Domaine South Presents
Oregon Wine Dinner
Featuring Martin Woods
Special Winery Guest, Jason Romero
March 26th 5:30 pm
$150 per person
256-759-9952 to Reserve
Steamed Razor Clams, Green Chutney
2023 Martin Woods Aligote, Willamette Valley
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Curried Alabama Jumbo Crab & Green Apple Salad
2023 Martin Woods Koosah Chardonnay, Willamette Valley
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Northwest Morels, Oyster Sauce, Spring Onions
2023 Martin Woods Gamay Tualatin Estate Vineyard, Willamette Valley
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Togarashi Steelhead Trout, Sticky Rice, Eel Sauce
2021 Martin Woods Jessie James Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
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Crispy Korean Style Fried Duck Breast, Spicy Fig Jam
2022 Martin Woods Cabernet Franc, Milton-Freewater/Walla Walla
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Chocolate Truffles
Kaffeeklatsch Coffee or more wine!
Pictured above, Jason Romero / Sales Director | Partner
Martin Woods is hidden in the oak-forested Coast Range foothills near the town of McMinnville, a neighborhood advantageously influenced by cool Pacific ocean air. The winery is also the home of owner/winemaker, Evan Martin.
A Martin Woods wine promotes the notions of graceful power and elegant complexity — a beautifully balanced tension of opposites that can only result from the combination of great terroir, observant farming, and meticulous, patient winemaking.
The Wines
2023 Martin Woods Aligote, Willamette Valley, Oregon $52.99
Our first-ever Aligoté, grown at La Belle Promenade Vineyard high in the Chehalem Mountains on volcanic Jory and Nekia soils. The site’s dramatic elevation and exposure shape fruit with striking verve and mineral tension — a natural fit for the variety’s clarity and lift. Our exploratory effort resulted in a refreshing, subtly salty and chalk-tinged Aligoté, lifted by wildflower florals and crisp orchard fruit. Aged patiently on lees for 18 months in both stainless steel and neutral oak cooperage, it carries a subtle creaminess that softens its edges without sacrificing freshness. This wine shines alongside seafood that carries a brine edge (oysters, mussels, grilled shrimp), or works beautifully with soft goat cheese, roasted squash, or crisp autumn vegetables dressed simply in herbs and citrus.
94 Points - Decanter: "There's a brilliant texture and length to this Aligoté, a fun one off for winemaker Evan Martin sourced from La Belle Promenade Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. Taut green mangoes and white pepper, it's lean, austere and lively. Fresh and rocky on the palate, aged in a combination of stainless steel, neutral oak puncheon and neutral 228L with full malolactic. This approach lets winemaker Evan Martin layer acidity on the creamy lactic character. Knitting together this layered wine. Tingly acidity and crisp green apples linger on the finish."
2023 Martin Woods Koosah Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon $69.99
Lemon oil, green & gold apple, moss, white flower & minerals—remarkable texture and tension between fruit, minerality & acidity—medium weight, while possessing weightlessness—finish lingers with persistent freshness & a note of salinity—our 'Puligny'—this is Oregon 'grand cru' chardonnay to enjoy now or cellar 15+ years
97 - International Wine Cellar: "The 2022 Martin Woods ‘Koosah’ Chardonnay from theEola-Amity Hills dazzles with a glimmering light lemon core and a watery rim. Aromatically, it reveals spiced apples, damp earth, a hint of saline, green melon, and subtle notes of white tea. This Chardonnay carries a beautiful structure with a touch of tannins that kiss the gums, which suggests it will only improve with time. The mid-palate offers perfect acidity and balanced sweetness, leading to a long, fruit-forward and saline-infused finish. An outstanding bottle that’s poised for an even brighter future. Highly recommended and editor’s choice."
95 - Decanter: "The Koosah is a bolder Chardonnay choice in the Martin Woods portfolio. The floral quality of its aromas balances the somewhat rich mouthfeel of its medium—to full-body palate. With that said, it maintains a vibrant energy and nice overall structure - balanced acidity - featuring notes of stone fruits, crispy apples, lemon peel, and herbs. There is a phenolic structure and a rich texture. This wine nails both. Winemaker Evan Martin is a huge fan of the Koosah site, ‘I think it is the greatest Chardonnay vineyard in the Willamette Valley.’"
96 - Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2022 Chardonnay Koosah Vineyard is a bright yellow/silver color and is a touch more shy at this stage, with notes of smoky earth, white peach, lemon oil, and a white floral tone. Medium to full-bodied, it has lovely richness without weight and has exceptionally focused length. Drink 2025-2037.”
The Eola-Amity Hills is situated to the immediate east of the Van Duzer Corridor, the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where marine air blows in from the Pacific Ocean, lowering the growing season temperatures as well as elevating the presence of salinity in the wines. Koosah, which in the Coast Salish dialect means "beautiful ceiling of the sky", sits at the very top elevation (1,100 feet) along the upper slope of a dramatic drainage that runs all the way down to the valley floor (200 feet). The cool, east-southeast aspect combined with the slope's prominent wind exposure, leads to especially extended hang times and patient development of complex flavors. Koosah is without question one of the most thoughtfully-planted vineyards in the Willamette's history, but also one of the riskiest. Fall rains will almost always threaten the harvest. Yet these calculated risks are already paying dividends: bright acidity, perfectly ripe fruit, lifted aromatics, and a kiss of salinity. Furthermore, the shallow topsoil and rocky volcanic subsoil provide balanced stress to the vines, resulting in open canopies, restrained yields, and berries that develop thicker skins, leading to wines of remarkable texture and tension. In summary, Koosah is at the forefront of the discussion about what Willamette Valley Chardonnay can and should be.
2023 Martin Woods Gamay Tualatin Estate Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon $40.99
Tasting notes expressive aromas of wild berries, florals, dusty earth—sweet/tart crunchy red fruits—resonant, chalky, mineral finish
ava: Tualatin Hills
93 Jeb Dunnuck - The 2023 Gamay Noir Tualatin Estate Vineyard is highly expressive and pours a jeweled ruby/magenta color. A wine that Evan wants to be drinkable at all times, it’s hitting that mark right now, with a fruity aromatic profile in its notes of mixed berries, wildflowers, white pepper, and dusty earth. Ripe and effusive in the glass, it’s medium-bodied, with fine, chalky tannins, and while it’s lovely and refined, it’s still playful. It will drink well over the next 6-8 years.
Tualatin Estate is situated in the far northwestern corner of the Willamette Valley, with the coast range moutains to the immediate west creating a strong diurnal shift from warm days to cool nights, preserving mouthwatering acidity. The low water permeability of the Laurelwood soil provides balanced stress to the vines, reducing vine vigor and crop yield. This produces concentrated red fruit, floral aromatics and ripe skin and stem maturity, giving fine structure and rich color. The Willamette Valley is truly a home-away-from-home for Gamay, which is beautifully matched to our cool-climate.
elevation & aspect: 300-400 feet, south-facing slope. soil: Laurelwood—compacted windborne alluvial & volcanic dust (loess). vine age: Planted 2003. clonal selection:284 from Beaujolais
farming: Dry-Farmed, no chemical pesticides / herbicides
whole cluster: 40% whole bunch, middle layer in open top fermenters
elevage: 6 months, sur lie, neutral 228L cooperage
2021 Martin Woods Jessie James Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon $57.99
98 Points - International Wine Report: "The 2023 Martin Woods Jesse James Vineyard Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills stands as a profound expression of site and vintage, uniting elegance with intensity. Aromas unfold slowly…The length is striking, carrying flavors in a seamless arc that resonates for over a minute. It feels like stepping into a candlelit piano bar where every note lands with intention and energy. Kudos to Evan Martin - so much talent and for only $65?! Highly recommended and editor’s choice."
98 Points - Jeb Dunnuck: "The 2023 Pinot Noir Jessie James Vineyard is exceptional and offers both finesse and power, reminiscent of Vosne-Romanée in style. Layered and complete with leather, ripe framboise, pressed herbs, mossy earth, and a mineral frame, it’s full-bodied, with refined tannins and stunning length. This is possibly the best wine I have tasted from Martin Woods to date."
2022 Martin Woods Cabernet Franc, Milton-Freewater/Walla Walla, Oregon $49.99
Classic, varietally pure aromas...fragrant garden herbs and peppers—ripe cherry kirsch fruit, silken and
refreshing—balanced, refined structure, energetic texture with a long resonant finish.
ava: the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater & Walla Walla Valley
vineyards: RockBar (60%) Seven Hills (20%) & McClellan Estate (20%)
whole cluster: 20% elevage: 12 months on lees in neutral barrels, then 6 months in stainless tank.
96 Jeb Dunnuck - The high-toned green herbal note coming through in the ruby red 2022 Cabernet Franc Walla Walla Valley is fantastic. You don’t see that in the 2023, and it may take the 2022 to another level, but at the very least, it’s different. This wine is more classic in its expression, with notes of green pepper, graphite, and black raspberries, as well as pretty floral aromas. Medium-bodied, It’s pretty and long on the palate, with supple, refined tannins, a weightless feel, and a long, clean, tapered finish. This is a very attractive and savory wine to drink over the next 15 years. It’s a versatile wine for foods with herbs, roasted peppers, etc.
Tightly demarcated by virtue of a single soil series (Freewater Series) and a single land form (alluvial fan), the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater exists entirely on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley. RockBar is situated in the middle of this highly distinctive terroir, where large cobblestones have collected over a hundred feet deep. Seven Hills Vineyard is a historic vineyard planted only steps outside of the Rocks District.
Aged 12 months on lees (6 months without sulfur) in 228L barrels (average age ten to twelve years old), then 6 months in tank. Racked carefully and bottled May 6, 2024 without fining.
