Days of Wine and Roses
By Hollyanna McCollom
In 2004, the surprise-hit movie Sideways shined a long-overdue spotlight on the wine industry; it also brought an unexpected nod to Oregon’s darling, the Pinot noir grape. Waxing poetic about the varietal, main character Miles said, “Only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand Pinot’s potential can then coax it into its fullest expression.”
Over a decade later, Pinot noir is the hottest grape around these parts, but not because of the attention it received from Sideways; for that, we can thank the fertile northwest ground. According to the Oregon Wine Board, there are 72 grape varieties grown throughout the state, but only 15 of those varieties make up 97 percent of the vineyards in Oregon. At the top of that list is Pinot noir.
The Pioneers
An original pioneer of the industry is David Lett, the founder of Eyrie Vineyards who planted the first Pinot noir grapes in the northwest, thus planting the seed for Oregon’s future as a heavyweight in the wine industry. In 1975, Eyrie Vineyards produced the first Pinot noir to successfully vie for recognition alongside the long-recognized Pinots of Burgandy, France. With that recognition came the acknowledgment of Oregon as the New World home for Pinot noir. But Lett’s pioneering ways did not stop there, he was also the first to bring Pinot Gris grapes to America, and after nearly 40 years, Eyrie Vineyards is still a family-owned operation. Lett’s son, Jason Lett recently took over for his father as winemaker and vineyard manager, but his mother, Diana Lett is still very much a part of the process.
Another pioneer family of the industry is that of Sokol Blosser. The family has been a part of the Oregon wine fabric since its first planting in 1971 and Susan Sokol Blosser has been at the helm for most of that time. When she got started, the Oregon wine industry was a fledgling one at best, and those who committed to the region did so because they had an inherent passion for the business. Since then, Sokol Blosser has shifted its focus to sustainability, and in fact, they were the first winery to be certified as “Salmon-Safe” way back in 1996 and remarkably, the first winery in the nation to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
The Rule Breaker
Just steps away from these trailblazers, Joe Dobbes, a decidedly different winemaker and self-made wine-whiz kid who started with only fifty thousand dollars and a 250 thousand dollar equipment loan. From that, he managed to develop a major business. As savvy as he is knowledgeable, Dobbes knows that a big part of what makes you successful in the wine industry is not only having a good product but knowing when and how to market it. Dobbes created three labels to appeal to three very different markets; Jovino, which was created specifically for fine restaurants and Dobbes Family Estate wines, which are noted as “wines of distinction” through which Dobbes expresses his sophistication and artistry. Dobbes’s third label, Wine By Joe, is a no-nonsense label that produces high-quality varietals, but never takes itself too seriously. For that label, Dobbes uses a screw cap, which by winemaker’s standards, is still a hotly contested issue. But Dobbes stands by the choice because he can’t imagine why someone would sacrifice 5 to 8 percent of their product for the sake of a cork.
The Future
Oregon, as a whole, is receiving nods for its commitment to sustainability and its focus on innovation. Sustainability is a characteristic that is at the heart of our environmentally conscious framework and because of that nearly 50 percent of Oregon wines are certified organic, sustainable, or Biodynamic, and most others are committed to sustainability. Ever focused on growth, Oregon is also home to the Grace & Ken Evenstad Center for Wine Education at Linfield College, which offers both a major and minor in wine education. The program intersects a traditional college education with wine industry essentials such as agriculture, history, business, and communications. The program is a good fit for the industry because it can draw from the experts right nearby to inspire a new generation of expert wine growers in the region.
Across the board, wine is hip these days. Oregon is already a giant in the industry and it is poised to grow by leaps and bounds in the next few years. The lush vineyards sprinkled around the state are becoming popular destination spots with new hotels, bed and breakfast stops and restaurants springing up all over. I, for one, think it’s about time. Oregon is cool. Oregon is hip, and Oregon has paid its dues.
