Dimmick Cellars

Dimmick Cellars

Darren Dimmick makes wine in a shared garage next to his house. Perched high up on a hill in a residential neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, the winery produced its first vintage in 2001. Darren is a native of Corvallis, Oregon, Avalon Wine's home. His family have been customers at our store for 15 years. It's delightful to be able to offer these delicious wines, made by a Corvallis native!

Darren shares his facility with Rick Price of Quantum Wines and Pete Posert of Ce Soir Cellars. In about 1000 square feet of bonded space, Darren makes wines under the "Solera" label, and makes a Viognier with Rick Price under the "Matin Soleil" name.

Dimmick Cellars' first commercial Cabernet Sauvignon is from fruit sourced from Alder Ridge Vineyard in the Yakima Valley. The vineyard faces south along the Columbia River, east of the Dalles.

Dimmick's Syrah is made of fruit from Carson Knoll Vineyard near Benton City Wa. The vineyard is in the respected and high scoring Red Mountain Appellation. It has a dark inky color and rich flavor with earthy and gamey notes.

In keeping with the rich flavors of his Cabernet and Syrah, Dimmick's Pinot noir is a wine of depth and richness, more California than Oregon in style. The nuances of Pinot noir are retained within a pleasing, approachable framework.

Dimmick's white wine, a Viognier made with Rick Price and sold under the "Matin Soleil" label, is made from grapes from the famous Seven Hills Vineyard in Oregon, just over the border from Walla Walla, WA. The warm dry climate of the region fives this wine seductive aromatics and ripe fruit and floral flavors. The finish is clean and dry, with hints of white pepper and minerals.

Starting up as a small business, Darren presold about half of his 350 case vintage to family and friends, released his wines in the summer of 2003, and has started the festival circuit with appearances at the -Canby Wine and Arts Festival, The Bite of Portland, and the Portland Wine and Arts Festival.

Darrren's small operation is all his, with volunteer and family labor filling in. A software development consultant and a business major graduate of Lewis & Clark College, Darren also has an MBA from the University of
Portland and continues to take courses on winemaking at regional school Chemeketa College.

The wines are impressive and very reasonably priced. In a tasting at the store in early August, 2003, all of us were quite impressed with the quality, and were reminded of other, now well known wineries, whose prices have increased since they first visited with us. Darren is new, and has priced the wines aggressively.

The 2001 releases from Dimmick Cellars are now available and are drinking beautifully. We recommend them highly. At these prices, Darren will quickly establish himself as a supplier of great value NW wine.

Won Gold at the Bite of Portland August 2003!

Exotic and seductive scent, rich floral and fruit flavors. Delicious. Very limited.
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