This wine is named for Patrice Rion, a friend from a noted Burgundian winemaking family who has offered advice to Chehalem on several occasions. The fruit comes from the 37-acre Ridgecrest vineyard, the oldest of the winery’s three estate vineyards. The 1998 vintage was the first of three great years in Oregon (the 2001 crush is on as I write this and promises to be another classic). The fresh and tangy 1998 Rion Reserve serves up loads of bright cherry fruit with a firm underpinning of mineral and spice.

BUYER'S GUIDE

SOKOL BLOSSER 1998 OLD VINEYARD BLOCK
VELVETY AND CONCENTRATED
A FINE MATCH WITH VENISON

BRICK HOUSE 1998 “LES DIJONNAIS”
LUSH AND PURE
TRY IT WITH ROAST QUAIL OR CORNISH HEN

CHEHALEM 1999 RION RESERVE
STRUCTURED AND SPICY
GREAT WITH GAME