J!J:__ ~Ichael K
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THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON September 7, 1983 Dear Mr. Blosser: Thank for your recent letter with the attached information on Sokol Blosser Winery. I will keep your award winning wines in mind when there is a need to select more fine wines to serve at the White House. With best wishes, TtfJ!J:__ ~ICHAEL K. DEAVER Assistant to the President Deputy Chief of Staff Mr. Bill Blosser President Sokol Blosser Winery Post Off ice Box 199 Blanchard Lane Dundee, Oregon 97115 Mr. Michael K. Deaver Deputy White House Chief of Staff White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington D.C. Dear- Mr. Deaver: It has been brought to my attention that the selection of the White House wines rests with you and that your selection is limited to U.S. wines. May I suggest that you consider the Northwestern wines when making your selection? Sokol Blosser is the largest winery in Oregon and our wines have made impressive showings at wine tastings both here and abroad. Additionally, it has been selected as the house wine at the prestigeous Benson Hotel in Portland. Enclosed you will find a list of the medals Sokol Blosser wines have won. It is also my understanding that the Presidential favorites are full-bodied, red wines and that our First Lady prefers light, white wines. Therefore, I am sending you for your evaluation a bottle of our Pinet Noir and one of our Chardonnay. A$ you may well be aware, the laws governing wine labeling are much stricter in Oregon that elsewhere in the U.S., and our climate is much like the grape producing regions of France. l hope you will concur that our wines are suitable for White House state banqu@ts. There is a wine list enclosed to familiarize you with the varieties available. Tnank you for taking the time to read my letter. and I do hope you find our wine to your liking. Most c yours, ~1 Encl . -, Sokol Blosser Winery SB f~;;;_~;;:x:~ AWARDS WON BY SOKOL BLOSSER WINERY Aug 1983 Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest <Seattle> SILVER 82 Sauvignon Blanc BRONZE 82 Select Harvest White Riesling Aug 1983 Oregon State Fair SILVER 82 Sauvignon Blanc BRONZE 80 Merlot Aug 1983 Tri-Cities Wine Festival <Pasco, Washington> GOLD 82 Sauvignon Blanc Jul 1983 San Francisco Fair Hon Men 82 Select Harvest White Riesling Jun 1983 West Coast Wine Competition <Reno> GOLD 82 Sauvignon Blanc Jun 1983 International Wine and Spirit Competition <London) BRONZE 81 Ch•ll'donn•lY BRONZE Bl White Riesling (Washington> BF~ClNl.E 82 Bouquet Rosa CPinot No1r Rose> Eef\OfU.F.: 78 Reserve Merlot Aug 1982 Oregon State Fair GOL. n 80 Chardonnay <Yamhill County) S:CLIJ[H 81 White Riesling <Yamhill County) BRONZE 81 Suuvignon Blanc Auy 1982 Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest (Seattle> BRONZE 81 White Riesling <Washington) Jul 1982 Tri-Cities Wine Festival (Pasco, WA> [tfWNZL B:L White Rieslin13 (Y•:i.mhill Cuunty> Jun 1982 International Wine and Spirit Competition <London) SIL.VCH 80 Chardonnay <Yamhill County) SILVEH ?B P.inot Noir HF'Wte'.E 79 M+:rlot BF~ONZE 79 Pinot Noir <Hyland Vineyards> Aug 1981 Roseburg Wine Festival <Roseburg, OR) BEST OF CLASS BO White Riesling <Yamhill County> Aug 1981 Oregon State Fair SILVER 78 Pinot Noir BRONZE 80 White Riesling <Yamhill County) BRONZE 80 Sauvignon BlaAc Aug 1981 Enological Society of the Pacific Northwest <Seattle> SH.'v'l:Ti /B Pinet Noi r SH.. VEJ=; 80 White FUesling <W•:i.shingtonL 1 WEST COAST WINE COMPETITION 1983 A WARD WINNING WINES SWEEPSTAKES WINNERS PINOT NOIR CABERNET SAUVIGNON Mill Creek Vineyards Silver Oak Cellars CABERNET SAUVIGNON GOJ,D MEDAL WINNERS Clos Du Val Clos Du Bois Guenoc Winery Silver Oak Cellars Field Stone Winery Chateau St. Michelle CABERNET SAlJVIGNON SILVER MEDAL WINNERS Dry Creek Vineyards Souverain Winery Glen Ellen Winery Mill Creek Vineyards Diablo Vista Winery Grand Cru Vineyards Inglenook Vineyards Sebastiani Vineyards Beringer Vineyards Geyser Peak Winery Kendall Jackson Franciscan Vineyards Alexander Valley Vineyards Almaden Vineyards Stevenot Winery Foppiano Vineyards E & J Gallo CABERNET SAUVIGNON BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS Sausal Winery Napa Creek Winery Edmeades Vineyards Lambert Bridge Flora Springs Wine Co. Mirassou Vineyards Concannon Vineyards Stony Ridge Winery Woodside Vineyards Fetzer Vineyards Weibel Champagne Vineyards PINOT NOIR GOLD MEDAL WINNERS -, Mill Creek Vineyards Amity Vineyards PINOT NOIR SILVER MEDAL. WINNERS Christian Bros.!Mont La Salle Fenton Acres Winery Donna Maria Vineyards Paul Masson Vineyards Geyser Peak Winery J. Pedroncelli Winery Almaden Vineyards Inglenook Vineyards Richardson Vineyards Louis Martini PINOT NOIR BRONZE MEDAL WINNERS Hultgren & Samperton Kenwood Vineyards Stony Ridge Winery Clos Du Bois Sea Ridge Winery ZINF ANDEL GOLD MEDAL WINNER A. Rat'anelli Winery 4/ASNtNt'.f'olll j't:>lr '1/8/sz- .The rn al r ls1<aer tBat 1 like is rrom its Red ·.. , . 1:emperament \Trape ::: =~~:if~ a:i~ .. CalifomiaFallsShoi:J WhenltComestoPinotNoir ·~me of 8 well-.mad~ French . By Roheri M. Parke.r Jr. taste e1qui&i~ wine. Not only are Acacia 1979 ·fund VPieywd· 8pecllltoT'lle~.._ these wiDes overrated, but they are ($17.59-$~1.f!!J). Macia pinot n~irs ALIFORNIA, winemaQra. aelling at ridiculous prices of $18 to ha~e received. some rather .da:nJ1ng who have had 80 much success $23 per bottle. Such prices are no reviews, ~t I find the maJOnty of 'th ll8t · vinifera less outrageous than the $125 ~ them enti?ely .too exaggerated:and wi ~ ~ sau ' bottle for ~ Conti. For most ·· stem!J).y, u. well as absurdly priced. ~C clwdon:!.v, sa~ California pbwt noirs, consumers · If you· are willing to shell out the . blanc, jobtnnisbelg riesling ,. and should remember the price is simply money, the Acacia pinot · noir 'from chenin blanc. conqn~ .to Wl OIJ not~ tp, ijl~ quaUty of the , ~1::,:= th~At!:epi:~ their fac:a w!1m it ~ to ~- ·. .· "'j·recently tast.ed more than 30 noirs. It is the dark.est of the Acacia ing quality plDOt ~. , • • d L-~ th t bouq t, From it.a~ in California. · current releases of·Califomia pmot wmes an ui.m e pures ue Pinot DOii' ~ its problet:n$ re- noir wine en the market. The follow· with ~pe. berry-like fruit and subtle ·· iDg Bil ~ are those wines that I oaky, smoky elements. A full bodied found of. merit. Most of these pinot . wine, , it has a good deal oi tannin Wine noir& are· expensive. and available and acidity, which seems to indicate only in .smatl quantities, but all can that two to four Y8$'8 of bottle age gardleu of. the akiUS of the wine- be found at the local wine shops. will render an even more enjoyable maker, the age of. the vines or the. The wine& are list.ed in order of my wine. This wine, which is definitely location of the vineyarq. BeauJ&e of preference. · . California-style in its bigness and the outlandiah price 'charged for Santa. Cruz Mountain Winery richness, can hardly be compared to most French burgundiea. the· wine 1978/1979 ($12.95). Full bodied and a French burgundy, but it is quite pra has tended to overstate the _.k!y colored. this well made pinot int.ereat.ing. case for pinot J,M>ir efforts in Califor· noir-a blend of the 1978-1979 vin· Calero 1919 Selleck Vineyard. nia in hopes that the consumer tages-bas a eurpriQingly complex: ($18-$22). Calera has developed a would tum to them BS alternatives. bouquet of smoky, fruity acents reputation for producing some of the . The bottom line, however, is that backed by spicy oak. Full. int.ense most int.ere&tini pinot noire ·from the vast majority of pinot DOirs are and tannic on the palate, this big California. Like the Acacia winery, . uninteresting wines that are fre. wine bas a modest kinship to a fmely Calera offers three pinot noir& with quently QVerblown, with exaggerated made French ebambe~ It is an · vineyard designatioDS. The Calera smoky componenta, atamny.., balsh impressive pbwt noir thlt should be pinot noir& tend to be amoQg the tast.es, and jammy, flabby flavors givep an~ ..t,\Yo to~ .yeor& of most intense pinot · noirs I have · that Jack direction 81¥1 ~ Of .ng. ·~ . tastet .from California. They are couae. an occasional pinot ooir rides , / Sokol-BlOBSer 1979 ·•Red Hills dark, with plenty of fruit, tanajn and lbove the tide of mediocrity, such as i acidity. Of the three current. offer· the 19'17 Cameros Creek. 1976 Cay- · ery seems to ve a VlSlon w t . inga from the 1979 vintage, I prefer mua, 1975 Hoffman Mountain- pinot noir is all about and can cap- the wine from 'the Selleck Vineyard Rancll or the 1976 Martin ijay. tUre tPe elusive qualities of this t.em· ·which is ~k ruby with plenty of Jiqwever, these wines rep~t Only perament.IU il'Jl~, it hf .Sokol-Blosser fruit, although its abrasive tannin a am.at ~ in the barrel of piaot in Oregon. Its pinot noir captures seems to warrant additional bottle noir. the purity of the fruit, which is not age. The price is abaunl, but if you 8.tqintly, a number of wine critics apparent in most Californian pinot are inclined to t.aate one of the best have raved about the new pinot noir noir&. In addition, the wine has an California pinot noiJI. then YOt.1 will · releases from such small wineries as elegant sense of balance, while com- ~ve to nay tbfi nrice. · · ·Calera and Acacia, and many con- bining power and authoritative va· : ~CGMero; cr;ek'Wi,.;~ /979 Cat· ~ sumers would no doubt expect to rietal charact.er.