Oregon and sustainability go together like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. When tasting wine around the Willamette Valley, terms like Biodynamic, Salmon Safe, and Organic get mentioned frequently. What sets these terms apart?
Another stunning Willamette Valley vintage is in the books. The 2016 vintage comes on the heels of the opulent 2014 and the structured 2015 vintages. All three produced fruit-forward wines with 2016 providing more elegance and polish with lifted aromatics. All three of these vintages are considered warm years, but 2016 moderated during the summer compared to 2014 and 2015.
Then there is the gamble. Drink or hold. Pull the cork on treasured wines while young, and we receive certain pleasure. But gamble with time, attempt to drink at the pinnacle, and we dance with chance. Perfectly aged wine can elevate the experience to heights sought by many wine lovers. However, we can lose the bet, and find the wine frail, a shell of its once full-potential.
Scientific discovery has enabled winemakers to improve their craft significantly. Prior to the 1860s, brewers and winemakers didn’t know that yeast fermented wine in their cellar. Fermentation was nearly magical, which may explain the exaltation of fermented beverages in some religious traditions (intoxication also likely elevated these drinks).
Within the broader Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) rests six sub-AVAs. These smaller AVAs represent specific geographic and climactic areas that produce wines unique to that place. Interested parties, typically wineries, must petition the TTB and U.S. Department of Treasury to establish an AVA. The sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley earned approval in 2005-2006.
Yeast, the converters, create the wine we all enjoy. These single-celled fungi feast upon sugars, and release CO2 and alcohol in exchange. Without yeast, we would drink super-sweet grape juice from our beloved Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines. However, thanks to yeast, we instead relish the complex, intoxicating aromas and flavors of wine.
How do you store your wine? On your kitchen counter? Hanging from a rack in your dining room window? This detail matters more than most realize. Let’s ensure your wine tastes its best when you pull every cork.
Fullerton Wines proudly announces the release of Three Otters wines, a new label produced by the Fullerton family. By early 2014, the Fullertons had successfully launched the core family brand, Fullerton Wines. The vinous treasures crafted under this label embody the best of the Willamette Valley with grapes sourced from acclaimed vineyards.
Why have and do humans consume wine with such reverie and adoration? Why should we continue?
For millennia, wine has captivated the minds and palates of many who have drunk from its cup. Historically, most wine drinkers enjoyed wine despite flaws, such as over-oxidation (wine transitioning to vinegar). Today, we can be thankful that when we put our noses in a glass we will delight in the aromas, as well as the taste.
Harvest 2015 is coming to a close, and over a week remains in September. Coming on the heels of the memorable 2014 vintage, this is historic, once again.