A Sweet Spot for a Willamette Valley Stop

I need to come clean on something. Despite my utter obsession with wine I'm not too keen on a long day of tasting room hopping. I enjoy tasting and learning, and I enjoy trying to get a sense for a wine region that is new or unfamiliar to me, but often get bored at being presented with the marketed side of an afternoon in wine country. I seem to prefer experiencing the wines with food, across producers, or in the more intimate setting of a home (mine in particular). What this has translated to for me over the years is a tendency to seek out great little restaurants or cafes in a new wine region, that has a wine list that covers the area, offers by the glass or flight selections, and a great atmosphere and food.

I've found one in the Willamette Valley that clearly fits the bill. Opened recently in my childhood village of Albany, Sweet Red Coffee & Wine Bistro is a coffee and pastry shop in the morning, a great lunch bistro in the afternoon, and a laid back small plate cafe in the evening. It is cheery and welcoming, with just the right touch of sophistication in its menu. And it offers a very affordable by-the-glass wine list covering Oregon and bits of Washington.

If I have any complaints, I'm not big on the name. I know Americans like their wine sweet, but I have come across very few sweet red wines, outside of Port, that are particularly interesting. They have a few sweet reds that apparently sell very well, and I understand the need to move bottles, but it seems to me to diminish the seriousness that their spectacular food provides (and what pairs well with sweet reds?) Their wine list as a whole is also a bit shallow. There is plenty to enjoy, some good pinot noirs, a few Southern Oregon Bordeauxs that are very pleasant, but in an attempt to keep the glasses under $10 there is a lot of spectacular Northwest wine that is automatically eliminated. Again, probably in a very calculated manner to keep local regular customers coming back, which is a very valid tactic, but a few broader options in addition to the regular options would be appealing.

But enough of that, let me tell you why I love this place and will revisit whenever in the Willamette Valley. It is simply put the food. It is imaginative, inexpensive, beautifully plated, and downright delicious. Playing with local flavors, Sweet Red has invented such dishes as Walnut and Date Crostini - a delightfully complex play between the brown sugar sweetness of the dates, the oily nuttiness of the walnuts, and the pungent saltiness of brie. It is interesting in texture and flavor and a surprising start to a meal (tastes delicious with a light Oregon pinot by the way). Many of the entrees are rather straightforward in their planning, but sauced and seasoned in such a way that they feel unique (especially for the dining scene in little Albany). The fiery shrimp are perfectly spicy, and in my visit were also perfectly cooked. The brussel sprouts were a hit, as was the mac n' cheese. And the prices, for wine country, were very fair. With a few interesting micro brews on tap, this place rounds up to a real winner.

When touring the Willamette Valley it is worth heading south from the well-known Dundee Hills to check out some of the spectacular producers that have found unique terroir further down the valley. This puts you very near the town of Albany, where you can explore an entire downtown of well-preserved Victorian architecture, and get a sense of what rural Oregon towns are really like. If you do this, you must stop at Sweet Red, for an entirely different experience and one you will not regret.