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62connect 2016 Before departing for dinner we assembled on the terrace of the Allison to enjoy the superb wines of the McWilliams family from the Russian River Valley of Sonoma Arista Winery provided through the kind assistance of Rachel Gaffney. At Recipe the winemakers favoriteinaclassicVictorianhomeintheheartofoldtownNewberg chefandownerPaulBachandpreparedafeastshowcasingtheexqui- site Willamette Valley wines. ThesuperbwineskeptcomingwithatastingatBergstrmWines and a delightful al fresco lunch at charming ArborBrook Vineyards with the ebullient David Hansen then on to Shea Wine Cellars and Vineyard where Dick Shea enchanted us with his stories of vineyard practice and winemaker Blair Trathen shared his wine expertise while Peter Shea kept the superb wine owing. OncemoreintothevineyardwithwinemakerTomFitzpatrickof Alloro Vineyard in the western reaches of the Chehalem Mountains on a glorious afternoon then to the cellar for a fascinating tasting that included his own wineEleve Vineyard.Our evening concluded with dinner at the charming Lenn Estate with winegrower Steve Lutz. Gorgeous wines a beautiful setting and marvelous music pro- vided by Dublin-born Johnny B Connolly on the button accordion and Cary Novotny as vocalist and on guitar. Our last day in the Willamette Valley brought us to magical Carlton Hill Vineyard where David Polite charmed all. And yes sitting on top of Carlton Hill is a croquet court where from time to time local winemakers engage in a battle for supremacy. Croquet the sport of winemakers and now the sport of WineGeese when a marathon match ensued won ultimately by June and Archie Bennett who received to remember their triumph on a perfect Sunday afternoon a magnum of the 2008 Carlton Hill Pinot Noir a vintage and a wine for champions. Teams surged forward and fell back with astonishing regularity but second place was taken nally by Kevin Curley and Cathy Grimes who are ready to enter the lists once more in a re-match. Our far-reaching and memorable tour concluded with a farewell dinner at justly famed Ponzi Vineyardsone of the pioneers of the region with a perfectly paired meal provided by their own Dundee Bistro showcasing local ingredients and those seductive Ponzi wines. We wish to express particular appreciation to Ralph Stinton of Grape Escape and his magnicent guides John Davis Larry Landauer Stefany Bapst and Bill Bourque. Our journey was made all the more enjoyable through their knowledgeable and cheerful assistance. Elisabet Bordt The Ireland Funds WineGeese Society 3 6 8 5 9 7 10 11 4