Great Grapes

Oregon’s winemakers pride themselves on what they are not: California.

This is their mantra, the heart of their identity, and a deliberate attempt to differentiate themselves from their neighbor to the south. It is an image both justified and effective.

It’s not just that the climate in Oregon’s Willamette Valley is cooler than California’s, and therefore more similar to pinot noir’s home territory of Burgundy. The whole ethos is different. The scale is smaller, with many of the families that founded the industry in the 1970s still running their wineries today. There are no gaudy mansions like one finds in Napa; all the vintners here are farmers.

Not surprisingly, given the climate, Oregon pinots are far closer in style to Burgundy than those of California. They are rounder and more accessible than Burgundy pinots, but they show a lean elegance that couldn’t be more different from the blowsy opulence of their Californian cousins. It’s the difference between a fresh peach and the canned variety. They have what Steve Doerner, the unassuming and widely respected winemaker at Cristom Vineyards, calls “nervocity” — a word that’s utterly appropriate to Oregon pinot noir.

Doerner, like many Willamette pioneers, came to Oregon by way of California. He made wine there for 14 years before moving north in 1992 as Cristom’s first winemaker. He was looking to make pinot noir in a cooler climate, on a smaller scale, and in a more supportive environment. “Since I’ve been here, I’ve realized how wonderful the industry is,” he says. “They were so excited that anyone was coming up here, and they were so helpful.”

Heat is the enemy of a good pinot noir. Too much of it and you lose color and acidity. And as Pat Dudley points out, “The key to great pinot noir is bright acidity. The whole structure of pinot noir is based on acidity, not on tannin.”

Dudley is a member of another pioneer family. Along with her husband, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law, she established Bethel Heights Vineyards in the Eola Hills in 1977. They too were pinot fanatics looking for a cooler climate to make the sort of wine they liked to drink.

The Willamette Valley is warm enough to get pinot ripe, but only just barely. In this cooler climate the grapes don’t ripen until mid to late October — four to six weeks later than Napa or Sonoma. The longer the grapes stay on the vines, the more flavor elements they absorb from the soil.

“It really means we can get that intensity of fruit that you want in a really ripe pinot noir. The black cherry, the blackberry, all those nice dark fruits you’re looking for, and you can also have that retained acidity that allows it to age well,” Dudley says.

One only has to look at the color of a good Oregon pinot. It vibrates a translucent scarlet, a promise of the nimble, bright-fruit freshness to follow on the palate. This is minimalist winemaking at its best, drawing out the glory of pinot noir and letting it shine through unencumbered by layers of oak, heavy alcohol, or jammy, overripe sweetness.

The best of these wines, whether simple Willamette Valley blends or the more concentrated, limited-edition single-vineyard offerings, can be enjoyed upon release. But they can also go on improving for many years. In the process, their bright red-fruit flavors darken and take on the hues of blackberries and plums. This is the essence of great pinot noir.

Dennis Fassett, wine buyer for The 3rd Corner Wine Shop and Bistro in San Diego, is seeing a growing interest in Oregon pinots. He thinks their rich fruit flavor appeals to California wine drinkers, but there’s also those “nice mineral, soft earthy tones so you can put them in the hands of Burgundy lovers, and everybody’s pleased.”

Indeed. The pinot noir from Oregon offers a memorable experience for any palate. Savor it.

Notable Noirs

Adelsheim, Willamette Valley, 2009
A little too young at the moment but a beautifully made wine that will be wonderful in five years. Glowing with red berry fruits without a hint of misplaced effort.

Bethel Heights, Casteel Reserve, 2003
This is one of the oldest Oregon wineries (and a personal favorite of mine). All of their wines are winners, but this beauty shows just what beguiling complexities they develop with the passage of a little time.

Cristom, Marjorie Vineyard, 2008
Singing with depth and harmony. Rich and powerful yet perfectly balanced, and although quite drinkable today, this single-vineyard gem will age gracefully for at least ten years.

Domaine Drouhin, Willamette Valley, 2009

Lean and Burgundian in its impeccable, almost austere, structure. This should not surprise as Drouhin is one of Burgundy’s preeminent producers, and their 1987 investment in Oregon conferred an immediate legitimacy on the emerging region.

Elk Cove, Willamette Valley, 2009
A delight — pure, clean, and elegant with no pretensions beyond its abilities. The pretty, bright color mirrors its lively flavor. An impeccably made wine that needs a year or two to open up and reveal its currently shy charms.

Henry Estate, 2008
A terrific value wine. A lively, fresh quaffer packed with the essence of strawberries and rose petals.

Penner-Ash, Willamette Valley, 2009
Luxurious and plush but with enough acidity to keep it honest. The hints of spice make it an unusual and intriguing Oregon pinot.

Siduri, Arbre Vert Vineyard, 2008
Fine acidity, subtle balance, and mellow fruit. Though it took three hours to open up, when it did, it was magnificent. A wine for keeping.

Getting There

US Airways offers daily direct flights to Portland, Oregon, from Phoenix, Charlotte, and Philadelphia. Many of the Willamette Valley’s wineries are within an hour’s drive of Portland.

Click here to read the full article