Pride (In The Name of Cabernet)

More

Skip Marley and the New Conscious Reggae Renaissance 

More

Mario Cantone Talks Whoopi Goldberg, Sarah Jessica Parker, Woke Culture

More

Geena Davis Talks Oscars, Thelma & Louise, Gender Bias

More

Wine X

  • X Rated WinesWine Ratings – XXX Style
  • Eat
    • Surreal Gourmet
    • City Bites
    • Dining Out
    • Entertaining
    • Foodie Products
    • Dips
    • Sauces
    • Starters & Soups
    • Main Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Wine & Food
  • Drink
    • Wine
    • Spirits
    • Beer
    • Coffee & Tea
  • Play
    • Celebrity Interviews
    • Black Label
    • Trippin’ Out
    • Rage
    • Music
    • Head Space
    • Goin Big
    • G Spot
    • Education
    • Cellar Rat
    • Black Label
    • Among Men
  • ShopWoocommerce
  • Home
  • Submitting Samples for Review
  • About Us
    • About Us
    • Our History
    • Archives
    • Writer’s Guidlines
    • Contact

logo

Food Advertising by

Oregon’s Willamette Valley

Wine X Vol 2.6
by Steven Van Yoder

 


Pinot noir put Oregon on the map — but pinot gris, riesling and chardonnay are quickly emerging as  major forces behind the state’s wine initiatives.The West has always attracted fortune seekers, rogues and refugees. And Oregon is no exception. People who’ve gone there have traditionally been searching for something. It started with Lewis and Clark seeking the nonexistent Northwest Passage. Then on the Oregon trail, nearly 2,000 miles long, came one of the greatest unforced mass migrations in history. And over the last 30 years, a different breed of pioneer has arrived in Oregon — wine producers determined to make world-class wines from the state’s rugged landscape.

It’s taken a few years, but Oregon wines have arrived, holding their own among the best in the world. This is where pinot noir outside Burgundy rose to fame and where a good share of white wines, from pinot gris to chardonnay to riesling, has become increasingly popular. Oregon has also had much to do with why these whites have become readily available in shops and restaurants across America. It’s time to look north of California to the wines of Oregon, which are certain to entice, seduce and win you over.At Home In The Valley   The principle wine region in Oregon is the Willamette Valley, a 90-mile stretch of land just south of Portland. The region produces two-thirds of Oregon’s wine, and most of the reputable producers reside there. The moderate maritime climate is especially suited to pinot noir, pinot gris and other varietals including chardonnay, riesling, pinot blanc and gerwurztraminer.


With winemaking requiring tremendous pioneer spirit, Oregon winemakers have developed a sense of toughness and a shared sense of mission. The weather can be fickle: rain doesn’t fall in the winter months the way it’s supposed to, and cloudcover can be perversely persistent. Though always a challenge, winemakers have persevered and now make consistent, high-quality wines.

In The Beginning   It all started when David Lett, Oregon’s first contemporary wine pioneer, was seduced by pinot noir in the late 1960s. A native Californian, Lett moved north and established Eyrie Vineyards, a winery specializing in pinot noir, in an old turkey-plucking shed. Lett endured hardship, naysayers and bad weather and lived in a tent as he put everything into his struggling vineyard.

Fortunately Lett’s faith paid off, and within a few years Eyrie Vineyards was producing top-quality pinots that competed with their Burgundian cousins. Other winemakers soon followed, including Californians Dick Erath, of Knudsen Erath Winery, and Dick Ponzi, of Ponzi Vineyards. Within a few decades their labors of love bore fruit and proved that Willamette Valley was more than capable of producing exceptional Burgundy-style wines equal to or even better than France’s best.

Pinot Noir: In Search of the Holy Grail   Pinot noir is like a vintage Hollywood actress: at times Greta Garbo — shy, beautiful and projecting an aura of sensual mystery; at other times Marlene Dietrich — an unfathomable erotic sex goddess. As the superstar red grape of Burgundy, pinot noir has, over the years, seduced many an American winemaker.

A debutante, pinot noir is touchy, difficult to grow and notoriously fussy to work with. Even after fermentation, pinot can hide its weaknesses and strengths, making it difficult to evaluate out of barrel. In the bottle, it can be a chameleon, showing poorly one day, brilliantly the next.

So why bother to fight this fickle foe? Because the results can be amazing. The best examples offer seductive black cherry, spice, raspberry and currant flavors and aromas that resemble wilted roses, spicy perfume and earthiness. Pinot noir is also a great, versatile food wine. Some are packed with enough flavor to stand up to beef and lamb, while others are subtle enough to complement grilled salmon. Those who’ve experienced pinot noir at its best always come back for more.
Pinot Gris: Willamette’s Other Wine   Pinot gris is a fortunate

mutation of pinot noir. It has ties to Italy, where it’s known as pinot

 

grigio and also thrives in the Alsace region of France. This copper-gray

 

-colored grape, when properly grown and vinified, produces a delicious white

wine with complex aromas, a pale lustrous color and rich, crisp fruit flavors with an element of spiciness. Pinot gris, like pinot noir, thrives in Willamette and is earning a reputation as one of Oregon’s best varietals.Although it can be enjoyed on its own, pinot gris goes well with a variety of foods — from tarragon chicken to braised pork loin. It’s also an ideal accompaniment for many spicy regional dishes from the Southwest, Caribbean, Asia and India.

What Can You Expect?   Balance is the key word. At harvest, high natural acidity is matched with good sugar concentration, giving finished wines a firm body with considerable fresh fruit and fragrance. Willamette Valley is not an area suited to bulk wine production, which is why it has always set its standards firmly on quality, not quantity, and emphasized complexity and individuality.

Though pinot noir gets most of the press, white wines are gaining recognition. Willamette chardonnay’s are consistently good, usually lighter and silkier in style than those of California and possess understated complexity. Riesling thrives in the cool climates and is made in a wide range of styles, from dry and crisp wines ideal for pairing with shellfish to sweet, richly flavored dessert wines.

Vintages   Though Willamette pinots come in a wide range of styles, one generalization can be made: 1994 is the year to beat. Wines produced that year are hailed for their incredible fruitiness and finesse. Bill Hatcher, manager of Domaine Drouhin, put three recent vintages into perspective: “1995 was not a slam-dunk vintage like 1994, when my dog could have made good wine. While 1994 was a great commercial success, it wasn’t typical of what we do here in Oregon — the wines lacked the subtlety and femininity. The winemakers much prefer their ’93s and ’95s. Wines made in 1996 are more like those of 1993, with a little more flesh to them.”


Mar 27, 2019Wine X
Sex, Wine & Rock & Roll Vol 2.6Tube Steak
Wine X
3 years ago Play, Trippin' Out
logo
Food Advertisements by
Most viewed
Protected: Flowers
Leon on Madonna, Tupac, Co-Parenting with RHOA’s Cynthia Bailey
Inside the Viper’s Den
From The Archives
Kanga Balls with PB&J Satay
Peter M. Cohen
Unlimited Mimosa Brunch
The HOW of Party Planning
The G&T
logo
Food Advertisements by
Products
  • Embroidered Champion Bomber Jacket $63.00 – $71.50
  • Unisex sueded fleece hoodie $42.00 – $44.00
  • Snapback Hat $21.00
Wine X

Check out our X Rated wine reviews to see what we are drinking.

Advertise with us
I swear we are accommodating and yeah we've got lots of traffic. Hit us up if you want a really cool way to reach the Millennial foodie and potential wine drinker. We'll do our part to evangelize your brand. Ask us more at info@winexmagazine.com
logo
Food Advertisements by
About

Wine, Food & a Slice of Vice.   Delightfully snarky, proudly irreverent, and yet light on our feet.

First published in the 90’s, Wine X Magazine’s mission is to bring new wine drinkers into the category and ripen them until they’re ready for mainstream or  until they just get bored with us…. (that never happens)

Categories
Articles By Date
Email-Subscription

Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news and event postings.

2020© Wine X Magazine