THE WINES OF WINTER

Winter is the season when I crave the warmth and soul-satisfying comfort of food from the oven, whether it’s a braised lamb roast or hearty squash casserole. And nothing accompanies these foods better than dark, rich red wines. I’m not just talking about Oregon’s ubiquitous pinots.

From winemakers David O’Reilly of Owen Roe and Sineann’s Peter Rosback come blends that will fill your mouth and spark your synapses with zinfandel, cabernet and merlot combined with unusual grapes like Blaufrankisch and cabernet franc. Other big blends to look for come from Roseburg’s Abacela Vineyard Winery and Cana’s Feast Winery in Carlton. At $20 or less per bottle, you’d be hard pressed to find anything better to fire up your next meal.

The wines:
2006 Owen Roe Abbot’s Table
Sineann Red Table Wine
Abacela Vintner’s Blend
Cana’s Feast Winery Two Rivers Bordeaux Style

Available from most Oregon wine retailers.

-Kathleen Bauer