Craig Williams, from Joseph Phelps to the X Omni Vineyard

The other night I was sitting on my deck enjoying a glass of Pinot Noir, trying to soak up summer before it slips through my fingers. As I swirled the wine across my palate, the complexity of flavors kept catching my attention over and over again. That’s when it hit me, this is the basic foundation of why I enjoy drinking wine.

Beer doesn’t give me this kind of complexity. Cocktails can be amazing in their own way. Tequila, scotch, and whiskey have their own layers too, but for me, none of them hit quite the same.

I used to be really into tequila, and yet I never once heard anyone talk about the farming of agave. Nobody ever explained how the taste of tequila is shaped by the soil, the canopy, the cover crop, or how the biodiversity of animals plays a role in what you taste in the glass.

Today’s newsletter is going to take you into the vineyards — and show you how these sites play a massive role in creating truly incredible wines. But before we get to that, I need to ramble just a bit.

First, a couple weeks ago I submitted a piece to Jancis Robinson’s yearly writing competition. This has been on my list for five years. I finally got off my rocker and did it. I seriously doubt my piece will get any attention, but who knows. I had a blast writing about sparkling wine, Pinot Meunier, and Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Also, this month marks the six-year anniversary of this newsletter. I can’t believe it myself. Next month’s issue will give the milestone a bit more of the attention it deserves.

Before I forget — I have one question for you. Will I see you at Method Oregon later this month? I sure hope so. I expect more than a few people to walk up and say, “A.J. sent me!” There are almost no acceptable excuses for missing this. It’s the event of the summer, and you don’t want to miss it.

I’ll be writing about it eventually, but that’s a couple months out. So here’s what you do: click this link, grab your tickets, refill your coffee, and come back for this month’s newsletter.

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A very nice article talking about Oregon and Washington bring their A game!

Did you miss the Savor Southern Oregon Wine Festival? Time to catch up!

Stoller did some shopping.

White Rose is adding a new thing. Check it out!

​James Suckling gave Corollary some love!

Seattle is giving McMinnville some love!

ICE raiding wine country​

The 2024 Oregon Vineyard and Winery Census Report​

​Oregon Sparkling All the Way!

​The Mount Rushmore of Oregon Pinot Noir​

​Big Table Farm got some love from Sam at Jancis Robinson

If you know the name Craig Williams, you have a very good idea of where I am going, but for those of you that don’t recognize the name, let me try to bring you up to speed.

Craig’s journey started in the 1970s, not as a vineyard owner, but as a young winemaker at a then-fledgling Napa Valley estate called Joseph Phelps Vineyards. Back then, Phelps was experimenting, pushing boundaries and redefining what California wine could be. And Craig? He wasn’t just along for the ride. He was steering the ship.

Over the course of more than three decades, Craig helped build the legacy of Phelps into one of Napa’s most respected names. He was instrumental in developing Insignia, one of California’s first proprietary red blends. In a blog post from 2006, Robert Whitley wrote, “Credit should go squarely where it’s due, and that would be on the reliable shoulders of longtime winemaker Craig Williams. He took over from the great Walter Schug when Insignia was in its infancy and his stewardship of this iconic Napa Valley wine speaks volumes about one man’s quest for perfection.”

During Craig’s time at Phelps, he was asked to develop a cooler-climate vineyard in the late 1990s. The vineyard chosen was Freestone, along the Sonoma Coast north of the Petaluma Gap. Pinot Noir was planted, but the main focus was Chardonnay. This was the seed for Craig to eventually plant Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley. Winemakers in California thought he was crazy.

By the time he left Phelps in the mid-2000s, Craig had helped shape the arc of modern California winemaking, and quietly, had begun dreaming of something new. Something personal.

In 2010, he and his family turned their eyes to the Eola-Amity Hills of Oregon. It was a return to fundamentals: cool climate, complex soils, and the chance to build something entirely from the ground up. They planted X Novo — Latin for “from the beginning” — as a kind of second act. Only it wasn’t a step back. It was the culmination of everything Craig had learned: site matters most, clonal diversity is critical, and the vineyard must always lead the wine.

A few years later, they added X Omni, a neighboring site with a different voice. Where X Novo is linear and mineral, X Omni is round and textural. Craig farms both with the precision of someone who has been doing this for 50 years, but also with the curiosity of someone still fascinated by what a vineyard might teach him next.

For me, I first came in contact with X Novo in 2020 from Walter Scott’s Chardonnay. It blew my mind! So much so, I have a 2021 3L just sitting there waiting. Looking back at the reviews from the Prince of Pinot (aka Rusty) on Walter Scott’s X Novo Chardonnay, it doesn’t surprise me one bit. Read them for yourself:

“Defies adequate descriptors” and “demands contemplation” is exactly how I feel about these wines, even years after these reviews were published.

My next encounter was at Abbott Claim. They have an X Omni Chardonnay that is just gorgeous, and Alban, the winemaker, is beyond amazing. Yesterday I was reading Kristy’s Wine Travel newsletter and was also blown away by what Alban does. Here’s a quick quote: “Once I realized winemaker Alban Debeaulieu incorporates a fair amount of new oak into these wines, I was astounded. I never would have guessed based on the aromatics or the flavors. I’ve tasted well-integrated oak on wines, but this is next level finesse.”

I will never forget the encounter with X Omni. I was going through Instagram and saw Corollary releasing a Blanc de Blancs from X Omni! I was more excited than a little kid going to the toy store to buy the latest Transformer for my collection. I was getting ready to hold my first dinner party at Tavern on Kruse and I had to have the wine. That was the first wine everyone tasted when they walked in for the dinner party. It was fabulous, everyone was blown away, and sharing the story made it that much more special.

So you might be wondering where I’m going with all of this backstory. Well, there was an event called Visionary Vineyards at the World Forestry Center in Portland, focused on producers who make wine from the X Novo and X Omni vineyards. You are now my wingman or wingwoman for an incredible, mind-blowing tasting.

The producers at the event included: Abbott Claim, big table farm, Corollary, Morgen Long, North Valley, Violin, Walter Scott, and X Novo. It was a three-hour event, and it took me nearly the entire time to taste through all of the wines. Yes, there were some conversations here and there, but for the most part I would grab a pour, sneak away, contemplate, and write notes. It’s been a while since I’ve had the time to just sit with wine, ponder, and explore. I had a blast, and here are my notes:

Abbott Claim

When I first ran into Alban, he didn’t have his glasses on, and it took me a few seconds to process. He is such a down-to-earth person and so easy to talk with. He mentioned a small Burgundy project he is working on for 2025. Stay tuned for more info in 2027!

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2022 Chardonnay, X Omni

I am loving the stinky nose on this wine. I didn’t realize Chardonnay could be stinky, but I’m loving it! The acidity level here is perfect. There’s acid, but it’s not overly acidic.

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2023 Chardonnay, X Omni

The nose on this wine is seriously grabbing my attention, but it doesn’t have the stinky characteristic I got in the 2022. Again, the acid levels are all there, and I love how it’s not over the top, with hints of spice added in. The finish on this one pops big time!

big table farm

There’s always a long line for big table farm. Brian and Clare are wonderful people, and they’ve worked their patootskis off to get where they are. Both wines use X Omni in the blend. They were pouring the 2022 and 2023 Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, along with the 2023 Chardonnay, Elusive Bee.

I don’t understand big table farm’s wines. There’s something I’m not understanding or processing, and when I sat down to focus on these two wines, I was hyperfocused. I wanted to “get it,” and tasting the Elusive Bee was an over-the-top treat. There’s something about my palate that just doesn’t connect with big table farm, and it makes me incredibly sad. So many people love these wines!

Corollary Wines

I adore everything there is to adore about Dan and Jeanne. If you’re looking for a mountain bike, I think Dan might have something for you. When the doors opened, I was the first person at their table. They were pouring the 2019 and 2020 Blanc de Blancs. I’m building a nice vertical of this wine, and what else is there to say? When I first tasted it in 2021, I fell in love — and I’m still wearing my BdB glasses to this day!

Morgen Long

How many Oregon producers do you know that focus 100% on Chardonnay? There’s only one that I’m aware of, and that’s Seth. His obsession with the variety and his pursuit of perfection show up immensely in the glass.

2022 Chardonnay, X Omni Vineyard

Taking the first sip of this wine, I noticed how light and crisp it is. On the mid-palate, it’s super smooth with the slightest hint of spice, but that finish is something that lingers for an eternity.

2023 Chardonnay, X Omni Vineyard

Comparing this to the 2022, it isn’t as light, but everything is there — and it just blows my socks off. Super solid on every single level!

Violin

Throughout my journeys in wine country, Violin has popped up here and there. It has been on my radar, but I haven’t made the time to dive deeper. This event persuaded me to take a closer look at the wines Will is making. I really enjoyed his wines and heard good things from multiple people during the event.

2022 Pinot Noir, X Omni Vineyard

This was a special wine. The entry was nice and smooth. Darker fruit showed off on the mid-palate with a twinge of spice that built up to an incredibly beautiful finish.

2022 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

When looking at how a wine is created, this was built incredibly well and clearly made to age. I need to dive deeper into all of these wines.

Soter

I could ramble on forever here. Soter is special on so many levels. Chris Fladwood and Jess Arnold were pouring the wines. Chris told me Tony and Craig plotted out the land for X Novo and X Omni together. Soter also has a vineyard next to X Novo called Tarren Vineyard. Chris says 2023 will be the first vintage from this vineyard.

Also, Tony was there talking with everyone. I had never seen Tony in person, and I was fortunate to speak with him for a few minutes. What an honor — a legend in the wine world.

2023 Chardonnay, X Omni Vineyard

This is a wine we need to start a rumor about. I went up to the table asking for it because I didn’t think Soter had a vineyard designate of X Omni. I was right — and the program was wrong. So, the inside joke from now on when you see Chris is to ask for the X Omni Chardonnay that’s hidden under the table.

2022 Chardonnay, Estates

I really enjoyed how the spice was super light on the mid-palate and showed off big time on the finish. The acidity is there and solid, but not overpowering whatsoever.

Walter Scott

The X Novo Chardonnay is the OG for me. Ken and Erica were both pouring. When Ken saw me, we instantly started talking. I had seen him a few weeks prior at the WVWA Auction where they were pouring their Freedom Hill Chard. Oh my goodness — that was also great! One day, I will have a great time interviewing Ken and Erica for the podcast.

2023 Chardonnay, X Novo Chardonnay

I have so many extremely positive curse words about this wine in my journal. Like I said, this is the OG for me. All of those wild, spicy notes hit you on entry, only to intensify on the mid-palate and then slowly fade into one of the longest finishes I had all day.

2023 Pinot Noir, X Novo

This was the last wine I had at the event — and yes, there were more extremely positive curse words in my journal about this wine as well. It had a gorgeous nose full of spice that got me ready for an incredible ride. I thought maybe the spice on the nose would mean an intense mid-palate, but it wasn’t. It was incredibly pleasant, and I loved how the tannins were integrated nicely. If you want to know all of the curse words, you know how to hit reply.

X Novo

I first had X Novo’s Chardonnay at the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration earlier this year. I loved it then and was super excited to try their Pinot Noir.

2021 Chardonnay, X Omni Vineyard

I don’t remember the wild factor on the mid-palate during OCC, but wow — I was soaking it up big time, along with how the acidity wasn’t over the top, but was nicely integrated.

2021 Pinot Noir, X Omni Vineyard

Gorgeous nose through and through. I think I smelled this wine for a solid five minutes before taking a sip. On the mid-palate, there was darker fruit — which I am always a fan of. The body was a little leaner, but not light, with the slightest bit of tannin to show off what the possibilities are for years to come.

And there we have it. Over three thousand words for the newsletter this month. Aren’t you glad I had you grab another cup of coffee before getting your Method Oregon tickets? Wait, what? You didn’t get your tickets? It’s time to fix that and join everyone else who reads the newsletter. I promise it’ll be a blast — and when you see me, come up and say, “A.J. sent me!”

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With Gratitude,

A.J.

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