So imagine our surprise at the Pronghorn when an Oregon Winery, Eola Hills, took best in show using Zinfandel grapes from…..California? My old stomping grounds, and while I immediately made the comparison in blind judging to Rosenblum’s single vineyard line, it was hard to swallow after we collectively gave it the highest honor, to know that the grapes did not come from the dirt we all love so much, aka the Red Hills of Dundee, or the Jory soils of Newberg.

But swallow it we did, and it was delicious. Some other wines we tasted that you should know about are:

1.

2007 Chehalem Pinot Gris

, Willamette Valley-Perfect typicity, with sweet peach and floral components that transitioned to melon and pear in the mouth, with a long, creamy finish that was not too dry, but was also, refreshingly, not sweet.

2.

2007 Alexandria Nicole Sauvignon Blanc

, Horse Heaven Hills-In it’s own category with zippy green lemongrass, and sweet green pea on the nose, complemented by lime zest and stone fruit in the mouth, with a very long finish. I could drink this wine everyday.

3.

2005 Left Coast Cellars “Suzanne’s Estate” Reserve Pinot Noir

, Willamette Valley-Initial aromas of Leather and Animal Fur (which is what drew me to Oregon in the first place), followed by pomegranate acidity (i.e. high), then a beautiful black berry fruit that lingers with a medium+ finish. This is not a wine for everyone, only the sexy people.

4.

2006 Airfield Estates Cabernet Sauvignon

, Yakima Valley-Put black currant leaf, spearmint and damp forest leaves into a pestle, and once blended, percolate perfectly ripe grape juice over the top, and you get this wine. Lovely balance, and integrated tannins that just got better with cheese and mushrooms. Blew my mind.

Thanks for reading and I welcome you to call or email with any questions or comments! Look forward to seeing you at In Good Taste for the NW Chocolate Festival! After that, you will find me at the new Nines Hotel, a Starwood Luxury Collection property, where I am the new AGM of Urban Farmer, a modern steakhouse. Come drink some Airfield Cab with me! Cheers to a great harvest and some sustained sunshine into October and November.

#1-Yield and Tonnage. Try to imagine that winemaker A is making wine with fruit that yielded about 5 to 8 tons per acre. Winemaker B is making wine with fruit that yielded about 1 to 2 tons per acre. Which winemaker paid more for the fruit? You guessed it, winemaker B, who also happens to be making Oregon pinot noir.

#2-Harvesting. The thin skin of pinot noir fruit, not to mention the subseptibility to mold and grey rot, makes this a fruit that almost always has to be hand picked. Imagine rows of vineyard workers, picking usually at night to preserve natural acidity, and placing the fruit into small baskets, where the fruit clusters then have to be hand sorted to remove rotten and moldy bunches from the good bunches. Very labor intensive, which of course, adds to the cost of the wine.

#3-Acreage. More and more, Oregon wine is being defined by vineyards, as opposed to appellations. This is a great thing, as this just puts us one step closer to emulating the great Grand Crus of Burgundy, where Clos de Beze means so much more than Gevrey-Chambertin. And like Clos de Beze (at only 38 acres), the great vineyards of the Willamette Valley Dundee Hills are generally 30 acres or less, which means that their fruit commands a higher price. It’s fun to do the math: take Anderson Family Vineyard as an example, lovingly tended by Cliff and Allison Anderson. 20 acres, at a yield of about 1.5 tons an acre. Total of 30 tons of fruit. Each ton yields about 120 gallons of juice, for a total of 3600 gallons. Converted to litres, roughly 21,000 bottles, or 1800 cases. Now the kicker; Anderson Vineyard fruit/juice finds a home each year in Lemelson, JK Carriere, Bergstrom, Boedecker, GC Cellars, and August Cellars, as well as Anderson’s own label. That’s a small pie to divide, indeed. The good news? Next time you see any of these labels with Anderson Vineyard on it, you will have a better understanding of why this “grand cru” vineyard is worth any penny the winemaker charges.

Please note that I’m not suggesting that every spendy bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir is good, because that is not true. Any savvy wine drinker knows better than to drink by price. However, when emulating the Old World, we can’t ignore that the more prestigious vineyard sites easily command higher prices. It is up to the consumer to educate themselves as to who is farming these superior sites, and to subsequently, buy as much of their finished product as they can comfortably afford. Uncorking Oregon is here to help! I hope you enjoyed this blog entry, and would love to hear your comments if you have time.

I drove out to Soter Vineyard yesterday, and met with Tony and Michelle, along with James and Jane. They are putting the finishing touches on an exquisite tasting room, and I for one will be thrilled to take small groups to see the goats, walk the vines, and see the new sustainable direction that Soter is moving towards.

Time to get out to your local farmer’s markets and support your local economy! My favorite is the Tuesday night in Hillsboro from 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m…Rogue Brewery Beer and Fetzer’s Bratwurst? Man cannot live on wine alone, though God knows, we’ve tried…

We have also been chosen to represent Oregon Wines at the finish line for both the Portland Century Bike Race, as well as the Portland Health-Net Criterium in August of this year. Traditionally, Widmer Brewing has been the only adult beverage served to these competitors and spectators. However, this is Oregon, and wine is an equally important product gaining more recognition every day. Stop by for great racing and great wine.

Next class at IGT is on May 24, 2008 at 2 p.m. Two Hours, with wine friendly snacks and four wines, all representing Oregon’s unique microclimate, soil, and history.

Please note that we will not be running excursions (aka tours) to the Wine Country on Memorial Day Weekend. Too many people for our tastes, with little to no opportunity to provide the exclusive, insider experience our clientele is accustomed to receiving. When you travel with us, you are guaranteed personal attention from those winemakers, cellarmasters, viticulturists and hospitality directors who are committed to providing you with an “industry” level experience. Make the right decision and call Uncorking Oregon today. We look forward to taking care of you.