Travel Oregon Blog

Moving Past Pinot

An LA Times article about Oregon wine last month described the place where it all began — the Willamette Valley — as: “a sensuous terrain of smooth-shouldered, voluptuous hills and languorous green valleys lined with fragrant forests of spruce, fir and pine… arguably the finest place in the country to grow Pinot Noir.”

In honor of Oregon Bounty, OPB’s Think Out Loud recently featured an introspective on the Oregon wine industry. Featuring panelists including Jason Lett (Eyrie Vineyards), David Adelsheim (Adelsheim Vineyards) and Eric Hamacher (Carlton Winemakers Studio), the show examined the storied past of Oregon’s wine industry and explores how the industry continues to push the limitations of its boundaries.

Listen to the entire show below and join in on the conversation on the Think Out Loud site.

In this show we’ll talk about the heritage of wine in Oregon — including a discussion about its founder, David Lett, who passed away last month, leaving his son to run Eyrie Vineyards — and then move forward to what’s happening now: Tempranillo and other “big reds” in Southern Oregon, a Reisling resurgence, and even vineyards popping up in Central Oregon.

Tags: Carlton Winemaker Studio, David Lett, Eyrie Vineyards, Helvetia Vineyards, Oregon wine, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley