What’s not to love about wines dispensed from a vintage 1971 Airstream travel trailer named Floyd?

Sealionne Wines, owned by winemaker Piper Underbrink and her architect husband, Ben Stalker, has a funky new tasting pavilion up on Ribbon Ridge. Unlike the couple’s other winery in Newberg, Privé Vineyard, Sealionne’s tasting area centers on rubber tires.

Sealionne is best known for: “Freedom,” Underbrink answered. “Freedom from the traditional box of what we have to be, what we should be and what we need to do as winemakers.”

I will add that Sealionne will soon be known for its dazzling 2022s. From the chardonnay to the cabernet franc, all the 2022 vintage Sealionne wines I recently tasted were excellent.

Then there’s the Sealionne Phoque Rosé, which I look forward to attempting to pronounce aloud in polite company.

Innovation: Underbrink and Stalker built a time machine on Ribbon Ridge.

“Our spot is at the end of a long gravel road, where you will find an old Airstream trailer and a refurbished barn,” Underbrink said. “Going back to how the Willamette Valley was 40-50 years ago feels innovative to us.”

“Must try’' current release: Underbrink and Stalker split on answering this question, so I let them name two wines. The first is the 2022 Sealionne Lvtetia Syrah ($55 – 13% ABV), made with fruit from the renowned Les Collines Vineyard in Washington state.

Lvtetia is packed with aromas and flavors of blackberries, white pepper and roasted pork shoulder. Its crisp acidity, restrained alcohol and silky tannins make it easy to pour a second glass.

The 2022 Sealionne Metier Pinot Noir ($40 – 13% ABV) is a bright and refreshing wine aged in 80% stainless steel and 20% amphora. The Metier’s lively acidity deploys an electric fence around flavors of strawberry-rhubarb tarts, bittersweet dark chocolate and lemon zest.

Underbrink said she wanted a lighter-style pinot noir that people could chill before drinking. Mission accomplished, as the Metier is as refreshing as a Central Oregon rain in July.

History: Underbrink wanted to make pinot noir, and Stalker sought to complete his architecture education. So, the couple purchased Privé Vineyard from Tina and Mark Hammond and moved from Utah to Oregon in 2020. “We had been dating for all of five months, and we decided to buy a hospitality business during COVID,” Underbrink said. Then came the 2020 wildfires.

The couple survived those relationship tests, and Underbrink has been using the fermentation skills she learned at places such as Flowers Winery and Joseph Phelps Vineyard in California and Old Town Cellars in Utah at Privé and Sealionne.

Underbrink and Stalker purchased West Wind Vineyard, where the Sealionne tasting pavilion is located, from Cody and Marque Wright of Purple Hands Winery fame in 2021. West Wind Vineyard is 15 acres of five different pinot noir clones.

Underbrink makes approximately 2,500 cases of wine annually for her Sealionne label.

What we don’t know: Underbrink, a former Miss Florida High School Rodeo queen, still holds her high school’s record for speed castration of calves. “There’s no way I can top that,” Stalker said.

Given Underbrink’s answer, I can appreciate Stalker’s desire to defer. However, I was surprised to learn that Stalker designed a 10,000-square-foot Bavarian-themed beer garden for a Salt Lake City amusement park.

Inside information: The Sealionne name was inspired by the luxury wooden boats made by Charles P. Lyon in the 1920s and 1930s. Underbrink’s father, who likes to restore old boats, just so happens to have a 1925 SeaLyon named Herschel. Underbrink and Stalker conceived the Sealionne brand while taking Herschel for a lake cruise with her family.

Underbrink said the fact that lionne means “lioness” in French also appealed to her sense of determination.

Last book read: Underbrink said it was likely “Modern Winemaking” by Philip Jackisch. Stalker’s last book was the decidedly non-modern “The Prince” by Niccolò Machiavelli.

If I can’t drink my own wines: “I will usually have a can of Modelo in my hand,” Underbrink said. Stalker went with a margarita, “hopefully paired with a sunny beach.”

Where to buy: I highly recommend visiting Sealionne’s new tasting pavilion to meet Floyd and take in a beautiful view that includes Mount Jefferson on a clear day. While walk-ins are welcome at Sealionne, reservations are available through Tock.

In addition to buying directly from the winery, head to Seaside, Oregon, to check out the Sealionne offerings at Chēz, an impressive cheese and wine bar.

When visiting Utah, you can rustle up glasses of Sealionne’s wines at Old Town Cellars in Park City.

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Sunday, 19500 Ribbon Ridge Road, Newberg, sealionne.com or 503-716-7515.

-- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine