[Two stories about two captivating personalities at Quail Run Vineyards/South Stage Cellars]

Is the drama brewing in a Jacksonville tasting room fact or fiction?

AT one time, South Stage Cellars in Jacksonville was posting your average stuff on Facebook: upcoming releases, events, discounts. Then one seemingly mundane day, social czar Porscha Schiller noticed someone especially captivating at the end of the bar. Porscha, a student of people, studied the brunette dish sipping her Syrah. Then suddenly, the woman vanished and since then, security alarms inexplicably sound, a small girl has entered the scene, followed by a handsome suitor and perhaps a jealous husband. Porscha continues to chronicle the unfolding tale for her growing number of Facebook friends. Not only are South Stage Cellars fans gobbling up the story, they’re adding to it.

With Porscha’s permission, here’s what she’s posted so far. Jump in by joining her Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100000481868836&ref=ts

January 16 at 9:30am

I'm at South Stage Cellars by myself all day today. Come and visit me. 12-7PM 125 South 3rd St, Jville. Fireplace, great wine and wonderful atmosphere.

January 21 at 4:10pm

Well, it's almost Friday. Be it wind, rain, snow, or cold, warm up at South Stage Cellars. The fireplace is always on. Sip on a beautiful glass of red or white wine your choice. New group is playing, I never heard them so I'm excited. It is Larry and me. Beauty and the beast. Larry being the beauty, heheheh complimentary appetizers, live music, great no fantastic wine $5.00-$7.00

January 28 at 7:15am

Good morning all, it is going to be a great day!! Almost a full moon, almost Friday local's night at SSC and almost Oh What a Night, and this moment yahooooo.

January 30 at 8:53am

A woman walked in last night and took a seat at the very end table. I normally wouldn't think anything of this but she sat facing the door watching it intensely. She ordered a dark red Syrah and continued staring at the bell that hung over the door as if she was expecting someone. Her naturally red lips darkened even more as she sipped on her glass of Syrah. When I looked away to serve another person she vanished.

18 comments including:

Pegi Smith: Mysteriously mysterious

Lars Weimar: That's pretty crazy...How long were you not looking at her? ??I'm so sorry we missed it, our workday ran extra long

Jack Kendrick: Sounds like the start of a good mystery novel. We'll be waiting for the rest of the story to unfold. Good thing we put the Black Vest away, it might have vanished along with the mysterious woman. Seriously, your description shows off your obvious potential as a writer...keep it up.

Porscha responded: I thought only for a minute. She was so mysterious as if she had a secret. She had long, silky brown hair, I couldn't figure out her age because she kept her face tilted down.? I know, I mean I know how strange it is about the woman. I'm trying to figure out the time when she came in but it was pretty crowded last night and Spirit and I were running like crazy.

Lars Weimar: I've heard lots of stories like that too...there's no explaining them sometimes. You most assuredly would have at least seen her leaving or heard a bell or something when she left. Did anybody else see her????

Porscha responded: That's a good idea, I'll ask Spirit and Larry if they saw her. Actually whoever was at South Stage last night, did anyone else see the mystery woman?

Barbara Peeters: How bizarre! I bet you were the only one to see her because you were the one she came to see.....

Larry W. Brewster: Porscha..I wish you would have told me last night? about her...what time was this, how cool. I always feel like there is someone there when I there alone.?

Joe Flambo: She was there to meet me. I got hung up with some business with the boys at the casino and ran late. I heard she ran off with Fabio.

Jack Kendrick: Most comments I've ever seen...You sure now how to fire up the crowd.

Joy Light: Maybe she was a vampire!

Dylan Steeves: Joy has a point, Twilight is getting pretty popular these days.

February 6 at 10:01am

A very strange thing happened again at the Cellars. It is too long to tell in one post so please bare with me. Local's nite was fantastic. A new 3-piece band called Buck 63 played. We sang, clapped, cheered, danced to their limericks, stories & music. I looked over the crowd smiling when the door opened, the woman, I'm... going to call her Ms Syrah, rushed in, looked around & then left.

February 6 at 10:05am

I tried to get out from the back of the bar but before I moved I saw her coat flying out the door. As we closed down the tasting room Larry & I locked the door set the alarm and were headed to the Bella when the alarm went off. I tried resetting it as did Larry but it kept on going off. The alarm co. called & said the motion detector detected movement. We didn't understand nobody else was there, or so we thought....

Pegi Smith: I'm getting chillzzzzzzz

Sarah Lythgoe: ooo, creeppyy!

Porscha responded: I don't know, the woman seems to be looking for someone. She has a real nice energy to her. I don't know if the two are connected, it was strange that the alarm co. said they detected movement in the family room. This was a house before it was a business.

Alicia Mannix: time for ghost busters

Jon Meadors: Sounds like a new series. Ghosts of Rogue Valley Tasting Rooms.

Porscha responded: Mmm could be, however Ms Syrah came in the tasting room again and she wasn't a ghost at least not on Saturday. I'm still trying to figure out which room was the family room where the movement was detected.

February 7 at 8:51am

Ms Syrah sat down. Her long dk hair was tied up in a bow, she asked for a syrah, thumbed thru a pict. calendar. The images reflected in her dk sparkling eyes. She read the event board signed up for Tonite’s the Nite in April. The bell over the door rang, I heard her gasp. I turned around to see her staring at the door ...a tear running down her cheek. The phone rang, people crowded in for a cooking class, Ms Syrah left.

Lars Weimar: If anything, this mystery woman is going to make you take up a 'noir' hobby....keep it up! ??Happy Sunday

February 12 at 3:16 pm

Ms Syrah walks in followed by a little girl. They take a seat, Ms Syrah unfolds a piece of paper, takes out a box of crayons. The little girl slides out a radiant yellow & starts to draw a big bright sun. I bring Ms Syrah a glass of Syrah & place a cup of water in front of the little girl. She looks up at me, smiles & says thank you. I notice her smoldering dark eyes and natural red lips. Ms Syrah has a daughter

Pattie Rascoe Bakke: If only I knew when she was coming I could bring my little girl in to color with hers, then I could unravel the mystery. If I do, I would love a glass of syrah too.

Porscha responded: I wish I knew when she was coming in too. She is very interesting.

February 13 at 12:07pm

An interesting man enters SSC & orders a btle of Cabernet with 2 glasses. He takes the end table, his head anxiously bounces back & forth from his watch to the front door. Patiently he waits, finally he pulls out a pen writes on a card & walks out. The place is packed, between the Chinese New Year & the SOHS gathering. I clean up the table & pick up the card he left behind, it reads, Permettez-moi expliquer

Art Stevens: He said, "allow me to explain" and left a card and then bolted? Did he ever explain?

February 22 at 12:04pm

I walked into work Fri immediately gazed at the end table. I took a deep breath. I saw Mr Cab & Ms Syrah huddled tightly together over a Vintner's Blend. I KNEW they were connected! The note left last week said in French let me explain. I guess he was explaining. He gently kissed the tip of her fingers. His magical smile showed off his dimpled cheek. I thought back & realized Ms Syrah's daughter had a dimple.

Barbara Peeters: You are just too fun....I love these tales of intrigue....

Porscha responded: Thanks for reading, it is so interesting to me I hope it is to you. Syrah is well, very special....

Barbara Peeters: I'll be out there to meet them personally very soon....: )

February 22 at 5:20pm

A limo was waiting out front. The driver peaked out, asked if we were open. “Sure come on in." 8 beautiful ladies walked out of the limo, the last lady hesitated, I smiled, it was Syrah. She looked up & pretended not to recognize me. The ladies laughed, listened to stories & sipped on wine. They bought cases of our best selections & got up to leave. Syrah turned her head, smiled & said thank you in a quiet voice.

Daria Land: I adore Ms. Syrah!

Manny Saenz: Wasnt a case of durif was it?

Porscha responded: It was, you are so funny.

Manny Saenz: :-( not the durif? Gonna make Manny cry! Not to mention make Manny talk in the third person.

Porscha responded: heheheh

February 27 at 12:44pm

Syrah and Mr Cab never came in last night. Poooh, I thought they would. Perhaps today.

Agnieszka Stachurska: Ooo never heard of mr cab. Are the little muscat and sangovese around ?

Daria Land: Mr. Cab...mysterious and handsome I assume?!

Manny Saenz: Mysterious and handsome? Well that eliminates me....Thanks alot Daria

Daria Land: Well in case you haven't looked in the mirror lately you are both! I mean that in a good way. ;-)

Manny Saenz: If you are trying to cheer me up, I got news for ya!....It’s working

March 5 at 11:09am

I was shopping for food items for SSC local's night and saw Ms Syrah's daughter. There she was with her father's beautiful dimpled smile. I looked around for Ms Syrah or Mr Cab. Up walked this very distinguished older man, gray side burns, beautiful white teeth, stunning shirt and slacks. Mmm no dimples. Hi I'm Olivia's... father who are you? Umm, Umm I'm.... Hi, my name is Porscha....

March 7 at 9:08am

Ms Syrah came in on Friday late afternoon. She looked so beautiful. Her dark brown hair swept over her flawless white skin and her red glossy lips tried to create a smile as she asked me a question. "Did you ever make a mistake that you know will last a life time?" She sipped on her glass of Alchemy, opened her purse and that's when I saw...

Barbara Peeters: You tease too much! What did you see? A mistake is a lesson and should last a lifetime, but not cripple us with guilt....we should rejoice in the mistakes that have made us a better, wiser person......so what did you see in her purse? :=)

David Graham: ...a pearl handled pistol, an odd juxtaposition for such an elegant lady. Her hand trembled slightly as she brushed past the cold steel and retrieved a powder blue jewel case. She glanced up, aware that I may have seen her purse and quickly shifted it out of sight. She managed another weak smile, as if apology for her nervous behavior, and placed the small jewel case on the bar. The deep red of her wine reflected against her hands as she gently opened the case to reveal what looked to be a torn letter...

Barbara Peeters: YES, YES, GO ON.....

Mickey Eidswick: Her room key, (within my reach), she looked at me, and then down at the key, as if it were a invitation. I thought, " now this is a mistake"...but my curiosity got the best of me.......

Barbara Peeters: OMG, better than the soaps.....let's film it!

Porscha responded: Wow you guys are good. Better than the real stuff. I love it, keep on composing, I love it.

Thu at 4:30pm

A plane ticket. Mr. Cab walked in SSC. His bright smile quickly vanished when he looked into Ms Syrah's eyes. "What's wrong?" he said. She sipped on her glass of syrah," I ordered you a merlot." She hesitated and than placed the plane ticket in his hand. "It's time for you to go." she said as she placed her gloved hand... to his cheek. Please, for Olivia.

Fri at 7:52am

He pulled her body towards him, in desperation he pressed his lips close to hers. No, not now, please not now. I just found you & Olivia again. Her hand hit the gl of merlot, it spilled to the ground, she wiped the stream of liquid off her lap and than the floor. Her eyes returned to her seat as she saw him walk out the door. "Oh My God, what did I do!"

Yesterday at 12:41pm

I'm leaning on the counter in SSC thinking about Ms Syrah, Mr Cab, and the handsome gray headed man & his daughter Olivia, I met when I was shopping. Did Mr Cab really leave. I haven't seen Ms Syrah the last few days. Life is ...... well.... unpredictable.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Parching vineyard tour then much-appreciated wine tasting

By Janet Eastman

CHRIS Hubert plucks a fat cluster of Viognier grapes from a vine and acts as if he’s going to gobble it whole. His smiling audience? Eighteen wine appreciators touring one of Quail Run Vineyard’s 10 Southern Oregon vineyards. Hubert manages the company’s 300 acres of grapes that are made into wine by Dobbes Family Estate, A to Z , Griffin Creek and more than 20 other wineries including Quail Run Vineyard’s South Stage Cellars label.

On Saturday afternoon, Aug. 22, Hubert met the group at Crater View Vineyard, just outside Jacksonville. For an hour, he walked them past orderly rows of Cab Franc, Malbec, Albarino and other varietals, spaced nine feet apart and rising up a sloping hill to cover 30 acres. He had them taste the grapes, examine growth and learn about the soil conditions. He stopped under a shady oak tree – the weather hit the 80s – to answer questions from grape novices on pruning, irrigation and trellis methods as well as hard queries from home winemakers who wanted to compare sustainable agriculture (which Hubert promotes) to organic and biodynamic approaches.

Quail Run Vineyards began in Talent in 1989 with 13 acres and now grows 27 different varietals well known in France, Spain, Chile and Argentina. Owners Don and Traute Moore opened the South Stage Cellars’ Wine Garden and Tasting Room in Jacksonville two years ago to sell the wine made with their fruit.

After a parching tour of the vineyard, the tour group reassembled at the tasting room garden to sit under umbrellas and experience wines paired with Rogue Creamery cheeses: 2007 South Stage Cellars Estate Pinot Gris ($18) with semi-hard TouVelle cow milk cheese; 2005 Dobbes Family Estate Viognier ($22) with lavender cheddar; 2006 Spangler Vineyards Cabernet Franc ($36) with Gorgonzola-style Oregonzola; and a 2006 Griffin Creek Tempranillo ($45) with Caveman Blue cheese.

Hubert stood on the patio to address the group, with wine bottles lined up in front of him on the railing. He was asked what makes Southern Oregon wines distinct: “The difference between day and night temperatures” is his shortened answer. He was also asked which grape he thinks will do best in the future: “That’s the million dollar question,” he offered, probably keeping his thoughts to himself (why should he spill?). We’ll all have to just wait, taste and see.

Next up: Porscha Schiller, South Stage Cellars’ social genius who organizes inventive, sold-out events (people are still raving about last month’s salsa dance party), announced a Hula theme party for Saturday, Sept. 12. There will, of course, be plenty of wines to taste and the McCully House will prepare a Hawaiian dinner. Performing will be Ashland’s Hula Hui group, a big hit with hips swaying in formation down the street as part of the Ashland 4th of July parade. Tickets are $40. For more information, call (541) 840-5453, www.southstagecellars.com.

Also, every Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. is Locals’ Night at South Stage Cellars’ Wine Garden and Tasting Room, with hors d’oeuvres, music, wine and a cast of club member characters.