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OREGON.RG
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THE WINE TASTER
By Robin Garr
The Courier-Journal, May 31, 1987
Even back in the days when Chambers of Commerce all over California were
beating the publicity drums that eventually lured 26 million inhabitants and
made the Golden State the nation's most populous, Oregonians hunkered
down.
There they were, just to the north of California, enjoying the good life
on land that stretched inland from the Pacific Ocean and the lofty Cascades
through millions of acres of fertile, rolling farmland, rivers, forests
... and vineyards.
Tourists? Who needs 'em?
So Oregon to this day has fewer than 3 million people -- about 1 million
less than Kentucky -- and they've kept their secret so well that some people
think the place is in Canada.
Oregon's wine production also has remained pretty much of a secret,
particularly east of the Rockies, but that's beginning to change because
something so good can't be kept quiet forever.
Most of the state's vineyards are in the Willamette and Tualatin valleys
of Yamhill County, not far from Portland.
The region's cool summers and long days (the sun shines nearly two hours
longer on summer days than in California's wine country) allow grapes gently
to develop the ideal balance of natural sugar and acid that often eludes
California wine makers.
Production is tiny by California standards, but it's growing, and prices
remain relatively reasonable. It is still difficult -- but not impossible --
to find Oregon's major labels at well-stocked liquor stores in the Louisville
area.
For this week's column I sampled four excellent Oregon wines:
A 1983 Tualatin Willamette Valley Oregon Chardonnay ($8.99) was stylish,
even refined, a pleasant alternative to California's typically rich, strong
Chardonnays.
A 1984 Adelsheim Vineyard Yamhill County Chardonnay ($11.99) was clean
and straightforward if a bit tart, suggesting underripe grapes. It was well
made and good with food, but no value at the price. The 1982 and 1983
vintages from this respected winery have won better ratings, so 1984 may have
been a troublesome year.
A non-vintage Knudsen Erath Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($5.79)
improved after "breathing" in the glass. An hour after pouring, the wine lost
an initial breath of vinegar while adding complexity and developing a soft,
sippable texture. A simple, attractive wine, it offered good Pinot Noir
quality at a fair price.
Most expensive -- and worth it -- was a 1984 The Eyrie Vineyards
Willamette Valley Reserve Pinot Noir ($17.59).
It was delicious when poured and got better with breathing, developing
the description-defying complexity characteristic of the world's finest
wines.
An earlier Eyrie vintage astounded experts, about a decade ago when
Oregon wine was even less widely known, when French judges awarded it one of
the top ratings in a blind tasting against France's finest Burgundies.
Many people compare Oregon with Burgundy, because the climate and soil
seem to favor the same Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes. These good wines
justify the comparison.
(5 stars) The Eyrie Vineyards Willamette Valley Reserve Pinot Noir, 1984.
(Pee-no Nwahr.) This clear, dark reddish-purple wine has a brownish tinge,
usually a sign of age, surprising in a wine so young. Its subtle aroma
mingles grapes, wildflowers, cinnamon and cloves and the vanilla scent that
oak aging imparts. Its dry, mouth-filling taste offers delicate, delicious
fruit and lemony acid balanced by spicy oakiness in a long, lingering
flavor.
(4 stars) Tualatin Willamette Valley Chardonnay, 1983. (Shar-doe-nay.) This
brilliant, greenish-gold wine's excellent aroma with a light apple-like scent
with overtones of chestnuts and tropical figs, and an appealing taste that
mingles good fruit and crisp acid with an unctuous quality that's almost
buttery.
(3 stars) Knudsen Erath Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, non-vintage. This
clear, dark reddish-purple wine's light, perfumed scent mingles grapes and
wildflowers with a faint hint of vinegar that blows off after the wine is
poured. Its soft, fruity flavor conceals a properly acidic edge.
(3 stars) Adelsheim Vineyard Yamhill County Chardonnay, 1984. This clear,
pale greenish-gold wine has a light but excellent aroma of apple-like fruit
and a dry, clean Chardonnay flavor slightly flawed by tart acidity and a hint
of green, underripe grapes. The acidity is palate-cleansing, suggesting a
particular affinity with salmon and other assertively flavored fish, but the
price is high.
Courier-Journal Wine and Food Critic Robin Garr rates table wines
available in the Louisville area, using a one- to five-star scale determined
by quality and value. Write to him with suggestions or questions in care of
The Courier-Journal, 525 W. Broadway, Louisville, Ky. 40202, or send Easymail
to 73125,70.