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We arrived at TeSoAria (4003 N Williams Ave., 971-229-0050, tesoaria.com) a half-hour before it was scheduled to close on a Thursday evening. We figured it would be a quick visit. Two hours, 10 wines and one conversation about how to prepare the perfect poached egg later, we finally left. Roseburg winery TeSoAria opened this butternut-walled tasting room last December, and while not entirely out of place on North Williams, it's more likely to draw your mom's book club than the terribly hip crowd at the Box Social across the street. Which isn't so bad: The narrow space is airy and pleasant, Simon & Garfunkel pour out of the speakers, and servers have no interest in rushing you. A tasting (10 pours for $10) can take a couple hours, the chef might sit down at your table with a glass of his own, and you're likely to get an earful about the Bull's Blood, a Hungarian-style red blend that dates to the mid-16th century and whose name has something to do with Ottoman troops and the drunken Hungarian soldiers who successfully repelled them. TeSoAria's take on Bull's Blood is earthy and full-bodied, and we also liked the single varietal kadarka (one of many grapes that goes into the blend), which is juicy but mellow. The food is uneven: freshly made truffled potato chips ($3) are crunchy and addictive, while three-bite pizzettas with mozzarella, sun-dried tomato jam, pancetta and arugula ($8) are like dressed-up Bagel Bites. Most astonishing revelation of the night? Tip is included in the prices. How European.
WWeek 2015