OregonPinotGris.org is Born

How do you follow a great Oregon Pinot Gris Symposium?

Easy… with an Oregon Pinot Gris marketing group atwww.oregonpinotgris.com.

The players who are leading the cause:

• Airlie Winery
• Christoper Bridge Cellars & Satori Springs Estate
• David Hill Winery
• Oak Knoll Winery
• Pudding River Wine Cellars
• Terrapin Cellars
• Yamhill Valley Vineyards

These select few Oregon Pinot Gris wineries have banded together, not just to have meetings and decide who, what, when, and where. No siree… This one is solely created with the idea that Oregon needs to be known for more than Pinot Noir. And, since Pinot Gris is the second largest wine grape variety grown in Oregon, it makes sense to begin with this, the most obvious of varieties. Yes, Oregon grows many fabulous varieties, like Riesling and Gewurztraminer; but they're less likely (due to their eclectic flavors) to cause a popularity swing. Pinot Gris is already on the rise for being more mainstream and already enjoyed by many, many wine consumers.

This group's purpose, or mission if you will, is to raise awareness that Oregon grows more than Pinot Noir, as they take on the second most popular grape to be grown in their great state of Oregon… Pinot Gris. They're also about showing the diversity and complexity of what Oregon has to offer.

[So, if you're a wine writer or blogger, we need to connect.]

In the next year, we plan to shed a lot of light on this versatile-with-food-friendly variety. [Note to self: develop a recipe section on the website, from the wineries in the group.]

When Charles Humble, Director of Marketing and Communications for the Oregon Wine Board read a blog posting that I had written about the Oregon Pinot Gris group, he immediately reached out:

Hi Jo,

I read with interest your recent blog on the role of government in wine marketing. I completely empathize with the point of view being expressed. The role issue is a big one and one that hasn't often been well articulated in the past. I'm relatively new in my position, so one of my goals is to do my best to provide clarity, try to understand better the expectations, how to communicate our approach, and how we should work with the private sector.

I would welcome a further conversation on the topic and offer myself as a resource for future blogs on anything related to Oregon's diverse wine industry.

This prompted many communications back and forth between us. Included in those communications also delivered a statement from Tom Danowski, the Oregon Wine Board's new executive director:

"I'm excited to be back in wine, and I think Oregon wine has a very bright outlook. The more I looked into it, it's just such a great time for Oregon.

"We have an opportunity to show that there's more to Oregon than Pinot Noir. It gives us another opportunity to re-interest people in Oregon wine. Having some of those new varieties come alongside Pinot Noir gives people another reason to be excited and gives the trade another reason to give us additional shelf space."

 Facts about Oregon Pinot Gris, that you may or may not currently realize:

Assets of Oregon PG in general

• Higher acidity, lower alcohol than CA or WA versions
• Bracing minerality
• Purity of fruit
• Minimal, often no new oak flavors
• Genuine vintage expression (as a subset of terroir)

We've organized to differentiate 1) the category and 2) our brands' wine(s)?

We'll do the following, and pass along the messages:

• Agreed upon such basics as always calling it Oregon Pinot Gris. (Thank you, Paul Gregutt.)
• Tie Pinot Gris into the concept of Oregon flavors, Oregon style, build "Oregon Pinot Gris" this way.
• As a category we'll demonstrate more high end examples.
• Everyone within the group will stop the Alsace and Italy comparisons.
• We'll be talking only "Oregon's" style
• To use comparisons isn't doing the variety in Oregon any favors
• We'll have a broad campaign.
  • That takes just two things
  • Time and money being spent by the brands in the co-operative marketing group
• Tie it into Oregon Pinot Noir with a snappy tagline:
  • Oregon Pinot Gris: the flavors Chardonnay can only dream of!
  • Pinot Gris: Not all Oregon Pinot is Noir!
  • Pinot Gris: The Other Oregon Pinot
• We'll never call our PGs simple
  • They're not simple
  • We'll demonstrate the complexities
• Chefs love this wine.
  • Portland (and Oregon) has a terrific food culture
  • We'll use their dishes as part of our wine marketing
• Each brand will create its own individual selling point of difference – its core story:
  • Single vineyard/grower bottlings
  • "Tree-free" or unoaked
  • Barrel fermented
  • Old vines
• Going with the trends – a little r.s.
• But will keep it tasting dry
• And, moderate to low alcohol (13.5 and under is desirable)

[ WINE ]

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Tempranillo From Spain

Castilla y Leon is the largest autonomia in Spain.  Located in the north-west portion of the country, it contains such Denominacion de Origen (DO) as Bierzo, Toro, Rueda, Cigales, andRibera del Duero.  The Mas de Leda is a Vino de la Tierra (VT) which is technically a quality step down from a DO.  While a VT Castilla y Leon may be produced from grapes sourced throughout the autonomia, the Mas de Leda fruit is sourced from vineyards near Ribera del Duero.  This region is characterized by flat-topped mountains and hills at altitudes of 700-800 meters.  The climate is more moderate with dry summers, wet falls, and short, cold winters.  Tempranillo is locally known as Tinta del Pais and does not produce excessively alcoholic wines.  Ribera del Duero is located east of the Toro DO where the Cal Blanca vineyard is located.  The Toro region is characterized by mostly flat terrain at altitudes of 620 – 750 meters.  There is little rain, the summers are dry and hot with the winters hard and full of frosts.  The variant of Tempranillo that is grown here is locally known as Tinta de Toro.  After centuries of acclimatization Tinta de Toro may naturally produce potent wines of 16 to 17% alcohol.

Cal Blanca Vineyard, Image by Friederike Paetzold at Ole

The Mas de Leda is imported by Folio Fine Wine Partners, locally distributed by Bacchus Importers Ltd, and available for ~$22.  The Cal Blanca is imported by Ole, locally distributed by Bacchus Importers Ltd, and available for ~$15.  While the Mas de Leda could benefit from a few years of age to tame the tannins there was a bit too many wood notes for my taste.  The Cal Blanca is a balanced, thoroughly enjoyable wine that benefits from the high altitude fruit.  While it is drinking well now it will develop for a few more years.  I definitely recommend you try this well-priced wine.

2007 Bodegas Leda Vina Viejas, Mas de Leda, VDT Castilla y Leon
This wine is 100% Tempranillo sourced from 40 small vineyard plots throughout Castilla y Leon.  These plots are typically located near the Ribera del Duero DO through some are from Toro DO.  The wine is aged for 12 months in French and American oak barrels.  This is a rich Tempranillo with dusty textured fruit.  There are initial notes of wood mixed with sweet, grapey tannins that coat the lips in the aftertaste.  On the second night there is a Port-like nose followed by a good mouth feel in this structured wine.  There are flavors of blackberries, balsamic notes, and grainy drying tannins.

2009 Cal Blanca, Toro
This wine is 100% Tempranillo sourced from the Cal Blanca vineyard located in the Cerro del Almendro area in Toro.  This vineyard was planted in 1985 at an elevation of 800 meters on soils of chalky, limestone.  This is one of the highest vineyards in Toro.  The wine is aged for 6 months in two-year old French oak barrels followed by three months in 5,000 liter concrete tanks.  This showed dark red fruit that has a pebbly texture.  There is good weight to this concentrated wine with supportive acidity coming out in the finish.  On the second night the dark red fruit mixed with blue fruit in a smooth, supple manner.  The first sip is a bit tart then there steely minerals come out midpalate followed by grapey tannins that coat the lips.

[ WINE ] [ EUROPE ] [ SPAIN ]

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Starting the New Year with New Gigondas

The village of Gigondas is nestled in the hills of the Dentelles mountains.  It is almost a dividing point between the lower, flatter plain and the higher, hilly area.  The two ridges of the Dentelles are located just south of the village and run east-west.  The vineyards closer to the river Ouveze lie at 100-150 meters where the stonier soils contain less clay.  Those nestled against the Dentelles reach 600 meters where there is rich, yellowish clay soils.  The Saint Cosme estate is located just north-east of the village.  The estate of Boussiere is located south-east of the village, high-up on the nothern side of the Dentelles Sarrasines.  Grand Montmirail is located at the extreme south-eastern limits of the Gigondas region on the south side of the Col d'Alsau and La Salle at middle elevation of 300 meters.

I recently purchased all three of these wines from MacArthurs.  Of these three wines my heart was captured by the Bouissiere which I strongly recommend you try.  There is an elegance to this wine lent by the high altitude vineyard where the Syrah grows quite well.  Indeed this wine has the highest proportion of Syrah.  I also recommend you try the Saint Cosme.  This is not rustic Gigondas, instead it is a full-bore, concentrated, tannic Gigondas that needs age and will last for over a decade. The Brusset was a decent drink and though it changed personalities over two nights, it never achieved its balance. The Bouissiere is imported byDionysos Import and available for $27.  The Brusset is imported by Simon N Cellars and available for $27.  The Saint Cosme is imported by The Country Vintner and available for $35.

2009 Domaine La Bouissiere, Gigondas
This wine is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah that was aged for a year in both tank and 1-3 year old barrels.  The nose is clean with fruity red fruit and delicate finesse.  In the mouth the elegant red fruit has a powdery texture with good weight which expands in the finish.  The lovely fruit has sweet spice, licorice, and incense notes before minerally/steely notes come out in the aftertaste.  This is a pleasure to drink but will develop and last.

2009 Domaine Brusset, Tradition Le Grand Montmirail, Gigondas
This wine is a blend of 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre, and 5% Cinsault.  The wine was aged 60% in vats and 40% in 2-4 year old demi-muids.  There was a dark, fruity nose.  In the mouth the flavors were darker and richer than the Bouissiere.  The flavors integrated with textured tannins and herbs in the finish.  This showed less liveliness and acidity than the Bouissiere.  On the second night there was a slight floral quality to the nose.  The mouth was better balanced and felt coiled, with ripe and sweet blue fruit flavors.  It became spicy in the finish, with some heat.

2009 Chateau de Saint Cosme, Gigondas
This wine is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 17% Mourvedre, and 3% Cinsault.  The wine was aged for 12 months in 70% 1-4 year old wood barrels and 30% in cement and wood tanks.  This was salty, rich, and clearly the most concentrated of these three bottles.  There were lots of fine+ tannins and spicey flavors in this wine which is cleary youthful and primary.  On the second night it was still concentrated with blue and red fruits, unyielding, and contained lots of drying, fine tannins in the aftertaste.  This will greatly benefit from short term aging and should last for some time.

[ WINE ] [ FRANCE ]

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Baer Winery

The Entrance

I was first introduced to the Baer Winery a couple of years ago when Julia and Clark opened up a bottle of 2006 Ursa.  I rather enjoyed it so on a later trip I drank one bottle of the 2007 Ursa and brought another bottle back home.  Knowing that I would be in Seattle this month I opened that sole bottle of 2007 Ursa before my trip.  It too was delicious.  I always planned on stopping by Baer during my Woodinville visit.   However, when I asked around for recommendations everyone suggested Baer but forewarned me they might be sold out of everything. It is considered an up and coming winery so it was interesting to receive the recommendations.

The Tasting Room

When I walked into the tasting room Lisa Baer was pouring wine.  She explained that the 2008 Ursa was sold out but they still had the 2010 Shard and 2008 Arctos.  Wine Spectator pre-released the scores for their wines and the 2008 Ursa received a huge 95 Points!  I believe the Arctos received 91 points.  I was a bit bummed because I wanted to return home with some Ursa.  Fortunately, there is a supply in the distribution chain so using the list of stores that carry Baer Wines I was able to bring a few bottles home.

Tanks

Baer Winery was founded in 2000 by Lance Baer.  From the initial release of 200 cases of Ursa in 2003, the winery has switched properties, introduced two more wines, and in 2007 settled in the Woodinville warehouse area.  The current production lies at 2,000 cases per year but may grow up to 2,500 cases per year.  Lance sadly passed away in 2007 leavint the winery to be owned and run by father Les and sister Lisa.  The grapes are exclusively sourced from Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley.

Stainless Steel Barrels for the Shard

Following the tasting I was given a tour of the production area.  Every square foot of space is used.  I even spied cases of 2008 Ursa waiting for a distributor to pick it up!

New Barrels from Tonnellerie Sylvain

My follow-up post will contain my notes on the 2007 and 2008 Ursa.

Pallets of Wine (including Ursa) and Barrels

2010 Shard, Columbia Valley
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard.  It was fermented and aged in 75 gallon Stainless Steel barrels.  There were 432 cases produced.  This was bottled less than three weeks prior to my tasting.  There is a good nose of grass and stones.  In the mouth there were flavors of white stone fruits, apples, in this crisp wine.

2008 Arctos, Columbia Valley
This wine is a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot.  The grapes were sourced from Stillwater Creek Vineyard.  It was aged for 19 months in 80% new French oak.  There is a good nose keeping the character of the winery with inky, dark purple fruits.  This is youthful compared to the Ursa with a savory quality to the dark fruit, "bay leaf", and subtle, tasty tannic flavors.  I would personally cellar this for a couple of years. 

[ WINE ] [ USCANADA ]

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