Tags

, , , , , , , ,

Oregon Pinot Noir was my first vinous love after finding wine in the mid-2000s.  It started with an Oregon Pinot tasting at a local wine shop followed by a trip (and the another, and another) to Oregon’s bucolic Willamette Valley.

Many of Oregon’s top Pinot producers will be in Washington, D.C. next week pouring at Pinot in the City event.  To get the word out about this event, I cede control of our normal Virginia wine programing to Clive Pursehouse (on Twitter:  @Clivity) for a Pinot PSA.

__________

Greetings, my name is Clive and I live in the “other Washington” and write a wine blog called the Northwest Wine Anthem in an effort to spread the good word about the amazing wines of the Pacific Northwest. In an effort to do so, I have taken radio control of the Drink What You Like blog to give you the scoop on an event coming your way next week that is a do not miss as far as I’m concerned.

PinotintheCityOn April 2nd at the Longview Gallery, Pinot in the City brings the new world’s finest Pinot Noir producing region to your fair city, or region as the case may be. Oregon Pinot Noir, if you’re not familiar is the state’s flagship variety, and in the Willamette Valley it’s found a magical mixture of weather, topography and soils that allow winemakers there to produce some of the prettiest wine you’ll come across, and I’m not just saying that because I’m biased. I’m biased because that’s a fact. The facts have biased me, or something.

Oregon Pinot Noir made itself known to the wine world back in 1979 at the Gault-Millau French Wine Olympiades, there David Lett of Eyrie Vineyards, the man credited with bringing Pinot Noir to Oregon had his wines place among the top in the world. You can taste today’s Eyrie Vineyards wines at Pinot in the City by the way. David’s son Jason will be on hand pouring his Pinot Noir. In addition to Jason’s label, there are about 50 other wineries pouring at Pinot in the City. Among them some of the region’s most sought after wines, including Antica Terra, Dusky Goose, Adelsheim, Ponzi Vineyards, and Luminous Hills. These are wines that I’ve only had the opportunity to taste on a rare occassion. Lucky dogs!

Byron Dooley produces Pinot Noir among other wines under two labels, Luminous Hills which are Pinots designed to match varying soil types and Seven of Hearts. Byron hopes that those in attendance get a chance to understand what Oregon is all about and appreciate the complexity that Oregon offers, in a single bottle but as a region as well.

“What I hope those from the area take away is the quality and diversity of our growing region.  I expect this will become apparent by the clear differences from different producers from different AVAs growing on different soils in varied microclimates.  From my wines in particular, I hope that some (I know it will not be all) will gravitate and connect with wines that are transparent, unmanipulated and genuine representations of the character of the Oregon, the Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton, and Luminous Hills Vineyard, in increasing order of specificity.”

You’ll also find that Oregon makes more than Pinot Noir. The region’s also producing some of the greatest Chardonnay in the new world, not necessarily surprising considering that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir of the region of Burgundy are both of remarkable quality. Oregon Chardonnays among my favorites include many of those in attendance, Luisa Ponzi of Ponzi Vineyards as well as Bergstrom, Stoller Vineyards and Chehalem are just a few of the state’s outstanding Chardonnay producers.

So my advice to you, get your tickets, check out what Oregon is doing, and hey, maybe come pay us a visit here in the Northwest. If you do, shoot me an email first, maybe we can grab a glass of wine together?

_____________

Thank you, Clive, for sharing your passion for the wines of Oregon.  I hope to see you’all there at Pinot in the City next Wednesday!

___________________________

Advertisement