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The Weinnotes newsletter is written by A.J. Weinzettel, a wine journalist and podcaster who has written about Oregon wine country since 2019. Each issue tells the story of a winery and the people behind it, mostly in the Willamette Valley.

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Dispatch · Saturday, April 22, 2023

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.

If you have not watched Ted Lasso, you might want to skip my nonsensical rambling this morning. Everything looks like season three will be the show's last season. I have wanted the team to win since the start of season one. They get so close only to tease us until the following season.

With the last episode this past Wednesday, the writers are doing an excellent job of giving us the possibility of hope the team can pull out of their slump. Unfortunately, I have been thinking about this way too much. I don't want Ted Lasso to end with AFC Richmond winning. That isn't the style of Ted Lasso.

The style of Ted Lasso is sitting with real life, disappointment and then picking yourself off the ground to continue moving forward. Ted Lasso is about real life, and we rarely get huge wins. Life is filled with a million and three tiny wins every single day. We should sit with these wins with the biggest of smiles and one heck of a glass of wine with the sun setting on the best vineyard view ever!

Do you have any thoughts about Ted Lasso? You know how to hit that reply button. Please tell me what's on your mind!

You have heard me mention Paul Gregutt before calling out some of his reviews, philosophies, and of course, his list of Favorite NW Wines From 2022 that you can still buy. My shoutout to Paul this week has nothing to about wine. He and his band just released a CD. Take a few minutes and listen to some song samplings on Dave Paul 5's website.

Do you remember Maryam from Sparklers? Her company, Maryam + Company, just got its B Corp Certification!

Oregon State is progressing in understanding the chemistry of wildfire smoke in wine.

Wine Enthusiast has a great write-up on Oregon Chardonnay. At the very Jason Lett offers up an opinion.

Lett says the success of this current renaissance is also determined by people he considers winemaking outliers, like Jim Arterberry of Arterberry Maresh and John Paul of Cameron Winery. Or Seth Morgen Long of Morgen Long, likely the only winemaker in the Willamette Valley who makes only Chardonnay. "I cringe when he uses all of that new oak, but damn are his wines tasty," Lett says.

Jancis Robinson talks about the community of Oregon's spirit.

Although this spirit has evaporated in Napa under the influence of the billions of dollars and hundreds of egos that have poured into the valley, it is still very much alive in Oregon to the north, especially in the Willamette Valley, around Portland and extending south, which is the heartland of Oregon wine production In this green, undulating farming country everyone knows everyone else and is keen to see them succeed.

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If you are a long-time reader of the newsletter, you know I typically wait until Thursday or Friday night to get the newsletter out the door. It's been a rhythm that has worked for me, but most of today's newsletter was written while having a glass of wine at the Syndicate Wine Bar in Newberg after my interview with Chris Fladwood, the winemaker at Soter Vineyards.

Before we dive into what I wrote at the wine bar, this is the last week of Lytle-Barnett sponsoring the podcast. Wow, what a journey it has been. I have learned so much since February 11th, when I gave some back story on how Lytle-Barnett was started, to learning Lytle-Barnett produces only vintage-based Method Champenoise Sparkling, getting a glimpse of behind the scenes with Lytle-Barnett and Sparklers, and getting our minds blown to see every bottle of Lytle-Barnett is going the distance showing off those teeny tiny bubbles in the glass after 4+ days.

Finally, this week we dive into a little about Andy Lytle and his reputation around the valley for being an incredibly thoughtful, hard-working man creating a legacy for his children. This is also the last week to use promo code WEINNOTES for 20% off your purchase for momentous occasions over Memorial Day weekend with some Lytle-Barnett Sparkling!

As I sit down to write this newsletter, I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the experience I had with Chris Fladwood, the winemaker at Soter Vineyards. Despite not typically writing this far in advance, I was inspired to start writing just thirty minutes after our interview for several reasons.

Firstly, the weather was just perfect. The sun was shining through the clouds, and although there was a light dusting of snow on the ground, it didn't last long. It was almost warm enough to go bike riding.

Secondly, meeting Chris and his twin sons was a truly special experience. Although I initially struggled to connect with him, after almost 90 minutes of conversation, we could have talked for hours more. Hearing about his journey in the wine industry, from starting out exploring wine from a book given to him in Iraq to his struggles returning to everyday life after experiencing the realities of war, was both humbling and inspiring.

One of the most moving stories Chris shared with me was about the Brut X multi-vintage Sparkling. When he revealed that he had stashed several vintages of base wine without Tony Soter's knowledge, I was blown away. The fact that Chris was also working on a Blanc de Noirs without Tony's knowledge, which was later revived in honor of Michelle Soter's life, was a testament to his compassion and dedication.

After our interview, as I packed up my equipment, I saw a different side of Chris. Running through the rain with one of his sons, his pure joy and excitement was infectious. It was a beautiful moment that reminded me of the importance of cherishing the simple things in life.

As I drove away from Soter Vineyards, I was struck by the breathtaking view before me. The blue sky peeking through the old oak trees, interwoven with dark clouds and rain, was a powerful reminder that life is full of both light and darkness. But in that moment, I felt grateful for the opportunity to connect with someone like Chris, and to share his story.

Here is this week's episode with Chris Fladwood from Soter Vineyards. It is a long one clocking in at an hour and twenty minutes, but so worth it! Enjoy and please share, like and subscribe so more people can get in on all of these great stories!

With Gratitude,

A.J.

A.J. Weinzettel

Wine journalist & podcaster covering Oregon wine country