Tag Archives: Lange Estate Winery

Ingredients for Valentines’ Lovers

04 Saturday Feb 2017

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One of the great marketing slogans of all time might be “Virginia is for Lovers.” Who knows, they might still use that one. Valentine’s Day is for lovers. And here’s an argument that Valentine’s Day is for Pinot Noir lovers.

grape-sense-logoOver the past few years holidays like Halloween and Valentine’s Day have grown in popularity and celebration.

Valentine’s Day is the second largest card-sending holiday every year. There are estimates that more than 2.5 billion cards are sent each Feb. 14. The wine numbers are equally impressive. It’s hard to narrow down exactly when consumers pick up their Valentine wine but industry experts estimate more than $8.5 million is spent on wine for the lovers’ big day.

No column on Valentine’s Day would be complete without a quick history lesson. Yes, there was a Saint Valentine but that’s about where the agreement begins and ends. Officially, in the Catholic Church at least, Saint Valentine of Rome is the Saint most associated with Feb. 14. He is known as the patron saint for beekeepers, epilepsy, and of course engaged couples and happy marriages

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Saint Valentine

And for all those engaged couples, happily married, or dating duos, it’s time to think about the lovers’ day on our annual calendar. A dozen roses, a nice dinner, great chocolate and an even better Pinot Noir can create an awesome and memorable holiday.

Let’s start with the chocolate and state the obvious. The names you know are not the ones you want to be pairing with your wine. Even with Pinot you want a darker chocolate. A good starting point for your chocolate is buy one with at least 60 percent cacao. Ghirardelli is a pretty good place to start. It’s easy to find and a really good mass-produced product. They flavor it up lots of different ways but keep it fairly simple with your wines.

Two great Indy area chocolatiers, and there are more than two, are Best Chocolate in Town on Mass Ave., and Chocolate for the Spirit, available online. Both make a high-end and elegant chocolate truffles and other treats worthy of your significant others. Sure, artisan chocolates aren’t going to come cheap – you can expect to pay $2-3 per chocolate truffle. But that’s the sort of gift your loved one is really going to appreciate.

Recommending a great Pinot in various price points and easy to find is tough but someone has to do it. If you are on a tight budget hit the local grocery wine aisle or liquor store and look for Mark West. The West pinot is almost always under $10, light bodied, but has correct Pinot Noir flavor.

It gets easier if you step up between $10-$20 price range there are many decent picks. Meiomi Pinot Noir is very widely distributed and sells around $16-$17. Meiomi Pinot is the biggest selling Pinot in the U.S. It’s a consistent product, perhaps a tad sweeter on palate than some, but a good choice.

Step up to the $20-$30 range then you’re talking significantly better wine. I’ve suggested in this column space many times that Lange Estate Winery’s Willamette Valley’s Pinot Noir is one of the best buy wines of any varietal. You can find it in better wine shops in the mid-$20 range.

If you want to splurge and go above the $30 price point, I’d recommend a great Oregon Pinot Noir. Bergstrom, Lange, Adelsheim, Winderlea, Domaine Drouhin, and Domaine Serene are just a few of the great names from Oregon. Those wines will be in a silky and refined style.

If you want something bigger look to Sonoma’s Russian River Valley or the California Central Coast.

Buy your bestie some really good chocolate and a nice Pinot Noir and your Valentine’s Day is sure to be a great one.

Oregon Day 2: Oh That Pinot Noir!

29 Saturday Oct 2016

Posted by in Food & Travel, Oregon, Uncategorized

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Dudes Alex, Patrick B., Jesse Lange, me, and Patrick T.

YAMHILL, Or. – I’ve always loved datelines. We’re near Yamhill, Oregon, up a windy road, at the top of a big hill, in the woods, a small herd of deer camping in our yard, and traces of Bigfoot out back.

All four of us on our wine buddy weekend are wined out, tired, and have convinced each other that smell really isn’t a Sasquatch.

Yes, our red farmhouse on a hill is remote but quite nice. Three bedrooms up, one down, a great kitchen, wrap around porch, and all for less than $300 bucks a night. The recent Air B&B movement and other such rental homes provide a homey feel without a Hilton price.

For most of the day we got our wine geek on. Our first stop was up in the Dundee Hills at Lange Estate Winery. Lange was my first stop in 2007 on my first visit. It’s a personal tradition I’ve continued and my three fellow travelers were happy to keep it going.

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Jesse Lange

We all stopped to enjoy the view. In five stops at Lange, Friday was just the second when the skies were clear enough to see Mount Hood. With the withering and golden vines, the scene set the stage for a fabulous sunny day in the Willamette Valley.

We tasted our way through Lange’s lineup of a fabulous Pinot Gris and four Pinot Noir. The two tasting room attendants were very knowledgeable. We talked vineyards and aging and much more. It was a wine geek’s delight.

Even better, Jesse Lange joined us for a great discussion about vintage, marketing, family tradition and technical versus artisanal – – gut instinct – type of winemaking. Jesee has always been generous with his time during visits. And let’s acknowledge that not everyone gets access to the winemaker. But when visiting tasting rooms, don’t be afraid to ask questions. The more you learn about wine, the detail, the grape growing, aging, and more – the more you’ll enjoy your wine.

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Bergstrom’s vineyard, barn

Bergstrom wines have a long history in the valley and I had never visited, neither had any of our group. So, we made our way up to the tasting There are many wineries in the valley that qualify as “boutique,” meaning small production and high-end wines. Bergstrom is simply one of the best. We tasted mostly their single vineyard Pinot Noir. They are fabulous wines. Bergstrom owns great vineyard sites and buy from some of the valley’s top spots like Temperance Hill and Shea.

Rebecca, our tasting room guide and 20-year veteran of wine sales, talked us through the difference from vineyard to vineyard. Bergstrom is also well known for Sigrid Chardonnay. The Sigrid bottling is in honor of founder John Bergstrom’s mother. John’s son Josh now runs the winery and makes the wine. Sigrid Chard is the best I’ve ever tasted in the valley and there are more and more great bottles. It is a multi-vineyard cuvee that is Chablis Grand Cru like with a bit less acidity.

A word about tasting room fees. Lange and Bergstrom charge a $20 tasting fee. In Oregon, the long tradition of waving tasting fees if you make much of a purchase lives on. In comparison, at many Napa tasting rooms where you’ll pay much more than $20 – forget about getting the tasting fee being waived. While Napa hospitality is the best in the world and extraordinarily professional, it often lacks the genuine warmth of the folks in the tasting rooms here.

We topped off the day with McMinnville visit. The town of 33,000 is the heart and historical center of Oregon Pinot Noir. Downtown is a bit hipster-ish but filled with great restaurants, tasting rooms, and quirky shops. The three other guys tasted through several wines at the Willamette Valley Vineyards tasting room while I appreciated the live jazz.

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Rich, hot crab lasagna

We dined at the iconic Nick’s Italian Café – a James Beard award winner. A wonderful charcuterie board and meatballs got us started. The other guys had a sausage plate, fire-roasted game hen, and our youngest dude had an intriguing pasta with sausage and kale pesto.  I had one of their signature dishes – unbelievable – Dungeness Crab Lasagna.

We enjoyed a single bottle of Italian Rosso di Montepulciano which was a nice change of pace after all that Pinot Noir.

Today is our busiest day. We’re going to start off at the quirky and interesting Republic of Jam, visit wineries Winderlea and Saffron Fields and then make a few wineries visit decisions while out on the road. We’re back to McMinnville for dinner tonight at Thistle – a chef-driven newcomer getting lots of attention.

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Really cool view of Mount Hood from Lange tasting room.

Oregon Day 1: Getting There

28 Friday Oct 2016

Posted by in Food & Travel, Oregon, Uncategorized

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Grapes are gone this late but we’re hoping to see great fall color.

PORTLAND, OR. – And so the adventure begins. Four wino buddies spending an extended weekend in Oregon’s Willamette Valley tasting, tasting, dining, and then probably tasting some more.

I’m going to journal about these days in Oregon. The idea is to share ideas of cost, planning, and the actual experiences that might provide some wine country touring perspective and maybe advice. So, let’s go:

All four of us live in Central Indiana. All of us flew out of Indianapolis but separately. In this day and age, with frequent flyer miles and bonus points, it’s a great way to travel. The guys who bought tickets paid slightly less than $400 for the round trip. I used flyer miles and paid $11. For the record, I used 32,000 points for my flight.

Interestingly enough, all four of us flew different carriers through different cities to get here. My flight was something of the traditional short hop to Chicago’s O’Hare then straight to Portland. One of our group actually had a connection from Houston. Yes, THAT Houston – as in Texas. I did that once through Dallas – never again.

If you’re flying to the Northwest, several airlines offer good connections going through Chicago, Denver, and Minneapolis.

We’re all staying near the airport since arrivals are late. I booked a Hilton Garden Inn for two of us with Hhonors points. I recall the normal room rate being $229. Obviously, near an airport all hotels are a little pricier but the convenience can be worth it.

The other two guys are just down the road from here. Tomorrow morning I’ll jet back over to the airport and pick up our Alamo Rental car. We have a midsize for Friday through Monday for $180. A tank of gas at the end of the trip and not a bad rental cost.

Friday morning we head to the valley. We’ll stop off and pick up a UPS wine shipping box or two to hold our purchases. Then Monday when we leave the valley we’ll each ship our wine home. I’ll elect UPS Air … so my wine will probably arrive Wednesday or Thursday after I get back Tuesday morning. I forget the exact cost from last trip but a full case by air is going to run $70 or a bit more.

I’ll write about the winery stops each day. We have done some pre-arrangment, maybe 40 to 50 percent of our stops. Friday we start off at Lange Estate Winery. I reached out to Jesse Lange who I’ve met several times and he’s going to join us for the tasting. After that, we head to Bergstrom wines – where we hope to have a little time with Josh Bergstrom. And we’ll cap off our first day winery visits by going to one of the real pioneering wineries, Adelsheim. Dinner for our first night will be at the iconic Nick’s Italian Cafe in McMinnville.

I’ll update Friday night our winery visits, dinner, and a bit about our farmhouse rental near Carlton.

Our Saturday and Sunday plants are a little bit less structured. Friend Patrick and I have been out here numerous time while our other two travelers are making their first visit. We want them to help shape the experience.

So today’s travelogue will be followed by Friday’s real wine geekiness.

 

 

 

 

Oregon Foods Holds Own Against Pinot

15 Sunday Jun 2014

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Aged ribeye at Nick's Italian Cafe

Aged ribeye at Nick’s Italian Cafe

WILLAMETTE VALLEY – From our bed & breakfast’s wonderful muffins, scones and entries to a fabulous farm-to-fork dinner at Newberg’s Recipe our Oregon wine trip proved to be just as much about food as wine.

While not really reviewing each meal, I want to share how we ate during a week focused on wine where dining nearly stole the show. I have lots of photos to be added in next couple days.

Our first stop was at Lange Estate Winery and it was a perfect way for the group to get to know each other, enjoy a wonderful time in the Lange winery with a winemaker, and enjoy the artisan foods of Dundee’s Red Hills Market.

Our lunch spread featured cheeses, sausage, olives, hazelnuts, wonderful sandwiches on artisan bread and huge cookies. The lemon/lavender cookies had everyone talking.

But that was just getting started. That evening we dined at Nick’s Italian Café in McMinnville, perhaps the oldest spot known for fine food. I expected good but Nick’s was simply incredible. The chef prepared a three course meal with appetizer and dessert just for our group. They also provided an Oregon and Italian wine with each course.

We started antipasta plate of meat and cheeses then we all went crazy for savory custard of green garlic with pickled spring onions and seared shitakes. It was one of two dishes of the week! I’ll get to the other. The wines were an Archery Summit Pinot Gris and Italian Vermentino.Manigle

Our Second course was a delightful pasta/sausage dish in olive oil and parnmesan sauce. Next came the most tender in-house aged ribeye you can ever imagine. We finished with a cheese plate.

Lunch at Winderlea Winery the next day held its own prepared by former Tina’s chef Abby McManigle. While consuming the vineyard views we nibbled on a crostini with a goat cheese mousse, cherries, cracked almond and mint. The lunch’s second dish was the other most-talked about one of the week.

Our second course was seared prawns in a Tomatillo with a fresh corn basil relish. It rocked with sips of Winderlea’s Chardonnay – one of the region’s best for my palate. We enjoyed coffee-chile crusted beef, purple potatoes and baby greens. The finish was a vanilla crumb cake, fresh strawberries and buttermilk citrus sauce. It was pretty rockin with Winderlea’s vineyard-designate Pinot Noir.

The grand meal wrapping up the week was at the heralded Recipe – A Neighborhood Kitchen – restaurant in Newberg. After onion tart and escargot appetizers, the group feasted on duck and an array of yummy desserts.

Every bite was a highlight at Recipe but the big hit might have been a drink. We had a bottle of 2000 Eyrie Vineyard Pion Noir that just might have been the best glass of Pinot in my seven years of wine writing.

So the trip might have been billed as a Pinot Noir trip – and it certainly was -but future trips will also emphasize the incredible cuisine of the Northwest. Check back frequently for dates on the 2015 Drink & Eat Oregon experience!

Wine Tour Starts With Awesome Pours

11 Wednesday Jun 2014

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My first Grape Sense wine tourism group at Lange Winery in Oregon's Willamette Valley

My first Grape Sense wine tourism group at Lange Winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley

DUNDEE HILLS, Oregon – There is a strong sense of responsibility bringing guests, paying you, to visit select great wineries. And I’ll have to admit I had some nerves yesterday before my four couples from Indianapolis, Massachusetts, and Iowa arrived.

Members of our group tasting Jesse Lange's three soil series Pinots.
Members of our group tasting Jesse Lange’s three soil series Pinots.

 But the wow factor today and the great start in the Willamette Valley could not have been any better. Literally months of planning went into crafting a four-day, five night wine trip that offered the familiar and the new, the attainable and the not-so-attainable, and some big wow factor. We got all of that in two wine stops on day one.

We spent the bulk of our day at Lange Estate Winery. We walked the vineyards and spent extensive time with Jesse Lange’s assistant winemaker Neil Larson in the winery. Neil walked everyone through the winemaking process and answered some really good questions from the tour participants. WE tasted the unique Lange oaked Pinot Gris, the Chardonnay and the full lineup of Pinot Noir.

Jesse Lange had to be out of town today so he had the delightful Monique pour his 2012 soil series of three different Pinots from three different soil types. The group seemed to really enjoy evaluating the different wines and quizzing each other why they liked one more than the other. It was one of the highlights of the day for me.

The other two highlights was an awesome lunch of meats, nuts, cheese, salad, and sandwiches from Red Hills Market. The topper was a clear sky and the appearance of MT. Hood from the Lange patio. It was the first time the mountain was visible in my four different Lange visits.

The group bought club memberships, individual bottles, cases, and headed off a happy group of wine drinkers.

Our other stop today was at the much newer Alexana Winery. The incredible vineyard property and ultra modern tasting room and winery made for a great tour. Sales Manager Mark Bosko led a portion of our tour but winemaker Bryan Weil walked us through the winemaking and the outdoor tasting. The wines were really stunning. It was definitely, for my palate, wines meant to be taken home and put away for awhile. From the ultra dry Reisling to the silky Pinot Noir we were all impressed.

We had several comparative choices to make and the big winner was a three lot 100 percent Pommard clone Pinot that blew us all away. The wine is a collaboration between Weil and consultant winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash. The bottle is not cheap at $75 but definitely a great representation of Oregon Pinot at the price point.

Wednesday is our really big wine day with four stops.

Blogger Note: I’m taking lots of photos but will not get most up until after the trip. It’s just too difficult on a travel laptop and the time constraints of being the tour leader. I have some great stuff and try to get a few up each day. Many have simply been iPhone shots.

Interesting Chats with Liz and Jesse

10 Tuesday Jun 2014

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Elizabeth Chambers

Elizabeth Chambers

Chatting with winemakers and winery owners is almost always interesting. I know I’m lucky as a wino because most people just don’t get the chance to do that.

The second day in the Willamette Valley was highlighted by a delightful visit with Elizabeth Chambers – and visiting her new namesake winery – and talking with an old acquaintance, Jesse Lange.

The Chambers’ name is big in Oregon, broadcasting/construction and more, but also big in wine. Elizabeth’s mother owned a winery since the late 70s. Elizabeth Chambers and winemaker Michael Stevenson wanted a winery that was all about great wines driven by the vineyard and not by ego or someone else’s expectations.

Elizabeth owned McMinnville’s old city power plant and realized it could make a really cool winery/tasting room. Exposed brick and an outdoor courtyard makes the space perfect for gatherings and special events. The wine lineup includes a Pinot Gris and four vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs. Stevenson’s wines are beautiful with wonderful aromas, perfect balance and ready to drink now or to cellar.

Chambers had previously owned Panther Creek wines with Stevenson as the winemaker. Chambers sold that interest and the two launched Elizabeth Chambers Cellar. She describes the wines as light – or feminine – with great balance.

Chamber has no desire to be a huge producer but is intent on making the best Pinot possible. There is little question she’s off to a great start.

I have interviews and photos with the two of them which will surface as a full story in one of my wine writing outlets in the near future.

Jesse Lange

Jesse Lange

Lange Estate Winery has been one of my favorites since my first visit about seven years ago. I chatted with Jesse Lange then, a couple of times since and today. Jesse can range from outspoken to cautious but he seemed energized today. He has new projects he’s deeply committed to at the iconic winery.

He has a new small-production series based on soils – three wines from three different soil types. The estate has expanded over the last decade and he has new vineyards coming into production. The combination continues to fuel an enthusiasm to make wine a little better every year than the previous vintage.

Lange has been around since the late 1980s but is respected across the valley as one of the great, and most consistent, craftsmen of Pinot Noir in the valley.  The wines are widely available (including Indiana) and are great values compared to the competition. Lange’s Willamette Valley Pinot (under $30) is about the best bottle at the price point. The higher-end wines are perfect for aging and well worth the investment.

Tomorrow (Tuesday) I’ll taste the ‘soil’ Pinot series and that’s exciting. I also did a recorded interview which will also be used in future posts or other writing outlets.

My wine tourism group arrived in Portland today. We’re getting together tonight then headed to the Valley tomorrow morning. Grape Sense’s first ever wine tour is about to get underway!

Lange Pinot Seldom Disappoints

01 Saturday Feb 2014

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Jesse Lange, Lange Estate Vineyards, once told me that there really aren’t bad vintages, just years when you find out who can make wine!

Jesse Lange

Jesse Lange

The Oregon winemaker had a point beyond bravado. There have been some up and down vintages in the Willamette Valley just like there are in any wine growing wine regions in the world.

Initially, as I recall, the 2007 vintage was weak and only garnered a Wine Spectator 84 rating – the lowest in 10 years. I read a few mixed reviews about the 90-point 2009 wines but found them rich when I was in the valley shortly after the release, and again last night. Last night there was a silkiness to the mouth feel.

I had a couple bottles of the Lange 2009 Lange Estate Vineyard Pinot put away and opened one last night. I’m an admitted fan but last night’s glass was really great.

LangeWineIt was also the first time I had used my Riedel Oregon Pinot Noir glasses at home – and by golly they make a difference! I had a very experienced wine-drinking buddy over and walked him through the tasting of Pinot with the Riedel glass along with the Syrah and Cab model – he was equally impressed.

The wine had such a beautiful balance. It was just a tad floral, nice bright cherry and raspberry. I would definitely call it elegant wine.

Lange Estate Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir, bought this off an internet flash site and had hard time tracking down retail – most Lange vineyard designate wines are $50-$60. Very Highly Recommended.

Join Me for Oregon Wine Trip

11 Saturday Jan 2014

Posted by in Food & Travel, Oregon

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Don Lange talking Pinot

Don Lange talking Pinot

Leading wine trips has been in the back of my mind for the past couple of years. Six years of immersion into learning and appreciating wine has given me some knowledge, experience, and certain contacts in the wine industry.

I helped leading a group to France in June through my regular job. I was in charge of four days in Southern France visiting wine country. After that trip, and consulation with a few wine friends, I thought I could start doing one trip a year and then perhaps 2-3 annually in the future.

I’ve put together a trip to Oregon’s Willamette Valley, June 9-14. This will be a boutique type trip for people serious about wine. Frankly, this trip could be done a little less expensive but we’re going to eat well and stay in a really fabulous Bed and Breakfast when we’re in the Willamette.

Our lodging - Black Walnut Inn

Our lodging – Black Walnut Inn

Before I go any further, the brochure is linked in the left rail on this page and right here!

The trip does NOT include transportation to and from Portland. The trip beings Monday night, June 9 with a reservation in your name at the Hilton Doubletree Inn, downtown Portland. We’ll travel Tuesday morning out to the valley and begin with a tour, tasting and lunch at Lange Estate Winery. We hope to have Jesse or Don Lange join us to talk about Lange wines.

After lunch its the very nice, and very upscale, Alexana Winery which is nearby. Then we’ll check into the stunning Black Walnut Inn. That night we’ll head to McMinnville and dine at one of local winemakers favorites spots – Nick’s Italian Cafe.

drouhinWednesday’s action includes an Oregon Pinot/Burgundy side-by-side tasting at Domaine Drouhin. We’ll have lunch at a great boutique winery – Winderlea. And we’ll visit one of my personal favorites, Vidon in the afternoon. We might even squeeze in one more. Dinner that even will be more on the lighter side.

On Thursday we’ll break the routine and head out to take in the stunning Columbia River Gorge. It think it’s one of the prettiest areas in our country.

Columbia River Gorge

Columbia River Gorge

We’ll stop at Multnomah Falls and have lunch in Hood River.  That night we’ll have a grand dinner at the fabulous Recipe restaurant in Newberg.

Friday’s lineup includes tasting at another boutique winery, a visit to the great ladies at Republic of Jam, and lunch in Carlton. We’ll have an extra hour or so in Carlton to visit some of the great little shops on your own – or even visit a few of the tasting rooms in town.

Mid afternoon we’ll head back to Portland where a room at the Doubletree will be reserved in your name. The trip officially ends. You are on your own Saturday to head home or enjoy more of what Oregon has to offer.

That’s a quick overview. Check the brochure for more details and cost.

I wanted to get this post up to link up some blogs and photo albums from previous visits to the Willamette Valley.

July 29, 2011 newspaper column on Oregon Trip. Four photo albums from that trip here, here, here, and here.

Here are my blog posts from that trip: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4.

Some Advice on Gifting Wine

12 Thursday Dec 2013

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A bottle of wine is an easy and often-appreciated holiday gift. Whether it’s a traditional Christmas present or a gift brought to a social occasion as a ‘thank you,” wine is a big part of many holiday celebrations.

Gifting the real wine lover isn’t simple though. If there is an oenophile on your shopping list it’s easy to pick a nice bottle if you know the individual’s preferences. In such cases, it’s just a matter of arriving at a price point.

Grape Sense LogoIf you wish to buy someone a nice bottle of wine as a gift and you have no idea what they drink, it gets a little tricky. The rules are pretty much the same whether your friend drinks $15 wine or $50 wine – go with the safe choice.

A gift of red wine is always appreciated but don’t over think it. It’s not the time to purchase your first Carmenere, Barolo, or Petite Sirah. If you want to gift wine at any price you really can’t go wrong with Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon.

Cabernet has often been called the king of wine grapes. It’s the basis for the great wines of Bordeaux and long ago put California on the world wine map. Furthermore, Cabernet is grown all around the world.

Pinot Noir is a gift for the more discerning wine consumer. Pinot comes in as many styles as any varietal but even real Pinotphiles will appreciate a good bottle.

2009mondavi-cabernet-reviewSo, what do you buy? There are two safe and easy approaches to this old problem. If you’re buying Cab or Pinot for a newer or casual wine consumer there are plenty of good bottles at $15-$20. But, buy a name you know. Don’t go for the bottle with the cute name or appealing label. But a Cabernet from Robert Mondavi, Louis Martini, Sebastiani, or similar California producer whose name you’ve seen on the shelves.

If you want to gift a Pinot at less than $20 the same rule applies. Unfortunately for your shopping convenience, value-priced Pinot is tough to find and often produced by names you may not know. Here are a few suggestions: New Zealand’s Dashwood, Oregon’s A-Z Pinot, California’s Fleur Carneros Pinot, MacMurray Ranch from Sonoma, or even an affordable Burgundy such as Joseph Drouhin Cote de Beaune Villages.

There are great choices at a slightly higher pricer for California Cabernet. Mondavi Napa Cabernet is an outstanding pick for under $30. Franciscan, Duckhorn, and Rutherford Ranch deliver great Cabs around $30 as well. If you want one in the $50 range, then look for Markham, Charles Krug, Chappellet or Joseph Phelps.
If you’re gifting Pinot Noir, try Artessa’s dynamite Sonoma County Pinot at $25.

LangeLange’s Willamette Valley Pinot for $24, or any entry level Oregon Pinot in the $25-$35 range. If you’re wanting to gift better Pinot Noir look for an Oregon label at the $40-$60 price point. If you really want the bigger fruit of a California Pinot Noir with great elegance look for Russian River Valley on the label. Many will argue about the regions but for my money the valley produces some of California’s very best.

Chardonnay Oregon’s Next Thing?

03 Monday Jun 2013

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Does the wine world need another great Chardonnay region? California has the great big buttery, woodsy Chards while Chablis brings the mineral and acid. There is virtually every style in between from regions across the globe.

Grape Sense LogoOregon has made its name with Pinot Noir and the white Pinot Gris. Now there are those who think Chardonnay is the next big thing in northwest wine.

“I think Oregon is really well suited for Chardonnay,” said Bill Sweat, Winderlea Winery. “Chardonnay does better in cooler climates. You get that great acidity and brightness, floral notes, the kind of flavors White Burgundy lovers go after.”

Ironically, when the wine drinkers learned Oregon’s Pinot Noir rivaled some of the best in the world some grape growers actually pulled Chardonnay to plant more Pinot. Chardonnay acreage dropped 25 percent between 1995 and 2001 while Pinot Noir and Gris nearly doubled. The original Oregon Chardonnay problem was the wine just wasn’t very good. It was all a matter of getting the right vines.

Penner-Ash, Lynn lo“When I first started in Chardonnay we only hand one clone,” said Lynn Penner-Ash, who has her own winery and consults with others in winemaking. “Now we’re seeing transition to the Dijon clone with better placement and better vineyard management.

The Chardonnays coming out of Oregon now are better and better – much better than early years.” Talking Chardonnay with Oregon producers is all about getting the right vines and a lesson in terroir. Most producers agreed the move away from the original vines to the Dijon vines made a world of difference.

Sweat

Sweat

“We originally started with some Chardonnay in the vineyard that didn’t do very well,” said Sweat. “But for the last 15 years we’ve been able to bring in some selections from France and they’re doing beautifully. “I’d say Oregon winemakers are making Chard that tends to skew more toward the elegant style. That has to do with the fruit itself. It’s not going to get as ripe as it would in a warmer climate.”

At a March tasting in Chicago, many vintners were promoting their Chards with enthusiasm normally reserved for Pinot Noir.

Lange, Jesse lo“Whether its stainless steel or wood fermenting, I think stylistically our wines have an identy of freshness of fruit where the wood balances the wine but never overtakes it,” offered Jesse Lange, Lange Family Estate. “In terms of its attention – grabbing headlines for the Willamette Valley – I think it has really taken off. I think we’re on the cusp of something big.”

Howard’s Picks: Most of the Oregon producers are making small quantities of Chardonnay but you can find a few in better wine shops. The wines compare favorably to traditionally styled Chablis. The price points are in the $20-$30 range. The best at the Chicago event, and previous tastings in Oregon, were the producers mentioned in this story. The best Chard at the pouring was Evening Land Chardonnay from the Eola-Amity Hills region of the Valley.