Portland Wine

A Blog for Clients, Customers, and Wine Geeks everywhere.

“Champagne is on the verge of profound change. There is a growing realization in the region that its viticulture has become slovenly and the subtleties of its terroir have been neglected. The era of great growers and great vineyards is just beginning.” ~Andrew Jefford, The New France
         “Terroir” and “grower champagne” are two of the hottest terms in the wine world these days, and for good reason. In the past, champagne was never enough about itself and far too much about big companies, big jets, big ad campaigns, big production, and most importantly, big blends. As Robert Rogness, wine director at Wine Expo in Santa Monica, says, "The best champagnes often cost much less than the most famous champagnes because the price of fame is so high." Champagne is generally blended each year to a specific house style, with big houses purchasing grapes from growers all over the Champagne region to blend. Not exactly conducive to terroir, or individual expression, right? Hey, we’re not complaining—bathe me in Krug, suffocate me with Salon! However, while magnificent at the high end and totally drinkable at the low, these house blends provide little interest for us champagne geeks with more lint than Benjamins in our pockets, and they provide no insight into Champagne’s stunning variety of expression, or terroir. Enter grower champagnes like our December selection, which “will kick Krug’s butt any day of the week,” as our importer, Gabriel, so eloquently put it. Well, it’s definitely a better value, as most grower champagnes are, and it really speaks of its terroir. By the way, to spot a grower champagne, look for RM (recoltant-manipulant, or grower-producer) on the label.
        This month’s grower champagne is from the village of Rilly-la-Montagne, where the Chauvet family dates back to the 16th century. In the town church’s graveyard a stone plaque inscribed in old French bears the name Nicolas Chauvet, Rilly viticulturist, buried there in 1529. Now 500 years later brother-and-sister team Nicolas and Clothilde carry on the family tradition. Nicolas, dedicated to sustainable viticulture, tends the vines, and Clothilde makes the wine. For the Chauvet family, respect of the environment is of utmost importance. Nicolas applies his principles of "viticulture raisonnée," spraying only when absolutely necessary. Classified a "premier cru,” Rilly-la-Montagne is one of the oldest, biggest champagne-producing villages. We know you’ll love this terroir-driven sparkler that’s been handcrafted from vine to bottle by the Chauvet family, whose history in the region is as distinct and special as their champagne. This particular blend is 70% from the 2004 vintage, but the remaining third comes from a number of older vintages, lending depth of character to this refined brut.
     Our second holiday selection also hails from a small, family-owned estate winery, Gifford-Hirlinger, run by the Berghan family. Stateline Red comes entirely from estate fruit, which means the product remains in total control of the grower-producer, from vine to wine. Only 500 cases of this wine were made, and the family uses very low-input viticulture by spraying, like the Chauvets, only when absolutely necessary. Winemaker Mike Berghan ages this red 23 months in neutral oak resulting in a plush, smooth, fruit- forward wine with no rough edges. It’s not hard to appreciate the incredible quality and value of this Washington State red from Walla Walla. Cheers!
Recipe
Crispy Fried Onion Rings
There’s something about the crispy, fragrant onions that compliment a glass of Champagne. If deep frying in your kitchen doesn’t sit well with you, at least try this pairing by ordering some onion rings to go from a nearby restaurant.
Ingredients
2 large Walla Walla Sweet onions, cut into 1/4 thick slices
2 cups flour
2 cups milk
2 tsp baking powder
2 cups Panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
2 tsp salt
1 quart oil for frying. Vegetable oil is fine.
2 eggs
Salt for seasoning
Instructions:
Heat oil in deep fryer or large pot (big diameter is better). In a bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt. Separate onion slices into rings. Coat onion slices in flour mixture; set aside. Whisk egg and milk into remaining flour mixture. Dip floured rings into batter to coat, then gently press Panko onto rings. Carefully drop a few rings at a time into hot oil. Set cooked rings onto paper towels and season with salt.
Wines
Marc Chauvet Champagne
1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Pinot Meunier, and 1/3 Chardonnay
Region:Rilly-la-Montagne, Chapagne, France
Vintage: NV
This dry-style grower champagne achieves good balance and a strong, spicy finish. The current blend consists of 30% aged reserve wines with a third each from the usual suspects: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. It’s fully complex with some subtle nuances on the nose, nice sized bubbles, and a delicate balance of yeast and fresh citrus.
Gifford-Hirlinger
“Stateline Red”
50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 50% merlot
Region: Walla Walla, Washington
Vintage: 2005
Each year we pilgrimage to Walla Walla to visit the dynamic father and son duo who put smiles on our faces while they stain our teeth. Expect a well-balanced mouthful of ripe, sweet blackberry fruit, moderate tannins, and a solid, lengthy finish. It’s ready to be quaffed now and will pair well with all your holiday roasts, though it’s also soft enough to complement lighter meats.

The cool thing about being famous is traveling. I have always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff.
~Britney Spears

I love hanging out with winemakers. It takes a certain type of person—passionate, slightly eccentric, probably obsessed—to dedicate a life to wine, and those lives yield great stories. The “winestory” may be of wine produced, or it may be of the makers’ lives before vin. At any rate, it was many years before I learned about the background of soft-spoken Scott Paul Wright, an unassuming, talented winemaker and importer who fits right into the Oregon wine scene. Little did I know that he was once the radio DJ Shadow Stevens/Shadow Steele, or later, the executive at Epic Records responsible for signing Pearl Jam. And as the story goes, he woke up one morning to discover his company signing Britney Spears, at which point he dropped out to realize his true calling in Pinot Noir. He’s been a Burgophile ever since.
Only 2,026 cases of this month’s first wine, Scott Paul’s ’06 La Paulée Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, were produced. Choosing not to craft more muscular wines (for ratings’ sake), Scott Paul prefers the Burgundian techniques and philosophy, which means a hands-off approach and no yeast inoculation (only wild, indigenous yeasts are used), and no must-pumps or additives, keeping the process pure and simple. New French oak is kept to less than 20% and used only for ageing the wine, allowing it to breathe and develop naturally, rather than to impart artificial toasted flavors. The wines are un-fined and unfiltered, so the expression of fruit is truly pure. With this selection, we’ve chosen elegance over brawn, a sip to complement your favorite holiday foods. If you’re looking for an in-your-face fruit bomb, that’ll come another month. This wine tells a tale, much like its maker.
Eric Nuccio’s winestory took him from culinary school in DC to a job as a wine-shop steward, then to a distributor position, and on to Napa and Sonoma to study viticulture. He’s now arrived in Oregon, saying that in the Willamette he can make “the most interesting, balanced, and complex wine possible in the U.S.” Maybe we’re biased, but we heartily agree! And so, after much soul-searching, Eric’s finally come into his own, with a branded label and some great wines. His passion for Pinot equals his commitment to sustainable agriculture, and he uses the best fruit possible from organically, biodynamically, and sustainably farmed vineyards. Only 50 cases of this refreshing yet complex rosé were produced, and we think it’ll be the yin to your Thanksgiving meal’s yang. Who says rosé must be reserved for summertime patios?
*A note about the Haden Fig label: Eric’s wife, Jordan, during her work at the Portland Audubon Society as a volunteer veterinarian, became enamored with the northern saw-whet owl. This owl is a natural predator for vineyard pests and an essential part of a healthy symbiotic vineyard and ecosystem.

Wines of the Month
Scott Paul, La Paulée, 2006 Willamette Valley, Oregon, Pinot Noir
Scott Paul, a tiny producer in the Willamette Valley, makes this velvety-smooth Oregon Pinot Noir. His wines turn up their “noses” at more muscular Pinots in favor of elegance and suppleness, and the winery’s mission is to handcraft small lots with finesse and a gentle, hands-off regimen. The silky texture of this wine is remarkable, with red-fruit overtones, and a long, smooth finish. This elegant Pinot will pair beautifully with all your traditional Turkey Day fare.
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir Rosé, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2008
Haden Fig is an extremely small local winery offering wines from organically and biodynamically farmed vineyards. This rosé is 100% organic Pinot Noir crafted saignée method, meaning the grapes are first crushed with the juice and left in contact with the skins for about 24 hours. The pink juice is then drawn off and fermented in stainless steel. The result is a real contender, with hints of bright red fruit and a refreshing acidity. Enjoy this superb first release—it’s earned a place at our Thanksgiving table!

Recipe of the Month
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts
This is an excellent side dish for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts - trimmed, and halved
6 bacon slices - chopped
1 medium sized onion - chopped
2 cups peeled roasted chestnuts (about 1 1/4 pounds) or jarred chestnuts (about 12 ounces), halved. (Using canned or pre-roasted chestnuts is a huge time saver but sacrifices a little flavor).
1/2 cup broth or water
Cook brussels sprouts in large pot of boiling salted water or chicken broth until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain and cool. Sauté chopped bacon in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 4 minutes. Transfer bacon to paper towels and drain.
Heat bacon drippings in skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, brussel sprouts, and chestnuts and sauté until brussel sprouts begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth/water and cook until brussel sprouts are just tender and most of liquid is absorbed but mixture is still moist, about 3 minutes longer. Stir in bacon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the flavor needs a little brightening up, add a couple dashes of balsamic vinegar and maybe a pinch of red pepper.