I had the time of my life drinking pink flamingo wine at Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co. in Eugene. The next time you find yourself in Oregon Ducks territory, be sure to experience the fun vibe of the world’s only winery located inside of an old Boyd’s Coffee warehouse.
Territorial Vineyards is best known for: Its wine bar masquerading as a tasting room. It is a friendly, unpretentious environment where excessive pinot pontificating might earn you a Bronx cheer.
Territorial offers their wines along with local beers and ciders while hosting free live music every Thursday-Saturday night. The music begins at 6 p.m., an hour after the doors open.
Wednesday nights are music-free to allow wine bar regulars to converse without raising their voices. Co-owner Alan Mitchell said some of these folks have been coming to Territorial for 20 years.
Violinist James Anderson was playing with a duo called Sage Vagabond the night I visited. I sipped Territorial’s rosé of pinot noir — with pink flamingos on the label — while watching an older couple hold hands and tap their toes to the music. A woman twirled her eight-year- old daughter on the nearby “dance carpet.”
This place is like hanging out in a friend’s living room.
Innovation: Territorial’s owners opted not to build a winery out in wine country. Instead they saved money by purchasing an existing building in Eugene. This makes Territorial the rare urban winery that uses its own estate fruit to make wine. The only exception is a single red wine made with purchased southern Oregon fruit.
Key insight: Mitchell thinks too many people get carried away with wine. “Wine is just another agricultural product, like milk, and we shouldn’t fetishize it,” Mitchell said. “You don’t see a Milk Spectator Magazine giving out scores to Lochmead Dairy, Lucerne and Dari Mart. You know which milk you like best. Then you buy it and drink it.”
“Must try” current release: 2018 Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co. “Stone’s Throw” Pinot Noir ($38). While this pinot noir is packed with bittersweet chocolate and juicy dark cherry flavors, it has more than enough structure and acidity to maintain a sense of balance.
History: Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co. was founded in 2001 by April and Alan Mitchell and Victoria and Jeff Wilson-Charles.
Equinox, the Wilson-Charles’ vineyard, was planted west of Eugene in 1992. The Mitchells planted their Bellpine Vineyard near Junction City in 1998. The two Territorial estate vineyards contain 28 acres of pinot noir, pinot gris, chardonnay, riesling and early muscat.
Alan Mitchell is responsible for farming the vineyards while Ray Walsh makes the wines. Walsh is also the co-owner and winemaker at Capitello Wines in Eugene.
Biggest inspiration: “Sometimes a Great Notion” by Ken Kesey.
Mitchell is a fourth-generation Oregonian who said his family has always considered themselves Oregonians first and American citizens second. “Hearing my mother say she thought Kesey’s book really captured the spirit of Oregon brought it home for me. This book distills down to the fundamental essence of the Pacific Northwest and love of place, and I hold on to that vibe, the sensibility that just screams what Oregon was and still is,” Mitchell said.
What we don’t know: Territorial made a special wine for the Hult Center for the Performing Arts. The pinot noir will be served at the Hult Center’s 40th anniversary party this August 26. Pink Martini with China Forbes and Storm Large will be performing that night.
Last book read: “Tequila: A Natural and Cultural History,” by Ana G. Valenzuela-Zapata and Gary Paul Nabhan. Mitchell calls it a “great primer.”
Where to buy: Territorial is changing its Oregon distribution network, so the winery website is your best bet for buying their wines. Or you can try Market of Choice, New Seasons Market, Zupan’s Markets and Fred Meyer locations.
In Eugene, enjoy Territorial wines with a meal at Placido’s Pasta Shop and Rye. Squirrels Tavern is the place to be for Oregon Staters that prefer sipping a Territorial wine in Corvallis.
Territorial wines are also served at the Hult Center for the Performing Arts and the Shedd Institute in downtown Eugene. I highly recommend grabbing a glass of Territorial wine to pair with Leo Kotke at the Shedd’s Jaqua Concert Hall on June 18, 2022.
When vacationing this summer, keep an eye out for Territorial wines in restaurants and bottle shops in Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Massachusetts and Washington. That includes New Orleans locations such as Bacchanal Wine, Herbsaint, and Bayona.
5 p.m.-close, Wednesday-Saturday, Territorial Vineyards & Wine Co., 907 W. Third Ave., Eugene, territorialvineyards.com or 541-684-9463.
— Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.
