The Oregon Wine Trail Los Angeles tasting was held on April 24, 2018 at the Line Hotel in Korea Town in Los Angeles.  The tasting offered a glimpse into the value and quality available from estates whose high elevation terroirs benefit from superior growing conditions and significant diurnal temperature swings.

Case in point are several examples of varietals that seem to be very difficult to produce in a balanced fashion. Troon Vineyard’s 2015 Tannat is made in a style which seems to be almost impossible to do in California. This offering from Troon is fully ripe, approachable, even playfully acidic, and yet it is picked at about 24 brix, with a 14.3 % final alcohol. Why is this difficult to do?  In California’s Central Coast region or in Napa Valley, for instance, in order to get Tannat fully ripe, long hang times are needed, which means a later harvest. A Later harvest usually means that brix at harvest would be in the 26-28 brix range, resulting in alcohol levels of about16 percent. Here, the cooler terroirs permit full physiological ripeness at much lower brix levels, and the resulting wine benefits tremendously. WB 91.

Another outstanding wine is the Cooper Mountain Vineyards 2016 Life Pinot Noir. This is a cool climate Pinot Noir that has the mid-palate density of a Merlot, yet is still light on its feet.  How can this be? Is it the terroir, the winemaking, the farming, or something else entirely? By thinning the leaf canopy around the grape clusters, it encourages the Pinot grapes to thicken their skin. When the wine is made, the thicker skins allow significant mid-palate density, while carefully judged winemaking results in a final product that showcases the subtlety and delicacy of the inner Pinot Noir fruit. A very provocative offering. WB 92.

The X-Novo Vineyard Chardonnay from Eola-Amity Hills by Flaneur Wines is a very engaging and balanced 15-clone blend. The 600 ft high vineyard with its volcanic soil and broad range of clones gives rise to a Chardonnay with enchanting complexity and refreshing acidity.  The wine spends 18 months on the lees, without stirring, which results in a fuller mid-palate without any ‘bloated’ sensation. WB 93.

What is compelling about some Oregon winemakers is that some still entertain the concept of growing varietals that do not necessarily maximize the revenue of the vineyard, but rather express the terroir and the winemaker’s vision. The Foris Vineyards 2016 Gewurztraminer from the Rogue Valley is just such an example. Gewurztraminer can be cloyingly sweet or overly floral, yet this offering is grown at a 1500-1600 ft elevation, and shows a refreshing honeysuckle on the nose, rather than a stiflingly huge floral note, very engaging acidity and a balance that is rare to see outside of its native Europe. WB 92.

Aside from the number and quality of unusual varietals, what was eye-opening in this tasting was the number of solid Pinot Noir offerings that retail in the $12 – $25 range. In California, little decent Pinot Noir is available at this price point. At this tasting, it seemed that nearly every winery had a crowd-pleaser in that price range.

For those looking for more esoteric Oregon Pinot Noir heritage clone blends, the $30-65 range has much to offer in this tasting. Stoller Family Estate offers just such a wine. They enter the Pinot market with their $30 retail 2016 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, a blend of Pommard / Vainsville 667 and 777 clones. The Stoller Family 2015 Reserve Pinot Noir ($45 retail) hails from Dundee Hills.  The wine spends 16 months in 30-40% new oak and shows a balance of fruit, acid, and old world earthiness, all while having notable persistence on the palate and a 40 second long finish. WB 91+.

Another example of great wine making is the sophisticated opulence of the Colene Clemens Vineyards 2014 Victoria Estate Pinot Noir ($65 retail) from the Chehalem Mountains in Willamette Valley. While not as racy as some Pinots, this offering uses its less acidic profile (ph 3.55- 3.60) to its advantage, lending it some mid-palate fullness while the fineness of the tannins from aging in older oak barrels complements the voluptuous yet restrained fruit.

In summary, the combination of value, quality, and winemaking skill on display at the Oregon Wine Trail tasting on April 24, 2018 in Los Angeles was noteworthy. Oregon offers much to those who seek it out. Try not to overlook it.