December, 2019. The table was set. I had 25 Willamette Valley chardonnays chilled and ready. Each chardonnay hailed from one of the seven sub-appellations (also known as nested AVAs or sub-AVAs) within the valley*, and nearly all sub-AVAs had three or four wines to represent it. Three notable somms from the Twin Cities had arrived […]
The Death of Yeast Adds to Chardonnay and Sparkling Wines
Alcohol has been celebrated with awe for millennia. This mysterious transfiguration of sugar has inspired lore and legend, even religion, until the 19th century when Louis Pasteur proved that yeast is the mechanism at play. We now understand, in winemaking, a variety of yeast strains carry out the primary conversion of grape sugar into alcohol. Only a few wines, however, utilize the yeast post-fermentation to […]
Minnesota in the Willamette: Minnesotans Staking Claim in Oregon’s Famed Pinot Noir Region
Pinot noir that seduces with satin-and-lace elegance. Riesling worthy of her exalted status as Queen of the White Wines. Chardonnay that walks a tightrope with both energy and grace. These are the kinds of wines coming out of arguably the most exciting wine region in the United States today—Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Over the years, several […]
9 Winter Wines for the Holiday Season
Cool Canadian winds have whisked in the holiday season, and with this churn comes a shift in wines to the more savory and layered. Many choose to jump directly into the depths-of-winter wines, like cabernet sauvignon and zinfandel. Instead, try something more transitional this month—wine that honors the elements, pairs with a variety of foods, and piques […]
People’s Wine
Real wine is hard to find. The charade that populates most store shelves is a group of elixirs, created to poke and tickle the right taste buds. Made in the vein of Pepsi or Fritos, these commodity wines typically showcase excessive fruit, residual sugar, and serious chugability. These are circus wines with circus labels, and […]
Riesling Rising – Weinbau Paetra
Willamette Valley Pin . . . No. Stop there. Riesling. Willamette Valley Riesling. For winemakers and the wine obsessed, this combination brings little surprise. For most, Riesling sounds like an afterthought in the land of world-class Pinot Noir. Enter Weinbau Paetra. Buy, pop, swirl, and see. Bill Hooper worked his way into a few fine […]
2014 Wy’east Vineyards Vinette’s Cuvee Pinot Noir
89 points Medium ruby with nice aromatic intensity. Violet pastille, candied cherry, energetic raspberry, and a pinch of oak spice make a compelling statement. The body shows Oregon meeting German Spätburgunder, lithe with vivacious acidity and a low-level of grippy tannins. Tart cherry takes the command here. True to its source, even in warm vintages. (MW, […]
2014 Wy’east Vineyards Pinot Gris
87 points Pale lemon with subtle, youthful aromas of green apple, Bartlett pear, and slate. Dry leaning in to off-dry with noteworthy, well-integrated acidity. Length lacked luster, perhaps due to age. (MW, February 2017) Price $20 Varietal: Pinot Gris Region: Columbia Gorge AVA Alcohol: 13.1% Producer: Wy’east Vineyards
Tasting the Bella Vida
Three wines. Each providing a thumbprint and insight into a winemaker’s style. All under one roof. A tour of the Willamette Valley typically provides the curious connoisseur an experience with Pinot Noir, soils and AVA variations, winemaking style, and brand image. The preeminent role of site, however, leaves the taster wondering what effect the winemaker […]
Visions through the Mist at the Oregon Wine Symposium
Last week’s Oregon Wine Symposium provided plenty of fodder for this curious mind. A few tidbits for you, my beloved readers, to ponder and peruse: 2015, the warmest vintage on record in the Willamette Valley, will become the norm between 2035—2045. The wine industry and many others (NASA, ski resorts, Inuit villages, farmers more broadly) take […]