I have applauded the efforts of Byron Dooley of Seven of Hearts previously, including both his white wines and Pinot Noir. I will continue to do so because I believe he is making a quality product at a significantly valuable price, that balance a high level of Old and New World conventions, and his Seven of Hearts Chardonnay is a prime example. Continued
This May I spent a morning with Kim Kramer and her folks at Kramer Vineyards helping them disgorge 10 cases of sparkling wine. We shot video to make a short primer on the finishing process after secondary fermentation has occurred in the bottle. Continued
The first time I met Chris Wishart he spent a good deal of time with a towel wiping wine drips off the bar he had just recently sealed. He chuckled at his fixation and we shared a common understanding that sometimes tiny things consume us completely; things we won’t care about in less than 48 hours. That fleeting obsession, though perhaps not defining of Wishart, neatly tied together the philosophy at ENSO Winery for me: every vintage is distinctive, so let the wines express that moment in time, and capture it as purely as possible. Continued
Though her name is supposed to mean graceful, Anne Hubatch, owner and winemaker of Helioterra Wines, claims to be anything but as she carefully navigates her way across the kitchen strewn with small toys. Her family, business, and life all culminate here in this space … children’s drawings, kitchen utensils, a computer, and lots of paperwork … yet somehow, it just seems to work. Continued
“Don’t screw it up.”
This is the mantra John Grochau, owner and winemaker at Grochau Cellars, recited without hesitation when asked what his philosophy on winemaking is. Meeting John you get the sense that he’s confident in what he’s doing, but modest enough to avoid showing any ego. Continued
I am a wine writer and digital marketing consultant based in Portland, Oregon. I have come to appreciate the growing wine regions in the Pacific Northwest since arriving here in 2009. I look forward to sharing my passion for Oregon and Pacific Northwest white wines in particular with you. Read more on my About Page.
