The Cheese Shop of Salem

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New arrivals with Oz Wine Co.

Free tasting | Friday, May 10, 2019 | 5-7PM


For such a gigantic and sprawling part of the country, the West Coast is full of small town friendliness and the winemakers are all connected. In this part of the wine world, you mention one winemaker’s name and you get an ‘Oh, I know them!’ with a bright smile. For example … (takes a deep breath) Steve Matthiasson is the winemaker at Matthiasson in California, and at his side project, Tendu. Jack Roberts, who used to work as Steve’s Assistant Winemaker, now owns Keep Wines alongside Johanna Jensen, who used to work at Broc Cellars with Chris Brockway, who owns Broc Cellars and his side project, Brea. Sam Sheehan, owner of the California winery Poe, is married to wine label designer Michael McDermott, who designs labels for Poe, Keep, and Matthiasson wines. And then there’s Barnanby Tuttle, the owner of Teutonic in Oregon, who is instantly recognizable because of his impressive mustache!

Join us at the shop on Friday, May 10th 5PM-7PM for a complimentary tasting of organic wine from these amazing interconnected winemakers in California and Oregon. The line-up includes:

  • 2016 Tendu Vermentino Liter

  • 2018 Matthiasson Rose

  • 2018 Teutonic Pig & Swords

  • 2017 Broc Love Red

  • 2015 Broc Carignan Old Vine Alexander Valley


2016 Tendu Vermentino

Who: Steve Matthiasson and Jill Klein Matthiasson 

What: Vermentino 

Where: California, United States

How: Fermented in old barrels before bottling

Farming Method: Organic practices

Fun Fact: The Matthiasson’s named this line of wines ‘Tendu’ after the ballet term. Tendu is when something is stretched out or held tautly.  

Tasting Notes: A rush of acidity with notes of lemon, lime, and pear.


2018 Matthiason Rosé

Who: Steve Matthiasson and Jill Klein Matthiasson

What: Blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Counoise

Where: California, United States

How: Aged in stainless steel

Farming Method: Organic practices

Fun Fact: 90% of wine from the United States comes from California! 

Tasting Notes: This has a bone dry body and notes of cherries and spice.


2018 Teutonic Pig & Swords

Who: Barnaby Tuttle

What: Pinot Noir and Müller-Thurgau

Where: Oregon, United States

How: This blend if aged in neutral oak for 5 months.

Farming Method:  Organic practices

Fun Fact: Barnaby only uses grapes varietals that are native to Mosel, Germany  BUT grown in Oregon for wines at Teutonic. He first fell in love with the Mosel when tasting a lineup of over a dozen Riesling’s all from the Mosel that tasted completely different from one another.

Tasting Notes: Ripe candied peach and apricot with acidity and the zestyness of a lime!


2017 Broc Cellars Love Red

Who: Chris Brockway 

What: Carignan, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Valdiguié  

Where: California, United States

How: Aged for 8 months in a mixture of concrete and neutral French oak barrels.

Farming Method: Organic practices

Fun Fact: Have you seen that Californian based wine movie, Bottle Shock, about the Judgement of Paris? This wine event in 1976 which put California on the international wine map features a real life wine merchant Steven Spurrier who objected to the portrayal of himself in the movie.  One of his objections was the fact that Alan Rickman was 63 when he played Spurrier and at the time in ’76 Steven Spurrier was only 32.

Tasting Notes: A mouthful of earthiness, cherry, rhubarb and spice.


2015 Broc Cellars Carignan Old Vine Alexander Valley

Who: Chris Brockway

What: Mostly Carignan with some Alicante, Zinfandel, and Palomino 

Where: California, United States

How: Grapes are fermented whole cluster in concrete tanks before aging for 6 months in concrete tanks.

Farming Method: Organic practices 

Fun Fact: Even though so much wine comes from California only nearly 1% of the total acreage of this gigantic state are vineyards!

Tasting Notes: Black pepper, plum, and notes from a fire in a forest - all woodsy and smokey!