Sineann Cellars at Medici Vineyards

Bear with me, because this is a little confusing. In order to taste Sineann Cellars wines, you need to venture to Medici Vineyards. However, if you also want to sample Medici Vineyards wines, you need to go to the Dark Horse Wine Bar in Newberg. On Thanksgiving or Memorial Day weekends, you’re in luck. During those weekends, you can experience both Medici Vineyards and Sineann Cellars wines at Medici. Phew!

Many visitors are surprised to learn that Sineann Cellars lacks its own tasting room. However, you won’t be disappointed when you venture to the hillside location of Medici Vineyards, with its commanding view of the Willamette Valley, its rows of premium grapes, and the purple fields of lavender growing behind the rustic white barn. In fact, you will be delighted to sample Peter Rosback’s Sineann Cellars wines amongst row upon row of French oak barrels bearing that aromatic smell so redolent of premium wine.

Sineann Cellars proudly sources its fruit from well-known vineyards throughout the Pacific Northwest. Paying homage to the grape growers, Peter often uses a vineyard designation to name his wines. For example, his Wy’East Pinot is produced with grapes from the Hood River vineyard of the same name, and Medici Riesling hails from … you guessed it. Visitors can sample their way through several pinot noirs, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignons, merlots, gewürztraminers, chardonnays, and zinfandels (with grapes from Old World zinfandel vines grown in Hood River). At the end of this wine bonanza, be sure to sample Peter’s zinfandel ice wine, called Sweet Sydney. Named after his daughter Sydney, Sweet Sydney contains 58 percent residual sugar and is the perfect accompaniment to pound cake or drunk just by itself.

Peter is also the winemaker for Trium in the Rogue River Valley, The Pines in Hood River, and Medici Vineyards. As previously mentioned, you can taste Medici Vineyards’ wines at the Dark Horse Wine Bar in Newberg at 1505 Portland Road (99W). The wine bar is open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, and it serves Ferraro wines in addition to its Medici and Sineann offerings. A special treat is in store for visitors if they happen to run into Hal Medici while visiting the Dark Horse or Medici Vineyards. No doubt, his youthful mind and quick wit have contributed to the long history of Medici Vineyards and his other enterprises.