News Briefs

More than 1,500 runners raced 13.1 miles to Carlton in the 6th annual Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon.

Running on Wine

At the sixth annual Oregon Wine Country Half Marathon, Aug. 8, runners from across the country — 55 percent from out of state — competed in a scenic course through the heart of Yamhill County.

Festivities began Aug. 6 at Ken Wright Cellars in Carlton, with a welcome reception led by sports announcer Whit Raymond. The next day, the pre-race dinner was held at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg. Filmmaker and 2016 Olympics hopeful Alexi Pappas discussed the power of running and the point when the mind overcomes the body.

Saturday morning, 1,500 athletes departed Stoller Family Vineyard in Dayton to start their 13.1-mile journey through the Dundee Hills, Yamhill-Carlton, Chehalem Mountains and Ribbon Ridge AVAs with breathtaking views as the morning unfolded.

Two runners finished first: Greg Mitchell, of McMinnville, secured the men’s best time with 1 hour, 10 minutes and 52 seconds; Lyndy Davis, of Portland, won the women’s category with a running time of 1 hour 19 minutes and 17 seconds.

The race concluded in Carlton where 20 wineries from around the valley poured their wines for runners and their friends and family. Vendors and live music added to the festive atmosphere. Later in the afternoon, a reception was held at Gran Moraine, where athletes celebrated their victory with light bites and wine.

Bubbles!

What was forever known as the Ponzi Wine Bar has undergone a sparkling transition. The Dundee Bistro will expand into the neighboring space to present the first bubble bar in Oregon wine country: The Dundee Bistro Wine & Bubble Bar.

Visitors can enjoy a rotating selection of sparkling wines — local bubbles, grower Champagnes and more — as well as other offerings from Ponzi Vineyards and Hamacher Wines. Enhanced food offerings, craft beer, cocktails and espresso — along with televised showings of major national and international sporting events — will be featured.

The Ponzi family has hired Conor Mahaney to manage the new venture. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has many years’ experience in the restaurant industry.

The Wine & Bubble Bar is open noon to 8 p.m., daily, and is located at 100-A S.W. Seventh St., Dundee.

Plug & Pinot

The concept of the Oregon Wine Country Electric Vehicle (EV) Byway was hatched in the winter of 2014 when a group of wine industry members realized that the growing number of tasting rooms with EV infrastructure had no network connecting them.

To raise awareness, the group created Plug & Pinot. The original five Oregon EV Byway Alliance wineries teamed up with automakers providing rides and drives of various EVs for the inaugural event, bringing attention to the fact that a full-day trip through wine country is quite easy in an EV.

This year’s Plug & Pinot, Aug. 13 at Jacobsen Salt Co. in Portland, offered something new — really new — thanks to its title sponsor, Kia Motors America, which presented its 2016 Soul EV at the city event.

Guests learned about the EV Byway and the brand new Soul EV — six were on site to experience — and sampled wines from EV-friendly wineries: Brandborg, Brooks, Elk Cove, Hyland Estates, Sokol Blosser, Soléna, Stoller, Willamette Valley Vineyards and Winderlea. The party also included hors d’oeuvres and live soul music. 

For additional details about the byway, log on to www.plugandpinot.com.