Friday Find, March 15th

Each Friday we highlight a wine from the Northwest that we think is a real "find". By find we might mean that it's a steal, as all of these wines we'll feature weekly are at or under $20. We might also mean, "Hey, you really need to go find this", and it might be a wine that we feel not enough people know about. In any case, with the weekend pending, we're hoping to help you "find" a wine to kickoff the weekend right. We'll tell you a little bit about the wine and try to help you track it down here in the Northwest.

The mild winter months have packed their bags and finally left town. Our collective wine thoughts can now turn to what pairs well with Northwest sunshine and t-shirt weather. The 2010 and 2011 Oregon vintages produced some stellar white wines. These bright, vibrant wines can easily induce the whitest of legs to parade around the backyard in shorts, while unearthing patio furniture in the 52 degree sun. These wines are capable of convincing the mind that a sunny spring day in Oregon is almost, almost like a day at the beach in San Diego; they're that persuasive. Is one of these lively, delicious wines, occupying that half empty bottle next to your chaise, the reason why you and your sunglasses ignore the pale goosebumps covering your pale legs? Does it really matter? The time has come for the parade of whites and rosés to march past our daffodils and into our wine glasses.

Today's Friday Find is a Pinot Gris that fits the bill for our warm weather plans. The 2011 Pinot Gris from Omero Cellars was fermented in stainless steel, a leaner style with enough roundness of mouthfeel to fill out the wine nicely. Lemon, mild melon and lychee flavor this Alsatian style wine, with all the acidity that also makes this great with food. Fruit and floral aromas and flavors are capped off with nice bit of spice.

Prior to joining Omero, winemaker Sarah Cabot spent time working in New Zealand, and at Belle Pente and Willakenzie, two highly respected Oregon wineries. Sarah's collaboration with Vineyard Manager David Moore, is proving that Omero Cellars is coming into its own. They began producing wines with the 2008 vintage. This 2011 Pinot Gris is their first with 100% estate fruit from the Omero Vineyard. The 26 acre vineyard was planted in 2009. Four acres are planted to Pinot Gris, clones 146 and 152, the remaining acres comprised of five Pinot Noir clones. The vineyard is located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, the smallest of Oregon's wine growing regions.

You can find the wine at their tasting room in Carlton if you're out and about in Oregon wine country. Their website states tasting room hours are daily from noon until 5pm. The wine is also available for $19.99 at Whole Foods Bridgeport Village and at many Portland area wine retailers. You can contact them through their website to find out how you can have your own delicious slice of sunshine.

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Savoring the Experience - The Wines of Luminous Hills and Seven of Hearts

It is time for true confessions, Oregon style. We have a tendency to be spoiled in the midst of our foodie utopia and wine sanctuary. All that is so readily available around us can be taken for granted. Daily we pass by restaurants and gourmet food shops that garner national acclaim for the food and wine they serve.  Reminding ourselves to stop and smell the roses can be a brilliant lesson in appreciating what we have in our own backyard.

One of these lessons in appreciation transpired during a pre-IPNC  dinner last July, a few days before the main International Pinot Noir Celebration festivities began. The dinner was hosted by Byron and Dana Dooley, and featured Byron's Luminous Hills and Seven of Hearts wines. Wines were paired with an eight course tasting menu at Noisette, a French restaurant in Northwest Portland. Noisette’s Chef Anthony Demes spent eight years at the helm of Couvron, a jewel in Portland’s restaurant scene, before its closing in 2003. He pursued other opportunities around the country, including his hometown of New York, before returning in 2010 to open Noisette. Demes’ modern French cuisine was a magnificent match with Byron’s elegant wines.

The first course featured the Seven of Hearts 2011 Pinot Gris paired with Oregon Line Caught Albacore Tuna. The fruity aromas on the nose were wonderfully expressive and intense, the palate a bit creamier than many Oregon Pinot Gris. Next up, was the Mahonia Vineyard 2010 Chardonnay served with Maine Day Boat Lobster.  Non-Chardonnay drinkers were asking for more of this Chardonnay. Many will be watching the Seven of Hearts website next spring for the release of the 2011 Chardonnay, which will be sourced from Gran Moraine Vineyard. (The 2011 Pinots will be released next month.)

The rosé of the evening was the Luminous Hills Aura 2011 Rosé of Pinot Noir. The Luminous Hills wines are all estate fruit from Yamhill-Carlton’s Luminous Hills Vineyard; the Seven of Hearts fruit is sourced from various other vineyards. Paired with an Oregon Spring Onion and Cauliflower Soup, the rosé held up well to the savory flavors. This versatile rosé was also sipped earlier in the evening by arriving guests, wonderfully crisp and light on its own.

The first of three Pinot Noirs (fourth, fifth and seventh courses) was the Seven of Hearts 2010 Armstrong Vineyard. Ancient Grain and Morel flavors and textures were ideal with the bolder structure of this Pinot. The Armstrong Vineyard is located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. The soil in this AVA often produces more tannic Pinots, yet this wine is still easily approachable in its youth. The second Pinot Noir was the Luminous Hills 2010 Estate Pinot, coupled with a B.C. Diver Scallop and Braised Short Ribs. Byron describes this wine as “…the broadest and clearest expression yet of the big picture story that Luminous Hills has to say.” Finally, Luminous Hills 2010 Lux Pinot Noir accompanied by Moulard Duck Breast and Veal Sweetbread with Port Wine Sauce. Rich complex flavors, spice and berry came together perfectly.

The evening’s selections also included two sweet wines, courses six and eight. Seven of Hearts 2011 Ice Princess Viognier was interestingly, yet successfully presented with Moulard Duck Liver, Brioche, Hazelnut and Medjool Date Puree with Sauternes Sauce. Quite a mouthful to say, but a complex balance between the sweet and the rich savory flavors. The final course presented a Cherry and Chocolate Brioche Pudding served with Seven of Hearts Coupe’s Cuvee, 2011 Pinot Noir.  Very port-like in flavor, the deep fruit flavors and smooth finish brought the incredible event to a close.

This was an occasion to be savored. During Byron’s initial words of welcome, he graciously thanked friends and supporters of the winery for being part of Dana's and his community. Throughout the evening, he moved from table to table, speaking with wine club members, friends and industry associates, mutual respect clearly expressed. An energetic round of applause was given for Chef Demes and the excellent staff at Noisette. That evening, nothing was taken for granted as we all stopped to smell the roses.

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Harper Voit; Obsessively Crafted Wines

Drew Voit’s intrigue for winemaking began while he was in high school in California. This intrigue led him to study at UC Davis where it continued to flourish as he was acquainted with the use of cement tanks and wine being made on the lees. That changed the course of his focus; He put Oregon wine front and center during his junior year.  He headed to Oregon after graduating and jumped into the wine industry. Working as Associate Winemaker for Domaine Serene paved the way for Drew to join Shea Wine Cellars as Winemaker in 2007. 2008 was a very full and chaotic year. With his position at Shea in full swing, he offered his greatly needed assistance as Consulting Winemaker for Domaine Serene during a transitional time for them, all the while raising a toddler with his wife, Tandy. Today with 14 years of winemaking to his credit and still Head Winemaker at Shea, Drew’s own Harper Voit label is also up and running. It’s commonplace for a larger winery (Shea) to have an agreement with their winemaker that allows venturing out with a personal wine label (Harper Voit). It proves to be a beneficial arrangement for both, giving a winemaker an opportunity to showcase their personal style. Harper Voit provides that opportunity, and Drew promotes vineyards that are important to him. He finds unique sites, vineyard gems that people may be unfamiliar with, and showcases their fruit. These places teach him, give him the winemaking tools he feels he may be missing in his toolbox.

Great relationships are foundational to Drew’s collaboration with people and vineyard sources. One of these collaborative efforts involves Old School Vineyard, farmed by Stephen Hagen in Junction City, Oregon. The partnership that has been forged is based on mutual respect and a commitment to doing things well, quality from the land up. Hagen farms this Bellpine soil using methods that are considered “old school”, hence the name. Old School is a LIVE certified vineyard, another reason for Voit to be proud of this site. For those unfamiliar with LIVE certification, the LIVE website summarizes:  “LIVE is an acronym meaning Low Input Viticulture and Enology. This refers to the practice of limiting the amount of raw materials (inputs such as pesticides, fertilizer, water, chemicals, fuel, etc.) used in vineyard and winery production.” Hagen uses draft horses for planting and incorporates other farm animals into the cycle. Sheep have been trained (yes, that is not a misprint) to eat weeds and undesirable growth in the vineyard, while staying away from the grape leaves.  Sheep may not have a reputation for being smart, but Hagen surely does, proving that by his ability to do the incredible.

Most of the fruit for Harper Voit’s 2009 Strandline Pinot Noir comes from Old School Vineyard, with the remainder sourced from the Ribbon Ridge AVA. 210 cases were made. Those of you following Oregon Pinot trivia will know that “Sideways” author Rex Pickett auspiciously references this particular wine in his sequel “Vertical”, the characters waxing poetic. A quick search through the book finds the description:  “inky, plush, gorgeous, almost savage, a wild ride of pepper, black cherry, cedar and Cuban cigar”. Truly an inky, plush wine, this one begins to show its complexity with a bit of decanting and served at a cooler temperature. 

The fruit for the 2010 Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Blanc was sent Voit's way after years of previously being grown for another winery. He was glad to have the opportunity. Revisit our article from March 9th where we featured this Pinot Blanc as our Friday Find. 83% of the fruit was fermented in 1 to 3 year old barrels with the remaining 17% done in stainless steel tanks. Only 120 cases were made. These small production wines are beginning to gain quite a following. Repeating the favorite motto of a childhood teacher, “A word to the wise is sufficient.”

What does the future hold? A wine club is in the works, possibly called the Wise Acres Society. The witty "Wise Acres" was Drew’s original idea for the winery name, but after being advised to go with something less whimsical, he combined his middle and last name to create Harper Voit. As for the wines, keep your eyes open for some old vine Riesling in the future, and an Old School Vineyard designate Pinot Noir for the wine club.  

Passionate not only about wine, Drew is a foodie who enjoys cooking for his family. Tandy is grateful to experience firsthand the culinary skills of her artist/scientist husband. Wine goes hand in hand with food, and showcasing the wines with the food of Oregon is a natural expression. Drew’s passion for “obsessively crafted wines” is evidenced in each glass. Online ordering is available through the winery. The wines are poured by the glass and sold by the bottle at several Willamette Valley locations. A comprehensive list can be found at the end of our March article here.  

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