Tag Archives: Willamette Valley

Wine Lovers Share Their Favorite Wine Regions

Written by Allison Levine on
Travel Lifestyle Wine

Do you have a favorite wine region? Is it where you took your first wine trip or is it where you celebrated a special event? Perhaps you love multiple regions but is there a wine region that holds a special place in your heart? That was the challenge for my wine friends and I on our weekly virtual tasting which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and you can read it here.

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In my weekly virtual wine tastings with wine industry friends from around the country, we try to come up with different themes each week that will inspire interesting and funny conversations. As we cannot travel, we decided this past week to focus on our favorite wine regions.

Picking a favorite wine region is not easy or any wine lover. We all know picking a favorite wine region, or a favorite wine variety, is like picking your favorite child. There is no single answer. We are all fans of a variety of wine regions because of the people involved, the wineries, the grape varieties, the history and just the beauty of the landscape. But each of us managed to pick one region that holds a special place in our heart.

For me, the region that holds the most special place in my heart is Piedmont, Italy. It is where I first fell in love with wine while living there after college. From the slightly sweet, slightly effervescent red Brachetto that I would enjoy every day during aperitivi to the beautiful reds such as Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo that would be on the dinner table every night, Piemonte is one of many regions that I love but also one of my most favorite.

Healdsburg resident Mary Beth Vierra, of MB Vierra Wine Education and Consulting, also had a hard time picking a particular region. A lover of Italian wines, she debated between white wines from Alto Adige and Campagna but ended up with a Piemontese wine, the Verduno Pelaverga DOC, 2018, Fratelli Alessandria, Verduno Italia. What she loves most about Piemonte is the variety of indigenous grapes that produce light reds with floral aromatics that she gets to “geek out” over.

While I am drawn to Piemonte, Italy where I had my first wine experiences, Upstate New York resident Mykha’el Wilson’s first wine experiences were in the Russian River Valley. He recalled tasting his first Pinot Noir from there while living in Healdsburg and fell in love. In honor of this, he opened a 2016 Cartograph 100% 777 Clone, Russian River Valley. Of a similar mind, Washington, D.C.-based Megan Kenney also opened a Cartograph Wine, the 2018 Cartograph Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, as her favorite region is also the Russian River Valley, and Sonoma in General, where they make complex and delicious Pinot Noir. When she and her husband got married, they honeymooned in Sonoma and it is the only other wine region that they have been to more than any other, except for Virginia, where they live.

Healdsburg resident Barbara Jean Barrielle also picked the Russian River Valley as her favorite region. She loves the accessibility of the area and feels lucky to live there. Her wine of choice was the 2017 Ketcham Chardonnay, Russian River Valley, in honor of Mark Ketcham who recently passed away.

Another Healdsburg resident, Patrick Llerena Cruz selected Rioja, Spain as his favorite region. He finds the wines to be simultaneously diverse and extraordinarily predictable as he enjoyed a Milenrama Rioja Joven 2018, a wine he finds to be easy drinking with lots of layers.

The Anderson Valley, north of the Russian River Valley, is the region of choice for Sonoma resident Thea Dwelle. Due to the different microclimates, she loves the diversity of the region, as well as the proximity to her home and opened a bottle of Smith Story Helluva Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Sonoma-based journalist Sarah Stierch picked Amador County as her favorite region. Originally from the mid-west, she said that Amador County, located southeast of Sacramento, reminds her of Indiana. It is a gorgeous and unpretentious place and she opened two wines to represent the region—the 2018 Bella Grace Vineyards Estate Grenache Blanc Amador County and the 2018 Leoni Farms Amador County Barbera.

Working for Wine.com, Kelly Cohen is exposed to wines from around the world. While she has a lot of favorite regions, she chose the Santa Cruz Mountains in honor of her recent move there from San Francisco and opened a 2016 La Honda Salinian Block Cabernet Sauvignon from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Virginia-based owner of CorkEnvy, Jason Stubblefield selected Paso Robles with the 2010 Aron Hill Vineyards Estate Grown Primitivo from the West Side of Paso Robles. He loves the approachability and down-to-earth nature of Paso Robles, as well as the diversity of the plantings that produce quality wines in different styles.

And, after enjoying wines made from Bordeaux to Rhone varieties, it has piqued his interest to travel to the Rhone Valley and Bordeaux when travel is possible again.

Bay Area-based Michael Wangbickler of Balzac Communications felt like he was picking his favorite child. Ultimately, he selected the 2018 David Paige Wines Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir to represent the Willamette Valley. He says that with regard to domestic Pinot Noirs, Willamette Valley overdelivers for the value. The Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs differentiate between AVAs and he loves the balance of fruit and earth on the wines.

Wine Antics founder Jenn Nelson lives in Florida but is originally from Maryland. She first started studying wine while living in Maryland and opened a bottle of Old Westminster NV Tapestry, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah from a small family-owned sustainable winery in New Windsor, Maryland, in honor of where her love of wine started.

Bay Area-based wine educator and writer Fred Swan decided that there are too many wonderful regions in America, and he could not choose just one. Instead he went overseas to one of his favorite places, a place he visited last year, Southern Australia. To represent the versatility of the McLaren Vale region, he opened a 2013 Yangarra Estate “Old Vine” Grenache, McLaren Vale, South Australia.

Texas-based wine blogger Jeff Kralik opened a bottle of Champagne, which was no surprise to the rest of us as we know he is a big fan.

Why? He used to lead bike tours in France and when he was first learning about wine, a friend told him to pick one region and learn it well and then go from there. Champagne was the region he delved into.

New York-based sound engineer and wine blogger Jim VanBergen also selected a French region. He explained that Bordeaux and Burgundy cannot get all the attention and he loves the tiny region of Jura where the wines are made using 700-year-old techniques and are delicious. He enjoyed the 2015 Frédéric Puffeney Trousseau from Jura, France.

Our Canadian wine journalist friend Christine Campbell represented her own country, picking the 2017 Township Cabernet Sauvignon from the southern towns of Oliver and Osoyoos in the Okanagan. She is proud of British Columbia wines, with different regions emerging showcasing different terroirs and producing wines with great acidity.

Bay Area-based freelance writer Doug Levy also picked British Columbia, and with a love for the intense fruit Syrah they produce, opened a 2017 Orofino Wild Ferment Syrah from the Simikilameen Valley in B.C.

If there a wine region that holds a special place in your heart? While you are not able to travel there right now, open up a bottle from the region and celebrate it and relive the memories of why the place is so special to you.

Read the original story in the Napa Valley Register.

Geodesy supports women in the ag community, one bottle at a time

Written by Allison Levine on
Lifestyle Wine

There are so many ways we can help others. And that is what I love about the new winery Geodesy from Judy Jordan. Geodesy is a company that embodies social responsibility by supporting women in the ag community which I wrote about in the Napa Valley Register and you can read here.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, geodesy is “a branch of applied mathematics concerned with the determination of the size and shape of the earth and the exact positions of points on its surface and with the description of variations of its gravity field.”

Having studied geology at Stanford University, Judy Jordan took inspiration from this measurement tool for her Geodesy Wine.

Raised in the wine industry, Jordan launched J Winery, her sparkling wine brand, in 1986 at the age of 25. After building a successful brand that received acclaim from wine critics, Jordan sold J Winery in 2015 to E&J Gallo.

Selling J Winery was not the end for Jordan, but rather the beginning of a new, inspired project. With a belief that social change can be “accomplished through strategic philanthropy and flexible investments”, she combined her knowledge of geology, business and winemaking to create a business that mentors and supports women in the agricultural community.

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World of Pinot Noir celebrates 20 years

Written by Allison Levine on
Lifestyle Wine

One annual event I look forward to every year is World of Pinot Noir. As World of Pinot Noir celebrated its 20th anniversary, Pinot Noir producers from around the world were joined by Pinot Noir lovers, such as myself. I wrote about the 20th Annual World of Pinot Noir in the Napa Valley Register and you can read it here.

Pinot Noir is a fickle grape. The thin-skinned grape produces tight clusters and likes to ripen late. It is particular about the soil it is planted in and picky about the climate it grows in.

But Pinot Noir produces one of the most delicate, elegant and beautiful wines that can at times be ethereal. Wine critic Allen Meadows, also known as Burghound, once wrote, “It has been said that those who love Pinot Noir are the most passionate of all wine lovers. Pinot enthusiasts will spend hours trying to find a few bottles of exceptionally rare wines and freely spend considerable sums on crisscrossing the globe to commune with others who share their passion.”

For the past 20 years, wine producers and wine enthusiasts from around the world have come together at World of Pinot Noir to celebrate the Pinot Noir grape. World of Pinot Noir was first started in 2001 by a small but dedicated group of winemakers from the San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara County wine regions. What started as a small event at The Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach, California, has turned into an event at the Ritz-Carlton in Santa Barbara that features 200 participating wineries from around the world and attracts over 2,000 attendees.

Norm Yost, owner and winemaker at Flying Goat Cellars in Santa Barbara County, has been coming to World of Pinot Noir since 2002. He has been on the Advisory Board and has been on the World of Pinot Noir Board for the past 10 years. What Norm loves about World of Pinot Noir is “pouring with friends and exchanging and sharing ideas and wines.”

David Strada, the marketing manager for New Zealand Wine Growers, has been attending World of Pinot Noir for more than a decade. He recalled calling the organizers many years ago and expressing interest in including New Zealand Pinot Noirs. “We were welcomed with open arms,” he said, “and New Zealand has been a part of the event ever since.”

Wayne Bailey, proprietor of Oregon wineries Youngberg Hill and Bailey Family Wines, attended World of Pinot Noir for his first time this year. Not only does he see it as good exposure for wineries, but he said he enjoyed meeting “so many people interested in Pinot Noir who are excited to explore beyond their local areas.”

Another first timer to the event was winemaker Megan Baccitich of the recently released Geodesy Wine, who said the event was “fun but also exciting that there is enough diversity out their to warrant an event dedicated to Pinot Noir.”

I attended my first World of Pinot Noir in 2005 in Shell Beach and then returned in 2015 when it moved to Santa Barbara. I have been going every year since and will never miss it. It brings together people who share common interests and passions and is a chance to taste wines from familiar wineries and be introduced to new ones.

World of Pinot Noir showcases Pinot Noir from the best wine regions in the world. This year, there were wineries from Napa, Sonoma, Oregon, Monterey, Mendocino, Santa Barbara County, San Luis Obispo County, Santa Cruz, as well as Alsace, Alto Adige, Argentina, British Columbia, Chile, New Zealand, and, of course, Burgundy.

While I tasted many of the wines from each of these regions at the Grand Tasting that takes place over two days, I was able to get a global perspective on Pinot Noir in a seminar that featured wineries from Alsace, British Columbia, Chile, Argentina and Sonoma and also introduced me to some new wineries.

— Domaine Kirrenbourg, Alsace

Managing Director Samuel Tottoli introduced Domaine Kirrenbourg, a new estate founded in 2015. Located in Kaysersberg in the center of Alsace in the eastern part of France, close to Germany, the estate is located at the foot of the Vosges Mountains, which protect the vineyards. Alsace is one of the driest regions in France and where Domaine Kirrenbourg is located is even drier as a result of the protective mountains. The vineyards at Domaine Kirrenbourg are Grand Cru vineyards that consist of 13 different soils, including granite, and 20 different terroirs. The estate produces Pinot Noir and Riesling and 75 percent of the production is red wine.

—Domaine Kirrenbourg Terroir B 2017 – Deep granitic soils result in vines that do not stress. The resulting wine has notes of raspberry, plum, dusty earth and dried flowers. The wine is bright with tension and high acidity that tingles on the tongue.

—Domaine Kirrenbourg Premier 2017 – The grapes for this wine come from a higher altitude and grow in marl and limestone soils. This cold area results in early maturity and the final wine has a perfumed nose with deep fruit notes. On the palate the wine has bright acidity and soft tannins.

— Iconic Wines of British Columbia

Darryl Brooker is the managing director of Iconic Wines of British Columbia, a group of wineries based in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. The Okanogan Valley is only 200 kilometers in length and currently only 10,000 acres are currently planted. Yet despite the size, it is a diverse area. The southern part is warmer like Walla Walla, Washington. In the middle of the valley is a lake that offers a moderating effect. The northern part offers more altitude, cooler temperatures and a diurnal range. Mission Hill Family Estate, one of the members of Iconic Wines of British Columbia, has eight single organically farmed vineyard sites planted to Pinot Noir vines that range from 20-25 years in age.

—Mission Hill Prospectus 2017 – A blend of 3 vineyards, including one that is close to the lake and one that is at the top of plateau above the lake, this wine has bright aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry and plum and finishes with a touch of spice.

—Mission Hill Martin’s Lane Naramata Ranch 2015 – This wine has beautiful lavender and floral notes that mix with ripe fruit notes and an herbal touch.

— Cono Sur, Casablanca Valley, Chile

Part of the large company Concha ye Toro, Cono Sur was founded in 1993 in the Casablanca Valley. Regional Director Gonzalo Marina explained that in Chile they look less for altitude and more for proximity to the ocean. In the Casablanca Valley, the cooler temperatures result in good acidity and the deep red clay and granitic soils result in a lot of minerality in the wine. After visiting Burgundy, Cono Sur’s winemaker established the ultimate goal: to make the best Chilean Pinot Noir using French knowledge.

—Cono Sur 20 Barrels 2017 – Made from a blend of 85 percent of the Pinot Noir from Casablanca, 15 percent of the Pinot Noir from San Antonio, a region more exposed to the ocean, the wine is rich with spice notes but also bright.

—Cono Sur Ocio 2016 – Fresh and bright with sour cherry notes, this wine is balanced with a lovely texture on the palate.

— Domaine Nico, Uco Valley, Argentina

Laura Catena, Managing Director of Bodega Catena Zapata and Luca Winery is the founding owner of Domaine Nico, named after her daughter, Nico. She wanted to make the grape that she loves and looked for high altitude to a find cooler climate. She first planted Pinot Noir in the early 1990s and it took 15 years to learn how to make it. There are 25 hectares planted in soils that include stony soils. With more age on the vines, the Pinot Noir is coming into its own and expresses terroir.

—Domaine Nico Histoire d’A 2017 – Sourced from two vineyards, one at 5,000-foot elevation and one at 5,5000 feet, the wine is sexy and spicy.

—Domaine Nico Le Paradis 2016 – Elegant with a beautifully aromatic nose, on the palate the wine has sandy tannins with a little grip and a long lingering finish.

— Sangiacomo Family Vineyards, Sonoma

Sangiacomo is a recognizable name in Sonoma. The family has been farming since 1927 and planted vines in 1969. Today, they have 1600 acres of vines across 14 vineyards, many of which are contiguous. Located primarily in the Los Carneros AVA, the first appellation in the state of California designated for weather and not politics, it is a cool area with a strong maritime influence, fog and occasional sun in summer. The third generation of the Sangiacomo Family started making wine in 2016 with James MacPhail as the winemaker.

—Sangiacomo Family Vineyards Sonoma Coast 2017 – Made from a blend of vineyards, the wine has dusty lavender aromas and soft drying tannins with a lovely mid-weight on palate.

—Sangiacomo Family Vineyards Roberts Road Vineyard 2017 – The Roberts Road Vineyard is located across the street from Gap’s Crown and you can smell the coolness of the region as well as fruit and spice notes.

Read the original story in the Napa Valley Register.

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