Excellent article about the Oregon wine industry

[Jenise]

Paul Gregutt is an astute writer and observor, and this article deftly covers the current state of things from four angles: pioneer producers, the French arrivals, culty newcomers and good values.

Oh shucks, my link didn't work. I'll leave these and return with the right thing. Stay tuned....

You're right, Jenise. It's an impressive article. Paul G. is all those things you said. He is expert at getting the information across, and his reccos for Oregon Pinot Noir are right on the spot...although you could easily add a whole roster of the wines he didn't mention but easily could.

Just got back from the Willamette Valley, and Carlton in specific and was truly blown away. The Carlton Winemakers Studio is putting out some amazing stuff. Paul mentioned the Lavinea (Isabel Meunier), and her Temperance Hill is nothing short of gorgeous. RR Pinots are superb; and boy, does Ribbon Ridge AVA excel. LOVE the Domain Divio---both the Pinot and the Chardonnay are superb.

Even came across a Project M Schlusser Riesling 2016 that may well be the best new world riesling I have ever tasted. It's not for the hoi polloi because it's austere as hell, brisk and acidic and so tightly wound it hums with power. Aromatics galore; almost Grand Cru Chablis-like with structure and citrus zest and relentlessly bone dry...sorta McLaren Vale-Gosset, or some of those laser-etched Austrians.

So, yeah, Greggut, the Waitsburg Wonder, strikes again. And the Willamette continues to get better and better.

[David M. Bueker]

So pray tell, is there a good link?

[Jenise]

David, I can't seem to find one. I copied it from winemag.com but something won't let me add it here. Tried twice, drew blanks both times. I'll see if I can find another way.

[Jenise]

You're right, Jenise. It's an impressive article. Paul G. is all those things you said. He is expert at getting the information across, and his reccos for Oregon Pinot Noir are right on the spot...although you could easily add a whole roster of the wines he didn't mention but easily could.

Yup, all that. Anyone else would have had to write four separate articles to cover the territory he managed so concisely here. After reading it, Divio made my to do list and so did several others. I also felt some shame that I've had so few of these wineries. I own some Ayoub, and I have been a fan of the Phelps Creek he fortunately mentioned when discussing French winemakers. Domaines Drouhin and Serene--of course. But not many of the rest. I have much work to do.

I'm going to plan a trip to Portland in the near future, I'm about 15 years overdue. I'll make sure to do that when we can connect--I know I owe you a Reynvaan.

[David M. Bueker]

Didn’t you have it on your Facebook page, or was that you commenting on Paul’s?

[Jenise]

Didn’t you have it on your Facebook page, or was that you commenting on Paul’s?

I commented on Paul's and shared it over to my own page, Birch Bay Wine & Food Enthusiasts.

[David M. Bueker]

Read it. Wish there had been some more meat on the bone, but a fun, quick read.

Anybody tried the Resonance wines yet? I am very curious as to how Lardiere is handling Oregon fruit.

[Jenise]

David, I had a 2013 in early 2017. My note: "Very, very good pinot in the classic OR style: plummy black fruit, floral nose, star anise, mushrooms and good texture.

I didn't realize it was a Jadot property at the time; a blogger friend received it gratis and shared. I was impressed.

Is this it?

https://www.winemag.com/2018/11/27/the-state-of-oregon-pinot-noir/

I love OR pinots. I don't visit WA anymore, I just head straight down to Oregon. Climate change has affected both areas, but especially WA - it's just too hot there now.

[Jenise]

Is this it?

https://www.winemag.com/2018/11/27/the-state-of-oregon-pinot-noir/

I love OR pinots. I don't visit WA anymore, I just head straight down to Oregon. Climate change has affected both areas, but especially WA - it's just too hot there now.

That's it! Thanks for digging it up.

It IS hot here. But the quality of the wines is constantly improving--they're figuring out how to pick earlier, and even playing with creating something closer to cool-climate fruit from east-facing slopes. Washington might be more prepared for climate change than California. There are, however, still some vintages some of us should flat-out avoid, like 07, 09 and 12. I love '11 and '13--'11 being a bona fide cool vintage and '13 being more classic and well-rounded--fruit was bountiful and has good natural acidity.

But of course, Washington doesn't really have pinot noir.

Yes, perhaps that was a bit snarky and simplistic. I used to go to WA once a year, but haven't been there in 4 years or so while my visits to OR have increased. There are definitely some nice wines in WA and some good producers, but most (not all) of the wines seem not to age all that well, and they seem to be getting heavier rather than lighter and/or more balanced. The last three vintages have been quite warm. In CA, there are going higher and into cooler regions, but there isn't really that option in WA, or not to the same extent. Other than the newish Rocks district, the same vineyards are used by the producers (e.g. Champoux, Ciel de Cheval, etc.), Also, the prices in WA seem to be increasing significantly while OR - though prices are certainly rising too - just seem to be better values overall.

Who do you like now in WA Jenise? I know you are a DeLille fan, are there smaller or newer wineries that you would recommend?

It's interesting to read the recent WA thread in berserkers (https://wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=156157&sid=d3bc0ae2187e9db94f421d8d13ee14e0: there doesn't seem to be a lot of love there either, for what that is worth.

PS I've tried a couple of the Resonance pinots, and they are certainly well made, but I'd say they fall in the ripe side of the spectrum, as they were when Sinnean used that vineyard. I have a couple of their wines from the vineyard just before it was sold to Jadot, but haven't tried them yet. But they were always a very ripe style.

[Jenise]

Interesting thread, hadn't read it before but I'm not surprised. I think some of the people there are a bit guilty of picking out a goopy monster and then concluding that all Washington wines are goopy monsters. Somewhat similarly, can I point out that your recent notes on WA wines were mostly from hot vintages--07 and 09. Of course, the goop monsters are here. A dinner guest last night brought a really hot Nota Bene from 2011. The kind where you take one taste and then reach for the bottle to read the abv--14.7%. How in the hell did anyone do that in a freezing cold vintage like 2011? Be assured that Nota Bene is now on my AVOID list.

I like that Reynvaan got a lot of love in that thread. I'm a fan. Off the top of my head would recommend to you: Grammercy, Structure Cellars, Simpatico (Betz winemaker's own project, just tasted them yesterday), Idiot's Grace, Upchurch, WT Vintners, Savage Grace, Kevin White and Two Vintners. For my own cellar I recently bought six ea Two Vintners' 'Some Days Are Stones' and Kevin White's amazing Hommage, both syrahs. I rarely buy in that kind of quantity. The Kevin White could pass for No Rhone in a blind tasting, and it's only $30. Incredible. And Morgan Lee at Two Vintners has a deft hand with syrah, producing wines that are complex and elegant yet capture that Rocks funk.

Thanks, some new names there. I agree with the Two Vintners and Grammercy selections, I have enjoyed their wines very much.

Jenise, I am a big fan of the Divio.

My two favorite Oregon wineries right now are the Lavinea Temperance Hill Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and Domaine Divio Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

I don't recall whether Paul G. mentioned him, but Laurent at Van Duzer is another Frenchman who's doing some nice wines. That wind gap poses some awesome opportunities, but some challenges as well. Laurent is the first person, I feel, that has grasped the innate nature of the terroir, and the wines are superb.

"I'm going to plan a trip to Portland in the near future, I'm about 15 years overdue. I'll make sure to do that when we can connect--I know I owe you a Reynvaan. "

Reynvan or not, come on down, girl. We have a couple of good restaurants here, a few bars. Love to see you down here.

[Jenise]

I've tasted at Van Duzer in the long-ago past. Not unattractive, but the wines had a serious core of black currant which I took to be a combo of terroir and over-extraction, but of course I don't have the expertise to be sure.

Portland's definitely on the brain. Oh, and a very good Bellingham restaurant (look it up, it's called Hundred North) is interested in a cognac tasting--full liquor license. I apologize that I haven't had much free time to work on this.