Willamette Valley is not all about new winemakers, there are some pioneers of the valley that have been making a name for this unique and interesting wine region for almost 50 years. Luckily for all of you, those men and women have paved a path for incredible winemaking, precise grape growing, and an Oregon approach to an individualistic style. There are many “new” wine labels I have yet to discover of course, but for now, I must brag about these three which I just had the pleasure of tasting through.
Three newer Willamette Valley wine labels
Audeant Wines
Started in 2017 by a partnership between proprietors from Chicago who fell in love with the Willamette Valley (who can blame them) and winemaker Andrew Riechers. Sourcing grapes from several specific sites in the Willamette Valley, Andrews focuses on a reductive style of winemaking, prioritizing acid, and making wines that will only get better with time (even though they are freaking tasty now). Coming from an extensive wine-making background, Andrews’s previous working relationships have opened the gates for incredible vineyards to produce only the best fruit for him to work with. I have to say, I was a bit bashful when I first tried them – his wines blew my taste buds away. Unfortunately it was too early in the day to say leave me here boys.
Both his Chardonnay and the Pinot Noirs were outstanding and made both of us ponder the wine with each sip. I look forward to watching this brand grow and enjoying the wines along the way.
Hundred Suns Wine
Grant Coulter (previous winemaker at Beaux Freres) and Renée Saint-Amour, the couple you WANT to be friends with, are a badass wine-making team, bringing us wines from the Willamette Valley and beyond. The first thing you will notice is their cool and fun wine labels, they have the raddest wine labels in the biz. Grant has taken up another passion from winemaking to label designer – creating colorful labels that tell a story about each wine. Hundred Suns is a Pinot house for sure, but they have bridged the gap to some other fun projects. The Rocks District in Walla Walla is their source for a Syrah and Syrah/Cabernet Sauvignon blend that will change your thinking of what the Rocks District is; think Pinot Noir palate for the Rocks District lover. They also have a 2021 Gamay in the works that you need to seek out quickly upon release, as it will be THE wine to grab.
Martin Woods Winery
Fun fact about me real quick: every time I am with a winemaker or wine staff member, I will unapologetically ask them who the new or upcoming producer is to look out for. How else am I supposed to find those to write about that no one else is focused on? So, thank you for all your suggestions everyone:) BUT it is very usual for four winemakers in a row to mention the same person, which really means something extraordinary is in the works in the world of Oregon wine. Well, Martin Woods is just that. Not only did the owner/winemaker just open the coolest wine bar the valley has seen (HiFi Wine Bar in downtown McMinnville), but Evan is pushing the idea of what Willamette Valley wine looks like. He is playing with Rieslings, that if you closed your eyes, you would call Alsatian, Gamay that is Burgundian in style, and a rosé that is an Oregon Pinot Noir blended with the best compliments that the French have to offer. To be completely transparent, I have not tasted one of his Pinot Noirs or Chardonnays, which I have heard are lovely. But having tasted what I have, I can only imagine how good those wines will be. I’ll report back in July once we have more time to go back and hang out with Evan.
Keep coming back, as I will continue to do the hard work tasting through the best new producers I can share with you. Please know though, that this is the first blog post I have been compelled to write about this exact topic. These really are special wines, made by special people. I look forward to watching them each grow and getting to relish in the fruit of their labor for the years to come.
Leave a Reply