Wine, Vine, and Cave Sublime

Well, readers, Terry and I had a busy day Thursday! It was so much fun, exciting, and filled with jaw dropping beauty. My daughter, Marina, and granddaughter, Kaylie Rose came to see us. They wanted to see the house for the first time, visit us and of course see Togo too, but they really wished to travel a few minutes and go to a winery in Roseburg. 

Marina described a winery where the tasting room was in a cave of sorts, but she could not have known just what we were actually walking into. The winery is Reustle Prayer Rock Wineries, known for their events, great wines and the cave tasting room venue. Since none of us had seen the winery before, we were all jazzed to go. 

Before we left, however, Marina handed me a jar of her sourdough starter. She has been baking some of the most beautiful loaves of bread, pizza dough, and anything made from the flour concoction. I couldn't wait to begin my own baking of sourdough breads, rolls, and all that sourdough is great for. And so it begins ...

Marina makes her fresh baked bread from einkorn flour. It gives it the tougher outer crust and the beautiful brown color. Gorgeous! I will be using the organic unbleached flours as we don't have any of the dietetic sensitivities as Marina does. I cannot wait to see how our breads come out! I used to make sourdough many years ago, but things in the baking world have progressed. Working with the "pull and stretch" method will be interesting and fun to try!

I absolutely love the way her breads turn out! But for now, I placed my jar of sourdough starter on the counter, and we headed to the winery. 

What an amazing journey! First, as a background into the situation, I don't drink. Terry rarely drinks. He has a cocktail or two at times when we are out and about, but a very light drinker himself. Wineries are something I never go to because I do not partake in drink, so this was going to be an exciting trip, for both Terry and me. Marina and Kaylie had been to wineries, in fact, Kaylie used to work at a wine tasting room in Arizona. As Terry said during the visit, "I don't go to wineries, so thank you for popping my grape." Yes, he still has jokes. Had our family cracking up though. Funny, funny man. 

We stepped out of the car and wow. That's all I can say. "Wow." The hills around us were gorgeous, even under the blanket of smoke. All the grassy lands were dry and brown, except for the rows of grapes that were watered daily, but still, a beautiful sight. 

We stopped and did some goofy, weird posing for the camera. I followed in Kaylie's footsteps and did the sideways pose with hands on hips. It was an odd situation, to say the least. I hate my picture taken, so awkward, but I did join in on the fun. 

Onward we strolled, up into the walkway leading to the Promised Land cave, where wine is tasted, and visiting is encouraged. You could hear the angels sing upon arrival, should you be a wine drinker. As I said, I don't drink much so all I heard were crickets. And lizards. Lots of lizards. Lizards scampering everywhere in the garden area, along the paths, in the rocks, and all around us. Cute little guys, but still, you could see and hear them scurrying from one rock to another. 

Even the path to the gate to heaven was interesting. The people of the winery lined the entire length of the walkway with grape vines and lights. The grape vines had grapes dangling from their branches. Lights were off because it was daylight, but the fantasy of what it looked like at night was clear. Gorgeous!

Grapes growing along the fencing on the right. Various grape varieties in rows growing on the left. 

Beautiful setting. The grapes were well groomed and carefully attended to. 

Reaching the top of the incline, there were tables with chairs, a fountain, and benches with beautiful inlaid pictures of grapes and other designs. It was the perfect place to sit and enjoy a nice glass of Reustle Prayer Rock Winery's best. 

A couple of the small benches were artfully displayed in the courtyard area. 

Marina and Kaylie were ready to go! But none of us expected what we saw inside the cave ...

Had to snap one more photo of the courtyard before entering. 

Before entering the cave, you were greeted by an outer stone layer, with wisteria and ivy growing across the front. There were small purple petunias planted out front, to give a touch of color. While amazing and perfect, we still had no idea what we were walking into ... We opened the large doors and we had entered Italy. 

The inner hall displayed barrel after barrel of wine deliciousness. Lights were dim in areas to set off the perfect ambiance for a wine tasting room. Walls crafted of stone with stone inlay really added to the setting. All we knew was that the work and craftsmanship of the Reustle Winery could not have offered a better experience of an Italian feel unless they flew you directly to Italy. Absolutely stunning. A lot of "Oh's" and "Ahs" were heard throughout our group of four on a regular basis. The more we walked around and saw, the more we were in awe. Hey, I can be a poet sometimes too. Terry isn't the only one. LOL. 

Little rooms were off the main entrance and down hallways, with ornately crafted wooden doors, welcoming those businessmen and women who need a room to hold meetings or to give the winery places to meet with visitors who wished to taste wines in a private tasting. 

Upon entering, our helpful, friendly host began to serve our every whim. "What wines are you looking for?" Or, "Do you like wine? Is there something else I can serve you?" Terry and I were walking around the lounge area looking at the craftsmanship of the place. Genuinely breathtaking. 

Lounging around, drinking wine, spending the day in a cool, relaxed atmosphere doesn't suck. Angelic carvings and stone borders really set off the rock and brick walls. Adding some wine barrels, chairs, tables, a fireplace, all added a feeling of being welcomed into their room. Candles were a great touch. The chandeliers really added some elegance. All in all, a perfect place to be. 

I walked down the hallway on the left side of the lounge area while the others were ordering their wine. While gorgeous, there was an odd looking Humpty Dumpty looking statue at the end of the hall, past the barrels of wine. The lighting was dim as well, making it a bit creepier. Wasn't sure what it was used for, but it seemed it was intended to have a task in the wine making process. Strange but it made a unique addition, I guess. Hey, we have a Harry at home, so what's a large dressed up egg at the end of a dark hallway? An egg that is wearing lipstick and is smiling at you. 

The business rooms for rent were stunning. Even the tables had uniquely crafted designs in them. Wood and stone seemed to be the theme throughout the cave. 

Terry's artful eye caught photos of the room that gives a different perspective. 

Sweet man takes awesome photos! I tried to get some of these but failed. The picture above was blurry and not worthy of the blog. 

Without wanting to adventure too far ahead of my family, I walked back into the lounge. 

Throughout the building, there were so many different styles of chandelier. Most were simpler, all were classy and gorgeous. 

Looking at the work on the cave, it made me appreciate the time and effort that went into the place, as I said before. Stone intertwined with brick. Add a chandelier and voila! Instant elegance, class, and beauty, while welcoming people into your comforting venue. 

Down the hallways and into the rooms available for business meetings or gatherings of any type, the artwork was eye catching as well. Colors were kept natural, simple, yet stood out among the basics of stone. The art shown here is a photo of the winery in fall, with leaves of the grapes in all their glory. Grape leaves make a canvas for the pond that sits at the end of the property with a nice fountain spurting water into the air and back into the pond in an attempt to keep the water circulating, joining manmade artistry with the gorgeousness of nature. 

In the entryway, sat a display case of honor and the top-notch wines that won the coveted award for wine making. Not only had the wines won awards over the years, but so had the winery and rightly so in my opinion. 

Even the tables in the rooms off the hallways were special. Designs made of wood and stone really set the tone of the room. 

As we stood in the hallway, choosing where to go next, a standard poodle appeared from the back room. A woman working in the back informed us she was always walking around, welcoming guests, and doing her thing. She was very friendly, cuddly, and loveable. Beneath our feet lay a floor pattern of large tile slabs with etched and painted bible verses to be read as you walk. 

The pup spent time sniffing all of the scents on our clothing. Marina has two dogs, Kaylie has two, and of course, Terry and I have two. The dog was really getting a snoot full!

Walking down the hall, there were bible verses etched into the large pieces of tile that made up the path, with several biblical art pieces carved into the wall.  

We walked past the creepy egg looking guy and saw the etching on the wall. 

Chandeliers hung from the ornate ceilings, shining small amounts of light into the hallway. Wooden barrels were lined along the walls. 

Loved the chandeliers!

Another wooden table that increased the warmth and depth of the design. 

Outside the room lay a piece of stone leading into the area, with "W.A.R. Room" engraved into the piece, along with some grapes and vines. We were not sure what the "W.A.R." might stand for. However, I have done some research and apparently the letters stand for Stephen Reustle's father, Walter Arthur Reustle. All three catacombs are labeled, "The Victory Room," "The W.A.R. Room," and finally "The Celebration Room." It makes sense. When moving in sequence, the rooms symbolize the journey from war to victory and the celebration of that win. I thought that was rather interesting, even though it is war. The rooms are also used for private tastings as a way of allowing visitors a way to educate themselves about wine and all it has to offer. 

Further down the hall, I looked up at the ceiling. Beautiful paintings! This painting is the wineries own creation of The Creation of Adam, with the original of course being in the Sistine Chapel. The artist who painted the remake is a car and motorcycle design painter. He could only work at night due to the visitors coming to the winery during the day. Laying on his back on top of scaffolding, he airbrushed the painting to create this amazing piece of art. The artist incorporated a cross between the hands of God and Adam to represent Jesus as a conduit between God and man. 

The painting is above all of these tables. This is the celebration room. 

The main entrance door was open a crack, allowing a beam of light to enter into the dark hallway, giving a more dramatic look.  

We grab our drinks and walk up the stairway to the observation deck. From there, you not only gain a beautiful view of the surrounding hills, but you also have access to the amphitheater, the event barbecue station, an outhouse, and other special areas the winery offers. 

One of the first things Terry and I noticed was the bonsai tree. I love the art of bonsai!

Greeted by a beautiful pond and "double fountain," the observation deck was a great way to see all that was offered.

Water lilies and other plants sat on the surface of the water, surrounding the second fountain in the "pond." 

One view off the deck was of the pond at the bottom of the property, which will be seen from the ground in later photos. The hill to the right was covered with row after row of grape vines, all in a perfect array. The little "she-shed" looking buildings are actual tiny cabins you can rent. They are not listed on the website. You have to just be in the know about them. Marina was told they do not have bathrooms, however there is an outhouse around the corner.

While difficult to photograph from this angle, I saw a picture of this grape crop inside the winery, taken during the fall. Terry and I are planning on returning to the vineyard in the fall to see the colors that picture displayed during the seasonal changes. Stunning!

We took a moment to sit on the deck but were immediately greeted by flying wasps, including the bald face wasp variety, which attacks pretty much anything. It seemed a good time to move. 

Around the corner from the barbecue station, we ran into this sign. But the sign didn't stand alone. 

This was sitting by the sign. Now, if you can claim an outhouse style bathroom as being "adorable" or "cute," this would constitute an adorable or cute bathroom. Since events are held up on the deck, including concerts, this was a perfect addition to the venue. 

The concert idea was interesting to me. Concerts are held under the large white covering, while people can sit in the grassy areas of the stairs up above. I definitely want to return to experience an event up here! They are, in fact, closing the wine tasting cave down Saturday, at 3:00 PM, to host a "Blessing of the Vineyard" concert. 

Tents lined the colorful rock pathway that ran across the property. 

Nice tile flooring and comfortable furniture gives visitors an awesome view and a place to sip wine and relax. 

Hmm. There is always that one person who photobombs your shots. I was making an attempt to get a picture of another great feature, when my granddaughter walked right in front of me. LOL. At least she looked cool while doing it. There's always one in every crowd. 

Now, the photo I was trying to take was this. Apple trees were trained to grow along the wrought iron railing. The apples were in full bloom, in three varieties actually. We found this interesting. I had never seen this done before, but what an amazing idea!

After seeing all the observation deck offered, we chose to walk the grounds a bit, wine glasses in hand. The winery does allow you to carry your wine around with you while visiting the site. 

Grape vines were trained to grow along the fence as I mentioned before. It was a nice touch to greet visitors. 

If you look closely, you can see grapes hanging on the bottom of the vines. There were purple and green grapes in combination. 

The building of the cave was sparsely explained on the plaque leading up to the tasting room. 

There is an inn and the small white cottages on the pond that are rented out to visitors if they wish. Along the backside of the inn, we walked through a path to see what the property held in terms of views and amenities. Along that path were these large mushrooms. Nothing amazing or largely shocking, but I like mushrooms and the way they grow. 

As we ventured into the backside of the inn, we ran into this guy. A very large brahma rooster strutted toward us. He was making sure everyone knew he was the king of the roost. Then we found out why. In his company he walked proudly with his lady friend, the little gray hen. 

Shortly after seeing the two, he began to crow. Loudly, proudly. He crowed for a good 15 minutes before we were out of ear shot. Mr. Brahma was definitely a proud man. He had a woman, after all. We found out later this rooster was just adopted. Wandering onto the property, the two were strolling around their new home as if they owned it. The workers chose to keep them around and allow them to roam, having no idea where they came from. 

Taken by Terry Macrae.

Beautiful floral gardens lined the site. 

Venturing down to the man-made pond, we saw the fountain up close. 

This view gave us better shots of the vineyard as well. 

From under the gazebo, we got a much better view of the vineyard, the pond, and the two cottages along the pond. Once again, the wasps joined us, encouraging us to move again. They loved the smell of wine, and I had a bottle of water that can attract them as well. 

Terry got a close up of the cottage, taken from the observation deck. 

The close-up Terry captured allows a view through the doors into the tiny rental. 

We saw most of the property but with wasps flying around, we felt it was time to move indoors once again. Marina stopped to order a couple of charcuterie boards and some wine. 

Choosing a table for us, I sat to snap more photos while waiting for my family. Terry was walking around enjoying the site. 

I focused more on the ceiling architecture. Stunning! Bricks with a strip of ornately crafted wooden fruits and nuts. A blend of apples, grapes, wisps of wheat, and nuts broke up the sections of brick, definitely offering a warm, welcoming environment for wine tasters. 

And of course, those pretty chandeliers!

Soon we were feasting on salami, crackers, nuts, stuffed olives and those delicious pretzel bites with an great tasting dipping sauce. Two cheese slices, one covered with honey and the other topped with a splash of what tasted like fig jam were my favorite. We all fell in love with that taste combination! One of the cheeses tasted like a parmesan and topped with the honey, it gave a deliciously new experience for all of us. But the fig jam, on top of an unknown type of cheese, was the favorite. In fact, I'm going to the store to locate some cheese and that fig jam. Or else I will be making some. Whatever it takes!

Finishing our snack, we went out to the car. Marina and Kaylie wanted to visit one more winery before leaving Roseburg. I hated to leave Reustle, but there was nothing we left out except for the Prayer Rock. It was named that because Stephen Reustle and his son used to stand at the rock and pray together, hence the name. I don't know exactly where it was in proximity to the grounds we walked today, but next time I go I would love to check it out. I know I want to return to see the autumn colors hit the vineyard!

Next we went to Melrose Winery. Not quite as unique as Reustle, but pretty just the same. 

Barrels were topped off with corks and a glass tabletop was added over all of it, creating a pretty cool looking table for a winery. 

Display case filled with their top award-winning wines. 

The outside patio area opened up a new view for us. Great place to taste wines and enjoy the setting. 

A large tree loomed in the view, with moss draped over the branches like a Christmas tree with tinsel. It was beautiful, in an eerie sort of way. 

We had a chance to sit and relax while chatting about our lives and the day. 

Terry and I enjoyed a diet Coke and ice water, respectively, while Marina and Kaylie tasted different varieties of wine. 

It was a very nice day, great company, and good conversation. A good time had by all. 

Melrose and Reustle Prayer Rock Wineries. Check them out if you ever have a chance to visit Roseburg! We loved Reustle, of course. Melrose was a nice place to sip drinks on the back patio and enjoy the day. 

You can find the two wineries by clicking on these links:

Melrose

Reustle Prayer Rock

Winery trips complete so now it's off to meet Mallory at our house before heading to dinner. We chose the Best Taste of India restaurant to give Marina and Kaylie something specific to Roseburg. Mallory joined us and it was a great time had by all. No, there were not photos of our trip to dinner tonight. Everyone had a good meal over good conversation. Marina and Kaylie had to take off right after dinner to get home to their dogs. 

Mallory came to our house to visit for a while. We had not all been together for what seemed like a lifetime. It was actually about a week and a half. She stayed until around 8:30 and left for home. Terry and I watched some TV and then headed into bed, but not before I fed "Seymour," my sourdough starter. 

Seymour had grown over the few hours we were gone. He was getting larger by the minute it seemed. Once I had settled in for the evening, I saw that he had flattened. I fed him again and poof! He grew overnight. I woke up on Friday and he was perky, bubbly, and ready to go. 

Right after feeding. 

Another weekend spent with family. I love my family, love the time we are together, and love having such a large group of family members. Terry loves being with them too, as does Mallory. We've all collaborated into one happy group of people, with my husband and new daughter accepting of my biological family and vice versa. It has been a good thing to watch, and it makes my heart happy. There was talk of being sisters today and that really sealed the happiness for me.