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    Urban Bliss Life » Wine Tips » Oregon Wine » Tendril Wine Cellars (Gaston, Oregon)

    Published: November 1, 2017 / Updated: May 5, 2022 by Marlynn Jayme Schotland · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Tendril Wine Cellars (Gaston, Oregon)

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    Renowned winemaker Tony Rynders showcases the possibilities of Oregon Pinot Noir with Tendril Wines, and turns up the fun with an introductory wine drinker's line, Child's Play. 

    I knew I missed the turn as soon as I passed it.

    That happens sometimes in Oregon wine country.

    While groups of bright blue Oregon winery signs are multiplying seemingly daily, clamoring loudly for your wine tasting attention, there are still so many subtle, "was that where we were supposed to turn?" winery entrances. Long gravel roads that take you beautifully off the beaten path...

    It's this convergence of old and new, corporate and rebel, mature and playful that gets my Oregon wine lover heart pumping each time I'm in wine country.

    This particular gravel road - once I finally made the correct turn - lead me to Tendril Wine Cellars. Here, all of those juxtapositions play well together in the same winemaking sandbox, with delightful results.

    Tendril wine cellars

    Open by appointment only, Tendril Wine Cellars hosts seated tastings inside a lovely private tasting room. Each tasting is lead by one of the winemakers.

    For more than 20 years, Tony Rynders made a name for himself making wine for some of the region's top wineries, including Argyle Winery and Domaine Serene Winery.

    In 2008, Rynders started his own label - Tendril Wine Cellars. The name is an homage to the mighty grape vine. The wines are, as he says, his resume in liquid form.

    The wines

    Together, the Tendril Wines create what Rynders calls a "five course meal" of Oregon Pinot Noir. Each wine with the Tendril label lovingly showcases his talents in bringing out the best of the Willamette Valley.

    For example, the 2012 White Label Pinot Noir ($48; the 2008 is shown above) has smooth tannins with brighter fruit flavors. The 2013 Tighrope Pinot Noir is a bigger, jammy, whole cluster Pinot Noir with nice structure and delicious dark fruit flavor.

    C-Note is Tendril's $100 per bottle masterpiece. Aged in all new oak and 100% whole cluster fermentation, this is a sultry and smoky Pinot Noir worthy of its playful name.

    But if it's truly playful you want, playful you will get with Tendril's sibling line: Child's Play.

    Child's Play

    Adorned with artwork created by Rynders' daughters, the wines in the Child's Play lineup are like the rebellious younger siblings to the more mature, sophisticated Tendril wines.

    With an energetic Pinot Chardonnay, flirty Rosé, playful Pinot Noir, and merry Zinfandel, Child's Play offers a light-hearted approach to enjoying wine.

    Of note: the Pinot Chardonnay is the only one of its kind in the Willamette Valley. This has some nice light oak you expect from a Chardonnay with a fuller fruity feel of a Pinot.

    Winemakers luncheon

    Recently, I had the pleasure of attending a winemakers luncheon featuring Tendril wines paired with food by Chef Christopher Czarnecki of The Joel Palmer House.

    Here's a look at some of those delicious pairings!

    Chef Czarnecki paired the 2014 Tendril Wines Chardonnay ($40) with a rich and creamy Oregon truffle Vichyssoise.

    For our salad course, we tasted a white Pinot Noir - the 2014 Pretender Pinot Noir ($60) - along with Joel Palmer House garden snap peas, pea tendrils, and Maine lobster salad.

    We enjoyed the 2014 Extrovert Pinot Noir ($48) with an artistic and delectable 5-spice scented duck with marion berry foie gras purée and fat-seared apple.

    Tendril Wines mushroom tart wine pairing - UrbanBlissLife.com

    2014 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir ($60) was paired with the famous, rich, earthy Joel Palmer House three mushroom tart.

    2013 C Note Pinot Noir ($100) was paired with elk yakitori with matsutake.

    Visit

    3500 NW Bridge Farmer Road
    Gaston,OR 97119

    Currently, Tendril Wine Cellars is open by appointment only. Please call 503.858.4524 or email info@tendrilwines.com well in advance, at least 24 hours before your visit. Each seated wine tasting is lead by one of the winemakers. They take you through a tasting of at least six wines. Visit the Tendril Wines website for more information.

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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Kathleen Calado says

        November 06, 2017 at 9:13 pm

        So jealous of you having to experience all that wine! Great set of photos by the way. How was the experience? Planning to visit Oregon soon with my husband and I'll definitely share this with him. Keep up the great work always! :)

        Reply
      2. Dixie Huey says

        November 03, 2017 at 4:53 pm

        Thank you so very much for sharing the story and wines (and that delicious cuisine) with your readers, Marlynn! We really appreciate the recognition and Tony is ready to host anyone who would like to taste through the five Tendril Pinot Noir "courses and playful younger sister wines, Child's Play.

        Reply
      3. Brittany says

        November 03, 2017 at 3:35 pm

        I'm gonna have to check this winery out! I love learning about new places I can visit in Oregon! Thanks for sharing :) xo, Brittany

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 06, 2017 at 8:10 pm

          You really should! I'm glad to help! :)

      4. Eva says

        November 03, 2017 at 1:36 pm

        This looks like such a great experience. And I love the artwork on the Child's Play bottles!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 06, 2017 at 8:09 pm

          I do, too. Thanks, Eva! :)

      5. Marissa Pedersen says

        November 02, 2017 at 10:36 pm

        Ahh, nothing beats Pinot Noir from Willamette! Looks like a great winery.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 06, 2017 at 8:09 pm

          It really is. Thanks for stopping by, Marissa!

      6. Pech says

        November 02, 2017 at 6:33 pm

        That Pinot Chardonnay sounds so unique, but the one calling my name is that C Note

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 06, 2017 at 8:09 pm

          Why not both?! ;)

      7. Breona Graper says

        November 02, 2017 at 6:22 pm

        This looks like a great event. I love the Childs Play labels, so cute. I will have to make an appointment and try them for myself. Thanks for the recommendation!

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 06, 2017 at 8:08 pm

          You definitely will, they're so great!

      8. daneen rogers says

        November 02, 2017 at 12:10 pm

        The food and wine look amazing, and looks like you had a great time! I've only been to one wine tasting event and had a good time myself. Hope to do more in the future.

        Reply
        • Marlynn | UrbanBlissLife says

          November 06, 2017 at 8:07 pm

          They're always such a great experience. I hope you get to do more, too!

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      Marlynn Jayme Schotland 2021 profile pic

      Hi! Thanks for stopping by! I'm Marlynn - a cookbook author, writer, photographer, and mom of two teenagers + a lovable lab retriever. Here you'll find my fast, easy, and delicious recipes, wine pairings, and travel guides. I hold a WSET 2 with Distinction in wine, and am a member of Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) and the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA).

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