Dan Gordon is the Assistant Winemaker at Tamarack Cellars. His duties include the hands-on daily winemaking decisions, overseeing and occasionally working in the tasting room, some special events participation and outside sales to certain markets…
Danny Gordon is the Assistant Winemaker at Tamarack Cellars. His duties include the hands-on daily winemaking decisions, overseeing and occasionally working in the tasting room, some special events participation and outside sales to certain markets including: Oregon (the Greater Portland Area, the Coast, the Willamette Valley and the Columbia River Gorge), Washington (Vancouver, the Long Beach Peninsula, and Eastern Washington), Idaho and Montana.
Danny grew up on the outskirts of the small town of Banks, Oregon on an 8 acre farm, about 20 miles west of Portland and just a mile down the road from Tualatin Vineyards (now Tualatin Estate Vineyards). He would like to say he got his start in the wine business with Tualatin Estate Vineyards but while the owners were goods friends of the family he never worked for them. He spent most of his growing up working on a row crop farm in Cornelius, Oregon. Danny graduated from Banks High School and then Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in General Agriculture. Shortly after graduation he moved to Eastern Oregon for work and the drier weather. In 1999 he began work at Tamarack Cellars and has been with Tamarack Cellars ever since. In 2000 Danny moved with his wife Carin to Walla Walla, Washington and has been enjoying the town so nice they named it twice since. In 2002 they became the parents of a daughter Amelia and in June of 2006 a son Ryker.
Danny was interviewed in 1999 by the owner of Tamarack Cellars, Mr. Ron Coleman, after showing up at the winery unannounced. After four questions from the owner it was time to get to work. He was asked about where he grew up? Answer: He grew up on a farm and worked on a different farm most of those years which meant he knew about hard work. Next question was what his degree was in? Answer: As mentioned above it is in General Agriculture with a focus on soils and crops which has proven very helpful in the vineyards. The third question was about forklift driving which he had many years experience doing. Last question was did Dan know anything about wine? Answer: Very little other then he enjoyed drinking it. This answer like all the others pleased the owner with the inclination that Dan had an open mind and could be taught things fresh while not having to be untaught anything.
Through work experience, continual education and many helpful friends from the wine industry Danny has gained knowledge that lets him do his job better and with more confidence all the time.
Tamarack adds Sangiovese to our suite of varietals! We crafted a food- friendly and full-bodied wine with sweet tannins and a smooth finish.
This wine is really all about chocolate, especially when first opened. A ripe black raspberry-jam scent emerges from underneath, with candied plum flavors giving buyancy to that cocoa'd base. With time this wine becomes more ample and fresh, both juicy and mouthfilling. A syrah for barbecued ribs.
Thick and dense on the palate, with gobs of flavor, this full bodied effort demands 6-8 years of cellaring and should drink well through 2040.