01/08/2024
What's on my mind you ask?
Oregon wine country has grown quite a bit since I last meandered the vineyards and wineries.
Today, there are 23 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) of which Willamette Valley is the largest with just over 700 of Oregon’s 781 wineries and eleven AVAs inside its boundaries.
Willamette Valley is similar to Washington’s largest AVA - Columbia Valley which also has the bulk of the 1,080 wineries within its 17 AVAs and 8 million acres. And similar to Washington, Oregon shares 3 cross border AVAs with Washington and one with Idaho.
But because Willamette Valley is west of the Cascade Mountains and Columbia Valley is east of the Cascades, the differences in geology and climate between the two are the main reason for the different grape varieties grown.
Willamette Valley’s flagship grape is Pinot Noir. And judging from the number of Burgundians and Champenois that have invested in the region, it may be one of the best regions for Pinot Noir.
The influence the French firms, trained viticulturalists and winemakers have had on the state’s wine industry success is quite stunning. The first major shift was in the mid-1980s by the Burgundian Drouhin family that opened Domaine Drouhin Oregon.
While Pinot Noir takes the lead, especially in the Willamette Valley, more than 100 other grape varieties are also grown. Among the most notable are Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. But one will also find smaller offerings of Pinot Blanc, Gamay Noir and Riesling.
Oregon does have vineyards planted to other red grapes, but these are mainly concentrated in Southern Oregon’s Rogue Valley and Oregon’s Columbia and Walla Walla Valleys.
Our first stop was the Winery Lane Collective located in Beaverton, because it’s the closest winery to Portland.
The Collective is home to Hamacher Wines and Suzor Wines with more in the future. We settled into the cool front yard under big shady trees to enjoy the tasting.
Established in 1995, Hamacher Wines produces small lots of wines sourced from some highly respected Willamette Valley vineyards - including one of the oldest, the Ponzi Vineyards.
Their Rosé was fermented in stainless steel then barrel fermented for 2 months on the lees. This is a particularly perfect partner for picnic fare with its crisp, fruity flavors and it’s touch of baking spice.
Next, the Suzor 2022 Gamay Noir which is sourced from Menefee Vineyard located in the foothills of the coastal range. This is not a typical Beaujolais Nouveau!
This Gamay is actually a cousin of the Pinot Noir grape. This unfined and unfiltered wine spent 11 months in neutral oak. As a result, it’s very fragrant with flavors of tart cranberries and baking spices.
Another unusual offering was Suzor’s 2022 Pinot Meunier. Pinot Meunier is primarily used in sparkling wine production both in Champagne and around the world. As a still red wine, it’s relatively rare.
This one was aged in neutral 500-liter puncheons for a year. The fragrance was distinctive and flavors of strawberries with crisp acidity.
Next, we headed northwest through the countryside planted to vines and wheat fields to Helvetia Winery. We tasted their Columbia Valley Riesling, Estate Pinot Gris and two estate Pinot Noirs. My favorite was the Columbia Valley Merlot.
Since it was closing time and rather hot, we headed for our air-conditioned lodgings, with their pool and ice machine and to plan for Day Two’s adventures.
The plan started with finding breakfast and gas before any winery opening at 10 AM. We arrived at Rex Hill prepared for parking in the hot sun with plenty of ice to keep our provisions cool.
Rex Hill has been around since Willamette Valley’s formative years. Grape Expectations Wine Shop sold many cases of their exceptional 1983 Maresh Pinot.
Originally in a converted nut house – the kind where hazelnuts are dried - the digs are now as elegant as their wines.
At a table on the covered patio overlooking the estate vineyards, we chose the flight of five which offered a sparkler, Chardonnay, Dundee Hills Pinot, Sunny Mountain Pinot and Reserve Pinot.
All the wines were delightful but the elegant, complex, and delicious sparkling rosé topped them all. This pale pink 100% Pinot Noir had an abundance of red berries, tart apples and buttery brioche. A full bodied yet crisp wine with a nice, long, lingering finish.
More soon!
