kevin white – doin' it right!

There’s a sea change in the way new, tiny, boutique wineries are being prepped and presented, at least among some of the more compelling examples that have appeared here in the Pacific Northwest in the recent past.

Credit better education, mentoring, global experience, youthful energy, a bit of history to draw upon, the challenging economy, changing tastes and lifestyles – any or all of the above come into play.

But in more than a few instances, I’m seeing wineries debut with limited releases of well-crafted, well-designed, affordable wines that showcase fruit and vintage and variety, while eschewing high alcohol, heavy-handed oak, and over-ripe, jammy excess.

The poster child for this renaissance may well be the Kevin White Winery, whose second vintage, released a few weeks ago, is already causing a big buzz around Seattle. White is a 30-something Microsoft engineer, an east coast transplant, whose interest in wine went from zero to pedal-to-the-medal in just the past decade.

nose in the nooze

Some odd tidbits from the digital flotsam and jetsam arriving on the tide this morning...

From the Drinks Business online comes word that Swedish and Spanish engineers have invented an electronic nose that works better than a human organ. There are still a few hiccups to be worked out, however. As the article reveals, the nose, which resembles a deconstructed vacuum cleaner, only works with chopped apples and pears. Its main claim to fame is that it can detect methane and butane. Nonetheless, its creators are convinced that eventually it will replace wine critics. Not that anyone would really mind. As long as the thing was programmed to spit out 90+ point scores along with its tasting notes. Here's a sample:

the stu sutcliffe and pete best of bordeaux grapes

Students of Beatles trivia know that Sutcliffe and Best were both Beatles (playing bass and drums respectively) before the group solidified as a quartet, with McCartney on bass and Ringo on drums. I’ve often felt that among the six red Bordeaux grapes, Sutcliffe and Best must be the Malbec and Carmenère. John Lennon’s the Cabernet Sauvignon, Paul’s the Merlot, George the Cab Franc and Ringo the Petit Verdot (obviously). But Stu and Pete are destined to remain footnotes to greatness, as were Malbec and Carmenère in Bordeaux.

At least until South America got hold of them. Somehow, Malbec has become the superstar of Argentine reds, and Carmenère (also seen misspelled as Carménère, Carmenére, Carmeneré and other convolutions) has been claimed by Chile. This seems like a huge mistake. While Argentine Malbecs have proven to be both popular and capable of making very good, though not great wines, at all price levels, it is difficult to say the same about Carmenère. In fact, I find it hard to say anything positive about Carmenère.

friday wrap - while i was at the beach

I am catching up after a week on the road. Of course, everything important seems to happen when you’re gone. Spring not only came to our Waitsburg gardens, it exploded into full-blown glory. This barely a week after temps had dipped into the upper 20s at night. Grapevines are fine, but some of the roses and early-budding trees took a hit.

An official announcement from Walla Walla Community College welcomed Dr. Alan Busacca to the position of Director of Enology and Viticulture at the College. Dr. Busacca has an extensive background in both education and the wine industry – he is a Professor Emeritus of Soil Science and Geology at WSU where he did groundbreaking [pun intended] research into the terroirs of the Walla Walla Valley. His consulting company, Vinitas Vineyard Consultants, has served the wine industry in the Northwest, Colorado, South America, and beyond. He also founded and co-owns Volcano Ridge Vineyard near The Dalles, Oregon in the Columbia Valley AVA, and co-owns AlmaTerra wines, a terroir-centered boutique.

The staff and Advisory Board (of which I am a member) could not be happier with this appointment. Myles Anderson, who has served admirably for the past couple of years following his aborted retirement, deserves our most effusive thanks. He is passing the baton into capable hands.

the hunt for oregon’s iconic white wine

Much of the discussion among winemakers and those in the audience at last Saturday’s Oregon Chardonnay Symposium centered around the idea of defining an ‘Oregon’ style of Chardonnay. Winemakers noted that they sensed a lot of enthusiasm for the grape among their tasting room visitors, but the question of how (or if) to describe a specific Oregon style seemed to be a bit of a head-scratcher.

My take – there is no such thing as an Oregon style, nor need there be. Now, I am the same guy who has spent much of the last two Oregon Pinot Gris Symposiums preaching just the opposite. Stop talking about how your Pinot Gris is Alsatian or Italian in style, I have said, over and over. Talk about the style of Oregon Pinot Gris. So, why should Chardonnay be any different?

It’s different because the market opportunities are different. In Pinot Gris, Oregon vintners have a grape that is clearly theirs to own, at least domestically. David Lett planted the first Pinot Gris vines anywhere in the country more than four decades ago. I’d be hard-pressed to name any significant producer of Pinot Gris in California. It’s a rising star in Washington, but likely to remain a minor player for a long while in a state super-saturated with great white wines. So Oregon has a real chance to claim that niche.

Chardonnay, on the other hand, is the grape that everyone takes to the Prom.

hot times for cool climate chardonnay

I spent the weekend at Durant Vineyards, in the heart of the Red Hills of Dundee. The occasion was the second annual Oregon Chardonnay Symposium, and I was a guest panelist, along with blogger W. Blake Gray and moderator Katherine Cole, the wine columnist for The Oregonian. The event was organized by Paul Durant and Meaghan Burns (Broussard Communications), and the glorious, sunny weather had everyone in a festive mood.

What had initially piqued my interest was the opportunity to meet the “new wave of artisan producers” promised by the organizers. And there was no doubt, after an engaging two hour tasting and discussion, that the eight participating winemakers were the real stars of the show.

Of the group present, I’d met one or two, corresponded with another, and heard about – though had not tasted – roughly half the wines. It really wasn’t that surprising that they were unknown to me, as the biggest production among the eight wines presented was a whopping 150 cases.

b-griff turns 30!

Congratulations are in order for Rob Griffin and Deborah Barnard, whose Barnard Griffin winery is celebrating its 30th anniversary. In terms of Old World winery lifespans this is just the blink of an eye, but here on the Frontier it’s a wizened, grizzled veteran, a veritable pioneer.

Rob Griffin’s experience in Washington goes back even further, to the spring of 1977, when the newly-minted UC Davis graduate was hired to make wines for Bill Preston. Those early, Griffin-made Preston wines upped the ante for the winery and indeed the entire state. His 1977 Preston Chardonnay was awarded Best of Show at the Seattle Enological Society's Northwest Wine Festival – at the time, the most prestigious judging event for the region’s wines.

Shortly after Barnard Griffin was founded, in 1983, Rob was hired by the Hogue brothers to be the winemaker and General Manager at their start-up winery. That lasted until 1991, when he and Deborah turned their energies fulltime toward their own winery.