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Loop de Loop Wines 2017 Romeo Red
Looping back to wine again and again
Some people just know from the beginning that they’re meant to make wine. Others discover it late in life.
For Julia Bailey, well, she knew it early – but she resisted the impulse and kept running away, but wine kept looping her back in.
She first discovered winemaking as a child, helping her grandmother on the family farm. Then, it was off to college to get “serious”.
Then, post-graduation, she rediscovered wine while working in Portland restaurants. It wasn’t long before she started dialing through the phone book looking for work at a winery – good news, Argyle was hiring!
Before long, it was time to get “serious” again. A graduate degree with international relations led to jobs at international nonprofits around the world. Sweden, Laos, Palestine.
But in 2012, she looped back to wine for good, launching Loop de Loop. And we get to enjoy the fruits of her passion. We’re glad she’s here to stay!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Loop de Loop Wines, Portland, Oregon
2017 Romeo Red
Romeo? Well, if it were a Shakespeare reference, I’d tell you that you’ll love the wine. (And you will.) But Julia tells us that it’s named for her dog – “We find this wine to be a little rambunctious, like our pup Romeo… so he got a little credit on the label.”
And rambunctious it is. It’s a bright, fresh, and fruity wine with a structure and balance that will stand up to your holiday table.
This blend is equal parts Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir, somewhat unusual, but an homage to the bistro table wines of the Loire Valley in France. The Cab Franc comes from the Applegate Valley in Southern Oregon, while the Pinot Noir comes from the Eola-Amity Hills in the Willamette Valley.
You’ll get hints of green pepper from the Cab Franc and earthiness and berries from the Pinot Noir. The fruit shines through the whole bottle with an underlying herbal quality that produces a great balance. This wine is great with a simple roast chicken for an everyday meal, but we think it will sing with Thanksgiving dinner.
A Cellar 503 selection in November 2018, Thanksgiving Wines Oregon | Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir