Wine v. Beer Videos – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

Randomly look for almost any video on beer on YouTube and you will begin to notice immediately is how popular beer videos are–in fact–look at the aggregate of video views and it can be common to see 800,000 or a million hits… then compare with wine videos–2,000 here 50,000 there.

This isn’t a contest but where wine videos will go.  I have 1,154 videos–not because they are easy to do or take no time to complete–on the contrary they take a lot of time to complete.  I do believe that the wine video has not been discovered by the masses at this time.  It is a matter of time.  Someone who produced a 1,000 gave up.  But probably because their counts weren’t high enough.  Wine unlike beer at least in the social media frame is heavily dependent on the written.  I have compared my written to video form and the video form is often outpacing any written piece.

Eventually the wine consuming public wouldn’t look to hope to find content that matches their needs but will expect to see content on every wine they are interested in.

My video on Ruffino Riserva Ducale Chianti Classico Riserva – 2007 – 9.0 – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy is not my oldest video and yet it is the first to crest the 2,000 video view mark–and that is simply because it is is very widely distributed.

The wine video frontier is still a frontier soon to marry up with a larger audience.  Stay tuned.. there is more to come.

 ¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

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© 2013 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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The Beverage Arts in Portland – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

While Portland is a capital of beer–might I add world capital of beer—I do think surface has yet been completely scratched as it relates to urban wineries and distilleries.  Distilleries, ironically, out numbering urban wineries by a wide margin.  Portland’s many breweries have placed it as the brewing capital of the world–outpacing and out placing Brussels.  And even with breweries I doubt we have seen the limit.

And more artisan focused beers is a national craving that still needs to be feed.  For a period of time it was only people in certain urban centers who had this craving.  Artisan distilling is quite viable as many people are seeking new interpretations on gin, vodka and whiskey and other spirits.  Visiting a couple of distilleries made me a believer is very small batch production.  The price points didn’t have an artisan price point—very reasonable and a comfortable fit.

Portland, a very short drive from Willamette Valley producers has fewer urban wineries than I would expect.  But to be fair–San Francisco has very few with respect to the nearby wine countries of Napa, Sonoma, and Livermore Valley.  Portland is the epicenter of Pacific Northwest wine as not only is Willamette nearby so are the Washington wine countries just across the Columbia.  Also, in  Northeast Oregon as the Columbia Valley, Columbia Gorge and Snake Valley wine countries.  Enso Winery is the only urban winery that I have visited and has an allotment of wines from Willamette Valley and Horse Heaven Hills.  Enso Winery was packed when I was there (on a recent food and wine tour of Portland).  I would expect more urban wineries to open up in the future—and unlike San Francisco where street level real estate is as rarified as the Dodo–Portland has many more possibilities.  Possibility is an asset and the food scene in Portland is wonderfully developed.  Let me be more clear–since Portland has this scene–I could only expect this to be even more developed in the future

Portland, unlike the fictional show Portlandia, is accessible on many levels–it is easy to get around on public transport and where else could you visit a distillery using a city bus–well…very few… and might I add that bus stop is practically at the door of House Spirits.   And I do like Portland’s friendliness; it is quite noticeable.

I do love Portland as a base camp for so many wine countries, evocative hillsides, and the ever present Douglas fir create a signature that is romantic.  I do like Portland’s view of coffee just as lively as any Pacific coast city.  Portland is a great place for your next culinary and beverage tour.

 ¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2013 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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International Wines – The New Interpretation to Come – James Melendez / James the Wine Guy

Without question when international varieties is mentioned — the fast forward button goes to wine grape varieties from well known French regions i.e. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Rhône.  But these internationalizing wines in some ways say these specific varieties are a well pedigreed grape that can underscore native or indigenous varieties

Go to any wine seminar anywhere and you will hear something like… “while there are native or indigenous varieties international varieties are abundant here….”  But the term internationalizing is a legitimizing and level setting word it is a far step backwards.  Backwards because it presupposes that the current term of “international wines” are just a limiting set.

Perhaps if that scope was expanded to include grapes like Sangiovese, Tempranillo, and Zinfandel.  Redefining and re-keying what is international will evolve and it is on our doorstep.  Simply because “international” is a hard word to understand or what is the intention.  The current view of this term will change to encompass a whole host of other varieties because the next definition will be something else.  That something else is hard to understand now but could be based on non-international wines to be planted in non-traditional places: Zinfandel in Chile, Tempranillo in Okanagan and Sangiovese in Mexico.

Or perhaps the term could flex to mean wines that encompass a broad range of food pairing possibilities.  Or perhaps have characteristics that span both the familiar and the exotic… or perhaps wines that journeying towards the expanse and newness of characteristics.

The term International wines will change and I for one believe it is important to encompass a broader meaning—simply because native or indigenous varieties need all the help in order to survive and to thrive. The term will broaden or perhaps will be less often used—it will be interesting to see either way.

¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2013 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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The Great Wine List Revolution To Come – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

A revolution in the wine list is coming–ready or not!  Visit a restaurant in New York or London or San Francisco and see a high tilt of wine lists with all of the usual suspects (wine regions) in overwhelming ratios compared to the non-usual suspects (lesser known wine regions).

French wines have had a predominance in what has been a sommelier or wine director created wine list—there is no doubt that there are many excellent and dazzling wines coming from Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne and The Rhône and these are often what are listed first and take bulk of real estate on many lists.  International wines / varieties are in many ways have been treated as the basis of all wines or only those wines good enough for a wine list.  And that basis is what are international wines have been promoted to in creating the highest perceived pedigree.  In many ways, the common parlance for certain French wine regions is ‘international wines’  as opposed to all varieties as being thought of as international.

Look at Cabernet Sauvignon and Napa Valley and you will often find prominent placements on many a wine list especially in the US.  Look at El Dorado County and Zinfandel on a wine list in Boston and it is much more difficult to find–findable? yes, common–no.

The wines of regions widely known trade (sell) because of a familiarity by people seeking buzz candy or what I call ‘social pizza’: As opposed to wines that are coming from lesser-known regions take a long time to gain traction and a consistent listing in a restaurant or a wine merchants shelf.  And this is perpetuating–because the lesser-known regions are hard to find many people go back to what is plentiful and easy-to-find.  And this cycle is hard for a lesser known variety or region to get a foothold.

But today’s consumer is asking for Croatian wine with their pizza, Chianti Classico with Portuguese food, Indian food with Australian Grenache.  I am not suggesting that, for example, Italian restaurants are going to give up Italian wines on their lists.  But I do think there is going to be a greater supplementing of either nearby wine regions or varieties that are perfectly in step with their restaurant’s chief mission.  Today’s wine consumer does not view buying wine like buying toilet paper as a certain wine buyer in Washington State would like everyone to believe.  Consumers are seeking to know more about wine and creating their definitive interests and tastes.

There are a few bold restaurant wine lists that provide a great portfolio of diverse varieties, regions, producers and have a trained staff that are knowledgeable about lesser known wines and can speak to them.  While not common today this will be increasing common tomorrow.

New wines lovers and wine enthusiasts seeking variety are going to challenge the convention and even seek out their current discovers and make the ask at their favourite restaurant or wine merchant.  I think over time such wine trends in wine will lessen–that is consumers will either seek what they enjoy the most and the more adventurous wine consumers will continue to seek discovery.

Lesser known wine regions that will benefit from increased consumer focus and demand–as example: France: Alsace, Spain: Rias Baixas or Italy: Puglia.  And these lesser known regions are increasingly organized and presenting their wines to potentially new customers consistently.  The treasure trove of great wines is here and now.  We live in the best of wine times, no other time has there been greater quality, diversity in style and availability.  Wine list diversity is coming whether anyone is prepared or not.  Diversity is the spice of life and a great focus on balance and representing lesser-known wine producing nations and regions will continue over time.  The consumer is already demanding this.

¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2013 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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Robert Parker Sells Majority Interest – Wine Advocate; No Rocket Science Here – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

Robert M. Parker Jr. selling his interest in his Wine Advocate to an Asian based group of investors—seemed to be filled with intrigue, relief, expectation and also a “bigger” meaning behind this act.  It is as if this one act is pivotal in understanding where we find ourselves in this era rich with armchair wine reviewers.   There are a lot of people weighing in on the exactness of this meaning.

Robert Parker exit was probably sooner than expected but there is no one reason but several reasons—

a)    He probably got an offer he couldn’t refuse

b)    He was decreasing his reviews for a period of time and was and will still review Bordeaux and Rhône wines

c)    He had probably been shopping for a buyer for a while

Eric Asimov says (10-December-2012) “The move recognizes a new reality, that the center of orbit for critics like Mr. Parker is now in Asia rather than North America.”  While I think this is a vast overstatement and the tilting of wine reviews is not going just to Asia.  Asia specifically China’s wine story is still unfolding and even with it’s promise—still does not approach the US in terms of market size for wine.  There are many unknowns in the Chinese market for wine—after all—might there be more limiting factors than many people suppose today.  What if after all the Chinese start to prefer their wine to a vast sea of imports?  What if the market does not grow as much as expected?

Internationalization of wine reviews is something that ‘everyone is trying to crack’ but it makes a lot of sense—and I mean that if I look at metrics from my site or YouTube channel I personally have an international audience—something not possible only a few short years ago.   Eric Asimov continues with his view that “…wine lovers matured…especially as the Internet gave platforms to many different view points.”  While the story on the Internetization of wine has little to do with Parkers decreased audience.  It wasn’t that –Parker never grew his audience and registered new generations.   Asimov also mentions and implies the 100-Point Score that Parker popularized no longer as relevant.  I do not agree necessarily with Asimov—there will be a market need to understand point scores as it relates to the very large array of wines that exist.  There are many Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc and so fourth and there are many people who want to bypass less than optimized wines—ultimately many and most people are seeking the highest quality wines possible at the best price points and need definers.

No matter the rating system and there are many—I have mine and purposely utilize a 10-Point system.  The desire to rank wine will always be here—now while Parkers may or may not be utilized I do hear many others being called out—even my own.

One blog posting I read today gave some results from Parker’s “exit”:

a) US Cult wineries in China will focus on China—yeah of course?!

b) Higher prices for high priced wines because of this purchase….?

That is a big throw at a small bat—the supposition is that the new ownership will help to increase competition for these wine hence a higher price—I couldn’t find logic in this thought.  And lastly another supposition is that Wine Spectator has a lot to gain.  I’m not sure how that will happen—might Wine Spectator be in the same shape in this Internetization of wine.  I don’t think the current readership is going to abandon the Wine Advocate.  Wine Spectator will have to work even harder with our without Parker to not only retain their audience but gain a new one.

I was fascinated by the near frenetic pace –again attribute this to a deeper need to understand the category in this period of time.  But ultimately understanding wine, metrics and demographics is as elusive as it has ever been.

Wine leadership of educators, reviewers and commentators is just as relevant today—There is a bit of a desire by some writers to complain that the wine writer is dead.  No one every said the travel writer is dead because of crowdsourced reviews…in fact view points in travel or any other category is more relevant and wine is no exception.

¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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Australian Wines in the US – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

I attend every year dozens of wine events– I, of course, live in the West Coast capital for wine–San Francisco.  I saw many events from major to smaller wine regions pay a visit to the City by the Bay; many perennial events and those who occasionally visit.  It is especially nice for me as I cannot visit the many wine regions around the world as often as I would like; and, at least, taste the latest releases.

But one major wine country has been noticeably absent in San Francisco and for a greater part of the US is Australia with respect to wine events.  Individual brands do make it here but the strength in tasting is vital in this hyper competitive market.  I do think there are extraordinary Australian wines that both make it here and are well known or those that have either limited, retrenched  or non-existing importer relationships.  Australia has declined, at least, in the US over a period of time.  But that is profound–right? The largest wine market have less impressions on Australian wines over the past decade is an amazing statement.  It seems prime for picking for Australia to make a more concerted effort because after all ‘tasting is believing’.  Australia is known for it’s Shiraz, and sometimes and oftentimes, not fully and accurately characterized.  Syrah and Shiraz is still in opportunity phase for increase in sales.  There are many theories for the decline in Syrah/Shiraz and that is perhaps due to many reasons including: Malbec from Argentina taking over the mind’s foot print on impression over Shiraz, Cabernet as always king for epic events and dinners, and Shiraz/Syrah having some great variations in characteristic and impression.  And yet Shiraz can be a captivating variety making for just as exciting food-wine pairing as Cabernet Sauvignon.

So a great part of the mind’s imagination centres on Shiraz for Australia–Australians have grown many other wine grapes and have done so with excellence: Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, etc.  

Australians are adventurous and committed — just look at the other varietals beyond mainline international varieties; Sangiovese, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Rkatsiteli, Shalistin and so fourth.

I am way over due for a ‘Foot on Ground’ tour of the many Australian wine countries.

Until I get there–I just need to continue opening bottles of Australian wines whenever I find them–tasting fewer than I do of other wine regions–but it is still important to do this myself.

¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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Call for More Wines to Review – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

My recent story on Metrics Review of My Video Reviews has certainly helped me to hone in on what I am still need to do with respect to video reviews. I do believe surface has yet to be scratched for videos– and I know there is certainly doubt about that–and yes I do know of someone who gave up at a 1,000 and yet I know someone else who has gone on to do 1,100.

At some point, wine reviews will be discovered to a larger degree than they are today. I am amazed and sometimes disappointed in click rates and yet there is not always a sensible or rational reason. After all–wine is a very emotional subject. Look at how many people defend or offend with ease–that is to say–it is easy to do without trying. Yes, of course, some people mean to be offensive and yet I believe many do not. It is how one might take a review, thought or opinion.
Wine is packed with points of excitement and yet while I always say wine is both complex and simple all at once– I can compare wine videos to YouTube “how to” videos–once an obscure content now it is a primary go to for many people seeking answers. Try a simple exercise: in your preferred search engine type in “how to tie a tie” and the easiest solutions will be found in the video channels. You can see a demonstrative example of what you are seeking solution.

Wine is no different–and in the era of many online written words about wine it is hard to follow the content leader who might be nearest and dearest to you. While some have proclaimed – and overly dramatically so “the wine writer is dead.” There are many content leaders in wine and will continue to show this is still the case. Content leaders can be wine writers and yet add voice, emotion, and motion to wine content…. what a compelling statement–as long as content is well spoken, accurate, and that the personality is likeable and relatable. After all emotion is a connect that we can be either attracted to or not. The written word may not be the stopping point for wine reviews and an additional touch point is needed..

With that being said–I have so many more wine reviews to complete. And I notice that producing them does take more time than what is published–but for me has become an enjoyable thing. I do see a need to continue to publish wine videos.

I Tweet out for sources for wines in the US and often times I get responses and yet I don’t think I always make the necessary connection–hence this article as it is posted and is a placeholder.

I am seeking wines from for my video reviews:

• Peru
• Lebanon
• Jordan
• Turkey
• Armenia
• Luxembourg
• England
• Switzerland
• Cyprus
• Morocco
• Tunisia
• Algeria
• South Africa
• Czech Republic
• Canada: Ontario, Okanagan
• Michigan
• New York: Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes
• Arizona
• Washington
• Oregon
• California: Ramona Valley, El Dorado,
• Colorado
• New Mexico
• Mexico: Valle de Guadalupe
• Argentina: Mendoza, Patagonia, Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta
• Brazil
• Chile: Elqui Valley, Limarí Valley, Choapa Valley, Maipo Valley, the Rapel Valley, the Curicó Valley, Colchagua, and the Maule Valley
• New Zealand: Waiheke Island, Wellington/Wairarapa, Martinborough, Nelson, Waitaki River Basin, Central Otago, Marlborough, West Melton, Banks Peninsula and Rolleston
• Australia: Southern Fleurieu, Adelaide Hills,Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Coonawarra, Eden Valley, Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale, Padthaway, Riverland, Wrattonbully, Alpine Valleys, Beechworth, Goulburn Valley, Grampians, Heathcote, Henty, Mornington Peninsula, Pyrenees, Rutherglen, Strathbogie, Yarra Valley, King Valley, Hunter Valley, Mudgee, Orange, Riverina, New England, Southern Highlands, Shoalhaven Coas, Greater Perth, Perth Hills, Peel, Swan Valley, South Western Australia, Blackwood Valley, Geographe, Great Southern, Albany
• Denmark, Frankland River, Mount Barker, Porongurup, Manjimup, Margaret River, Pemberton,
• Tamar Valley
• China
• India
• Austria
• Portugal: Vinhos Verdes, Porto, Dão, Bairrada, Bairrada, Colares, Carcavelos, Alentejo, Setúbal, Algarve, Tejo, Madeira
• France: Alsace, Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Corsica, Jura, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Provence, Rhône, Sud-Ouest
• Spain: Condado de Huelva, Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Málaga, Manzanilla Sanlúcar de Barrameda, Montilla-Moriles, Sierras de Málaga, Calatayud, Campo de Borja, Cariñena,
• Somontano, Arlanza, Arribes, Bierzo, Cigales, Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Tierra de León
• Tierra del Vino de Zamora, Toro, Almansa, Jumilla, La Mancha, Manchuela, Méntrida, Mondéjar
• Ribera del Júcar, Uclés, Valdepeñas, Catalunya, Conca de Barberà, Costers del Segre, Empordà, Montsant, Penedès, Pla de Bages, Priorat, Tarragona, Terra Alta, Alicante, Utiel-Requena, Valencia, Vinos de Madrid, Ribeira Sacra, Ribeiro, Valdeorras, Monterrei, Txacolí de Bizcaia, Txacolí de Getaria, Txacolí de Álava and Rioja
• Italy: Aosta Valley, Piemonte, Liguria, Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany
• Marche, Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo, Molise, Campania, Basilicata, Apulia, Calabria, Sicilia, Sardinia
• Greece
• Rep of Macedonia
• Bulgaria
• Romania
• Moldova
• Germany: Nahe, Rheingau, Ahr, Franconia, Mittelrhein, Mosel, Pfalz, Hessische Bergstraße, Rheinhessen, Saxony, Württemberg, Saale-Unstrut

While this may seem like every wine region in the world and to a certain extent it is–but the aim for diversity in my wine reviews will come via the written plan I have created and to forge to that path. Still so much more to discover in the wonderful world of wines.

Please point me in the direction or contact me if you have wines you can provide to me as a sample—the only wines I won’t review is private label wines.

And Thank you!

¡Salud!

http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

Follow, subscribe, like, browse:             

San Francisco Vintners Market – Direct to Consumer – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

I have been attending the San Francisco Vintners Market for the past couple of years.  Center stage of this wine event is the ‘Try and Buy It’ scope.  SFVM is a great way to match wineries to consumers.  I hear consumers asking “where do I buy it?” and the producer gives their response and I have to wonder do consumers follow up with a purchase?  At many wine events probably north of 80-90% of most attendees are not writing notes, take photos of bottle or QR (if there is one) about the wines they are tasting.  This Vintners Market is a great way to have someone take a bottle of wines they have tasted.

I do believe there will be more vintners market in the US as direct-to-consumer is front of mind for consumer and producer.  The difficulty will be the very large number of ABC (alcohol beverage control laws) that can be far reaching in the U.S.  I keep recalling a Nightly Business Report I saw a few years ago mentions about 40,000 ABC laws.  Hence, there is a momentum of both consumer and producer to make meaningful exchanges, however, that momentum can only continue with ABC reform.  I saw a Wall Street Journal article titled Wine: the Web’s Final Frontier cites the difficulty of getting consumer to connect with producer and vice versa.

I do believe that SF Vintners Market is a great place to actualise ‘Tasting is Believing’ i.e. that the only way to enjoy, love and follow a producer or a particular wine is to taste it.  I like attending this event as there is always several producers that I don’t get to taste through the year.  The SF Vintners Market is a great book end left and right of the calendar to Try it and Buy It wine markets.  Given there have been at least 6 SF Vintners Market I can only hope there are many more to come.

***
http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

¡Salud!

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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Stepping Stone North Coast White Rocks – 2011 – 9.0 – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

A blend of Chardonnay and Gewürztraminer–notes of Green and yellow citrus zest; seasame, white tea, jasmine and hint of just sliced Adriatic fig.

http://www.cornerstonecellars.com/

***
http://www.jamesthewineguy.com

¡Salud!

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

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Portland, Oregon—Gateway to a Capital of the Beverage Arts – James Meléndez / James the Wine Guy

 

Portland is a great gateway for the Pacific Northwest beverage arts culture.  Always a smaller gateway when compared to San Francisco or Seattle—but that does not matter.  And in many ways it is not just a gateway but a center for the beverage arts that cannot be compared to another center; simply because there is nothing as comparable.

Consider Portland as a staging to Willamette Valley and the northerly wine countries of Northern Oregon also has the highest number of breweries than any other city in the world (40).    Portland has the highest per capita consumption of saké in the U.S.   Portland also has a very active distilling communities as well—at least 15 distilleries from Whiskey, Vodka, Grappa, Brandy to Gin and more.

Portland gets some credit for coffee and unfortunately the lion’s share goes to Seattle—Portland’s coffee culture is just as intense as Seattle and the best known is Stumptown—a multi-mini coffee and espresso house.   There are other producers as well and the excellence and obsession on roasting profile, organic, direct purchase from coffee producers is a hallmark in the City of Roses.

The Willamette Valley is very close to Portland—Willamette is a collection of smaller sub-AVAs:

• Chehelam Mountains
• Dundee Hills
• Eola-Amity Hills
• McMinnvile
• Ribbon Ridge
• Yamhill-Carlton

The Willamette Valley in terms of scale is a small region producing Pinot Noir with elegance, grace and a bounty of terroir.  This is a little valley that could and did.  Willamette Valley is a very northerly and westerly region where Pinot Noir has found a great home or a home was found for this very unique signature of Pinot Noir.   Have visited, walked the land and with pruner in hand put the theoretical in to practice.  Willamette Valley has a very small per acre or hectare production level than other wine regions around the world.

While this is a very northerly and westerly wine grape growing region—challenged by temperature—yields might be low but the promise of challenge does promote excellence in bottle to wine glass.  Oregon has worked extremely hard to compete and highlight their wines and Pinot Noir is an especially difficult varietal not only to grow but to serve up to the world of wine drinkers.

Willamette Valley growers are still expanding the current acreage / hectarage but also giving depth and breadth to clonal selection and expression.

The example I point to working hard is the promotion and place for Pinot Noir in Oregon is Oregon Pinot Camp and IPNC International Pinot Noir Celebration.

Oregon wineries are not only growing Pinot Noir but also a wide range of varietals:

Auxerrois, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Gamay, Gewürztraminer, Grüner Veltliner, Malbec, Merlot, Müller-Thurgau, Muscat Canelli, Petit Verdot, Pinot Meunier, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, Tempranillo, Tocai Friulano, and Viognier—to name a few.

Portland as a base camp is a great place to start a great food, wine, beer, saké and spirits journey.  The City of Roses has wondrous expressions in both restaurant, food cart / truck culture—no better pairing than it’s own beverage arts culture and outstanding food.

***

¡Salud!

***

Demystifying Wine…One Bottle at a Time from all wine regions around the world.

Read more of my wine reviews:

© 2012 James Meléndez / Jaime Patricio Meléndez / James the Wine Guy— All Rights Reserved. James the Wine Guy also on Facebook, Twitter and most major social medias.

Follow, subscribe, like, browse: