trade and an important part of the productivity, taste structure and even survival [...]
Place – Spring 2023
Place – A Short Tale of the Saffron Wood How old is the Saffron Fields tasting room? That’s a matter of perspective. The straightforward answer is that the Richard Sugar-designed tasting room is a bit over 10 years old. A closer look reveals a story of recycling, sustainability and Oregon heritage tracing back half a millennia. Five hundred [...]
Red Peanut Mole Wings
This recipe was created by Tasting Room Manager Amanda Marentis' husband Ted. What better way to celebrate the two tastiest holidays in February than with both flavors converging for one great meal. I first tried Red Peanut Mole wings during wing week in Portland, at Fire On The Mountain, I was blown away! These were easily the tastiest wings I [...]
Place – Winter 2022/2023
A Pinot Noir is like the eponymous cream-filled cookie. Some eat only the inside. Some eat only the outside. Some eat the two together. With that deeply philosophical introduction to wine appreciation, let’s tell you why Saffron Fields’ 2020 wines (released fall 2022) are a special treat for those who go straight for that creamy center filling. Let’s be [...]
Tastings – Winter 2022/2023
What’s in a glass? More specifically, what is the origin and purpose of the large-bowled Pinot Noir glass? Did you know that you can empty an entire 750 ML bottle of Pinot into one of those glasses? But the Pinot glass is more than a way to look your doctor in the eye and swear that you strictly limit yourself [...]
Seasons – Winter 2022/2023
It’s sleepy time in the vineyards. As fog settles in the valley, we can often see the snow glistening on the high ridgelines as we look west to the coastal mountains. Nourishing rain flows off their slopes, a welcome relief from the dry summer and early fall conditions. Down at the tasting room, the koi have retreated to the depth [...]
Musings – Winter 2022/2023
I love winter at Saffron Fields. The rain replenishes the wells, vineyard, ponds, and garden left thirsty by the summer sun. The rain can come as a mist that triggers a late morning rainbow or as a morning deluge that opens to blue skies by afternoon. The weather is never frightful, because the tasting room is always warm [...]
