Oregon Wineries Washington Wineries Andrew Will Winery the Eyrie Vineyards St
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WINES OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST TABLE OF CONTENTS OREGON WINERIES WASHINGTON WINERIES ANDREW WILL WINERY THE EYRIE VINEYARDS ST. INNOCENT WINERY CADENCE HEDGES FAMILY ESTATE PONZI VINEYARDS L’ECOLE NO 41 PATRICIA GREEN CELLARS LEONETTI CELLARS MAISON L’ENVOYÉ - QUILCEDA CREEK OREGON REVELRY VINTNERS LEMELSON VINEYARDS WILLIAM WEAVER KEN WRIGHT CELLARS WINES J.K. CARRIERE WINES WOODWARD CANYON WINERY GROCHAU CELLARS ELK COVE VINEYARDS DOMAINE SERENE CRISTOM VINEYARDS COLENE CLEMENS VINEYARDS BETHEL HEIGHTS VINEYARD BERGSTROM WINES CUTTING EDGE SELECTIONS PRESENTS OREGON PROFILES OF OUR OREGON WINERIES The Eyrie Vineyards The Original Vines of Oregon. “David Lett pioneered both Pinot noir and its white wine cousin, Pinot gris, the two grapes that define Oregon wine today. But just as important, he established the very tone of Oregon winegrowing: artisanal, individualistic, even idiosyncratic… You can look at Oregon’s 300-plus wineries and 17,400 acres of vines and trace it to Lett. But he left more than that. He bequeathed a uniquely Oregon ‘wine genome,’ one that others now seek to copy.” - Matt Kramer, The Wine Spectator. In 1965, 25-year-old David Lett moved to Oregon with “3,000 grape cuttings and a theory.” He was determined to prove that stylistically pure Pinot Noir could be grown successfully outside of Burgundy, France. Dave planted his cuttings to root in a rented nursery plot, and began his search for the perfect vineyard site. This was the first planting of Pinot Noir in the Willamette Valley and the first Pinot Gris vines in America. In 1966, Eyrie Vineyards was planted, named by Diana Lett for the red-tailed hawks who make their home in the vineyards fir trees. The first vintage was 1970. Five years later, the 1975 vintage would become the first America Pinot Noir to compete successfully against the renowned wines of Burgundy. In 2005, Jason Lett took over as winemaker. He continues David and Diana’s pioneering legacy, while keeping production at the same small level as it was in 1983; approximately 11,0000 cases. The vineyards of Eyrie are certified organic and embrace natural techniques such as native yeast fermentations and no-sulfur winemaking. St Innocent Winery Balanced, Food-Friendly, Oregon Wines of Terroir “As a winemaker, I have a philosophy that guides the style of my wines. First, I make wines to enjoy with food… My goal is to create wines with balance. I want the aromas, flavors, and textures to integrate and create a complete “personality”. The fruit, spice, earth, acid, tannin, and alcohol interact with food producing an experience where both the wine and the food taste better together… One aspect of the personality in wine that fascinates me is the ability of wine, especially Pinot noir, to express the place where the grapes grow. The French call this “terroir”. It is mostly expressed in the secondary notes: spicy, floral, earthy, and savory facets. Texture is very important. The way a wine feels on your palate, where you taste it, how it lingers, its density or lightness are all an expression of a specific place.” — Mark Vlossak, Owner and Winemaker St. Innocent Winery’s goal is to create wines that display their provenance: the site's terroir, the character of the vintage, and the personality of the winemaker. Entwined with this goal is winemaker Mark Vlossak’s commitment to providing wine at a price point that is accessible to all potential customers. He has had a longstanding love affair with food and wine and believes that this experience should be available to all. Philosophically, the winery looks both to the New and Old World for inspiration. Each decision, from bloom to bottling, expresses itself in a wine. Winemaker Mark Vlossak oversees all stages of the wine’s evolution: the management of the grapes through their final ripening, the way the grapes are extracted during fermentation, and the maturation during aging. Fermentation proceeds naturally for all the wines. While fermenting on the skins, Pinot Noir extracts flavor and tannin. When the intended balance of flavor and tannins is achieved, the grapes are gently pressed and then settled to remove most of the yeast solids. The fermenters are filled and the wine is bottled by gravity flow. The barrels then rest in an underground room with naturally controlled temperature and humidity. The barrels are never moved during their aging, nor is any machinery allowed in the barrel cellar; all work is done by hand. Mark Vlossak believes that the simplicity inherent in this process is the best way to allow the wine's personality to be fully expressed. Ponzi Vineyards One of the Founding Families of Oregon Wine. The Ponzi family is one of the founding families of the Oregon wine business, bringing more than four decades of experience, exploration and innovation to the wines of Willamette Valley. After researching old-world grape varieties in Burgundy and Alsace, the Ponzi family brought their knowledge to the Pacific Northwest, hearts set on growing Pinot Noir. In the late 1960s, they purchased 20 acres in the north Willamette Valley. The climate, soil and vineyard sites were perfect for noble cool-climate grape varieties. In 1970, they founded Ponzi Vineyards with plantings of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Alsatian white varieties. Since its founding in 1970, Ponzi Vineyards has practiced winemaking that is grounded in a remarkable balance between innovation and tradition. In the vineyard and the cellar, gentle handling and a deep respect for varietal integrity are the foundation of their winemaking philosophy. While many Oregon wineries feature a balanced eco-system in the vineyard, Ponzi Vineyards also maintains a sustainable workforce through high wages, full-time employment and healthcare options. A new modern winery was designed by Dick Ponzi and completed in 2008. Designed to be a showpiece for the Willamette Valley, this winery is a sustainable, four-level gravity-flow facility perched atop a Chehalem Mountains slope. The design maximizes the natural contours of the site for light, temperature control, gravity-flow processing, water retention and recycling. It was one of the first Oregon facilities awarded the LIVE Winery Certification, meeting LIVE specifications for an eco-friendly building and sustainable winemaking practices. Today, the Ponzi family owns and farms over 120 acres of certified sustainable vineyards and produces nearly 40,000 cases annually. Thriving under the guiding hand of the second generation, the winery remains dedicated to producing world-class wines, while maintaining sustainable winemaking practices and committed leadership in the wine community. Patricia Green Cellars The Grace and Diversity of Oregon Pinot Noir. “Wines are a lot of the personality of the people who make them and in Oregon we have a lot of personalities. If you put so much of your personal, mental and physical energy into making wine, I think it really translates into the wines.” —Patricia Green, Founder and Winemaker. 1955-2017 “Do what needs to be done.” —Jim Anderson, Founder and Winemaker. Patricia Green Cellars was founded in 2000 by Jim Anderson and Patricia “Patty” Green. At the time, it was a radical notion that a female winemaker would quit her day job, purchase an existing winery and vineyard and rename the winery after herself. For Patty and Jim, it was the inevitable result of a fruitful collaboration at one of Oregon’s most prominent wineries. Patricia Green Cellars enthusiastically and unapologetically produces more individual bottlings of Pinot Noir than any other winery in America. In each vineyard, a unique combination of geology, topography, elevation, aspect to the sun, degree of slope, type of water, age of vine, clonal material, flora and fauna that come together to make up the concept that is referred to as terroir. All the vineyards are either organically or sustainably farmed to produce textures, aromatics and flavors that are specific to the site from which they are born. When Patty unexpectedly passed away in late 2017, she left behind an eponymous brand and a legacy of soulful, vineyard-based Pinot Noir. Jim Anderson carries on their shared vision. This shows in the hard work and artisanal craftsmanship that was an important element of their partnership. The winery continues to make exceptional wines and explore “the interesting and hard to analyze sub-texts of wine by finding ways and methods to illuminate them.” Maison L’Envoyé - Oregon The Oregon Division of a Global Pinot Noir Project “I will be fascinated to see how the project unfolds” — Neal Martin, The Wine Advocate Maison L’Envoyé, “The House of the Messenger,” tirelessly explores the finest sites dedicated to the cultivation of Pinot Noir. They strive to craft wines that not only sing of their origins, but are also delicious in their own right. Driven by this tireless hunt for elusive sites where Pinot Noir shines, Maison L’Envoyé traverses the globe. With winemaking footprints in Burgundy, Oregon, Central Otago, and Tasmania, they champion many unsung growers who have farmed their vineyards for decades and generations, some mere feet away from more famous neighbors. Maison L’Envoyé’s approach in the vineyard combines tailored viticulture and vigilant diligence. Each growing season and unique block is taken into account. They consider the site, specific soil characteristics, elevation, aspect, rainfall, and vine age. The growers lean heavily towards organic and biodynamic regimes, with a strict mindset of growing Pinot Noir rather than farming grapes. In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Maison L’Envoyé carefully selects rows of Pinot Noir from both volcanic and sedimentary soils located primarily in Yamhill-Carlton, Ribbon Ridge and the Eola- Amity Hills. Many precise and specific winemaking techniques are employed that together produce a soulful and generous expression of the fruit flavors while avoiding any heavy tannin, rough edges or alcoholic extraction.