As I mentioned in my last post, winemakers are the real artists at the vineyard, and are responsible for the entire winemaking process. They could own their own vineyards or be employed at the winery, and they manage the fermentation, crushing, pressing, filtering, and bottling, as well as test the quality of the wine.
Penner Ash Wine Cellars
Earlier this summer in Willamette Valley, I was lucky enough to have a private tour at Penner-Ash Wine Cellars, which overlooks the Chahalem Valley. Penner-Ash produces world-class Pinot Noir, and was founded by Lynn Penner-Ash along with her husband Ron in 1998. Lynn is one of the best women wine makers in Oregon, and my experience was amazing, as I had the chance to better understand the complexities around producing premium wine.
Alexana vineyard
From Penner-Ash, I drove to Alexana Vineyard as they share the same wine maker, in Lynn Penner-Ash. Alexana is located in Dundee Hills, and is owned by Dr. Madaiah Revana, who also owns Revana Family Vineyards, in St. Helena, California. I went on a private educational tour with Christie, as we tried several outstanding Pinot Noirs, Pinot Gris, and Rieslings, and they were all fantastic! Christie later drove us to their vineyard property to get a closer look at the different soil types native to Dundee Hills. At this property the soil is primarily sedimentary silt, but also has volcanic stone which makes a difference from other Pinot Noirs produced in the same region. Each AVA has many different types of soil, and is one of the reasons Willamette Valley Pinot Noir can taste so different from one to the next.
Some say the fact Willamette Valley is located at the same latitude as the Burgundy Region of France, and shares similar weather conditions makes their Pinot Noir as delightful as the French, and Oregon is a fantastic wine region producing wonderful Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Dolcetto, Tempranillo, Viognier and Riesling.
So, if you have a free night this Labor Day Weekend, rent “Sideways”, and open a bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir, and get lost in the passionate world of this fascinating grape!
TIP OF THE WEEK
I’m a monthly reader of a great local magazine “Best Self Atlanta”. Don’t miss it! You can find it all over the Atlanta Metro area, and if you live outside of Georgia, catch it on line: http://www.bestselfatlanta.com/.
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