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Goldback Wines 2016 Goldback Cuvée
He finally found a place to plant roots
It all started with a short 17-minute trip up the hill – but before long, Andy Myer was circling the globe.
It was a Craigslist ad that first caught his attention. Cristom Vineyards needed a tasting room assistant, and Andy Myer needed help paying for that environmental science degree at Willamette University. Before long, he was hooked on wine.
Rather than go to winemaking school, Andy schooled himself on the job. After Oregon, New Zealand. Back to Oregon, then Australia. Then Washington and California. Along the way, an Oregon wine bar. Then, buy wine for a popular Italian restaurant in Sonoma.
All that travel? Andy was training his palate, discovering terroir, and learning winemaking from professionals. And he was also looking for a place to plant his own roots. The winner? Southern Oregon.
After all, Southern Oregon is ready to step onto the global stage, but it’s not there yet. Andy is determined to push the region to new heights – producing Rhône style wines that are becoming a signature style in the Rogue Valley. Just watch, soon the world will be traveling to visit Andy Myer at Goldback Wines.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Goldback Wines, Ashland, Oregon
2016 Goldback Cuvée
It is rare for us to feature the very first vintage of a new winemaker. After all, it can take time for new winemakers to figure out the intricacies of making wines for commercial release. But when I tasted Andy Myer’s wines, I knew that he’d already nailed it.
Andy makes wines in the simplest way possible. Pick the grapes, stick them in a fermenter, press the juice, and let them sit in neutral barrels until they’re finished. With high-quality grapes from Jaxon Vineyards (another beloved Cellar 503 winery partner) and Andy’s commitment to the lowest intervention possible, this wine sings with ripe red fruit and hints of green vegetables.
A blend of 58% Grenache and 42% Syrah, this is a Côtes du Rhône style blend with black cherry and leather on the palate. Nicely balanced with fresh acidity to counter the fine tannins. Just 169 cases produced (and just over 300 cases total in 2016!)
A Cellar 503 selection in February 2019, Wines We Love Rogue Valley | Grenache, Syrah
