As a promoter of the Umpqua Valley AVA, it is my never ending job to keep the pressure on the Willamette Valley and the glut of press their wines receive. Most publications focus solely on the WV when referring to Oregon Wine. Take for instance the supposed Oregon Wine Press, which I have renamed the Willamette Pinot Press!
The answer to all this attention is nothing more than MONEY. It is the very same phenomenon as the Napa Valley; they are closest to the largest wine market in the state. More people, more money, more press. And so everyone else gets the table scraps from the banquet of Pinot Noir.
Now if you believed all this press, why bother with any other AVA when it comes to Pinot Noir? The reason is very simple: Good wine is good wine. You can't argue with what's in the bottle even if it has a label other than Willamette Valley. Therefore, when a prominent panel of respected wine professionals, buyers, writers and sommeliers tasted and evaluated 257 Oregon wines it may come as less of a surprise when the 2007 Reustle Prayer Rock Vineyards “Reserve Pinot Noir,” from the Umpqua Valley won Double Gold and landed on the top of the list among all those WV Pinots!!!
The moral of the story is: If you are interested in excellent wine from Oregon then you must expand your horizon beyond the Willamette Valley. If you haven't spent time in the Umpqua Valley then you are denying yourself the wide variety of premium wines available here.
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2 comments:
Wow, as someone who has been in the Oregon wine business for 16 years, and an avid supporter for 25, I am actually surprised at your comments.
To make negative comments about the Willamette Valley wineries is not productive to your cause.
The Oregon wine industry has always worked together, not in opposition to each other.
It is true that there has been far more money put in to the promotion of the wineries further north. But that is not surprising. There are more wineries and more people, therefore, more money.
I have worked for wineries in both areas. The common thread is that we all support each other, not try to one-up each other.
Hopefully you will take time to find out how those of us, who have been in this industry in this state, truly work together.
Best to you on your wine endeavors.
Kathy,
Thanks for your comment. And you are right. I need to clarify what it is I am reacting to. Just let me be clear, it's not the hardworking wine makers of Willamette that rankles me, it's the press.
The thrust of the blog was that the press are ignoring us here in the Umpqua Valley and if they would just report on great wines from Oregon and not focus on the Willamette because that's were the ad money comes mostly from, then people would get a better view of ALL of Oregon's wonderful wine.
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