Rhône Away From Home

Oak Flat Vineyards brings Gorge grapes to Portland

By Annelise Kelly

It’s a balmy spring night as I swirl my glass of Grenache while sitting with new friends. On my left is a retired couple who live blocks away, members of the wine club at Oak Flat Vineyards. On my right sits an outdoorsy pair of millennial wine enthusiasts, one of whom takes careful notes about each wine. About 20 of us are comparing six different years of Oak Flat Mourvèdre, all from the same estate vineyard. I’m among the lucky diners signed up for the porchetta dinner, to be delivered with the final wine sample. Wood barrels are stacked three high, and a compact yellow forklift is parked tightly between them. The roll-up garage door is open until sunset, inviting fresh air and a view of one of Southeast Portland’s sleepier corridors.

If I’m craving authentic Rhône-style wines, there’s no need to travel 5,900 miles to Avignon. Oak Flat Vineyards, dedicated to Rhône wine, opened its Southeast Portland tasting room in 2024. Now, tasting Southern France through an Oregon lens has never been more convenient. It’s easy (and obvious) to taste Pinot Noir– it’s the variety that put Oregon on the map. Most wine-oriented tourists will take at least a day trip to the Willamette Valley. But, if they can’t also make it out to the Columbia Gorge, they can round out their wine tasting at Oak Flat, where a wholly different experience is available right in town.

THE WINE

Oak Flat Vineyards’ first vintage was in 2016 with purchased fruit. Once the vines matured, the winery began using all estate fruit in 2023. One of only a handful of Oregon vineyards focused exclusively on Rhône-style wines, it grows nine varieties from the region– six red and three white– on 10 acres near The Dalles. There, the unique combination of volcanic basalt soils, intense summer heat and dramatic diurnal temperature swings creates ideal growing conditions for the bold reds and aromatic whites celebrated in France’s Rhône Valley.

The primary varietals are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, which the winery combines in its GSM blend. This combination has been around for centuries, as exemplified in the celebrated Châteauneuf-du-Pape, an iconic wine of the Southern Rhône Valley. For the blending-curious, Oak Flat Vineyards sells a kit with three small bottles of each variety, along with blending recipes, so enthusiasts can create their own GSM at home.

Oak Flat’s GSM is crafted in a medium-bodied style, making it lighter than comparable wines from Bordeaux, while still presenting full, complex flavor. It’s fruit-forward, earthy, accessible and extremely versatile with food. The Grenache offers vibrant red fruit and silky texture; Syrah contributes subtle spicy and savory notes, along with depth and color; and Mourvèdre provides tannins and earthy structure.

THE VINEYARDS

Oak Flat Vineyards also grows Counoise, Cinsault, Carignan, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne. Because the land has never been farmed previously, the soil is free of pesticides and contaminants. The vineyard is off the grid and prioritizes minimal intervention and sustainable practices. Water use is low, with drip irrigation fed by tanks. Most of the operations are carbon-free. For now, biodiesel accounts for the remaining 20 percent of energy needs. The goal is to produce wine without any fossil fuels.

Two decades ago, it was too cold to grow these types of grapes in the Gorge, but climate shifts have turned The Dalles into an optimal region for these varieties. Meanwhile, traditional Rhône growing regions in France have experienced the opposite problem– rising temperatures are pushing growers toward later-ripening varieties.

THE TASTING ROOM AND BISTRO

The Oak Flat Vineyards tasting room and bistro is on a quiet stretch of Belmont St., where nearby businesses include Cooke’s Brake Services next door– open 90 years– along with Tabor Bread and the Horse Brass Pub. With its casual, neighborhood vibe, “it’s a community neighborhood spot,” notes Lilah Walsh, wine sales and events lead. “It’s very down to earth, people can really feel free to be themselves and enjoy the experience of learning about wine. They can also come in and meet other people from the neighborhood. We have wonderful wine club members who drop by regularly. Oak Flat isn’t stuffy, elitist or inaccessible. Our wines are high quality, so you get the best of both worlds.”

The bar and small seating area complete the front; a back room houses barrel storage, a bottling line and additional seating. The team opens the garage door in good weather, extending seating to the sidewalk. Because Rhône wine is ideal with the legendary cuisine of Southern France, a bistro was created to complete the experience.

“The food we serve co-evolved with our wines, so you’re able to enjoy the wines in the context of the entire culinary tradition,” adds Walsh. You’ll find traditional French dishes like escargot, steak Béarnaise and duck à l’orange. The goal: an authentic French bistro vibe, where guests enjoy a casual glass of wine and perhaps a meal, then head to their next adventure.

Walsh enjoys introducing new guests to the wines with a GSM flight. “People first taste through the individual varieties and then the GSM blend. Doing so provides a deeper understanding of how the different components add to the final blend.”

EVENTS

Oak Flat’s packed calendar reinforces the tasting room as a neighborhood hub. Live music, political events, co-op meetings, birthdays and bridal showers share the schedule with a farm-to-table series, vertical tastings and blending classes. “We offer many different things for people to enjoy,” reports Walsh. “We’re using wine as a way to build community and make friends.”

Oak Flat Vineyards tasting room and bistro

4701 S.E. Belmont St., Portland
Wed. – Sat. 4 – 10 p.m., Sun. 2 – 8 p.m.
oakflatvineyards.com
(503) 500-8446

After living in Denmark, the Netherlands, L.A. and the Bay Area, writer Annelise Kelly settled in Portland, where she delights in food carts, Douglas firs, dancing and getting crafty. Thanks to Annelise’s broad interests, her career path has weaved through cooking, events, technical writing, decorative painting and retail display. Wanderlust takes her across borders and oceans every chance she gets. Connect with Annelise at www.annelisekelly.com.