Vincent Fritzsche, the Wine Geek in the Parking Lot

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Oh, my golly goodness, spring has sprouted its head, and I had to break out the shorts and flip-flops despite the fact it was barely 60 out. I also got a 30-mile bike ride under my belt while zoning out to an audiobook. It felt amazing to squint my eyes and bask in the sun even though it is now Thursday evening, my daughter is in ballet, I am in a hoodie, and it is raining outside. I always enjoy Spring, but Spring 2021 feels way different. Numbers for COVID have decreased drastically, and there is hope in the air of getting back to being shoulder to shoulder in a crowded bar. I am not a big person for being in a crowded bar, but I am sure you understand where I am going. The ability to belly up to a bar and hold conversations with strangers sounds freakin amazeballs!

Even though 2020 was this amazing cluster of bewilderment on every possible level imaginable, 2020 was a great year for me. I connected with so many people in Wine Country and made some spectacular friends along the way. @WestCoastWineGuy introduced me to Vincent Fritzsche and his wines. Vincent joined an #ajsHappyHour, and it is an event I will not forget.

My first impression of Vincent was meeting him in the parking lot of New Seasons to pick up wine. We chatted for a little bit, and he is the most down-to-earth, laid-back person I have met in a while. I would have never known he was a winemaker based on that one conversation. While in attendance for #ajsHappyHour he presented himself as one of the group and got super nerdy about the wines. I mention this because he was the Director of Professional Development at Marylhurst University from 2013 - 2015. Before that, he was a Program Manager at PCC for almost 13 years. He has a major geek side to him, and when you are talking wine with him, it comes out in troves! There is something to be said about someone who has a geek side and relates to a human level. One of the first questions he asked was in the parking lot conversation: "Are you into soccer?" I adore that he didn't know me and chose to connect on a human level instead of a transactional level.

When you look at Vincent’s Venmo or LinkedIn picture, you can see the professional academic side of Vincent beyond a shadow of a doubt. Covid has taken its toll on everyone, and when I was at a tasting with Vincent last Saturday, I couldn’t reconcile the Venmo picture with the current Vincent. His hair has grown out, almost shoulder length. Maybe I have hair envy, but I have to say it looks great on him!

I didn’t realize he had an active Twitter account, but to see what he Tweeted after the tasting on Saturday warms my heart.

Why in the whole wide world of sports do I mention this? If you see Vincent face to face today, you might think he is Patrick Swayze from Point Break in the late 80s or early 90s. On the surface, Vincent might come across as someone who doesn’t get doesn't dive deep with Alice into the rabbit holes, but man, the educational geek, can’t help but surface faster than the sun coming up at 5:30 on an Oregon summer morning. His passion for wine is amazing! How many times have you heard winemakers talk about picking grapes at a certain Brix level, say at 23 Brix? How many winemakers will go deeper and explain to you while you are tasting wines say something of the sort, “It is more than just Brix we need to think about. Where is the pH?” Vincent will get into the weeds with you in a heartbeat about wine.

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Outside of Brix and PH, Vincent is a little touchy-feely about the grapes by saying, “You can tell a lot by how it feels — again, like grilling steaks. But once pH gets higher, I think you’ve missed the liveliness and al dente quality I’m looking for. Other winemakers will say, ‘No, wait for flavors and then add acidity back to the juice in the winery.’ To me, that’s like burning something, then cutting off the burned parts and saying, ‘There, it’s perfect!’”

Do you know how well done your steak is by touching it? It is a feeling, and I adore how Vincent uses this same concept when it comes to his grapes.

I pulled up this quote from Vincent and his philosophy on winemaking. It resonates with me on so many levels being in tech, and everyone is trying to get “features” out the door as quickly as possible to put another checkmark on their resume.

Fritzsche’s winemaking goal is straight out of the old Oregon wine playbook: he wants to make pinot noir that speaks of the place where it was grown. So why doesn’t he make his wine where the vineyards are? Fritzsche puts it plainly: “I don’t have the money to just go buy land and build a winery.” Plus, it wouldn’t feel right. “I’m a city person,” he says. “I’m married, we have kids. I wasn’t just going to move down to Dundee and be another guy on the hilltop—that’s not me.”

I have talked so much about Vincent, the person, but let’s sway the conversation a bit towards his wines. As you know, I am always on the quest to look for the next hidden gem in Oregon Wine Country, and Vincent fits perfectly! His wines are outstanding and the price compared to other wineries is unintelligible.

During my tasting on Saturday, I tasted the 2019 Pinot Blanc from Zenith Vineyard, 2017 Brickhouse Chard, a RED 2018 Pinot Gris, 2018 Tardive Willamette Valley Pinot, 2018 Redford Wetle Vineyard Pinot, and a 2018 Armstrong Vineyard Pinot. If you noticed, red was in all caps because who does a red Pinot Gris? The spirit is Oregon Wine Country runs through Vincent's veins, and no matter what he does, he can’t escape it. Trying to run from this amazing madness would be like Peter Parker saying he isn’t Spiderman. Vincent is out here in wine country making a living and having a blast while he is doing it. Isn’t this what we all strive for?

Vincent's spring pre-order is coming to a close here on the 9th. You are probably not a member of his mailing list, but I suggest you join NOW! In the meantime, look at his spring offering below and the prices. You can’t go wrong!! I am ordering the Willamette Valley Tardive Chardonnay, Eola-Amith Hills Royer Vineyard Chardonnay, Zenith Vineyard, Bjornson Vineyard,and Ribbon Ridge Pinot. Send Vincent an email (vincentwines@gmail.com) with what you want, and he will email you an invoice payable via Venmo. If you want Vincent's tasting notes, reply to this email, and I will send them to you. Also, tell him A.J. sent you.

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750ML bottles:

2019 Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley "Tardive" $25 retail $20 prerelease

2019 Chardonnay Willamette Valley Tardive" $30 retail $23 prerelease

2019 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills Royer Vineyard $35 $27 prerelease **new vineyard**

2019 Gamay Eola-Amity Hills Bjornson $25 retail $20 prerelease

2019 Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge $30 retail $23 prerelease

2019 Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills $30 retail $23 prerelease

2019 Pinot Noir Silvershot Vineyard $35 retail $27 prerelease **it's back**

2019 Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard $45 retail $35 prerelease

2019 Pinot Noir Zenith Vineyard $45 retail $35 prerelease

1.5L magnum bottles (very limited):

2019 Chardonnay Royer Vineyard $75 retail $60 prerelease (2 left!)

2019 Pinot Noir Silvershot Vineyard $75 retail 1.5L SOLD OUT

2019 Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard $95 retail $75 prerelease (3 left!)

2019 Pinot Noir Zenith Vineyard $95 retail 1.5L SOLD OUT

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With Gratitude,

A.J.

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PS - The next #ajsHappyHour is Tuesday! Keep an eye out for the email with the Zoom link. It is all about Chard. I know what I am opening do you?

PPS - Tardive is French for late. Vincent uses Tardive in place of Reserve only because he feels Reserve is used way too much in the wine world.

PPS - I can't freakin wait until Top Gun Maverick is out to watch, but in the mean time this and this made my heart ooze with joy!

PPPS - Maybe you can belly up to your kitchen counter while visiting this website and feel like you are back in a bar.

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