A New Format, Starting at the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration
Written on the way to the DTC Wine Symposium: why the newsletter is changing, who A.J. sent people to at the Chardonnay Celebration, and a beginner's wine book.
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Stories from the valley
A.J. Weinzettel writes long, rambling, and very human letters about the people behind Oregon wineries. Here is every issue since 2020.
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Latest issue · May 2, 2026
Family, Dusky Goose, and a Lonesome Rock Pickup Party
Hans Van Dale leaves Dusky Goose for family reasons, and Danny and Susan of Lonesome Rock throw a pickup party straight out of GoodFellas.
Read the issue2026
2025
The Wines That Stayed with Me in 2025
A stranger's coin that says "2 B Human is 2 C Human," a roundup of year-end lists, and the unranked bottles that mattered most, starting with Compris The Myth.
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Apona Vineyards Knocked My Socks Off
An intro from Walnut Ridge leads to Apona, founded by a roofer and a Dutch Bros veteran who met at an Oregon Ducks game, with winemaker Chris Graves.
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Method Oregon and the First 100-Point Oregon Chardonnay
Bethel Heights' High Wire gets 100 points from Decanter, then the case from Method Oregon that Champagne needs to make room at the table.
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Cowhorn's New Kitchen and The Overlook
A thank-you to the Bottle 360 team, a plea to help Walnut Ridge sell fruit, and a return to Cowhorn, now with a restaurant and a view.
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LucidWild, and a Heartbreaking Month for Arlyn
Arlyn's only employee, Ulises, faces deportation. Tony Rynders calls with news about Tendril's team, and a long-promised visit to Blair at LucidWild.
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Craig Williams, from Joseph Phelps to the X Omni Vineyard
The newsletter turns six. Then the vineyard story of Craig Williams, who helped build Joseph Phelps and Insignia before coming north to Oregon.
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Mario Kart Over Deadlines, and Oregon Bubbles on SOMM TV
Why this issue is late (a surprise Switch 2 delivery and an afternoon with the kids), then Oregon sparkling's turn in the spotlight on SOMM TV.
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Chehalem Winery and Two Oregon Legends
Vinovate buys Radiant Sparkling, a note on authentic hospitality, and the story of Chehalem, co-founded by Harry Peterson-Nedry and Bill Stoller.
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It's Time to Call Oregon a Sparkling Region
Bud break, Approachment's first Chardonnay, and a case for Oregon sparkling, starting with the 2024 Texsom medals and a look back at the 2021 report.
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Ambar, the Valley's First Regenerative Organic Vineyard
Kate Payne-Brown goes to Argyle, and the year-long story of Ambar's Lustral Chardonnay, owner Rob Townsend, and the Vinovate crush facility.
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Catching Up with Compris and Celestial Hill
Brooks launches a non-alcoholic flight, and instead of a new winery, A.J. goes back to old friends at Compris and Celestial Hill to see what's changed.
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Anthology at the Grange in the Dundee Hills
A new paid newsletter, The Wine Whisperer, and a look at Anthology, the restaurant inside the Foley family's new Dundee Hills wine inn.
Read issue2024
Late Sky Opens Its Doors
A cold sunrise walk, a stack of year-end top 100 lists, and an industry open house at Late Sky, where Jared Etzel teamed up with Glenn and Karen Fischer.
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The Last IPNC as We Knew It
A Tim Atkin passage on seizing the day, then the 2024 IPNC, billed as the final year of its current format, where A.J. got an unexpected invitation.
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Tom Mortimer and Le Cadeau Vineyard
A missed deadline for a good reason, and the story of Tom Mortimer, a packaging salesman whose wine spark came from a 1974 Martini Cabernet.
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The Joel Palmer House and a Family of Mushroom Cooks
The Ground on the podcast, then a story that starts with Dayton's founder in 1852 and a Polish tavern's 20-cent wild mushroom soup in 1916.
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Ghost Hill: Five Generations on One Yamhill-Carlton Farm
The Bayliss family bought this land in 1906 and has farmed dairy, wheat and cattle on it since. Now it grows Pinot, including a white one.
Read issueFive Years of Weinnotes, and a Lot of Rambling
A summer album for long bike rides, Bethel Heights joins Block 55, and some reflection as the newsletter turns five. No single winery this month.
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A Formal Tasting with Jay McDonald of EIEIO
IPNC announces its last year in the current format, Block 55 grows, and Jay McDonald invites A.J. for a sit-down tasting of his hard-to-find wines.
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Red Electric, After the Plate Hit the Carpet
Stories of survival, thanks to the first Block 55 wineries, and a tasting with Doug Ackerman of Red Electric, the Ribbon Ridge winery A.J. met mid-spill.
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Approachment's Launch Party, Post Malone Included
The smell of diesel and memory, then a gorgeous March day at Paden and Jess West's Approachment launch and Equinox in the Eola-Amity Hills.
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The 2024 Oregon Chardonnay Celebration Felt Like Friends
A forecaster nails a snow day, and the third Chardonnay Celebration for A.J., starting with Jay McDonald's EIEIO Yates Conwill Chardonnay.
Read issueIntroducing Block 55
The Bear, Earl Jones' memoir, and the big reveal: Block 55, a reservation system built for wineries, and why A.J. made it.
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Jachter Family Wines and the 'No Bull' Car Dealer
A new project gets a name, and the story of Dave Jachter, who brought 'No Bull' to car buying and hired Jared Etzel on the spot.
Read issue2023
Truffles and Teran: A Week in Istria with Tournant
The last issue of 2023 is a long one: a week in Croatia's truffle country with Tournant, from Opatija to Motovun.
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Walnut Ridge Vineyard, Six Pinots Deep
A blind bottle on the podcast brings back January 2020. The long story of Walnut Ridge and six 2022 Pinots, from La Petite Fête to Emma.
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Lonesome Rock and Danny's Enthusiasm
A barista becomes a podcast fan, and one bottle of Corollary leads to Lonesome Rock, where Danny, Susan and Riley the dog tour the vineyard by Gator.
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The Neskowin Farm and Feast Recap
Hazelfern picks for sparkling, Cho Wines are everywhere, and a foggy afternoon at Neskowin's coast festival with 28 wineries and a cedar plank.
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IPNC 2023 Was About the People
The first monthly issue looks back at IPNC through the people: a Hazelfern Chardy Party, old friends, new ones, and a lot of hugs.
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Frescobaldi Buys Domaine Roy, and the Last Weekly Issue
A 700-year-old Tuscan wine family buys Domaine Roy & fils. Jared Etzel weighs in, and the weekly newsletter signs off for a monthly rhythm.
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Open Claim and Tony Rynders' Patience
Brett and Marnie Wall's Open Claim near Dallas, Oregon, named for an 1850 land act, where Tony Rynders lets every vintage take its time.
Read issueGreywing Wines, Featured at IPNC
July means the Tour de France and IPNC. Plus the newsletter goes monthly, and a podcast with Ari and Brandy Grey of Greywing Wines.
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The New Ridgecrest Cottage on Ribbon Ridge
Compris names a winemaker, Antica Terra buys Keeler Estate, and a Kubota ride through Ridgecrest's vines after a tasting in its remodeled cottage.
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Food First: ōkta's Solstice in the Field
No podcast this week, so a ramble about food: the first ōkta Solstice in the Field, Ruddick/Wood's In Your Honor dinner, and a Corollary pairing menu.
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Jared Etzel and Rodeo Hills
Kate Payne-Brown heads to Vinvate, a Chardy Party is coming, and the full story behind Jared Etzel's Rodeo Hills, first hinted at with Lenné's sale.
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Dru Allen of Compris on Living the Dream
The blood, sweat and tears behind the glamour: a podcast with Dru Allen, who turned Vidon into Compris and hired Tiquette Bramlett.
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Primitivo and Midnight Chardonnay in Southern Italy
A wine-curious trip through Puglia: Primitivo in Bari, a floral Chardonnay poured from a tank at 11 p.m., and an Italian who thinks Oregon Pinot costs too much.
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Bruno of Domaine Divio on the Podcast
Back from Southern Italy, Chosen Family hires Tiquette Bramlett, and a conversation with Bruno, the fourth-generation Burgundian behind Domaine Divio.
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A Weekend at AtTheJoy
A hot day at the coast and a raffle at the ¡Salud! auction lead to AtTheJoy, the Eola-Amity Hills retreat where Sparklers was filmed.
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Dan and Jeanne of Corollary, Three Years Later
An apology for getting a name wrong, Oregon Wine Month ideas, and a podcast with the couple setting Oregon sparkling on fire.
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Beckham Estate and the Art of Amphora
Andrew Beckham is the only commercial amphora maker in the U.S. A.J. finally chased this squirrel to taste wine made in clay he fired himself.
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Jackson Holstein of Granville on the Podcast
A birthday dinner picked off the internet, what James Suckling's Oregon report missed, and a podcast with Granville's Jackson Holstein.
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The 2023 Oregon Chardonnay Celebration
Evidence the Oregon wine community is alive and well, a new Oregon Wine + Food cookbook, and a look back at February's Chardonnay Celebration.
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Chris Fladwood of Soter, Written at the Wine Bar
Ted Lasso and life's tiny wins, Jancis Robinson on Oregon's community spirit, and notes from an interview with Soter winemaker Chris Fladwood.
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Megan Markel and Well Played Wines
Revisiting the Vidon story, then low-alcohol bubbles with Megan Markel, who left D.C. politics for wine and now helps put Oregon wineries on the map.
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Andrew Riechers of Audeant on Chasing Greatness
Bells Up's 39-case Seyval Blanc sparkling, and a long-awaited podcast with Andrew of Audeant, the winery A.J. has championed since 2020.
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Remembering Dick Erath, and Bubbles at Roco
Oregon loses founder Dick Erath at 87. Then a long-overdue tasting with Rollin Soles at Roco, the winery behind the RMS Brut.
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Dave and Lois Cho of Cho Wines
A podcast with Dave and Lois Cho, timed to their first AAPI Food and Wine Festival at Stoller, plus a ticket giveaway.
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Kenny and Allison McMahon of Arabilis
Silicon Valley Bank's wine division, a scrapped wine tax, and a podcast with Kenny McMahon, whose Arabilis sparkling is still a couple of years away.
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The Women Winemakers of the Weinnotes Podcast
For International Women's Day, a look back at the women winemakers A.J. has interviewed, starting with Et Fille's Jessica Mozeico.
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Escaping the Rain at Palm Springs Pinot Fest
A run-in with Shane from Alexana in the sleet, then sunshine and California Pinot at the Palm Springs Pinot Fest lunch and Grand Tasting.
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Kate Payne-Brown of Stoller on the Podcast
Open That Bottle Night, dry farming, and a podcast with Stoller winemaker Kate Payne-Brown, who chose wine over optometry on the back of a Harley.
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Dinner at ōkta in McMinnville
A restaurant instead of a winery this week: chef Matthew Lightner's ōkta, which forages from its own Ribbon Ridge farm, and how A.J. got a table.
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Hans Van Dale Takes the Reins at Dusky Goose
A birthday with sunshine, a first podcast sponsor in Lytle-Barnett, and a conversation with Hans Van Dale, who took over from Lynn Penner-Ash.
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Authentique and a Rainy Ride Through Keeler Estate
A friend's text said Authentique was some of the best wine she'd had. So A.J. went, in the rain, during the World Cup, to meet winemaker Nicholas Keeler.
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Chase Renton on Wine and Being a New Dad
A novel worth pairing with bubbles, a trip to chase the sun at Palm Springs Pinot Fest, and a podcast with Chase Renton of L'Angolo and Chosen Family.
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Andante Vineyard and Oregon Aligoté
A license plate brings back a lost friend, then Andante in the Van Duzer Corridor, where Barb is betting on Burgundy's other white grape.
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Kanzler Vineyards Kicks Off Podcast Season Two
"Me and Bobby McGee" on loop, Paul Gregutt's favorites of 2022, and a Sebastopol Hills family winery A.J. met at IPNC.
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Antiquum Farm and Grazing-Based Viticulture
Pigs, then sheep, then chickens and geese. At Antiquum, Stephen Hagen farms without any outside fertilizer, and A.J. finally got to taste the wine.
Read issue2022
A.J.'s Top Ten Wines of 2022
Allen Holstein's book, Owen Bargreen's top 100, and the ten bottles that blew A.J. away this year, from Aubaine's Athas Chardonnay to Hazelfern Trousseau.
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What Ryan Reynolds Knows About Selling Wine
ChatGPT writes the opening, a wine gift guide, Privé's founder up for a music hall of fame, and lessons from Ryan Reynolds' Aviation Gin marketing.
Read issueLenné Sells, and a New Events Newsletter
Steve Lutz sells Lenné to Jory, LLC, and a sneak peek of the new twice-monthly Weinnotes events newsletter, with December's lineup.
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Volunteering at the ¡Salud! Auction
Black Friday deals for wine lovers, and a behind-the-scenes look at ¡Salud!, the auction that funds healthcare for Oregon's vineyard workers.
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A.J.'s Top Ten Wineries of 2022
King Estate buys Pfeiffer, a run of holiday pop-ups, and the ten wineries A.J. visited this year that stuck, from Bledsoe McDaniels to Lundeen.
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Left Coast Wine: Pizza, Pinot Meunier, and a Hike
A 2016 Abacela Paramour for International Tempranillo Day, then Left Coast in Rickreall, a 500-acre estate with pizza and its own sparkling Meunier.
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Ten Oregon Wine Events Worth Your November
Karen MacNeil calls ōkta the new French Laundry, a six-degrees game of Oregon wine, and A.J.'s top ten wine country events for November.
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Tasting with Joe Dobbs and His New Label, Iterum
Snoop Dogg's wine and a Napa Monopoly board, then how a Sauvignon Blanc at the Salmon Bake led to a tasting with the legendary Joe Dobbs.
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Celestial Hill from the Back of a Gator
The universe kept saying Celestial Hill, so A.J. went. A ride through the vineyard with owner Chris to the quiet Kendall Grace block.
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Andy Lytle, the Nicest Man in Oregon Wine
A promo code for Palm Springs Pinot Fest, and why the person who inspired A.J. most this year was Andy Lytle of Lytle-Barnett and Aubaine.
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Willamette Valley Vineyards and Domaine Willamette
The International Wine Report's Oregon awards, then a candid look at Willamette Valley Vineyards, its sparkling house, and why A.J. bought the stock.
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Lundeen Wines and the Patience of a Long Story
A condolence text for the end of summer, Lynn Penner-Ash's last harvest, and what Stephen King's Dark Tower taught A.J. about Lundeen Wines.
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de la boue: Travis Todd's Under-the-Radar Winery
Harvest is in, the 2021 Oregon wine numbers are out, and a small-world story leads to Travis Todd and his wife Tess at de la boue.
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Bells Up on the Podcast
Patagonia gives itself away, 2022 looks like 2011, Bledsoe McDaniels buys in Walla Walla, and Dave and Sara of Bells Up close out the podcast season.
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Ste. Michelle Becomes Oregon's Biggest Producer
A short one written during ballet practice: the Taylor Hawkins tribute, upcoming dinners, and Chateau Ste. Michelle buying A to Z and Rex Hill.
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Kathryn Herman of 00 Wines Tells Her Story
Oregon leads the world in B-Corp wineries, Raise the Temp returns, and Kathryn Herman of 00 Wines gets the interview she didn't expect.
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IPNC 2022: Through Rosé-Colored Glasses
The first in-person IPNC since 2019, told in photos: a Hazelfern kickoff, a 9 a.m. Charles Heidsieck toast, and a weekend that leaned into bubbles.
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Philippe Andre, IPNC's Master of Ceremonies
A.J.'s first International Wine Report article, the Oregon Wine Experience medals, and a podcast with Charles Heidsieck ambassador Philippe Andre.
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Bledsoe McDaniels on a Perfect Summer Day
Losing a hill climb to an e-bike, Domaine Drouhin buys Methven, and the story of Josh McDaniels, who was selling 2,000 cases of wine by high school.
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Three Years of Weinnotes, and Vincent Fritzsche on the Podcast
Two vintages of Holloran Riesling at the IPNC Salmon Bake, the newsletter turns three, and Vincent explains his wine epiphany at age five.
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Corollary Plants 57 Acres for Sparkling
A short one before IPNC: a Lundeen Wines launch party to attend, and Corollary's new vineyard planned entirely for sparkling wine.
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Michael Juergens and a Vineyard in Bhutan
A neighborly small-world moment, a correction about Brooks, and the podcast's first guest from outside Oregon: Michael Juergens, who planted vines in Bhutan.
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Trisaetum Starts Making Spirits
Bons Amis opens in Portland, and a summer tasting at Brixeur Spirits, the vodka, gin and whiskey project from Riesling specialists Trisaetum.
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Leah Jorgensen and Oregon Cabernet Franc
A Fourth of July note on community, Mount Pisgah becomes an AVA, and a podcast with Leah Jorgensen, who bet her label on Cab Franc.
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Following Winemaker Isabelle Meunier
LVMH buys Joseph Phelps, and A.J. traces the career of Isabelle Meunier, from the 97-point Seven Springs Chardonnay to Lavinea and Aubaine.
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Jessica and Paden West of Approachment
A plea to vote for Cho Wines, pizza nights at L'Angolo, and a podcast with Jessica and Paden West, the couple behind the new Approachment label.
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Granville Wine Co., Finally
A red-light epiphany about rushing, and why it took A.J. so long to get to Granville, where the sparkling release finally did the trick.
Read issueA Short Week and a Few Good Links
The newsletter admits defeat for the week, but leaves a few good links, a list of Arlyn vineyard dinners, and a Churchill line about Champagne.
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Oregon or California? A Blind Tasting
Inspiration from TEDx Portland, wine NFTs and avocado wine, then seven blind Pinots and A.J.'s guesses about which state each came from.
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Brickhouse: From CBS Correspondent to Winegrower
Doug Tunnell covered the Middle East for CBS and tasted Old World wine on weekends. Then he came home and started Brickhouse.
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Siltstone Wines and a Flight of 2013 Pinots
A bike ride that ends in hail, Memorial Day plans in McMinnville, and a long-awaited visit to Siltstone, where the flight still pours 2013 Pinot.
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Dion Vineyard, the Sleeper Sparkling Pick
A year ago a wine writer tweeted back one name when A.J. asked for Oregon bubbles: Dion Vineyard. This is what he found when he finally went.
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A Blind Tasting of 2014 Pinots at Potter's Vineyard
Vidon becomes Compris, then a blind tasting of eight 2014 Pinots from three AVAs at Potter's Vineyard, with A.J. as the tie-breaking taster.
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White Walnut Estate: From Blackberry Thicket to Chardonnay
A Starbucks singalong on hospitality and frost damage across the valley, then Chris, who cleared an abandoned walnut orchard by hand to grow Chardonnay.
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Three Days with Two Audeant Pinots
Frost, acquisitions, and the art of looking at something for three hours. A.J. tracks Audeant's Luminous Hills and Nysa over three days to talk structure.
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Hazelfern Plays the Newlywed Game
James Suckling's Oregon report has Sparkling beating California, then Bryan and Laura of Hazelfern on the podcast, quizzed on each other.
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How the First Weinnotes Wine Dinner Went
Constellation buys Lingua Franca. Then the story of A.J.'s sold-out dinner at Tavern on Kruse, and the main-course Pinot that caused a panic.
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Janie Brooks and the Legacy of Jimi Brooks
A.J.'s first wine dinner sells out, and a podcast with Janie Brooks, who has spent 17 years keeping her brother's winery alive for his son, Pascal.
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Nysa Vineyard, Acoustic or Appetite for Destruction
That blue sign on 99W finally gets a visit. Michael Mega's Nysa Pinot versus Audeant's, explained with two versions of the same Guns N' Roses song.
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Dan of Utopia Vineyards, One Year Later
Woodinville wineries and a Willamette Valley auction, then an hour with Utopia's Dan, including how his wife took the news he'd bought the land.
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The Oregon Chardonnay Celebration Went Sparkling
This year's IPNC Chardonnay event focused on bubbles. A.J. asked the panel how to get Oregon sparkling noticed, and the answer stuck with him.
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Wynne Peterson-Nedry and Oregon Wine Royalty
A podcast with Wynne Peterson-Nedry of RR Wines and Ridgecrest: 37 harvests, Chenin Blanc, concrete fermenters, and her dad's PGI win.
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The Amaterra Social Membership, Explained
Dave Grohl on Hot Ones and a winemaker who hates Brett, then months of trying to get a reservation at Amaterra, the buzziest new spot in the valley.
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Piper Underbrink of Privé on the Podcast
Drinking wine in the metaverse, A.J.'s first wine dinner, a 2014 Domaine Serene Blanc de Blancs, and an hour with Privé's Piper Underbrink.
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Is Oregon More Than Pinot? The McMinnville Wine Competition Results
Oregon has Pinot on tap, so who's winning gold in everything else? A look at this year's McMinnville Wine Competition, plus a 2013 Dusky Goose.
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Andy Lytle and the Business of Building a Legacy
The first Wine of the Week, a 2019 Aubaine Joie Pinot, and a podcast with Andy Lytle of Lytle-Barnett, Aubaine and Domaine Meriweather.
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Lundeen Wines: The McMinnville Winemaker Nobody Knows
Will Smith's memoir prompts some soul-searching about the podcast, then a December tasting with Michael Lundeen, a name A.J. kept hearing.
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Mac and Sid of Kings North on the Podcast
A year after a sunny first visit, A.J. sits down with brothers Mac and Sid of Kings North to talk family, mentors, and whether wine is art.
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Doubleback, Bledsoe McDaniels, and a Gracious Correction
Three blind-faith bottles of Doubleback Cab led A.J. to Drew Bledsoe's Pinot and Syrah project, and to an email from Bledsoe himself.
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The Weinnotes Podcast Debuts with Et Fille's Jessica Mozeico
Two bottles of Taittinger rescued from a park trash can, then the first podcast episode: one blind bottle and Jessica Mozeico of Et Fille.
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Domaine Serene Opens in Bend
Audeant gets a nod from Parker's reviewer and Soter's secret Brut X comes out. Then a one-day road trip for Domaine Serene's new Bend wine bar.
Read issue2021
Vidon, Clone 95, and Dick Erath's Suitcase
The story of Pinot clone 95, smuggled legally from Clos de Vougeot and 37 years in the making, told at Vidon's first anniversary party under new owners.
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de Lancellotti and a Crash Course in Biodynamics
Reading Voodoo Vintners led to a DM, and the DM led to a sunny pre-Thanksgiving afternoon in the barn with Paul de Lancellotti.
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Pickup Party Season
Timpano for Thanksgiving, then a run of harvest pickup parties at Corollary, Arlyn and Privé, including a beet pavlova that shouldn't have worked.
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Adelsheim's Discovery Box and 50 Years of History
A beach hike about seals explains how A.J. picks stories, then Adelsheim's subscription box, David Adelsheim's legacy, and winemaker Gina Hennen.
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Inside Domaine Serene's Sparkling Program
A sit-down with sparkling winemaker Rachel Zasadni, who took Domaine Serene's bubbles from 1,000 cases in 2014 to about 5,000 in 2021.
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Troon Vineyard and the Case for Regenerative Farming
The Domaine de Broglie fire, Mimi Casteel on no-till, and a primer on conventional, organic and biodynamic farming before a visit to Troon.
Read issueA Halloween Ghost Story Set at a Winemaker's Dinner
Mini Banks buys Johan Vineyard, a good podcast to subscribe to, and A.J.'s spooky short story entry for Phantom Winery's contest.
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00 Wines: The Long Version
A two-coffee read on 00 Wines: botanist Richard Herman, his son Chris, Kathryn Herman, Mark Tarlov, and a philosophy rooted in classical music.
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Del Rio Vineyards and the Old Rock Point Stage Hotel
Dave Grohl's KFC-and-Champagne story, a tribute to R. Stuart's Maria Stuart, and a Southern Oregon visit to Del Rio Vineyards.
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Sitting Down with Drew Voit at Harper Voit
Halfway through Dave Grohl's memoir, A.J. finally gets his sit-down with Drew Voit, two weeks before harvest, to taste the Harper Voit sparkling.
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Weisinger Family Winery and the Klamath Knot
A correction about Doubleback's Josh McDaniels, then Ashland's Weisinger, where Eric came home to the Rogue Valley vineyard his dad planted.
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Who's Buying Oregon Wine Country?
Bollinger buys Ponzi, Hampton Lumber buys the Carlton Winemakers Studio, and Meredith Mitchell goes up for sale. Big money is flooding in.
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Dukes Family Winery and the Eola-Amity Hills
James Suckling's Pinots under $40 and CJ McCollum's new vineyard land, then Dukes, where Kelley Kidneigh makes the wine and Stirling Fox farms it.
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The Oregon Sparkling Report Is Here
Twenty years to the week after A.J. moved from Tennessee to Oregon, a 47-page report on 29 producers and 37 bottles of Oregon bubbles.
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Cowhorn: Biodynamic Rhône Grapes Near the California Line
Harvest starts early, then a walk through Cowhorn in the Applegate Valley with new owner Mini Banks and winemaker Sarah Thompson.
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Why Be Nice? An Issue About Kindness
No winery this week. Free Guy, Nandi Bushell drumming with the Foo Fighters, and a $17 Cava by the river at Red Lily lead to a note on kindness.
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A Pre-Harvest Dinner at the New Alexana
A.J. skipped the end of the Wine Media Conference for a pre-harvest dinner at Alexana and its newly remodeled tasting room, which is three times the size.
Read issueOops, Here's the Link
A two-line follow-up with the T-shirt link A.J. forgot, plus a discount code for the double email.
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Ten Southern Oregon Wineries in One Sitting
A rapid-fire Wine Media Conference session in Ashland: ten Southern Oregon wineries, each with a food pairing, starting with Hummingbird Estate.
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Raindance Vineyard's New Tasting Room
Written in a van at the Wine Media Conference: a hot afternoon at Ken Austin's Raindance, with Grand Oak Rieslings and a rare valley Gewürztraminer.
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IPNC at Home: The Perfume of Pinot
A virtual IPNC Grand Seminar where Julia Coney matched six Pinots to perfumes, then a tasting at Elizabeth Chambers and a 2019 Dupee Vineyard.
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Sparkling Wine 101: Pét-Nat, Traditional Method and More
Billionaires racing to space lead into a primer on bubbles: how sparkling began as a mistake, and how pét-nat differs from traditional method.
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Tendril Cellars and a Chef's Approach to Pinot
Oregon's haul at the Decanter awards, then a hot afternoon at Tendril with Tony's Carter Vineyard Pinot and the white Pinot that ruffled feathers.
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Privé Vineyard and Its New Owner, Piper Underbrink
A two-acre Chehalem Mountains cult winery built to feel like France, and the new owner and winemaker who took it over in 2020.
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Van Duzer Vineyards and Finally Meeting Drew Voit
After the heat dome and a freak downpour on I-5, a first handshake in a year at Van Duzer, and a sit-down with winemaker Drew Voit.
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Corollary Wines: Two Tech Refugees Who Only Make Bubbles
Dan Diephouse and Jeanne Feldkamp met over whiskey in San Francisco, pressed some farmers market apples, and ended up making only Oregon sparkling.
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Audeant and the Cigar-Shaped Barrel
The rest of the story, Paul Harvey style: a Memorial Day tasting in a tent with Andrew of Audeant, and a peek at a very odd barrel.
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Guessing Vintages Blind: Six Years of Elton Vineyard
A six-year blind vertical of Elton Vineyard Pinot from a winery A.J. won't name until the end. The 2019 should be easy to spot, right?
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Bryn Mawr, Rachel Rose, and Temperance Hill
Twenty years after A.J.'s first trip to Oregon, the story of Bryn Mawr winemaker Rachel Rose, who chose Oregon over Burgundy.
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Youngberg Hill and the Own-Rooted Jordan Block
A hidden cookie, then Wayne Bailey's hilltop inn and farm, where Ken Wright planted the Jordan Block in 1989 and the vines now go no-till.
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Bells Up: From a Cincinnati Garage to the Chehalem Mountains
Dave Specter was an attorney making wine in his garage. He and Sara found a field of dead Christmas trees on Jory soil and built Bells Up.
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Winederful Gets Hand-Curated Wineries
Vidon names Tiquette Bramlett as president, a first for a Black woman at a U.S. winery. Then the app update A.J. spent months coding.
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Nicolas-Jay: A Burgundy Legend and the Man Who Signed R.E.M.
The One Barrel Challenge kicks off Oregon Wine Month, then Nicolas-Jay, where Jean-Nicolas Méo and record exec Jay Boberg built a winery on an old steer ranch.
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Bubbles in the Sun at Kings North
An evening walk with Globgor wanders back to a sunny March Saturday at Kings North: Crémant at the bar, an Adirondack chair, and a surprise Nebbiolo.
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Reading Pinot Girl, Then Finally Visiting Ponzi
Anna Maria Ponzi's memoir of growing up in early Oregon wine country, and the news that finally got A.J. to Ponzi.
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Jim Maresh and the Farm on Worden Hill Road
In 1959 Jim and Loie Maresh bought a 27-acre prune and filbert farm they half wanted to sell. It became one of the Dundee Hills' founding vineyards.
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A Day Judging the McMinnville Wine Competition
Two Zaltos in a backpack, a purple sports coat, and a lot of wine: A.J.'s Saturday as a judge at Abbey Road Farm.
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Alloro Vineyard: The Field on the Bike Ride
David Nemarnik used to stop his bike at a Chehalem Mountains field to watch the sunset. Then he bought it. The story of Alloro.
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Vidon and the Last Winemaker Dinner Before Lockdown
A year after a Vidon dinner at Rosmarino in Newberg, the last before lockdown, A.J. gets to know new owners Dru and Erin Allen.
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Dick Erath, Page Knudsen Cowles, and Too Much Sunshine
Oregon wine history videos worth your 36 minutes, and why the Alloro deep dive got pushed back a couple of weeks.
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Vincent Fritzsche, the Wine Geek in the Parking Lot
He asked about soccer before he mentioned wine. A portrait of Vincent, the former educator who will talk Brix and pH with you all day.
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L'Angolo Estate and the Chosen Family Label
A new puppy named Globgor, a Ponzi memoir, and L'Angolo Estate, where Chase Renton makes the wine and Channing Frye's label sold out fast.
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The Ice Storm Issue
Ice knocked the power out until Wednesday, so this one is short: two questions for readers about the next deep dive and an Oregon wine book.
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Abbott Claim, the Tasting I Almost Kept Secret
After a shout-out to Urbanblisslife's Marlynn, a trip down the gravel road to Abbott Claim, a new winery A.J. almost didn't want to share.
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Wood-Fired Pizza and Pinot at Domaine Divio
A soggy smash burger on a new Traeger, then a summer night of pizza and 2015 Toison d'Or with Bruno, Divio's Burgundy-born winemaker.
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Utopia Vineyard and the Bottomless Rabbit Hole
Dan Warnshuis went from a laundry-room cellar in Silicon Valley to 19 acres on Ribbon Ridge he'd promised his wife he would only look at.
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Potters Vineyard: Classic Rock and Chardonnay with Tannins
Bill and Sandy's Potters Vineyard near Sherwood, where the pottery is real, the music is '70s rock, and the $38 Cello Reserve Chardonnay has tannins.
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A Virtual Barrel Tasting with Walter Scott
Nine barrel samples over Zoom with Ken and Erica, and the realization that Walter Scott is far more down to earth than its reputation.
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Introducing the Weinnotes Oregon 2020 Report
What the name Weinzettel actually means, and a look inside the 161-page report on the 36 wineries A.J. visited in 2020.
Read issue2020
The Oregon Wines on Owen Bargreen's Top 100
A short holiday issue: the Oregon bottles on Owen Bargreen's 2020 list, a Maison Jussiaume sparkling tip, and a break until the new year.
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The People of #ajsHappyHour
No winery this week. Instead, a thank-you to the Zoom happy hour crew who kept showing up for each other all through the pandemic.
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Arlyn, Janis, and Miss Cooper
Janis left 20 years at Disney to build Arlyn, a farm and wine label made by Lingua Franca's Thomas Savre. And yes, you'll meet Miss Cooper.
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Blind Tasting the World's Pinot Noir at Lenné
Eight Pinots from Oregon, Burgundy, California, Canada and New Zealand, poured blind. A.J. got one right, and a 2007 from Canada stole the show.
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Cramoisi, and the Wrong Driveway on Worden Hill Road
Wrong driveway, right winery: rosé on the Cramoisi deck, two vintages of the Cuvée of the Estate side by side, and Drew Voit's long client list.
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JL Kiff Vineyard: Wine as a Sacrament
Jason Lett's line about wine being a sacrament sets up a visit with Laurie and Joel Kiff on their family vineyard outside McMinnville.
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Brooks and the Hunt for the 2010 Sweet P Riesling
A tip from Lingua Franca leads to Brooks, a 2014 Ara Riesling that blew A.J.'s flip flops off the deck, and a vineyard dinner with octopus.
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Alexana, and the Pinot a Stranger Told Me to Try
Remembering Ken Evenstad, then back to Alexana for the Revana Single Clone Pommard and a Sitar Pinot tip from the guy in the next seat.
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Six Years as a Domaine Serene Member
Domaine Serene gets under some people's skin. After six years as a member, A.J. makes the case that the people pouring are the reason to go.
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Trisaetum and the Case for Oregon Riesling
A tire shop lesson in trust turns into a Riesling tasting at Trisaetum, the winery James Frey and Andrea Lassa named after their two kids.
Read issueThe Weinnotes Newsletter
Let's share
some wine.
A.J. Weinzettel takes you inside an Oregon winery each issue, with the people, the back story, and a little rambling along the way.