Washington State Syrah…NOPE! Washingon State Anything….NOPE! Greek Wines…NOPE! Roero Arneis.. NOPE! Pinotage , South Africa….NOPE! FINALLY…after years and years and years of marketing and focusing on any grape that starts with the word Pinot…as in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc… Oregon…YES!!!!!
Even though I personally and others have been preaching the gospel for 20 years to drink Pinot Noir from OREGON ONLYm it still wasn’t hitting home with consumers or buyers for retail. Now in the last 5 years, pretty much almost every single restaurant concept and every retailer including a drug store or supermarket will have at least one if not several options for a Pinot Noir, from Oregon!. I couldn’t be happier. I think it was successful because even though they make so many other wonderful wines , they focused on One White and One Red, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. Consumers actually walk into a retailer asking “Where are your Oregon Pinot Noirs?” 15 years ago, I would have asked them who paid them money to play that prank on me haha! I put together a selection from ABC’S Sourced and Certified Collection of Oregon Pinot Noirs…especially a Winery that is near and dear to my heart. Boedecker Cellars, owned by husband and wife wine making team Stewart Boedecker and Athena Pappas has been on my radar since 2002 and every single venue I worked at as a Sommelier or Wine Director, I made sure to represent those wines. People like that have come a long long long way and still fighting the battle but have more ammunition as their wines are more acceptable to the buying public. Seek out some of these wines or all of them but always remember …Its Not William- Ette … It’s Willamette that rhymes with DAMN-IT!!
Grape-fully yours, Larry
Larry The Wine Guy 