Palotai Vineyard and Winery

I have National Geographic to blame. I came to Palotai Vineyard and Winery to taste Gabor Palotai’s Bull’s Blood, but as luck would have it, it was out of stock. Gabor noted that a one-sentence line in a 2008 issue of National Geographic wiped out his remaining stock of Bull’s Blood. I’ve heard of Wine Spectator influencing wine sales, but National Geographic?

Still, all was not lost. There was much to sample, including Gabor’s award-winning syrah. In 2007, his estate syrah received the “Greatest of the Grape” award from those attending Douglas County’s showcase wine-tasting event. That’s high praise. But Palotai offers a host of other wines to dip into, including a delicious white blend called Bella Bianca, a red blend with the name of Indigo, as well as tempranillo, Baco noir, Maréchal Foch, zinfandel, and others.

Gabor’s wines are fabulous, but the real surprise for me is the man himself. He was in his full Hungarian glory and dished out one-liners to visitors, who were clearly entertained. He noted that behind a speaker’s podium, he would be stiff and speak in a monotone, but behind his wine bar, he can be his relaxed, good-natured self. He was funny, engaging, and, with his rakish hat, positively charming.

In 1983, Gabor got a student visa to study in the United States, away from then Communist-controlled Hungary. When it came time to return, the plane that arrived in Budapest was missing a passenger. Gabor had defected to America. Initially living in Sacramento, where he trained horses, Gabor never forgot his Hungarian roots — especially what he had learned about making wine at a young age from his grandfather. Small-lot wines made by hand, barrel-aged, and drinkable right after bottling. Not surprisingly, you won’t find his wine touching French oak. Here, Hungarian oak is the wood of choice. At $650 to $700 a barrel, he saves, compared to the high-priced French barrels, and the relatively tight wood grain and toast of the Hungarian oak imparts a distinct flavor Gabor seeks.

In 2003, Gabor launched Palotai Vineyard and Winery alongside the Umpqua River. At four acres, his vineyard is small but manageable. Gabor works the land vine by vine, knowing what clusters to drop, when to pick, and how best to bring out the flavor of the terroir. At Palotai Vineyard and Winery, visitors experience “Old World craftsmanship” even when the Bull’s Blood is sold out.

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  Palotai Vineyard and Winery was featured in WineTrails of Oregon as part of the Mid Umpqua Valley WineTrail on page !