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Featuring Gersing cellars

Part of the SE Wine Collective in Portland, Oregon

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Portland Urban Winery
Located inside SE Wine Collective

Gersing Cellars

March 27, 2019

Portland, oregon

jason gersing

jazz & wine lover

SE WINE COLLECTIVE

Founded in 2015

Gersing Cellars is an urban winery housed at SE Wine Collective in Southeast Portland, OR. We had the pleasure of spending a couple of hours with Jason to learn more behind the scenes of his wines, and the unique rhyme to his reasoning on his wine names. 

Jason’s philosophy derives from his experience of living in Europe, and his admiration for the jazz greats. Jason is a saxophone player in a local Portland band: Baby & The Pearl Blowers

Our Experience

Heidi and I had a blast. The ice was already broken as she has featured Gersing Cellars on Wine Crush Podcast, but that’s not to discredit Jason’s approachable energy. The first thing we noticed was the uber welcoming raw wood tables and the bright red top of the chairs.

The space, which emits a fragrance of wine barrels and touch of lingering ferment intertwined with the full kitchen as it is preparing to cook, delivers crazy aromatics. As you walk into the space looking past the tables, the barrels truly set the mood for wine drinking.

Overall, this space is exceptionally warm and welcoming. Whether you are coming for a barrel tasting, lounge out with friends, or a solo visit – you’re guaranteed to make friends and engage in conversations with this ultra intimate feel while supporting various boutique vintners. 

the space

The SE Wine Collective houses over 60 wines from several local vintners, as well as the Oui! Wine Bar & Restaurant which features an incredible wine-centric food program under the leadership of Chef Althea Grey Potter, allowing for the intimate wine tasting experience from the in-house winemakers. Oui! offers a full dinner menu, shareable plates (we had the mouth watering hummus plate & popcorn), several Happy Hours (including late nights on weekends) and a family-style prix fixe dinner available for reservations by parties of all sizes.

the environment

Nestled in the residential and retail neighborhoods of Division and 35th, you’ll want to look for the building that says THE SE WINE COLLECTIVE on the garage door. Division is a very walkable street, so when you do visit – you have the options to go to nearby shops and entertainment. Divison has a lot of character, and definitely a low-key area of Portland. Don’t forget, when you search on Google – you’ll want to select the “Oui Wine Bar + Restaurant at SE Wine Collective” to arrive at the exact location.

visit gersing cellars website

About the Winemaker

“Jason has two great passions: jazz and wine. The music bug struck early. Not long after Jason picked up the saxophone in 6th grade, he continued to study throughout high school and college. Jason then moved to New York to study and play with some of the best jazz musicians in the world.

Of course, musicians need a day job to support their jazz habit. One such job was working harvest at Bedell Cellars on Long Island. Jason had been bitten by the wine bug while studying in Italy, but experiencing crush deepened his fascination with the winemaking process.

Jason is just a comic welcoming guy as a whole. He has the romantic and sensual side of what wine is defined as.  When you put his musical talents and wine together he just has this killer personality that shouts of romance for the wine culture. I love the fact that he’s mixed his wine names with musical definitions and attributes.

He has a great variety of choices that are not the stereotypical choices like Chardonnay and Pinot only.

READ MORE HERE

The Wines

A romantically deep and savory collection with mostly reds, a Viognier and a Sauvignon Blanc soon to be bottled! Even while Sami doesn’t typically choose reds as a first presence, she happily tasted them all and could most definitely see herself having a full glass of the Cab Sauv. Both Heidi and Sami have chosen the Cabernet Sauvignon as their favorites of the red, and both chose the ‘still in the barrel’ Sauvignon Blanc as a white. Well done, jason! 

2017 “Shell” Viognier

Shows fresh aromas of orange blossom, white peach, comice pear, lime, and apricot. On the palate, vivacious and mineral-driven, finishing with fresh floral notes.

2016 “SEXTET” PINOT NOIR

A blend of six select barrels, this wine marries Chehalem Mountain red fruit and earthiness with Eola-Amity Hills structure and dark fruit. An homage to the great jazz sextets, this wine is greater than the sum of its parts and has a style all its own.

2016 “TACET” PINOT NOIR

Purity of fruit, intense minerality, and a silky mouthfeel distinguish this Pinot Noir. Built to age but exquisite now.

2016 “BRIO” NEBBIOLO

Classic Nebbiolo notes of bright cherry and rose are accompanied by a distinctive hint of sandalwood. A beautiful blend of feminine and masculine characteristics allows this wine to be enjoyed on its own as well as with hearty fare. A Silver Medal winner at the 2019 SavorNW Wine Competition.

2016 “SESQUIALTERA” CABERNET SAUVIGNON

This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of two Yakima vineyards: Willard Farms delivering dark berry fruit and Red Willow offering up earth and dried herbs. Two years of aging in 40% new French oak provides a solid frame and fine-grain tannins.

2016 “LEGIT” MERLOT

Willard Farms Vineyard (50%) establishes a base of black cherry, bramble fruits, and violets, while the Red Willow fruit (50%) layers on an earthy, red fruit character. But what really gets us about this Merlot is the texture: an expansive mid-palate and a seamless finish. A Silver Medal winner at the 2019 SavorNW Wine Competition.

Sauvignon Blanc
(coming soon)

Oh, hello! One of the most delicious Sauvignon Blanc’s ever! This was the last flavor to try, and it wasn’t even bottled yet. We both agreed that the flavors were orgasmically explosive. A little birdie told us he’ll be bottling it soon! Stay tuned.

season 2 – episode 1

Wine Crush
Podcast

Listen to Gersing Cellars on WCP, Heidi guides us through two diverse wine stories. The first centers on a veteran-owned and operated winery whose mission is to serve the veteran community through charitable contribution; and the second showcases and urban winery, located in SE Portland, whose philosophy is informed by the old-century winemakers of Europe… and Jazz!

LISTEN TO episodes OF WCP

Upcoming Events – Gersing Cellars

• Pour Oregon 2019 – April 28th, 2019 at World Trade Center
• #Vinlandia 2019 – May 25th at SE Wine Collective 

see all se wine collective events


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