On a recent hot summer evening, my husband, Harry, and I and friends Rich and Marianne arrived at DANCIN Vineyards in nearby Jacksonville, Oregon, for a special Harvest in Motion Dinner at Our House. DANCIN has long been one of our favorite wineries of the 40 or so that now exist in the Rogue Valley, not only for their beautifully made wines (especially the estate Pinot Noirs) but also for its Tuscan-inspired tasting room, lush landscaping and outdoor terraces with views spreading out over the neatly kept rows of vines and stretching to the valley and the mountains beyond.

In addition to those spaces, the winery added The Residence in the past few years (the “House” in the event name), a large, modern home perched high on a hillside above the winery. It boasts a gourmet kitchen that opens to a large event space whose immense windows give out onto amazing views. Additionally, there are several guestrooms and baths which can be rented for overnight guests and events (great for a wedding party, as the winery often hosts weddings).

In spite of the gorgeous views, we were pleased to be seated indoors in air-conditioned comfort on a night when the temperatures still hovered around 95 degrees (but it was a dry heat, at least!). We were invited to help ourselves to charcuterie platters and a glass of the 2024 En L’air Rosé of Pinot Noir (light and refreshing and a lovely shade of pale raspberry pink) as we mingled a bit before being seated at our table. Only 24 seats were available for this dinner, which made for an intimate and pleasant experience.

We started with a beautiful heirloom tomato salad centered around a scoop of rich, creamy burrata. It nicely balanced the textures of haricot verts, red onions and beet chips, all lightly dressed in a strawberry saba reduction. It paired beautifully with the Rosé, too. It was followed by an Oregon bay shrimp tartlet. The shrimp, marinated in citrus, were scattered over a sweet corn custard tartlet . . . I just loved those fresh, summer flavors of sweet corn and locally sourced seafood, complemented by a tarragon crème frâiche and microgreens. The tart was served with a pulled-from-the-library 2011 Assemblage Chardonnay. Though 14 years old and boasting a rich golden-yellow color, it yet was buttery-smooth and flavorful.

We then cleansed our palate with an intermezzo of a citrusy granita charmingly served in a small canning jar … again evoking summer and the harvest season. I appreciated how each course subtly represented those themes and also were appropriately light on such a warm evening.

Our entrée, porchetta-style pork loin, was served with an apple mostarda, smashed rosemary fingerling potatoes, wilted mustard greens, and pan jus made with the DANCIN Barbera. Every element was cooked to perfection, with the pork tender and juicy and the potatoes having a pleasantly crispy outer skin. We enjoyed another library wine, the 2013 Tribute Barbera Blend. Its color was still a clear, deep purple without a hint of brickishness, and though the flavor was perhaps not at its peak, it still proved an excellent pairing with the pork.

We ended the evening with another dish full of summer flavors: peach crisp served with blackberry ice cream and honey-thyme syrup served in individual ramekins. The crumble on top had us all asking for the recipe, which the chef gently declined to share. The menu said it was an almond oat mixture, but we all agreed that it actually contained Oregon hazelnuts, and I decided my next crumble would include that ingredient. By that point we were all pretty full, but we managed to consume every bite of the dessert. It was served with a pour of DANCIN’s rich 2022 Finale Pinot Noir Port Style. It provided the perfect conclusion to a lovely dinner with friends that evoked all the best flavors of summer.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor