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Starfield Vineyards: Delicious Wines, Passion, and a Dash of Astronomy
Do you know what happens when you combine the passion for astronomy, photography, and winemaking together? It is not a trick question. And this question has a simple answer.
Tasty wine.
Let’s start with the Astronomy.
Father and son duo, Tom and Rob Sinton, believe that not only is the location of the vineyard very important (of course), but the exposure to the stars makes it extra special (hence the name of the vineyard, Starfield). Okay, it is not just stars, even though it is easier to observe them from a high mountain elevation, such as the one where Starfield vineyards are located in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California. In addition to stars looking down at the vineyards, the vineyards are also surrounded by a large assortment of pine trees. High elevation allows for more oil to permeate the leaves, the bark, and the grape skins themselves, imparting more spice and flavor.
Next, the Photography.
You know that legends warn you about looking directly at the sun (you can lose your sight). And if you ever tried to look directly at the sun with an unprotected eye, the experience becomes too painful too quickly. But you still can, with the help of a special technique in photography called a pinhole camera. And when you are up in the mountains, and you know how to construct a pinhole camera, you can get pictures of the beautiful sun arches, called solargraphs. Next? You can use your solargraph pictures on your wine labels, aligning each unique solargraph with the unique wine in the bottle. Let us get back to the solargraphs in the moment.
Now, let’s talk about the Vineyard…
Let’s remember, the Sierra Nevada Mountains are located in El Dorado, where the gold rush originated, and where the rush might still be strong (I have no idea if the gold can still be found). Considering that Sintons have an affinity for Rhône grape varieties, and taking into account the “rush”, it might not be even surprising that, after extensive research, the Sintons planted 31 acres of grapes, consisting of 17 varieties in twenty-four blocks of roughly 1.5 acres each. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Counoise, Tannat, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier make up 66% of the vineyard. Aglianico, Barbera, Fiano and Muscat of Alexandria make up 30% of the vineyard, and the balance consists of Tannat, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah.
We mentioned all the surrounding trees before; to complete the picture of the vineyards, there are a few more things to mention. The Starfield Vineyards has practiced sustainable, fish-friendly farming since 2012. Some patches of the forest are left untouched around the vineyards, and cover crops are allowed to flourish to protect the harmonious habitat, in tune with nature.
And now, the Wines.
First, please take a look at the labels. I got a set of 8 samples, 5 reds and 3 whites, and as you can tell, all the labels are adorned with a picture of a solargraph, and each solargraph is different in its color and shape. I was curious about all the differences, and I had an opportunity to ask Rob Sinton to explain the logic. Here is his reply:
“Each Solargraph is intentionally different. The lower, shallower arcs are reserved for single-varietal wines, while the taller, more expansive arches represent blends, wines that become greater than the sum of their parts. Each image is then colorized to reflect the spirit of the wine itself, a kind of visual synesthesia for flavor and texture.”
Talk about Passion.
In the wine world, passion has no limits. When visiting the winery, you often hear about the soil. Sometimes, you can see the soil, or, rather, soils, on various displays. But getting samples, maybe there was one time when I got some soil samples with the wines. With the samples from Starfield Vineyards, I got tubes with two samples of soil from two different plots, as well as the sample of the Sierra Spice (as Tom and Rob call it) mountain air with the needles of Ponderosa Pine, Incense Cedar, and Douglas Fir. I used that tube when tasting the wines, and it definitely helped to better understand what you are tasting.
And take a look at the wines themselves. Every year Starfield Vineyards produces 20-25 different wines, including Sparkling, Rosé, and dessert wines. The majority of the wines I tasted were single-grape (or almost single-grape). What is interesting is that Sintons represented Mediterranean varieties so well that they, for example, are one of the very few, if not the only winery (in the world!) that produces single-grape Counoise. They had some wine professional in training for sommelier positions and such reach out to them specifically to taste that wine, as that was the only opportunity to taste single-grape Counoise.
And now it is time to talk about the actual wines. I had an opportunity to taste a number of the new release wines from Starfield Vineyards, and the wines were literally one better than another:
2024 Starfield Vineyards Viognier El Dorado (13.7% ABV, SRP $36; 275 cases made; 93% Viognier, 5% Roussanne, 2% Marsanne)
Straw pale
Beautifully perfumy nose, white stone fruit
A touch of peach, spicy undertones, hint of honeysuckle, delicious.
8
2024 Starfield Vineyards Marsanne El Dorado (12.9% ABV, $36; 72 cases; 95% Marsanne, 5% Roussanne)
Straw pale
Muted nose with a distant hint of white fruit and minerality
A couple of days after opening, the wine developed a characteristic Marsanne plumpness, elevated by acidity. Still sufficiently light, but texturally present wine.
8, will be great with food, let’s say some creamy chicken dish.
2024 Starfield Vineyards Hope Rising El Dorado (13.4% ABV, $36; 181 cases; 45% Marsanne, 45% Roussanne, 10% Viognier)
Straw pale
Very interesting. After smelling the tube (very intense), the wine exhibits very similar profile, only a bit more delicate – but still similar aromatics of Douglas fir, pine and cedar. Wow.
Beautiful palate, tropical fruit with a touch of butter and plumpness of Marsanne/Roussanne, and a hint of viognier spiciness. Excellent.
8+
2022 Starfield Vineyards Mourvèdre El Dorado (14.3% ABV, $42; 342 cases; 99% Mourvèdre, 1% Roussanne)
Dark garnet
Beautiful nose of fresh succulent fruit, wild berries, eucalyptus
Generous, luscious, layered, dark dusty fruit, perfect balance, hint of tobacco, medium finish
8+, beautiful even on the day 4
2022 Starfield Vineyards Miner’s Inch El Dorado (14.2% ABV, $38; 208 cases made; 30% Grenache, 17% Aglianico, 14% Tempranillo, 14% Petite Sirah, 9% Mourvèdre, 9% Cinsaut, 4% Roussanne)
Dark Garnet
Cherries and cedar on the nose
Cherries, a touch of tobacco, earthy minerally undertones, well integrated tannins, perfect acidity, perfect balance. Will age very well.
8+, excellent
2022 Starfield Vineyards Counoise El Dorado (13.4% ABV, $38; 95 cases; 95% Counoise, 5% Grenache)
Dark ruby
Earthy, minerally nose with fresh berries, crisp, inviting
Fresh berries, tangy, medium to full body, pleasantly gripping tannins deliver an excellent depth to perceivably light wine. Good acidity, excellent balance, long minerally driven finish.
8/8+, outstanding. Food friendly, even food demanding wine. Makes me think of savory rack of lamb.
2023 Starfield Vineyards Grenache El Dorado (14.1% ABV, $42; 378 cases; 100% Grenache)
Dusty Ruby, probably the lightest Grenache I ever saw
Minerality, earth, a touch of iodine, cherries and a hint of oregano
Underripe, greenish fruit, lean, tart with sweet cherries coming through as an undertone.
7+, this wine is built for aging.
2023 Starfield Vineyards Cinsault El Dorado (13.3% ABV, $38; 461 cases; 95% Cinsaut, 5% Grenache).
Ruby
Tart fresh berries, rocks and underbrush, may be a touch of tobacco
Fresh raspberries, tart cherries, a touch of smoke, crisp, light, acidic
8-, a food wine, also should age well
There you are, my friends. Astronomy, photography, passion, delicious wines.
Follow your passion. It will lead you to happiness.
The Art of Living: Gouveia Vineyards in Connecticut
The art of living.
Joie de vivre.
We are so entrenched in our infinitely accelerating lives (or at least so it seems) that we forget to live. We forget to enjoy those little simple moments that actually make life worth living.
The daily grind. Work, kids, worries, joys, celebrations and disappointments. Often one after another at a breakneck speed. All equally important. But you know what else is important? The ability to enjoy the moment. Enjoy it by yourself. Enjoy it with the family. Enjoy it with the friends.
Slow down. Look around and see, it is really important not just to look but to actually see. See, process, and appreciate what you see, appreciate what you have. A beautiful sky. A glimpse of color not too far away. The sound of a bee. A friend’s smile. Time grinding to a halt. Capture that moment and treasure it. This is what the art of living is all about. Treasure the moment.
The vineyard is a perfect place to experience the art of living. Tranquility of the rows of vines, the air, sometimes still and quiet, the colors. The vineyard is a perfect place – especially when someone can make it such a perfect place.
Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford, in central Connecticut, was a product of imagination and a bit of obsession of Joe Gouveia. Born in a rural village in Portugal, Joe came to the US with his family at the age of fifteen. When later on he discovered the hilly terrain in Wallingford, a dream was born, and the dream became a reality in the form of the Gouveia Vineyards winery in 1999.
Our discovery of Gouveia Vineyards was simply a matter of chance. The weather was great over the past weekend, so our main plan was to hike at the Sleeping Giant State Park in Hamden, Connecticut. A few days prior, I stopped by the Murray Cheese store at Grand Central Market in New York’s Grand Central Terminal and picked up a few interesting cheeses. I’m sure you already see a connection, right? You say cheese, and I say wine! Cheese needs wine, therefore, let’s look for a winery to enjoy cheese with wine and company!
A quick search for wineries in close proximity to the Sleeping Giant Park brought back the name Gouveia, about a 20-minute drive. I checked the website, and I really liked what I saw. No, not just the wines, even though the selection looked good. But even better, the FAQ section had two answers which were literally a balm for my soul. First, it said, “Food is welcome! Please bring your food”. And then it also said, “we have tables, but if you want to bring your own chair in case we get busy, you are welcome to do so”.
Let me explain the significance of these two answers (a mini-rant is incoming).
I understand that the winery is a business. I understand that a winery has to make money. But it is also important to make your customers happy, without looking for an opportunity to milk them at every possible occasion. We used to go to Paumanok Winery on Long Island. We would bring our food (sandwiches, cheeses, etc.), find a table, and spend the next 2-3 hours slowly enjoying wine and the company of each other. We did it year after year, until people at Paumanok got simply greedy. We were told all of a sudden, “No, you can’t bring food; you have to buy food”. So we said fine, let’s buy food. I remember we ordered a truffle mousse pâté, which was $11. Next, we received a plate with truffle mousse pâté from Trader Joe ($3.99 at that time), served directly in the plastic container (they removed the wrap, wow!) with a few crackers, I think also directly from Trader Joe’s. Look, Paumanok makes good wine and is free to run business whatever way they want, but this was the last time we set foot at that winery.
This is why when I saw that food is welcome and we don’t even need to reserve a table, I was very happy. Whether the wines were good or bad was not even relevant anymore.
As we arrived at the winery, looking at the number of parked cars, my first thought was “ohhh, we really are going to use our lawn chairs…”. And I was wrong! There were a lot of people there, but there were even more tables! We had no problems finding a table literally 20 feet from the first row of the vines. The next 2 hours (or more; I was really ignoring time) were literally a dream – slowly sipping the wine, taking little bites of food, talking or enjoying the silence… The time has stopped…
Gouveia Vineyards had 11 white wines, 7 red wines, and 2 dessert wines available for tasting. We took 2 tasting flights of 5 wines (each tasting flight is $20) to try 5 white and 5 red wines. Letting the wine snob speak for a second, I have to say that I was surprised, as literally all 10 wines we tried were well drinkable. If you will look at my notes from the tour of Connecticut vineyards about 12 years ago, you will understand that 10 out of 10 is quite a fit.
To give you a quick rundown of what we tried:
White wines:
Steel-aged Chardonnay – very good, apples, Meyer lemon, a touch of vanilla.
Sauvignon Blanc – excellent, lemon-forward, with tropical fruit undertones, crisp and fresh, more of the Loire style than a New World style.
Dry Rosé – very nice as well, with some onion peel and a touch of cranberries
Seyval Blanc – very much on point, a touch of tropical fruit with a clean finish
Muscat – again, a typical, varietally correct Muscat with some residual sweetness but well balanced.
Red wines were at least equally impressive, if not even more:
Cabernet Franc – this was my personal favorite out of 10 wines we tried. This Cabernet Franc was textbook Loire version, with cassis and bell peppers, perfectly balanced and simply reminding how good old-world Cabernet Franc can be.
Merlot had some cherries, maybe a hint of cassis, dark, firmly structured.
Stone House Red boasted fresh berries, light and playful.
Vinho Tinto, clearly a nod to Joe’s birthplace. The wine was restrained, tight, and firmly structured.
Semi-sweet Sunset Red was open, inviting, and an easy drink.
I was so focused on having a good time that I forgot my responsibilities as a blogger… I didn’t take any pictures of wine and food, tasting flights, or the winery itself. But I took plenty of fascinating pictures of the vine leaves, some of them boasting bright autumn colors.
Joe had a vision of Gouveia Vineyards as the place where people can get together and enjoy their lives – I think this mission was accomplished perfectly.
Next time you are looking for a winery to visit for a good glass of wine and The Art of Living experience, please include Gouveia Vineyards in your short list.
Art of living.
Enjoy the little moments that comprise life.
Following State Dinner, [Re]Discovering Hopkins Vineyard
State Dinners are always fun.
Right?
Well, never been to one, so I can only assume. But no matter, we are here only for the wine, and maybe food.
I had been following the subject of State Dinners for as long as this blog has existed. For example, here is a post analyzing the selection of wines at Obama’s state dinner at the end of his presidency. You expect that the State Dinner represents your country, so only the best of the best should be served – yet when it comes to hundreds of thousands of wines (I’m talking about different labels and vintages, not production quantities) available, it is clear that deciding on “best” is not a simple task.
Once I heard of the dinner in honor of the King of England’s state visit, I knew I had to do some sleuthing. This time, it was very easy, as all information was clearly presented on White House’s website. Having an experience with web links disappearing with time, I will respectfully allow myself to copy the information from the White House website, so it will be available here for anyone who comes across this post some years later – here is the link to the original information.
MENU
First Course
Garden Vegetable Velouté (Hearts of Palm, Toasted Shallots, Micro Mint)Second Course
Spring Herbed Ravioli (Ricotta Cheese, Morels, Parmesan Emulsion)Third Course
Dover Sole Meunière (Potato Pavé, Spring Ramps, Snow Peas, Parsley Oil)Dessert
White House Honey & Vanilla Bean Crémeux (Flourless Chocolate Gâteau, Almond Joconde, Crème Fraîche Ice Cream)WINES
The following wines were selected to complement the menu while honoring the shared heritage and enduring friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom, and celebrating the strength of American winemaking today.
Hopkins Riesling “Heritage” 2024, Hopkins Vineyard, Connecticut
The Penner-Ash Pinot Noir “Willamette Valley” 2022, Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, Oregon
The Newton Chardonnay “Unfiltered” 2022, Newton Vineyard, California
Food sounds great, but we are here for the wines, so let’s talk about them.
First, highlighted in blue above is the explanation for the rationale behind choosing the wines. And knowing Melania’s level of attention to detail, we also have to assume that while representing the heritage is important, the wines have to pair well with the food.
I can perfectly see how Penner-Ash Pinot Noir, the wine from one of the most respected producers in Oregon, can perfectly match that pasta, anchoring on the Morel mushroom element, probably to perfectly complement the dish.
While I’m not really familiar with Newton Unfiltered Chardonnay, any California Chardonnay can be considered “iconic”, so again, I can see it perfectly complementing delicate Dover Sole in buttery sauce.
Which leaves us with Hopkins Heritage Riesling, and here we need to take a pause.
I have to be honest. When I saw a wine from Connecticut to be one of the 3 wines served at the State Dinner, my first reaction was “what?????? come again????”. I live in Connecticut. A few years back, we visited several Connecticut wineries with friends, and we were not very impressed.
Okay, so I wrote “a few years back” above, and then decided to check if I wrote anything about that visit. Well, yes, I did. And if 11 still qualifies as “a few”, we are good, but nevertheless, that visit took place in 2015. Yes, 11 years ago – a good chunk of time in the life of a winery.
In any case, I completely forgot the details of that trip – only a general (not a great one) impression. And you can imagine my surprise seeing a Connecticut wine presented at one of the highest honors in the country. But – I live in Connecticut, remember? Google Maps to the rescue – the Hopkins Vineyard winery is only 1.5 hours away, so it was rather a no-brainer – we have to visit the winery over the weekend and taste the Connecticut Riesling worthy of serving at the State Dinner.
Finding the place was easy. Beautiful location, right by the lake. The winery was quite busy on an average Saturday in May, which is probably not surprising considering all the press they got. Obviously, Riesling had a special recognition. And it was not available for tasting, but we could buy a bottle, one per person. We decided to take a tasting flight, but before we talk about it, let’s answer possibly the most burning question: how did that Hopkins Vineyard Heritage Riesling end up served at the State Dinner?
First, I asked the gentleman who was pouring the wines. He said that he heard that someone had just called from the White House and asked for the wine to be sent there. I was not satisfied with this answer, as in my mind, it can’t be that simple. Then, when we were practically leaving, by pure chance, I ran into Hilary Hopkins Criollo, who happened to be the 10th-generation owner of the Hopkins Vineyard. I asked her the same question: how did it happen that your Riesling was served at the State Dinner, hoping to hear that it was some special connection she had. But actually, the story was exactly as I was already told. Some weeks prior to the State Dinner, Hilary got a call from the White House staff, asking her to send 4 bottles of her Riesling for tasting. A week or so later, she got another call, asking her to send 4 cases of that Riesling to the White House. End of story.
In retrospect, it all makes sense. The dinner was in honor of the King of England, so serving the wine from New England creates a perfect connection to the history. Hopkins Vineyard is the oldest family-owned winery in Connecticut, and the estate was founded in 1787, which makes it almost the same age as the USA itself – another great connection to the heritage, one of the important selection criteria mentioned on the White House website. And lastly, having tasted wines from many wineries in New England, and having tasted Hopkins Vineyards Heritage Riesling, this was potentially the best choice for serving a crisp white wine to complement the first dish on the menu above.
Now, let’s get back to the wines we tasted. You can build your own tasting set, so we took Chardonnay (easy choice :)), Cabernet Franc (a must on the East Coast), Saperavi (how can I resist), and Lemberger (another easy choice). Here are my notes:
2022 Hopkins Vineyard Chardonnay
At first, the nose is closed.
Nice, simple, good acidity, a hint of clove
After it warmed up a bit and opened a bit, a very nice Chardonnay with apples and vanilla. Definitely a solid effort.
2023 Hopkins Vineyard Cabernet Franc
Bell pepper (a hint of)
Bell pepper on the palate, black pepper, round and generous. A bit too warm.
2023 Hopkins Vineyard Saperavi
Mostly herbal nose
Varietally correct palate, needs to be served colder, but it is okay. Mostly acidic finish.
2024 Hopkins Vineyard Lemberger
Hint of dark fruit
Barnyard notes, nice and supple. Quaffable. Needs time to open up.
The Chardonnay was my favorite from this flight. For the reds, they were warmer than I would prefer for my palate, and overall, they were okay but not exciting.
We got our two bottles of Riesling and went back home. But of course, it was impossible to resist, so after a quick chill in the sleeve, the bottle was opened.
2024 Hopkins Vineyard Heritage Riesling Western Connecticut Highlands (12% ABVF, $33)
Light straw
Hint of tropical fruit on the nose, a hint of honey
Crisp, clear, vibrant, and elegant, a distant hint of tropical fruit, good balance, and great acidity on the finish.
8, very impressive
As you know, one way or another, I usually try to taste the wine over a period of a few days. It happened that I was finishing this bottle 6 days after it was first opened (I simply pumped the air out, as I always do), and the wine was still well drinkable. On the palate, the profile changed a bit, becoming more reminiscent of the East Coast Vidal, thus well adhering to the notion of East Coast terroir if we can define such a thing. But again, still very well drinkable.
Here you are, my friends. A winery rediscovered. And the wine worthy of a king, made (almost) in my backyard. The inner collector of experiences has a huge smile on its face. I still have another bottle to enjoy at some point, but the plan is to lose it for the next 5-10 years.
Until the next time – cheers!
Passion and Pinot Updates: Bells Up Winery 2025
When I was planning blind Pinot Noir tasting with friends, I reached out to some of the old friends in Oregon to see if I could include some of the Oregon Pinot Noir in that blind tasting. Sara and Dave Specter of “micro-boutique, un-domaine” Bells Up Winery graciously agreed to participate and sent me three samples of their latest Pinot Noir releases.
Bells Up was one of the 19 wineries profiled in the Stories of Passion and Pinot series, probably the youngest one, founded in 2013. Youngest or not, but Bells Up might be one of the most adventurous, going well past traditional Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with their plantings of Schioppettino and Seyval Blanc. You can learn more about the winery and its vision from the original interview I did with Dave in 2019, and an update after I visited the winery in 2021.
When we spoke about the wines (it was the end of last year, 2024), I also wanted to have a short mini-interview with Dave – it is a bit less timely right now, but hey, 2025 is still young. Here is our short (virtual) conversation:
[TaV]: How was the 2024 vintage? What should we expect from the 2024 wines when they will be released?
[DS]: Well, we’re still in the very early stages of evaluating the 2024 vintage so it’s hard to tell at this stage but we have every reason to be optimistic. We had one of our better growing seasons in some time – warmer than usual early in the season but then settling into a more temperate pattern the rest of the way. We harvested in late September and early October which is right on schedule and the sugars and acids were pretty much on the money. The 2024 vintage whites will be released in the spring of 2025 and the reds will be released (most likely) in 2026 and 2027.
[TaV]: What was Bells Up’s best moment of 2024?
[DS]: Our best moment was getting to see the results from the “proof of concept” 2023 harvest of our young Schioppettino planting. For only third leaf vines, we’re seeing wonderful flavor development with the distinctive Italian grape licorice elements present. We are now confident that our first commercial vintage in 2024 will be a great addition to our portfolio.
[TaV]: By the same token, what was the worst?
[DS]: The entire industry was hit hard by a decrease in visitorship to the area in 2024, and wine sales suffered accordingly. This was the result of many factors and ultimately resulted in a difficult year for our business.
[TaV]: What are you looking forward to in 2025?
[DS]: We will have our first estate Pinot Blanc release in 2025! We will also see the return of our sparkling Seyval Blanc (Joy) which was so popular in its first release back in 2023. And we are also hoping that we see visitorship recover as travel patterns return to normal after the pandemic.
And then there were wines.
I got three sample bottles, out of which one, Jupiter Pinot Noir, was included in the blind tasting (based on Sara’s recommendation). Here are the notes for all three wines, with the first one written a bit differently as it is based on the notes taken during the blind tasting.
2021 Bells Up Jupiter Pinot Noir Estate Chehalem Mountains AVA (13.5% ABV, $50, 58.8% heritage clone Pommard, 25.8% Dijon clone 667 (8-year old vines), 15.4% Dijon clone 113 (6-year old vines), 154 cases produced)
New World (have no idea what I was thinking, I guess something outside of Europe), Vintage: 2021. Cherries, lots of cherries, raspberries, tart cherries on the palate, good balance, nice.
Drinkability: 8
2021 Bells Up Maestro Reserve Pinot Noir Estate Chehalem Mountains AVA (13.3% ABV, $56, 50% Dijon clone 943, 27.8% 667, 22.2% 113; 77 cases produced, club members exclusive)
Dark garnet
Smoke, earthy notes, dark fruit, hint of cherries
Sweet and tart cherries both, iodine, crisp acidity, medium body, a bit of medicinal finish
Drinkability: 8-
2021 Bells Up Titan Pinot Noir Willamette Valley AVA (13.8% ABV, $46, 22.3% 8-year-old Pommard Bells Up’s estate, 38.8% Dijon Clones 115 and 38.8% 777, MonksGate Vineyard’s in Yamhill-Carlton AVA, 19- and 20-year-old vines respectively; 12 months in French oak, 27% new; 111 cases produced)
Garnet
A hint of bell pepper, eucalyptus, raspberries
Black plums, cherries, medium palate weight, medium body, good acidity on the finish. Needs food.
Drinkability: 7+/8-
Here we are – a quick Bells Up winery update and the notes for three of their latest Pinot Noir releases.
Until next time…
This post is a part of the Stories of Passion and Pinot series – click the link for more stories…
The Art Of Living Nobile – The Avignonesi Way
Have you heard of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano? If you have – great, if you have not – don’t despair, this is what we want to talk about today. Not to confuse anyone, we will be talking here about wines produced near the town in Tuscany called Montepulciano, where the wines are made from the same grape that shines everywhere in Tuscany – Sangiovese, and not about the grape called Montepulciano.
Wines had been produced in the Montepulciano area for a very long time (it’s Italy to you), and in 1685 Montepulciano wine was declared a “king of all wines“. But it was not until the 1930th when the name “Nobile” made it on the wine label thanks to the efforts of winemaker Adamo Fanetti. From there on, the wines previously known as “special Montepulciano red wines” became known as Vino Nobile di Montepulciano.
Okay, what is this “Living Nobile” all about you might ask. Let’s talk about it.
I asked the glorified search engine, now also known as AI “What does it mean to live Nobile” – and here is the answer I received:
“To live nobile” means to live a life characterized by high moral principles, displaying qualities like kindness, integrity, generosity, and a strong sense of duty towards others, essentially embodying the idea of “nobility” in one’s actions and character; it signifies living with a focus on doing good and acting with dignity, rather than seeking personal gain or power.”
This seems to be reasonably clear, would you agree? But where is the connection to the wine?
Ahh, I thought you would never ask. Cue in Avignonesi, one of the premier wineries in the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano area, founded in 1974.
Avignonesi was instrumental in advancing the whole region forward, being the driving force behind Vine Nobile di Montepulciano becoming one of the very first regions in Italy to be awarded DOCG (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita) status, the highest level of quality in Italian wine denomination system, along with all the famous “B”s – Barolo, Brunello, and Barbaresco.
That is not all. Avignonesi today is a certified organic and biodynamic winery, and it is also a certified B Corporation since July of 2022. Now this gives is even better connection to the “live Nobile” concept as outlined above.
To become a B (B stands for Benefit) Corporation, a for-profit company has to be certified (every 3 years) to meet high level standards for social and environmental performance. As of February 2024, there were 8,254 certified B Corporations across 162 industries in 96 countries. Out of that total number, there are only 52 wineries, and Avignonesi is one of them.
Here are more helpful suggestions from the AI:
Wineries that become B Corps often commit to:
Using low impact farming methods
Managing resources responsibly
Treating their workforce, community, and natural surroundings fairly and responsibly
As you can tell, these are perfecly aligned with the “living Nobile” concept.
To promote “living Nobile” concept, Avignonesi recently engaged in an entire campaign promoting this concept. The winery also created a special release of their flagship 2014 Vino Nobile de Montepulciano wine adorned with a special label designed by the artist Amrita Marino. I had an opportunity to sit down (virtually) with Avignonesi CEO, Matteo Giustiniani, have him explain the concept behind “living nobile” and answer a few of my questions. Here is what transpired in our conversation:
[TaV]: Can you explain the idea behind ““living Nobile””?
[MG]: We always keep in mind our extra long-term vision: to be good ancestors, planting trees under whose shade we will never sit. Recently, we started asking ourselves how we could deeper connect with our consumers, deepening their understanding of the Nobile di Montepulciano appellation and bridging the gap in understanding the values that drive us in caring for each grape, each bottle, and every consumer, beyond all technical aspects that do remain fundamental to our striving for excellence.
And here it came! The Live Nobile communication platform: a veritable movement that brings wine into cultural conversations and gives it a fresh and renewed relevance. It tells us what living Nobile means, highlighting the importance of lightheartedness and enlisting the help of Amrita Marino to illustrate our points, supporting us in telling what Live Nobile is. For us, Live Nobile it’s sharing ravioli, saving seats, arriving on time, or celebrating small wins. Yet, it’s also about embracing slow living or it’s the impromptu refill; and again, it’s also the airplane mode and being the designated driver. But most important, looking forward, it’s everything we can recognize aligned to our deepest set of values, giving to us spectrum for so many facets and personal interpretations.
[TaV]: What is the inspiration behind these “artist label” releases?
[MG]: We see our featured artists to our greater end. Today it’s Amrita, but tomorrow it could be a visual artist, writer, photographer, or calligrapher. We are selecting key individuals to represent the aesthetic values of our platform, Live Nobile.
[TaV]: Why ten new labels for the 2014 release? Will all of these labels be available in all of the markets? What is the inspiration behind these labels?
[MG]: 10 labels as we are marking a decade since we first harvested grapes, giving through each label a visual life to our already imagined platform.
[TaV]: Do you plan to continue these special “artist label” releases? Will you have such a special release next year? Will you work with different artists for he subsequent releases?
[MG]: Absolutely, yes! We will have special releases next year (and the following ones) featuring a variety of creative people.
[TaV]: I’m assuming this 2014 is also considered a “vintage release”? The tech note you sent me is for the regular 2014 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano – was the wine with the artist labels simply a part of the same general 2014 batch, or were they specially selected?
[MG]: The 2014 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano was originally released as part of the standard vintage back in 2014. However, 10 years ago, we made the decision to set aside a very limited number of bottles to age in our cellar, and we are now re-releasing them with updated packaging. These bottles are still part of the general 2014 batch.
[TaV]: Were some wines released under the general label, and some reserved for the later release, bottled, stored at the winery, then recently labeled and offered as an “artist series”?
[MG]: Yes, this is correct
[TaV]: Or were these special-label wines from different plots/vineyards?
[MG]: No, same general batch.
As you can tell, living Nobile is simple, and we should all embrace this beautiful concept. You can learn more about living Nobile on the Avignonesi website, and also there you can see all ten artistic labels celebrating this special release.
So how were the wines? I had an opportunity to try both nicely aged classic Vino Nobile and a special treat – a super-Tuscan wine called Desiderio.
2014 Avignonesi Vino Nobile di Montepulciano DOCG (13.5% ABV)
Ruby with brickish hues
Leather, tobacco, a hint of a gunflint
Cherries, leather, roasted notes, earthy notes, good acidity, cherries on the finish.
Drinkability: 8, very nice
I think Desiderio wine deserves a little introduction, and I’m not going to regurgitate a perfect explanaton as it appears on Avignonesi website. Here it is:
“Desiderio was a bull which lived on Avignonesi’s Capezzine farm more than one hundred years ago. The largest bull in Tuscany at that time, this majestic animal helped define the Chianina cattle race, specific to the Bistecca Fiorentina. It came as a natural choice to dedicate this Merlot to the beloved bull as a testimony to the wines’ origin. This is Merlot from Tuscany at its best.
The iconic white bull is today an illustration of the vintage. There is more to the label than meets the eyes. Compare them with each other, and you will notice a few clues about the climate. Look at the sky, and you will understand whether it was cold, hot, or balanced and you can decipher many other hints.”
2020 Avignonesi Desiderio Toscana IGT Merlot (14.5% ABV, 100% Merlot, organic grapes)
Garnet
Cherries, eucalyptus
Dark cherries, firm structure, well integrated pleasant tannins, hint of bell peppers and cassis leaves, perfect balance, medium-long finish
Drinkability: 8+, excellent
The world will definitely be a better place if we would all adopt this simple “living Nobile” concept. Let’s try to do just that.
The Land Whispers… You Just Need To Listen
I love wine dinners. Especially the wine dinners with the winemaker.
I dread wine dinners. Especially the wine dinners with the winemaker.
I know, I don’t make much sense at the moment. Wine dinners are wonderful, and I really do love them. The dreadful part comes from the experience of not being able to write about those wine dinners in a timely fashion. “Timely fashion”, huh – there are wine dinners I never wrote about in 5 years and such memories can hunt you down – they definitely do for me. I don’t know why this is happening on a regular basis – the elation often experienced during open and engaging conversations about wine becomes an ephemeral spirit, woefully resistful and easily escaping the slightest attempt to capture it in the form of words…
Let’s see if I will be able to break my unsettling tradition.
Last week I had a wonderful time and experience tasting the wines of Viñedos Veramonte and speaking with Gonzalo Bertelsen, General Manager and Head Winemaker in a small group of wine lovers, around the dinner table at the Monterey Brasserie in New York. The conversation topics were ranging from low-alcohol wines (is that really a trend? Are people really asking for it or is that just a gimmick?) to the production of organic and biodynamic wines to “why Germans don’t want to drink organic wines from Chile” (I will not tell you why but you are welcome to guess) and to many other far and between. But most importantly we got to enjoy Viñedos Veramonte wines with and without the food.
Viñedos Veramonte was one of the first wineries in the Casablanca region, founded in 1990 by Agustin Huneeus, a Chilean wine pioneer. From the very beginning, the winery embraced organic viticulture – and more recently, the winery spent more than 6 years making estate vineyards officially organic certified, obtaining ECOCERT® organic certification, one of the most respected in the world. The project involved the conversion of more than 1,200 acres of vineyards in Casablanca and Colchagua valleys to organic and biodynamic farming, with the aim to also become fully Demeter’s biodynamic certified – which requires making changes in the winery, not only in the vineyard – plus importers also have to be biodynamic certified.
Viñedos Veramonte produces 4 distinct lines of wines – Veramonte, Ritual, Primus, and Neyen – all from organic grapes, of course. We had an opportunity to taste wines from all 4 lines.
We started with the 2022 Veramonte Sauvignon Blanc Reserva Casablanca Valley ($13.99 SRP). This wine has one of the biggest productions, and it is very important for Veramonte. Preserving freshness is paramount, so special care is taken to prevent any oxidation of the grapes and juice, and the wine is bottled as soon as possible. The wine was herbaceous and crisp, delicious on its own but also nicely supporting our first course – Grande Plateau of seafood containing oysters, clams, tuna tartare, and lobster. The Sauvignon Blanc pairing with the oysters was the best – and the oysters were delicious, probably my favorite component of the Grand Plateau.
Next, we moved on to the 2019 Ritual Chardonnay Casablanca Valley ($20.99 SRP, fermented in oak barrels and concrete tanks). I wrote about Ritual wines many times, last time only a few months ago – the wines are consistently delicious. The wine was paired with a choice of appetizer – crispy artichokes or barbecued prawns. I selected crispy artichokes, forgetting that artichokes are notoriously difficult to be paired with wine. The dish was delicious on its own, and the wine was also good – on its own.
We also tried the 2020 Primus Carmenere Apalta DO ($20.99 SRP) with our appetizer course. The wine was excellent and had a nice profile of cassis supported by the bell peppers, showing off the pyrazines. Some of the winemakers are trying to prevent the pyrazines from showing up by changing growing conditions, harvesting regime and more – but I personally enjoy the pyrazines’ flavor very much, it adds to the authenticity of the wine. While Carmenere was still not a perfect match for the artichokes, it offered a bit better pairing than the Chardonnay.
Now we were ready for the main course, and the new wine arrived.
Last December I had an opportunity to try for the first time yet another Veramonte wine called Neyen. Neyen vineyards are located on a small parcel of land situated between the Andes Mountains and the Coastal Range. Neyen wines are literally always a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Carmenere, both coming from truly the old vines – Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1889, joined by Carmenere in 1936, which makes the vines respectively 134 and 87 years old.
In the local dialect, Neyen means “whisper”. The land whispers, you only need to listen to her – low intervention is what the Neyen winemakers practice. And this is the whisper you can taste.
The wine literally stopped me in my tracks. You know that stupid smile that you can’t control when something good is happening? This was my face upon the first whiff of the 2003 Neyen Espíritu de Apalta Apalta DO ($N/A) – the first vintage of Neyen wine ever produced. The time stopped – there was only the endless pleasure of aromatics that only mature wine can bring.
Time, wait. Don’t move. I’m still enjoying it. Please, just a few more moments.
Cassis and eucalyptus on the nose. Cassis and eucalyptus on the palate, silky smooth, perfectly integrated tannins, full body of the mature wine at its absolute peak, pleasure slowly descending layer after layer. This is the case where the words are clearly insufficient to describe the joy of the oenophile, but I hope I offered at least a glimpse.
For the main course, I selected Bluefin Tuna au Poivre with baby beets and citrus sauce – and to my delight, the 2003 Neyen offered a perfect pairing, elevating every bite of the food.
We also had the 2016 Neyen, Espíritu de Apalta Apalta DO ($N/A). Tasting 2016 after 2003 was somewhat of a mistake. 2016 is an excellent wine, but the beautiful core we were able to experience in 2003 was still covered by layers of baby fat, the wine showing a lot richer, almost jammy on the first sip, and in need of time to open up.
The culmination point of our evening, though, was … a bit unexpectedly, as we are talking about Chilean wines … the Malbec. 2019 Neyen Espíritu de Apalta Malbec Apalta DO ($149.99 SRP). 2016 was the first released vintage of this super low-intervention wine – harvested and destemmed by hand, fermented in small tanks, no machines, no electricity used in the production of this wine, aging only in 3rd and 4th use French oak barrels. This is the crown jewel of the Veramonte Neyen collection – even James Suckling agrees, rating this wine at 100 points. Only 200 cases of the wine were produced in 2019, with the US allocation standing at 40 cases.
The main word I would use to describe this wine would be “elegant”. The wine was showing beautiful eucalyptus notes, a lot leaner than most of the Argentinian Malbecs, begging comparison with old world Malbec, the Cahors. Elegant, layered, delicious.
And this, my friends, brings us to the end of the wonderful evening. The company was great, the food was excellent, the wines were amazing.
Mother Nature whispers, and good things happen when we listen. I wish I had a case of this 2003 Neyen Espiritu de Apalta – that would really make me happy. Well, we generally don’t get to have all the things we want – and I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience such wines at least once.
Veramonte wines offer a great selection for every budget and every palate – check them out when you will have a chance. Cheers!
Celebrating Oregon Wine Month with Potter’s Vineyard Wines
I guess there is something special in the month of May as everybody wants to appropriate it..for their wine purposes. The story differs from year to year, but this particular May 2023 has at least 4 wine designations (if I missed something – I profusely apologize) – May is Finger Lakes Wine Month, Michigan Wine Month, Oregon Wine Month, and Washington Wine Month.
The good thing is – there are 31 days in the month of May – which is enough to celebrate the wines of many more states – or maybe even all 50 – with proper planning. But for today, I only would like to focus on one of the wine months – Oregon.
Oregon wine is near and dear to my heart. First of all, Oregon itself is a beautiful place – I love the pure, open, clean, spacious, and airy pine forest oh so different from New England’s sprawling intersection of ivies, and stunning vineyard views which you can enjoy everywhere. Some of the very best American wines are produced in Oregon. And the longest-running series of articles on this blog – Stories of Passion and Pinot, conversations with winemakers – is dedicated to Oregon winemakers who made Pinot Noir the passion of their lives.
20 years ago, Oregon wines could’ve been known as a one-trick pony with its sole focus on Pinot Noir. Today, that world-class Pinot Noir is joined by Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Syrah, Tempranillo, Sangiovese, and even Tannat. Sparkling wines and Rosé can be found almost at any winery. And Pinot Noir is not just for reds anymore – Pinot Noir Blanc, a.k.a. White Pinot Noir is the wine to look for. Oregon winemakers continue studying their vineyards, identifying unique blocks and plots in a quest to produce the most terroir-driven wines.
One of my most recent conversations in the Passion and Pinot series was with Bill Sanchez, the proprietor and winemaker at Potter’s Vineyard. Potter’s Vineyard is a small, 3.5 acres estate in Laurelwood District AVA in Willamette Valley, producing about 1,000 cases annually. Potter’s Vineyard is organic, LIVE and Salmon Safe certified, and committed to staying small – you can learn about this commitment and the overall philosophy of Potter’s Vineyard from our conversation which can be found here.
I don’t know about you, but I really admire these labels
Now I had an opportunity to taste a couple of the Potter’s Vineyard estate Pinot Noir wines, Barrel 17 Select and Reserve. Here are my notes:
2018 Vino Vasai Barrel 17 Select Estate Oregon Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains (13.8% ABV, $48, Dijon clones)
Dark Ruby
Dark cherries, violets, minerality
Dark cherries, plums, medium to full body, firm structure, well-integrated tannins, luscious layers followed by the tart, long finish
8, excellent. Upon opening, the wine was lean and tight, Burgundian style. The next day opened up to show more of the Oregon Pinot power, still governed by restraint.
2018 Vino Vasai Pinot Noir Estate Reserve Chehalem Mountains (13.9% ABV, $58, Pommard clone, 75% new French oak )
Garnet
Beautiful legs (I rarely pay attention to those, but couldn’t help to notice)
Very enticing nose with sweet cherries, plums, eucalyptus
Cherries on the palate, tart, perfectly structured, harmonious and perfectly balanced. Craving food, but I can polish a bottle by myself.
8/8+, excellent.
Here you are, my friends – more of the delicious Oregon wines worth seeking. Oregon wine month is upon us, so if you need any suggestions, just click here.
And don’t be shy – if you got any of the Oregon wine favorites, please comment and leave notes for others.
Until the next time – cheers!
P.S. For more stories of Passion and Pinot please visit the series’ main page.
Stories of Passion and Pinot: Looking Back and Looking Forward 2023
What started from the little idea “yea, I don’t know, I don’t believe in it, but maybe I will try anyway” now became one of my favorite ongoing series in this blog – Stories of Passion and Pinot. Stories of Passion and Pinot are exactly what the title says – these are the stories of the winemakers passionate about one of the most finicky grapes there is – Pinot Noir.
It is a fun exercise to take a retrospective in the ongoing series and see how far I have gone from time to time. So here is the latest update – for me, and for you if you care to read it.
First, last year I created a new landing page for the whole series. This page is kept current, all new interviews are now added to this page and you always know when the page was updated last.
Four new stories were added since the last update: David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Vineyard, Shane Moore of Gran Moraine, Erik Kramer of Willakenzie Estate, and Bill Sanchez of Potter’s Vineyard. All of these are excellent, in-depth interviews – if you have not had a chance to read them yet, you really should do it now.
Interviews in the series have questions tailored to the individual wineries and winemakers with a little overlap between them. However, sometimes it is fun to ask people the same question and enjoy the diversity of the replies. I asked the same two questions to some of the winemakers who had been already profiled in this series – and now I want to share our short Q&A with you.
Sara Specter of Bells Up Winery, Bill Sanchez of Potter’s Vineyard, and Wayne Bailey of Youngberg Hill have graciously agreed to answer my questions, so below you can see my questions – and their answers:
[TaV]: How was the year 2022 for you? New grapes, new plantings, new wines, vineyard discoveries (a new plot/block, for example), new winemaking styles, new wine club, new tasting room, new markets, growing season and the vintage – please share anything and everything you are willing to with our readers.
[Bells Up Winery]: Harvest 2022 was our 10th under the Bells Up label, having moved to Newberg, Oregon in 2012 and making our first vintage in 2013. Harvest 2022 was also what we’ve been calling “the end of the beginning.” It was the first year we were “100% Pinot Independent,” meaning we didn’t source Pinot Noir from any other grower for the first time. It was a wonderful experience working with other micro-site growers who were very much like us. But our goal has always been to be as close to 100% estate as possible, and now we are… at least for the Pinot Noir. We were also delighted to see that the Pinot Blanc we planted in Fall 2021 and the Schioppettino we planted in Fall 2020 continued to do well, despite some initial concern from the late frost we had in April.
[Potter’s Vineyard]: 2022 was good but tough. It was tough due to the spring frost that wiped out 80% of the primary buds in our vineyard. The cool, wet spring led to a late start to bloom and fruit set. We literally did not know if we would have only a tiny harvest or something close to normal until late in the season, which led to a lot of turmoil. We decided to stay the course and farm it normally assuming that we would have something and of course take care of the vines for the following year. Amazingly, the vines rebounded and we ended up with about 70% of our normal yield. And because we farmed and sprayed diligently we did not suffer from the very high amount of powdery mildew that descended upon the Northern Willamette Valley that year. It was also a year where we added some new effective organic compounds to our organic farming spray program that probably helped fend off powdery mildew. The Pinot noir fruit was beautiful but we had much less of it. 2022 was also a pivotal year for us in our business. We bottled our 10th vintage and pondered all year what we would do for the next 10 years. We’ve made good wine but we decided to try to make better wine as our goal. We hired a Burgundy trained winery consultant with 35+ years experience. Combined with our 15+ years we now had over 50 years of combined experience to gain from. We fine tuned every protocol we had in place and added a lot of additional analyses to our tool box. We also added a new barrel-side wine analysis device to help us get more analyses done more efficiently and timely. This helped us get through a tough set of late fermentations of our other varietals that ripened later than normal due to cool spring throughout the NW. So for us it was a long, tough, and educational year but successful due to our added help and resources.
[Youngberg Hill]: Great growing season. Great balance and complexity in the fruit. A more typical season for the Willamette Valley, later wet spring, cool September and October harvest.
[TaV]: What are your plans for 2023? What do you think the future holds?
[Bells Up Winery]: In 2023 we hope to get enough fruit from the Schioppettino to make a proof-of-concept batch. We will also be releasing our very first bottling of bubbles. The 2022 crop of Seyval Blanc from our estate (first planting in the Willamette Valley of this French hybrid and only the second in the state of Oregon) will be released in a brut style under a new label, “Joy.” In keeping with our practice of naming wines after pieces of music that have terrific French Horn parts, this one is named for Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, “Ode to Joy.”
[Potter’s Vineyard]: We plan to continue with this new approach to taste the ‘fruits of our labor’ and continue improving as much as we can. We know the future will be tough with another global recession looming, however, we will continue to work hard to provide wine lovers a small vineyard & clay art gallery experience and premium wine.
[Youngberg Hill]: We will get our first fruit from the new Wayne’s World block this year, clones 667 and 115. Regarding what the future holds – who knows?
It is so interesting to see different takes on the vintage, the conditions, etc – and of course the future plans. It will also make it fun to ask the exact same questions next year.
There is a number of new interview ideas in the works, so as they like to say it – watch this space…
Stories of Passion and Pinot: Bill Sanchez of Potter’s Vineyard
Bill and Sandy Sanchez. Source: Potter’s Vineyard
Wine is art.
More often than not, the connection goes beyond that simple statement. Have you visited wineries that are housed in beautifully designed buildings, or offer various pieces of art – paintings, sculptures – for everyone’s viewing enjoyment? Wine is a form of art, made by artists, and it thrives surrounded by art in a multitude of shapes and forms.
Bill Sanchez extended his 30+ years of PhD experience in nutritional science and 15 years as a professional Potter to the art of winemaking when he and his wife Sandy bought 3.5 acres estate winery in Laurelwood District AVA in Oregon from Laura Volkman in September of 2012. He had to learn 1,000 steps of making great Oregon Pinot Noir from Laura, who planted the vineyard in 2001. Guided by this knowledge, love of art, and utmost respect for one of the most famous artists of all time, Michelangelo, Bill and Sandy operate their winery with a full commitment to “staying small”.
Organic, LIVE and Salmon Safe certified winery, Potter’s Vineyard produces about 1,000 cases annually, supplementing estate Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, Cabernet, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Syrah coming from single vineyard estates in Washington. Connecting visitors to art, the winery also offers a full exhibit of handcrafted Clay Art.
I had an opportunity to sit down (yes, virtually) with Bill Sanchez and ask him a few questions about his passion for Pinot and art. Here is what transpired in our conversation:
[TaV]: What is Vino Vasai Wines and how it is different from Potter’s Vineyard wines?
[BillS]: There’s a back story on Vino Vasai, which means Wine of The Potter. We used it when a large company said ‘they would oppose’ our trademark for Potter’s Vineyard. Vino Vasai is the wine brand, and Potter’s Vineyard is the name of our company and Estate Vineyard.
Source: Potter’s Vineyard
[TaV]: You worked for 35 years in nutritional science field. How does this experience affect your work in the vineyard and the winery?
[BillS]: That experience has focused my work on the vineyard where I am taking a ‘nutritional health’ approach to our farming. We practice organic farming and use natural ‘nutritional compounds’ to improve the health of the vineyard. We are gathering clinical data that shows this helps to prevent major pests like powdery mildew.
[TaV]: I read in your story that you learned 1,000 steps of making great Oregon Pinot. Can you please tell me what step 367 is all about? 🙂 just kidding 🙂 but seriously, what are these 1,000 steps all about?
[BillS]: When you break everything down there is probably many, many starting with 30 passes in the vineyard (that starts in January by the way), and many more steps involved in growing quality fruit (pruning, tying down, flailing, rubbing buds, trellising, mowing, spraying, hedging, etc. Then, when you add all the steps after harvest you get many, many more – I know I exaggerated it at 1,000 but someday I will add them all up and I know I will be closer to 1,000 than 100!
[TaV]: Especially because of your extensive scientific background, I have to ask you the same question I like to ask many winemakers – Biodynamics. What do you think of biodynamics? Would you ever implement it at your winery?
[BillS]: I’m very intrigued, but I don’t understand it yet, especially the ‘cosmos’ connection. I understand Organic much better and am excited to see the increasing amount of quality science that demonstrates not only that Organic farming works, but that it is healthier for the entire farm.
[TaV]: Pottery seems to be your other passion besides wine. Today, amphorae are popular vessels among winemakers to work with their wines (fermentation, aging, etc.). Do you use amphorae at your winery? As a potter, would you attempt to simply make one for this purpose?
[BillS]: Again, I’m very intrigued by amphorae but I haven’t yet found them to deliver higher quality wines compared to oak barrels. This is especially true for reds and chardonnay, which are my primary focus. I have tried some delicious crisp whites from amphorae, but I am not working with those varietals (yet)! I would rather buy Amphorae from my neighbor, fellow potter and winemaker, Andrew Beckham than attempt to make one myself (especially at the size needed to make enough wine for a club pickup).
[TaV]: I understand that you and your wife are big fans of Michelangelo and his work. How does Michelangelo’s work inspire you in your daily dealings at the vineyard and the winery?
[BillS]: I like the fact that Michelangelo was so diverse in his work (sculpture, painter, and architect) and I think we all aspire to be like him, not only one of greatest in his time but one of the greatest of all time!
Source: Potter’s Vineyard
[TaV]: You stated that Potter’s Vineyards is dedicated to staying small. How difficult it is keep that resolution and to stay small?
[BllS]: It’s most difficult financially, but because my wife and I did not plan on needing the income into our retirement years, we are happy to break even and live and work with less stress.
[TaV]: How does this decision affect your daily work?
[BillS]: It is very rewarding to have something we enjoy very much that keeps us busy every day and provides a product that enriches people’s lives, especially in creating a pleasurable memory they can share with family and friends.
[TaV]: Potter’s Vineyards is a certified sustainable winery. Can you talk about your approach to sustainability and why sustainability is important to you?
[BillS]: Our approach is to focus on the health of the entire farm. I like to think about the health of the soil (insects, microbes, organic matter), the vegetation diversity between the rows, the flowering plants surrounding the vineyard, the birds, the bees, the insects and of course the people who visit. I believe this approach will allow the farm to thrive for many years (if not forever).
[TaV]: You have two wine clubs, B club and M club. I understand that M stands for Michelangelo. What B stands for?
[BillS]: Botticelli (another great Italian artist)
[TaV]: In terms of distribution, what percentage of your wine is sold through the club and local visits?
[BillS]:Over 90%.
[TaV]: Are your wines available in retail or maybe the restaurants?
[BillS]: We don’t actively pursue distribution, but if local retailers request our wines, we make them available and support these local establishments. Our wines are currently available at Our Table Farm Store in Sherwood, OR., 503 Uncorked Wine Bar in Sherwood, OR., Old Town Bar & Grill in Newberg, OR., and Crushed & Crafted Wine Bar in Newport.
[TaV]: I see that you produce a Sangiovese wine. Sangiovese is largely atypical for an Oregon winery. Is that a nod to your Italian connection?
[BillS]: Yes, my wife Sandy actually.
[TaV]: How popular is this wine with your customers?
[BillS]: They love it and love the story where we discovered Sangiovese during our trip to Italy in 2011 and then bought our vineyard in 2012. Releasing a Sangiovese in our 10th year of business was truly a dream come true!
[TaV]: You already make a full line of Pinot Noir wines (sparkling, Rosé, white Pinot and of course the large range of Pinot wines themselves). You also make Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese. Do you plan to plant any new grape varieties or make new wines?
[BillS]: Someday we may offer a Sauvignon Blanc, but Sandy says that’s it after that!
[Tav]: Where do you see Potter Vineyard in 10 years? What would you like to accomplish during the next 10 years?
[BillS]: If my children take a serious interest, I would love for the business to grow enough to support their families into the next generation and beyond but if not, we will find someone to nurture it along just as Laura Volkman found us!
There you are, my friends – another story of Passion and Pinot, another story of wine and art.
I didn’t get a chance to try Bill’s wines yet, so please stay tuned for the update…
P.S. For more stories of Passion and Pinot please visit the series’ main page.
Stories of Passion and Pinot: David Adelsheim
For those of us, eternal optimists and romanticists, who also happen to be wine lovers, wine always has a story. A glass of good wine always solicits an emotional response, and we truly believe that passion trumpets the world of wine. To create a wine that can move emotions, passion must be one of the key ingredients.
In the wine world, passion alone will not get you very far. It needs to be supported by hard labor. Unwavering resolve. Gumption and belief that you can not fail. Or so I learned by talking with winemakers in Oregon who made Pinot Noir their passion, growing it sometimes in places where nothing is supposed to grow. These conversations became the series that I called Stories of Passion and Pinot – in these stories you can see for yourself what that passion means.
Among winemakers, there are those who rightly deserve to be called pioneers. They come first, building the road that others can follow. David and Ginny Adelsheim were such pioneers, planting some of the first Pinot Noir vines in Willamette Valley in 1971, starting Adelsheim Vineyard, and never looking back. I had the pleasure of briefly meeting David about 10 years ago at a trade wine tasting in Connecticut and tasting some of his wines. A few months ago, Carl Giavanti helped me to actually have a conversation with David and ask him a few questions albeit virtually. David’s achievements over the 50 years and his role in promoting Oregon wines and bringing them to the world stage are nothing short of legendary and very hard to capture in a short interview format – but I believe it still will be well worth a few minutes of your time.
[TaV]: You learned a lot over the 50 years. If you would start the winery again, would you do something differently?
[DA]: Probably, I’d try to focus more attention on the quality of wines we produced and the fiscal stability of the winery. Or hire a winemaking consultant and a CFO, who could do those things, since my time is probably better spent helping the industry and selling wine.
[TaV]: Over the course of your winemaking career, what were your favorite vintages and why?
[DA]: I don’t really have favorite vintages because it was my job to be excited about every vintage. There are vintages, like 2021, where the weather cooperated, and the vineyard and winery logistics were easy. There are vintages, like 1983, 1988, 1990, 1999, 2005, 2012, and 2019, where the wines received great scores from the critics. There are vintages, like 1986, 1991, 1997, 2007, 2013, where the wines got so-so scores, but with time became glorious. There have been a couple of disastrous vintages like 1984 that, with time in bottle, became better than I would have expected. And then there are a few vintages, like 2003, 2006, 2009, and 2015, that ended up being very ripe.
[TaV]: Not to go too far on this tangent, but what is your opinion of biodynamic winemaking?
[DA]: Our vineyards are not biodynamically farmed, and our winery does not follow biodynamic principles. All our vineyards are LIVE-certified as is our winery. In addition, we use no herbicides in our vineyards.
Quarter Mile Lane Vineyard. Source: Adelsheim Vineyard
[TaV]: Adelsheim Vineyard farms about 200 acres in Chehalem Mountains AVA with a large variety of soil types and microclimates. Based on your experience, is this the time to think about establishing additional sub-AVAs?
[DA]: The 1979 regulations establishing the system of American Viticultural Areas is not rigorous enough. The word “wine” does not appear, no expertise is required to submit a petition, and there is no top-down guidance to ensure a logical, helpful system of AVAs. It is time to help everyone, from consumers to our own winemakers, understand the connection between where grapes come from and how a wine smells and tastes. In the Chehalem Mountains, we have undertaken a project to define distinct neighborhoods of wine, using a winemaker tasting panel working under the guidance of a researcher in Burgundy. If we are able to define such neighborhoods, just by tasting single vineyard wines, the wineries in the Chehalem Mountains area will have to decide whether to petition for additional nested, nested-AVAs (like Ribbon Ridge and Laurelwood District) or devise a better way to communicate with the public.
[TaV]: What are the oldest Adelsheim wines in the winery’s cellar?
[DA]: We have an extensive library that is supposed to contain examples of every wine we’ve ever produced, included from 1978, our first vintage.
[TaV]: How are they holding up?
[DA]: I haven’t tasted the 1978s in a pretty long time. The estate Pinot noir was served at our 40th anniversary in 2011. I was surprised that had held up. The whites – an estate Chardonnay and a WA Sémillon – are, of course, pretty oxidized but both still have fruit. And I bet that the two WA Merlots are pretty stunning – I can’t remember when I last tried one.
[TaV]: Over the last 4-5 years, significant efforts were made to protect the origins of Willamette Valley wines, such as the case against Copper Cane from California. How widespread is this problem, and what more needs to be done to better protect the Oregon wine industry?
[DA]: The Copper Cane case is getting resolved, I believe. But it illustrates that there are people, who would like to take advantage of the geographic brands we created – like Oregon and Willamette Valley. We saw a Chilean Pinot noir, bottled by a company with “Oregon” in their brand name. That’s illegal under TTB rules, but where’s the enforcement? Of course, I believe that the Willamette Valley AVA should have stricter rules – a 100% requirement to use the varietal name and 100% to use the Willamette Valley AVA or its nested AVAs. But proposing that to the 2019 legislature ended up splitting the industry so there’s little appetite for a second round any time soon.
[TaV]: Last year, the EU awarded Protected Geographical Indication status to Willamette Valley. Is that sufficient to protect the Oregon wine industry as a whole, or more needs to be done?
[DA]: We probably should figure out how to protect the name “Willamette Valley” in China and, perhaps, other parts of the world. Napa isn’t going through the work of protecting the names of their nested AVAs with the EU, so we probably don’t have to do that either.
Calkins Lane Vineyard. Source: Adelsheim Vineyard
[TaV]: Should Oregon also receive a PGI status?
[DA]: Probably, yes. But someone will need to volunteer to complete the incredibly long application and the revisions required. It took Harry Peterson-Nedry ten years to get the EU to grant Willamette Valley TGI status. The Oregon Wine Board should do that application. But probably doesn’t have the bandwidth.
[TaV]: You are often referred to as an ambassador of Oregon wines to the world. Are Oregon wines well recognized worldwide?
[DA]: Well, the top wines from the Willamette Valley (mostly Pinot noirs) are starting to be recognized in markets that can afford them. The problem is that they are being called “Oregon,” which leads to confusion of consumers. We need to stop using “Oregon” when we’re referring only to the wines of the Willamette Valley.
[TaV]: What are the main exporting countries for Willamette Valley Pinot noir?
[DA]: Number 1 is Canada, followed by the UK and Japan, followed by Sweden and Denmark. Other Asia markets (Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, the Philippines) are growing as are Caribbean markets. In the EU, there are countries that can afford WV PNs – Germany, France, Italy, Holland, Belgium in particular. But they continue to focus primarily on French, German, and Mediterranean wines.
[TaV]: What needs to be done to make Willamette Valley wines better known internationally?
[DA]: Education of the importers about our region and the brands available in the particular country. Once enough wineries have representation, then we can start educating the media and the trade. Finally, once the wines are available in stores and restaurants, with stories appearing in wine and lifestyle media, then we can start education consumers.
[TaV]: What are the main problems facing the Willamette Valley wine industry, now, and say, over the next 20 years?
[DA]: You mean besides global climates change, which threatens all of today’s top wine regions. Well, beyond that, we need to ensure that Oregonians are buying the State’s successful wineries, not just wine companies from outside the State and, often, outside the country. You can’t talk about Avis being the best rental car company if it’s owned by Hertz.
[TaV]: What would be your advice to the young winemakers who are just getting started?
[DA]: They don’t seem to need my advice. They have figured out the pathway to starting their own brand – start at the bottom, working for others. Buy grapes and rent space to make tiny amounts of amazing wine. Grow slowly, never making enough wine, always over-delivering on quality. Don’t borrow capital. Once they have a strong reputation and a successful brand, they can start thinking about their own vineyards, and way down the road, their own bricks-and-mortar winery.
[TaV]: If you could select just “one thing” you’d like to be remembered for, let’s call it your legacy trademark, what would that one thing be?
[DA]: Heck if I know; you pick one:
1973 – Worked with Bill Blosser, Dick Erath and others to map where grapes could be grown in Yamhill County, which led to the saving of YC hillsides for agriculture; and adoption of a similar approach in other counties
1973-1977 – Drafted the strict Oregon Labeling Regulations, lobbied the industry to support and the OLCC to adopt them
1974 – Realized the importance of PN & CH clones in Burgundy while an intern at the Lycée Viticole in Beaune
1974-1983 – Helped establish the clonal importation & evaluation programs at OSU
1975 – Coordinated the importation of clones from Alsace, including first Pinot blanc in the U.S.
1976 – Coordinated the importation of clones from ANTAV, including first Gamay noir in the U.S.
1977 – Participated in the effort to pass legislation to establish the TWRAB
1982 – Wrote petitions to establish the Willamette Valley and Umpqua Valley AVAs
1983-1993 – Led the discussion program at the Steamboat PN Conference each summer
1987 – Requested Raymond Bernard send clones of Chardonnay (incl 95) and Pinot noir (incl 667 and 777) to OSU
1987 – Helping Robert Drouhin find and buy land for DDO
1987/8 – Responsible for the Burgundians attending first and second IPNC
2000 – Cofounded OPC with Pat Dudley
2002 – Wrote the petition to establish the Chehalem Mountains AVA
2003 – Led the lobbying effort to change OWAB to OWB
2005 – Drafted extensive amendments to the labeling regulations
2005 – Helped lead the effort to rebuild the WVWA into one of the U.S.’s most important wine marketing organizations
2014 – Founded Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers
2015 – Proposed and led the creation of the first Chardonnay Technical Tasting that has elevated the style of WV Chardonnay
2015 – Leader in the effort to pass legislation to limit the number of non-sales-related events at wineries
2016 – Helped envision Willamette Valley: the Pinot Noir Auction
2019 – Leader in the lobbying effort for stricter regulations for varietal content and origin for WV wines, which failed
2020-202? – Envisioned and played a leadership role in the Neighborhoods Project for the region of the Ribbon Ridge, Laurelwood District and Chehalem Mountains AVAs
2021 – Conducted and edited the Founders’ Stories for Adelsheim’s 50th anniversary
2022/3 – Working with Josh Bergstöm on a technical winemaker event for Pinot noir
[TaV]: It seems that your motto is “never stop”, and for sure when it is necessary to advocate for and advance the Willamette Valley wine industry. What special Willamette Valley wine projects are you involved in now?
[DA]: I mentioned the Neighborhoods Project, focused on Pinot noirs from the Ribbon Ridge, Laurelwood District and the Chehalem Mountains AVAs back under question #5. I’m finishing up video interviews of the Founders of the first ten wineries in the Willamette Valley. Short versions are on our winery’s website (“Founders’ Stories.”) Videos of the entire interviews are in the Linfield University Wine History Archive. I’m working with other winemakers to create a way to come together and taste each other’s wines, so that the Pinot noirs of the Willamette Valley can evolve in a thoughtful way. Yeah, and the book… everyone says I need to write a book, and maybe I will.
Here you are – another addition to the Stories of Passion and Pinot. I hope you enjoyed this encounter with the winemaker’s passion and maybe even learned something new.
Until the next time…
P.S. For more stories of Passion and Pinot please visit the series’ main page.
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