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2018 Oregon Value Priced Chardonnay All-Americans

First Team

2016 Haden Fig Willamette Valley Chardonnay 93 $22

2016 Youngberg Hill Aspen McMinnville Chardonnay 93 $40

2016 Walter Scott Cuvée Anne Willamette Valley Chardonnay 91 $40

2017 Child’s Play Willamette Valley Pinot Chardonnay 90 $30

2014 Lundeen Bunker Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley Chardonnay 90 $30

2015 Tyee Wine Cellars Estate Willamette Valley Chardonnay 89 $20

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2018 Winery of the Year: Windy Oaks Estate Vineyards & Winery

“I do the most I can in the vineyard and the least I can in the winery.”
Jim Schultze

Founded in 1996, this is a family winery in the truest sense of the words. Jim Schultze directs all the vineyard management and winemaking. His spouse, Judy, manages marketing and sales. One son, Spencer, assists in winemaking, and a second son, James, manages the winery’s three tasting rooms.

Jim is a winemaker whose approach is meticulous and innovative. When you talk grapevines and winemaking with him, you just get the feeling that his grapes are in good hands. Having spent considerable time in Burgundy, Jim’s viticulture and winemaking methods are Burgundy-themed. Never one to rest on his laurels, he is constantly researching to update his production skills.

An example is the acquisition of the AgroThermal Systems heat treatment machine. This machine was developed originally to do chemical-free farming in South America, but it works very well on wine grapes. It produces a very hot - 300º F - blast of hot air which dries the fruit zone, killing mildew and botrytis, and increases the phenolics of the grape skins. A comparison of Pinot Noir wines, one from grapes exposed to thermoculture and one without, revealed the former had fruitier aromatics while the later was less aromatic and more savory. Jim’s machine is pictured below. This is the first time I had encountered this machine at any winery Other examples of innovation include stage pruning and avoidance of hedging (inspired by Leroy in Burgundy).

Although in recent years the winery’s production has been expanded to 5,000 cases annually to include several varietals, the focus remains on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay produced from three estate vineyards: the 15-acre Schultze Family Vineyard located in Corralitos that was first planted in 1996, an adjacent 7-acre vineyard that is managed and leased, and a 4-acre vineyard in Aptos. The Schultz Family Vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir clones 115, 667, 777, “828,” 2A, Pommard and Burgundy selections. All vineyards are fully sustainable, using many organic and biodynamic practices.

The estate Schultze Family Vineyard is located on a ridge at 1,000 feet overlooking the town of Corralitos and the Monterey Bay beyond in the southern region of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The picturesque site, surrounded by dense forest, is mostly above the fog line. Summer is free of heat spikes with consistent temperatures in the 70º F range dropping to 40º F at night. This is due to the moderating influence of the underwater canyons of Monterey Bay. This geography keeps Corralitos warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. The result is a very long growing season, often extending well into October and even early November, with vines yielding physiologically ripe grapes at relatively low Brix and grapes with good natural acidity.

Winemaking is all gravity-driven and non-interventional with no additives. For Pinot Noir, a 3 to 5-day cold soak is followed by very long fermentations with extended maceration. Roughly 50% of fermentations are wild yeast driven. 25% to 30% whole cluster is often the rule since the stems are frequently ripe, but a 100% whole cluster wine is also produced. A 100% wild yeast fermented Pinot Noir and a wood tank fermented Pinot Noir are also made. The grapes are gently pressed with a basket press and no racking is done once the wines are in barrel.

Jim is obsessive about his oak regimen, and the Schultzes travel to Burgundy yearly to meet with coopers. Ageing is carried out in mainly 3 to 5-year-old air-dried, tight-grained French oak barrels for 17 to 27 months in 35% new oak or larger percentages of new oak in certain bottlings. A state-of-the-art bottling line is used that employs minimal oxygen uptake yielding wines that go through little to no bottling shock. All wines are bottled without fining or filtering and aged appropriately in bottle before release.

I have reviewed over 80 Windy Oaks Estate wines dating back to 2004. Several bottlings have been among my yearly All-Americans (2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017). Nearly all wines have garnered a score of 90 or above except for the entry-level Terra Narro Pinot Noir bottlings that represent an excellent value. A few special release bottlings such as the Special Burgundy Clone wines have been extraordinary.

Some older vintages recently tasted:

The Windy Oaks Wine Group (WOW) is a wine club that offers members significant discounts with assured access to all wines including limited release wines. Several club membership options are available. Limited and special releases such as the Proprietor’s Reserve, Special Burgundy Clone and One-Acre Chardonnay, are only available to Wine Group members. Visit www.windyoaksestate.com for more information.

When I visited Windy Oaks Estate this year I tasted several wines at the Tasting Bar with Jim. A 2016 Limited Release Wild Yeast Pinot Noir was superb. Jim told me that in December he poured some 2016 barrel samples for the winery’s Wine Group club and “customers absolutely loved it.” Look for more 2016 reviews early next year.

The best way to appreciate the wines and the family behind them is to visit the winery in Corralitos. Check the website for hours. There are also two locations for tasting in Carmel-By-The-Sea and Carmel Valley Village.

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Quotable Wine Quotes of 2018

Quotes have relevance in an historical context because they tell us about the topics and controversies that are prevalent at a certain year in time. They also represent a gift that says plenty with few words. Here are the most notable quotes related to Pinot Noir and wine in general that captured my attention in 2018.

Regarding Pinot Noir

“I would so marry Pinot. You can enjoy it at the opera, or the baseball game. It glistens in any crystal goblet but dazzles in a jelly jar. It’s exactly the kind of wine you’d bring home to mom and then sneak into your room after dinner. Before you blinked, you’d both be on the front porch (you on the swing, it in your glass) waiting for your grandkids to show up.”….Jeff Bundschu, Gundlach Bundschu Winery

“Everyone wants to crack Pinot, both because it’s a sign of winemaking and viticultural prowess, but also because there is such a strong market for the variety.”….anonymous

“Burgundy won’t be making Pinot Noir in 20-40 years as it will be too hot; they’ll be making Syrah and still Pinot production will move to Champagne and England.”….Chester Osborn, Australian winemaker

“When I hear the comment, ‘Your wines are so Burgundian,’ I usually wave it off as gently as possible. If my wine tastes like Burgundy, that means I’m making wines that do not respect the site - which is actually a bit of an insult - the remark does sandpaper my soul a bit.”….Jason Lett, winemaker, The Eyrie Vineyard

“No longer do you hear Oregon winemakers talk about Oregon wines as Burgundian. Nor are California or Kiwi winemakers either. The world of wine has moved on from this old paradigm.”….Josh Bergstrom, winemaker, Bergstrom Winery

“There are attributes that differentiate the sub AVA’s (of the Willamette Valley). Volcanic regions tend to be more fruit driven, whether red, blue or black fruits. Clean and crisp. Focused. Sedimentary sites are more savory, floral and spice driven.”….Ken Wright, winemaker, Ken Wright Cellars

“Pinot Noir is a buzzword for people who want to get into wine and know it’s what professionals are drinking.”….Amy Racine, sommelier

“The musk, sweat and tears that occasionally crops up in wine descriptions suggest affinities with human pheromones. Such connections have received tentative chemical validation, resulting in wishful speculations about Pinot Noir’s potential for subliminal seduction.”….David Schildknecht, The World of Fine Wine

“I think in ten years or less clone 95/117 of Pinot Noir will become the backbone of Oregon Pinots.”….Dick Erath

“Now there is no excuse for not being well red.”….Chapter 24 Vineyards

“You have to search hard to find a wine made in Oregon that’s done poorly. but the problem is, they’re all so similar.”….Randall Grahm

Regarding Wine In General

“A Riedel glass whose shape is matched to a wine is usually a small percentage better, but life is just too short to have lots of slightly different but similar glasses.”….Jancis Robinson, British wine critic and journalist

“I would be delighted if the ‘sulfites-in-red-wine-cause-headaches’ trend would go away. Sensitivity to sulfites can trigger a reaction, but it is an asthmatic reaction, not a headache. I think likelier conclusions for wine headaches are high residual sugar, high tannins, or dehydration.”….Jessica Norris, Senior Director of Wine Education, Del Frisco Double Eagle Steakhouse

“Since an ingredient list isn’t required on wine labels, the average shopper might not realize that their go-togrocery store wine has up to 75 ingredients other than grapes. These wines comes from huge swaths of land, particularly in California and Provence, with ‘terroir’ barely suitable for even vegetables.”….Victoria James

“There is little awareness, for instance, of the wide economic disparity that has been created in the past quarter-century between the middle class who actually make many of the best wines and the upper class who, today, are the only ones that can afford them. There’s little acknowledgement of the ranks of everyday workers who make the industry run. For that matter, we manage to ignore that it’s a world still guided by powerful white men, stark in its lack of diversity.”….Jon Bonné, writer, author and journalist

“The hard part for new people getting into the wine business today is the limited amount of land that’s available at very expensive prices. Then people are stuck with purchasing grapes…if you have to buy grapes and try to make great wines out of purchased grapes, it’s a lot harder than if you control your destiny and can make the wine from the ground up.”….Merry Edwards, winemaker, Merry Edwards Wines

“The picking starts at midnight and continues until sunrise. The fruit comes into the winery in waves, where it is hand-sorted, de-stemmed and moved into open-top tanks. Punch downs happen around the clock. There is coffee, so much strong coffee. There’s that moment when your shoes are still soaked from processing fruit the morning prior (or was it the day before that?), and you start to wonder if it’s possible to sleep on a forklift. And on top of it all, we have to miss the first four weekends of college football.”….Andrew Delos, winemaker, EnRoute

“A simple black-and-white view that low alcohol is good and higher alcohol is bad doesn’t reflect the complex reality of producing terroir-driven wines.”….Jamie Goode, The World of Fine Wine

“Taste refers to the senses inside our mouth including our tongue. Aroma occurs inside our noses and relates to our sense of smell. Flavor is when taste and aroma converge.”….Oregon Wine Almanac 2018

“Minerality is a family of aromas including wet stones, rock quarry, chalk, sea breeze (salinity) and flint….It is most apparent in white wines….It is one of the new frontiers of wine description.”….Dwight Furrow

“Price tells you almost nothing about quality (of wine). Forces such as land and grape costs, fashion and hype determine the cost of a wine as much as anything else.”….Matt Kramer, Wine Spectator

“Old vines know better. There’s something special about them that winemakers love. They tend to selfregulate.”…. Eric Lavmann, winemaker, Cambiata Winery

“Any wine lover who is tired of Chardonnay is tired of life.”….Patrick Schmitt

“Old vines are the real McCoy.”….Josh Jensen

Regarding Wine Writers/Critics

“Giving a wine a score - a hard and fast number to hang around its neck like a noose - does nothing positive for the wine industry. It infantilizes our decision-making and hogties us from being able to discover what we like about certain wines.”….Katie Finn, sommelier

“When judging, even for international competitions, I think in terms of medals: for a Bronze, I’d drink a glass or two in a pub; for Silver, I’d share a bottle with my husband over dinner; for Gold, I’d keep the whole bottle for myself!….a comment by “Helena” on Tom Wark’s Fermentation The Daily Wine Blog

“How wood-based aromatics and flavors developed as a nearly mandatory component of any red wine that purports to be of high quality (and thus is expensive) is a complicated tale. But some reviewers are so smitten with oak they lavish praise on wines that have almost no grape or wine aromas.”….Dan Berger, The Press Democrat

“Paul Masson once said, ‘I don’t care how a wine tastes, I care about how a wine drinks.’ The meaning is that the last glass is the best glass…that wine should evolve over the course of an evening. This is meaningful because wine criticism today is only a brief sniff-sip-spit regimen. One cannot truly appreciate a wine’s true qualities and future potential without spending an evening with it.”….Jeffrey Patterson, winemaker, Mount Eden Vineyards

“The difference between entering a wine for competition versus submitting a wine for professional review is, then, essentially the same as the difference between prostitution and marriage. A winery pays a fee for every wine submitted to be judged in a competition. This is contrary to wines submitted for professional review which are provided for free.”….Ron Washam, MW

“A neutral setting is key to correct wine scoring.”….Wine Enthusiast

“Our current fascination with wine expertise - and, often, the wine experts themselves - has actually made it harder to enjoy wine.”….John Bonné, writer, author and journalist

“Despite the fact that dozens of wine books continue to be published each year, those that make a profit must be far and few between. For many wine writers, their purpose is to raise their profile and credibility, and in many cases purely to satisfy a creative urge.”….anonymous

“No matter how carefully or honestly someone describes a taste, a significant chunk of the population will experience the same bottle in a different way.”….Kevin Begos, Tasting the Past

“I am not about to recommend the wine writing path to budding enthusiasts of the written word.”….Joe Roberts 1WineDude

“The fact is there are a lot of talented, dedicated people writing about wine despite the lack of remuneration. Some of that writing is well informed and of high quality. Wine writing is one of those activities, like acting, painting, or writing novels, that people want to do for its intrinsic value, not because of an external reward.”….DwightFurrow

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Canned Pinot Noir: An Intellectual Pleasure Becomes a Beverage Like Cold Beer

Canned wine sales rose 43 per cent from June 2017 to June 2018 according to the market research firm BW 166. Forbes reported retail wine sales during this period were flat. Nielsen has reported a 125.2 percent increase in sales of canned wine for the years 2012-1016 (see below)l.

What accounts for the astonishing rise in popularity of canned wine? Why would you want to put Pinot Noir, the Queen of Wines, in the lowly flip-top beer can? There are a number of reasons. Cans of wine are portable like canned beer and do not require stems or an opener. They are handy for picnics, concerts, hiking, camping and the beach, and cans are completely recyclable. Cans are easy to transport, lighter than bottles, unbreakable and reduce the environmental imprint. The can eliminates the pretentiousness associated with wine drinking and makes wine more easily accessible.

The canned wines are said to be identical in taste to the same wine packaged in a 750-ml bottle because the can is lined to avoid unwelcome flavors. Back in 2014, when the Union Wine Company released its Underwood Pinot Noir in a can, I tasted the Underwood Pinot Noir from a bottle and can and I did not find that they tasted the same. The bottled version was more aromatic, and had slightly more flavor and verve.

The disadvantages of wine in cans is that the consumer cannot see the color of the wine. They can’t swirl the wine to release aromas. Once you open the can, you cannot close it. The current wines, particularly the Pinot Noir, are not premium grade, but more in the under $20 a bottle category. Eventually, there may be more premium wines available in cans, at $20 and up per can.

Oregon has been at the forefront of canned wine. Union Wine Company was the pioneer, launching a canned Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris with its Underwood label in 375-ml cans in 2014. In 2018, owner Ryan Harms said that production was increased by 95% and 55% of the Underwood wines are now put into cans (224,000 cases). The lineup now includes a Rosé, White and Rosé sparkling wines, Riesling, and a fruity wine cooler.

Other Oregon wineries have launched their own line of canned wines including the Stoller Wine Group (Canned Oregon Sparkling White and Sparkling Rosé), Enso (Portland Sangria), and Dobbes Family Estate (Joe To Go Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir and Rosé). Read more at http://www.shankennewsdaily.com/index.php/ 2018/12/03/21966/oregons-winemakers-spearhead-a-new-wave-of-high-quality-canned-wine-offerings/.

California has entered the fray as well. Francis Coppola Winery recently launched its first canned red wine with the 2017 Diamond Collection Pinot Noir. Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio and Sauvignon Blanc white wines were released as part of the same can collection last summer. The 250 ml cans are offered in a 4-pack ($24) that can be purchased at the winery’s tasting room and online.

7-Eleven sells its Roamer private label brand of canned Chardonnay and Rosé. WineSociety began selling 500 ml cans of wine online in January 2018 and now is sold in Kroger Stores. Right Now canned red, white, dry Rosé and sweet Rosé debuted in early 2018, offered in 12 ounce cans.

The typical 375 ml or 12 ounce can of wine sells for $6 and is often presented as a four-pack for $24 (equivalent to two standards bottles of wine).

My biggest concern with canned wine is that a typical can contains 375 ml or about 12 ounces, the equivalent of three standard 4-ounce drinks. Some tallboy wine cans contain almost the equivalent of a 750ml. bottle. Drinkers are used to polishing off a couple of 12-ounce cans of beer, but drinking two 375 ml cans of wine would be equal to swigging an entire bottle of wine! Wine is not a utility drink like beer and is meant to be sipped, not gulped or chugged.

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Pinot Briefs

14th Annual Pigs & Pinot Weekend Charlie Palmer has announced that the 14th Annual Pigs & Pinot Weekend will be held on Friday, March 15 and Saturday, March 16, 2019 at the Hotel Healdsburg. This year’s participating pork and pinot authorities include Dante Boccuzzi (Dante Dining Group), Nancy Oaks (owner and executive chef of Boulevard in San Francisco), Bryan Voltaggio (owner and chef of VOLT), and Joe Youkhan (partner and chef in Aussie Pies), Michael Browne (proprietor of CIRQ Estate), Heidi Von Der Mehden (winemaker at Merry Edwards), Erik Miller (owner and winemaker at Kokomo Winery) and Cleo Pahlmeyer (proprietor of Wayfarer). The event benefits Share Our Strength as well as local scholarships and charities. Tickets and packages go on sale Thursday, January 10, 2019, at 11 AM PST/2 PM EST. For ticket options, visit www.pigsandpinot.com. The most desirable tickets typically sell out in minutes. I attended this event a few times when I was able to get tickets and even judged the Pinot Cup once. On the 10th Anniversary of the event, I bought a magnum of the 2013 10th Anniversary Pinot Cup Cuvée, a blend of Pinot Noir from all the participating wineries in the Pinot Cup competition. I pulled the cork earlier this year and the wine was magnificent - a true wine-gasm.

Renaud Society 2018 Blind Wine Competition The Renaud Society (of which I am a member) has been re-energized after a few year lapses. On December 6, 2018, the Renaud Society Blind Wine Competition for the Coveted Renaud Tastevin was held at the Silverado Resort & Spa in Napa. The wines were judged by members of the Renaud Society. The Domaine Carneros 2015 La Ciel Serein Pinot Noir scored the highest from the judges and was awarded the 2018 Renaud Tastevin as Best-In-Show. The competition supports the Desert Heart Foundation Wine & Heart Health Research Initiative promoting research and education with respect to responsible wine competition and better health. The highest scoring wine will be served at the next major venue, namely, the 2019 International Wine & Health Summit at UC Davis May 4-7, 2019, chaired by Andrew Waterhouse PhD and Tedd Goldfinger DO, FACC, FESC.

The Renaud Society is an international society of medical professionals with an interest in better health and a passion for wine. The Renaud Society, formed in 2001, honors the legacy of Professor Serge Renaud, father of the French Paradox, and promotes the sharing of wine interests among medical colleagues worldwide. Sommeliers and wine industry professionals can also become members. For further information, visit The Renaud Society website at www.renaudsociety.com.

Best Wine Critics of the World The Best Wine Critics of the World is a poll of wine professionals conducted by tastingbook.com. The competition voted Jancis Robinson MW the top wine critic of the world. I wasn’t in the top 50. Humph!

Van Duzer AVA Approved by TTB The Van Duzer AVA becomes the 19th AVA in Oregon and remains part of the larger Willamette Valley AVA. The Van Duzer corridor is an anomaly in the Coast Range of Oregon in that it allows a mild oceanic influence to enter the Willamette Valley. This creates the ideal paradigm of warm days and cold nights allowing the production of world-class wines in the Willamette Valley and specifically within the 35.9 square mile triangle that constitutes the new AVA. The winds that funnel through the corridor creates a cooling effect as early as 2 o’clock in the afternoon. The breeze dries out the vine canopy and decreases fungus pressure, reducing the need for fungus spray, and making this area ideal for wine grape growing. In response to the wind, the grape skins thicken leading to an extra generosity and an abundance of anthocyanin and tannins in the finished wines. Within the new AVA, there are nearly 1,000 acres occupied by 18 commercial vineyards and 6 bonded wineries. The photo below, courtesy of Carolyn Wells-Kramer, shows the corridor in the background, with Huntington Hills in the mid-ground and Van Duzer Vineyards in the foreground.

World’s Largest Online Wine Community Marks Milestone WineBerserkers.com is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on January 27, 2019. The website provides a free forum where wine geeks can interact directly with winemakers and other small wine producers for the exchange of ideas, information, education and experiences. On January 27, 2019, WineBerserkers members can gain access to an exclusive one-day sale of products offered by wineries, gourmet food producers and wine accessory customers. This offers exclusive wines/deals for members and a much-needed sales outlet for small wine producers. Some participants in WineBerserkers include Brian Loring of Loring Wine Company, Ed Kurtzman of Sandler Wine Company, Jeff Nelson of Liquid Farm, and Marcus Goodfellow of Goodfellow Family Cellars. Check out www.wineberserkers.com.

2019 International Pinot Noir Celebration The 33rd Annual International Pinot Noir Celebration, July 26-28, 2019, announced the Grand Seminar. Steven Spurrier will guide an in-depth exploration of the wines of the Côte Chalonnais. This region is located in the southernmost part of the Côte d’Or and has received increased attention as Burgundy lovers discover this lesser-known region. Steven and his panel of top winemakers will present a tasting-tour through the region from Rully in the north to Givry in the South. Early bird pricing is in effect until December 31, 2018: $100 off the regular registration fee of $1295. Visit www.ipnc.org.

Oregon Chardonnay Celebration The 2019 Oregon Chardonnay Celebration will be held Saturday, February 23, 2019, at The Allison Inn & Spa in Newberg, Oregon. The Seminar is titled “Time in a Bottle: The Evolution of Chardonnay.” Four Oregon winemakers with decades of Chardonnay winemaking experience will guide attendees through a tasting of what happens when Oregon Chardonnay ages. The price of the Seminar and Chardonnay Grand Tasting is $170.00. Attend the Grand Tasting only where more than 45 Oregon Chardonnays will be poured for $85.00. Visit https://intlpinotnoirassoc.ticketspice.com/oregon-chardonnaycelebration- 2019. Special lodging rates at The Allison Inn & Spa are available for the weekend. Reservations must be made by January 18, 2019, by phoning 503-554-2525.

On-Demand Wine By the Glass at Four Seasons Resort Orlando Guests in select rooms at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort can dispense a glass of wine on demand at the touch of a button, through Plum, the Resort’s new on-demand wine system. Plum houses two standard wine bottles and preserves each bottle for up to 90 days. Four Seasons Resort Orlando is currently offering a 2016 Lyric Pinot Noir by Etude and a 2016 Stag’s Leap Napa Valley Chardonnay in the Plum units. Guests can use Plum’s interactive touchscreen to read more about the wine and see photos of the vineyard. When dispensed, Plum is automatically charged to the guest’s hotel folio.

New Head Winemaker for Chehalem Winery Katie Santora has been promoted to the role of head winemaker at this 20,000-case winery. Chehalem founding winemaker Harry Peterson-Nedry had hired Santora as assistant winemaker in 2012. Santora is a 2007 graduate of the viticulture and enology program at UC Davis. Harry Peterson-Nedry sold Chehalem Winery to longtime friend Bill Stoller in early 2018. This fall, Harry and his winemaker daughter, Wynne, moved to the Carlton Winemaker’s Studio to continue production of their 500-case RR brand dedicated to Pinot Noir and Riesling from the 164-acre Ridgecrest Vineyard.

Benovia’s Mike Sullivan Co-Owner & Winemaker of Year The North Bay Business Journal announced at the 6th Annual Wine Industry Awards on December 4, 2018, that Mike Sullivan Co-Owner and Winemaker of the Year for his career at Benovia Winery in the Russian River Valley. Benovia is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grown on 72 acres of estate vineyards, owned and sustainably farmed by the Benovia team Benovia has been named Winery of the Year by Rusty Gaffney of the PinotFile.

Conetech Perfecting 100% De-Alcoholising Wine Technology Conetech presented its latest technology at the World Bulk Wine Exhibition (WBWE). For many years, Conetech has employed its spinning cone column to reduce the ABV of wine to about 8%-11%. The company has continued to pursue technology to create low and no alcohol products. The latest technology, called GoLo, can create low or no alcohol products more efficiently and cheaper than the current spinning cone column. Zero alcohol beverages may have considerable commercial potential when combined with cannabis.

Sta. Rita Hills AVA Wine Tours Stagecoach Co. Wine Tours, established in 2001, offers daily wine tasting tours of Santa Barbara County’s wineries and more specifically of interest to pinotphiles, the Sta. Rita Hills AVA. Expert tour hosts pick up parties at their accommodations in Santa Barbara County and take them on a fun and educational wine tour. Private tours and group tours are available. Stagecoach Co. Wine Tours has been a Trip Advisor Hall of Fame inductee and has received 5 stars on Yelp. Visit www.winetourssantaynez.com.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards Purchases Olenik Vineyard The 50-acre Olenik Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains was first planted to Rex Hill’s Jacob-Hart Vineyard in the early 1990s and a section was purchased by John Olenik in 2005. The vineyard is unique for the North Willamette Valley in that it has both volcanic and sedimentary soils. With the acquisition of Olenik Vineyard, Cooper Mountain Vineyards, now has a total of five vineyards and 152 planted acres. The winery, founded in 1978, celebrated its fortieth harvest in the 2018 vintage. Learn more at www.coopermountain.com.

The Prince Interview Wine Industry Advisor has published an Interview with me, “Turning the Tables on Rusty Gaffney,” by Carl Giavanti of Carl Giavanti Consulting. This interview is one of a series by Carl titled, “Turning the Tables-Interviewing the Interviewers.” Check it out: www.wineindustryadvisor.com/2018/12/17/ turning-tables-on-rusty-gaffney.

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Happy Holidays and Sweet Pinot Dreams

While it has been a strange and trying year for all of us, I am confident that the upcoming holidays and the promise of a clean slate with the arrival of the New Year will renew our spirit and rekindle our enthusiasm for the pleasurable aspects of life. In other words, pull a few corks and get on with the business of drinking Pinot Noir. That’s the reason to drag ourselves out of bed every day.

A special glass of Pinot Noir shared with good friends gives you the excuse to meet and to savor the company of those important people you enjoy. The wine may even inspire a stroll down memory lane and rekindle fond moments of the past. Pinot Noir can take you on a trip of time travel.

Do not wait for a reason to pull that cork or to celebrate. Learn to stop and smell the bouquet of a fine Pinot Noir. Don’t worry about what Pinot Noir is the proper one to match with food, or whether you need to wait for a special occasion to enjoy a glass. Pinot Noir itself is enough of an occasion.

Some may think that you are what you drive, or what you do, or who you married, or what you wear, but really you are what you drink. It has been said that an aged Cabernet Sauvignon is like an old couple holding hands watching a glorious sunset. Pinot Noir, on the other hand, is like the spark between two young people when they first fall in love.

I have published 527 issues of the PinotFile since the inaugural one on April 22. 2001. It has been a long and winding Pinot road, but during this lengthy time my love of Pinot Noir has never wavered. I still crave that perfect Pinot Noir experience and certainly more than common sense would indicate. My wife says I am busy with Pinot Noir every waking moment. Not true, I also dream about it. I have happily found my muse in life.

Happy Holidays and Sweet Pinot Dreams………..Prince