Dan of Utopia Vineyards, One Year Later

{{ snippet.ovc-forward }}

I did an interview for the Podcast on Wednesday that was an absolute blast. More details on that conversation are coming on April 16th, but I took away one feeling from the conversation, "If you do what you love, it really isn’t work." I mention this because, in the last couple of weeks, the thought of stopping the interviews has crossed my mind more than a few times. It is a lot of work. It is a lot of fun, but I love every second of it. I hope you enjoy the interviews and be on the lookout for more video content shortly.

Have you explored the wineries in Woodinville? During the summer of 2020, I visited. I wasn’t expecting that I could walk to 20-30 wineries within several blocks, and I was a bit disappointed not to see any vineyards. I would like to go back and explore a bit, especially now with a couple of Oregon wineries (Montinore Estate and Landlines Estates) coming to Woodinville in August.

Great Scott is all I have to say about the upcoming and first-ever Willamette Valley Collectors Auction. Some of the collections coming together sound incredible. It is happening from March 29 to April 7th. I would get yourself setup with an account and prepare to be blown away like Marty McFly hooking up a guitar to a giant Amp.

You know how much of a sucker I am for a great story. One of the reasons I enjoy documenting the people of wine country is that their stories are in flight. I get a glimpse here or there of what’s currently happening. In the interview on Wednesday, I learned so much, and I have been a spectator of their story for multiple years.

In January of 2021, I met Dan from Utopia Vineyards and did a newsletter about my visit. Last month I had the opportunity to sit down and chat for a solid hour. I was able to get a bit more detail from when we visited last year. One aspect of his story I always found fascinating was one weekend came up to Oregon from California. Before leaving, there was a promise he was only looking at land. When he went home that weekend, the land where Utopia is today was purchased. It’s has been a year since I knew that tidbit, and I finally got the nerve to ask, “How did your wife take the news you bought the property when you promised you were only looking.”

I admire Dan's work ethic and laser-sharp focus on the long-term goal. He has been farming the land at Utopia for 20 years. Sitting across the table from him, one gets a sense of old-school mentality. I mean, this is a good way. Dan is all about putting in the hard work and dedicating the time to create a flawless wine.

As with every interview, I highly encourage you to watch the whole video. It is 54 minutes long. Yes, I know that is long, and I don’t expect you to watch it this morning. One of the main reasons you should watch Dan’s whole interview is how he breaks down the blind wine at the start. The blind bottle I brought had Bret (Forest Floor), which I enjoy a little. At the end of the video, Dan explains why his wines will never have Bret. I learned so much, and I hope you do as well!

Here is the full interview on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

As always if you are willing to miss out on a few details here are some clips of my conversation with Dan for you to enjoy.

​

​Why Dan chose Oregon over California

Dan’s desire to make wine intensified with a wine shop in Napa. The story of why he chose Oregon and how he purchased the current Utopia Vineyard property is a tale worth listening to!

​

​Tasting with Ronn Wiegand​

Ronn Wiegand is the first person to hold two of the wine world's top credentials — Master of Wine (1991) and Master Sommelier (1986). He remains the only American to pass the entire Master of Wine exam on the first attempt. Dan had the ability to sit down and taste with Ronn.

​

​The difficult years of getting Utopia up and going​

If you look up work ethic in the dictionary, I am sure Dan’s name will pop up. We talked about what it took to get a vineyard online in Oregon while having a full-time job in Napa along with a family.

​

​Tasting 70 wines a day is difficult

Most think the idea of tasting 70+ wines a day is fun and exciting. Of course, there is some fun and excitement, but here is a small glimpse into the actual work of what it takes to taste 70+ wines a day.

​

​Farming practices on Ribbon Ridge

We all hear great wine starts in the vineyard. Being the president of the Ribbon Ridge Winegrowers Association, Dan’s desire to push the whole sub-AVA to a higher standard of farming speaks volumes.

​

​Talking about the 2020 Vintage

Many wineries throughout the Willamette Valley decided not to make a 2020 vintage. It’s impressive to hear how Dan approached the 2020 vintage and how he helped other community members during a stressful time.

​

​The 2021 Vintage, so much better

Compared to 2020, the 2021 vintage was scary with record heat. Dan gets into the details of what 2021 looked like for him.

​

​Starting a Sparkling Program

I have mentioned it multiple times, and I will continue my rant, “Oregon Sparkling is on the rise, and it will be a force to be reckoned with.” Dan feels the same way and has plans for a Sparkling program!

​

​Tastings at Utopia​

If you have never been to Utopia for a tasting, I highly suggest getting it on your bucket list. Dan and I chat about the view and some special events occurring over the summer for customers.

​

​Is Wine Art​

The constant pursuit of knowing everyone’s take on the never-ending quest to understand, Is Wine Art.

​

​Legacy​

Dan was born in 1955. Utopia is a first-generation winery. I talk with Dan about the long-term outlook for Utopia.

​

​OR Wine Community​

I would not be doing my job if I didn’t get a story about the Oregon Wine Community helping out one another.

​

​Rapid Fire Questions​

A brief look at the person behind the wine.

​

I know you probably missed the link for the full length YouTube Interview and so here it is again, just in case.

​

With Gratitude,

A.J.

​

PS - It is Friday night at 9:37 and there is no way I am not putting a PS. Intead of me saying something, I have a small request. If you know someone who enjoys wine and wants to learn more about the wines of Oregon take a few seconds and forward this email to that person. You never know what might happen. Thank you!

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​