Wait, wait, wait – what clones? Makes wine sound like some kind of science-fiction plot from Lucas Films, right? And just when you thought all you needed to know were some basic French (noir, blanc, gris) color words to get you through Pinot.

Yes clones! In fact there are thought to be thousands of clones and mutations of Pinot noir around the world. The grape itself is highly prone to mutation given it’s surroundings and external circumstances, so just as little as moving vines from one location to another can trigger a change over time. There are certain clones that produce better wines than others, and so these are the ones that growers have tried to propagate and reproduce. Some have names like Pommard, referring back to one of the Burgundian Pinot Powerhouses, but others are just left with strings of numbers – as is the case with 667, 777 and 115.

Both 667 and 777 are considered top level Dijon clones (Ack! so many Burgundian references! You’d think they had something to do with wine!) They are blended primarily to create long-aging, well-structured wines. These 115 and Pommard are what Seven of Hearts uses for the Luminous Hills label.

2008 Estate Grown Pinot Noir Luminous Hills – Yamhill-Carlton

Appearance: Clear with very slight haze, rose or cherry red to a clear rim

Nose: Clean, spice, cayenne, dark fruit, perfumed, spiced fruit, saffron

Palate: Dry, medium acid and tannin, red cherry, strawberry, cranberry, some dried fruit, black raspberry, long finish

This wine is made from a blend of Pommard, 667 and 115. It really intrigued me with some of the spice characteristics that it offered. Byron explained how the fruit was drive by the 667 which is grown at higher elevation on volcanic soils while that spice we noticed was from the other two clones grown at lower elevation on more sedimentary soils.

2008 Estate Grown Pinot Noir, Lux, Luminous Hills – Yamhill-Carlton

Appearance: Clear, medium cranberry to clear rim

Nose: Clean, green vegetal, minerality, ripe red fruit, black cherry, herbaceous

Palate: Dry, medium acid and body, medium-low softer tannin, red fruit, strawberry, vegetable, raspberry, black cherry, spice, long finish

The Lux is then a blend of Pommard and 777 clones. The former is grown at lower elevation on sedimentary soil and the latter at higher elevation on volcanic base. Here I enjoyed the earth-driven minerality along with the tighter green vegetal characteristics.

So while it may be more of a clone party than a clone war (Sorry Mr. Lucas, we won’t be needing you after all. Dolly was cheaper), Pinot Noir clones definitely all offer some specific advantages and characteristics. I’d be really keen on a situation where you could taste each clone side by side, and if I ever find somewhere to do so I’ll be sure to write all about it.

Thanks for reading, and thank you to the Dooleys and Seven of Hearts for the great wines.

Cheers!

Ryan Reichert is originally from Northeast Ohio and recently relocated to the Willamette Valley where he works as the Tasting Room Manager at Trisaetum Winery in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. He has received both his Intermediate and Advanced certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and is also a certified French wine enthusiast and Spanish Wine Educator. Ryan strives to learn all he can about wine and to share his passion with everyone. You can read more of Ryan’s work at http://www.oe-no-phile.com where he posts about many wine related topics.

Today we’ll explore four different Pinot noirs which we tasted in their Carlton tasting room with owner and wine maker Byron Dooley. As mentioned, Byron’s focus is to create wines that reflect the old-world French styles of Pinot noir from Burgundy. So let’s start by briefly exploring this famous French region.

First and foremost, I love maps, and this is a useful one showing most of Burgundy.

Divided into five major districts - Chablis (not shown above), Côte d’Or, Côte Chalonnaise, Mâconnais, and Beaujolais – you’ll find mostly Chardonnay and Pinot noir being produced. Gamay is grown as well, but primarily in Beaujolais, famous for those bright red, bubble-gum first wines of the year released in November. Chablis and the Mâconnais are renowned for their Chardonnays, but you’ll also find Chard alongside Pinot in the Côte d’Or (meaning golden slopes) and Chalonnaise. The terroir of any of these regions is characterized by many things including the climate, weather, soils, and growing conditions.

The climate of Burgundy is classified as continental and the region experiences harsh winters and hot summers. Weather is largely moderated by the range of mountains to the west, the Massif Central. This range offers protection from inclement weather leading up to harvest season. Regarding soil you’ll find predominately calcium rich clay, lime based marl, and granite. Chardonnay, Pinot noir, and Gamay are focused on these respectively.

Vineyard location is a driving force behind these wines, and over the centuries they have been bought, sold, bequeathed, and divided. For this reason, much of the wines are produced by co-op cellars or négociants who accumulate smaller plots from owners and combine their harvests under one label. Naming convention reflects where the fruit was sourced, and varies from region wide Burgundy AC, to Districts, and Communes. This is comparable to how we indicate Oregon wine versus that from the Willamette Valley or from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA.

Focusing on the Pinot noir, wines possess rich fruit characteristics in youth (strawberry, cherry, plum) and are considered age worthy (some 15-20 years!), allowing more complex floral, smoky, vegetal, mushroom, earth-driven attributes. Because Pinot noir is a thin skinned grape it is sensitive and difficult to grow. Also, with low tannin levels, stems are sometimes included in vinification to give additional structure. The region’s climate is responsible for a wide range in quality year after year. We’ll see this and more plays an equally large role in Oregon Pinot noir at Seven of Hearts.

2007 Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills AVA

Appearance: Clear, pale strawberry red to clear rim

Nose: Clean, light intensity, cherry-vanilla, light earthiness

Palate: Dry, light body, medium-low acid, short finish, light cherry cola/cough syrup, rhubarb, strawberry

This was the first Pinot noir Byron poured us. It is a blend of two different vineyards from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. One vineyard is from the southern end and planted on Nekkia soil, and the other is located at the northern end of the region planted on Saum soil. It definitely is lighter in style but had almost a sweetness in the fruit flavors. There was a nice balance between the fruit and the oak, though the finish was not extremely long given lower acidity and tannin.

2008 Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills AVA

Appearance: Medium-pale cranberry red to clear rim

Nose: Clean, dark fruit, ripe cherry, smoky – like cured meats, soft spiciness

Palate: Dry, medium-low tannin, dark cherry, medium-low alcohol, strawberry, spice, subtle finish

This is the same AVA as previous wine, though the quantities from the two vineyards are slightly different given the harvest. With more of a smoky character this wine offers a little more personality than the 2007, perhaps because 2007 was not seen as a great vintage? The fruit was a bit more intense, and it was an interesting comparison between the two vintages. As a side note, Byron pointed out that more cluster fermentation was possible in this vintage, which may have helped impart some of the more smoky characteristics on the nose.

2008 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley AVA (Eola-Amity Hills and Yamhill-Carlton)

Appearance: Clear, medium-pale cranberry to clear rim

Nose: Clean, medium intensity, cranberry, cherry, vegetal, red fruit

Palate: Dry, medium body, medium alcohol, medium-low tanning with soft grip, full red fruit, cherry, raspberry, ripe strawberry, medium-light finish

Though this wine is labeled as being Willamette Valley Byron informed that the fruit was only soured from two vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA and some from his Luminous Hills Vineyard (Yamhill-Carlton AVA). Given state wine laws however, you cannot list a specific appellation/vineyard name on your wine unless a certain proportion comes from that location. Additional tannin gave this bottle a little more structure, and I could definitely see it aging well. Probably the best balance between fruit and vegetal/earth attributes.

2007 Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills AVA – The Cost Vineyard

Appearance: Medium-pale, cranberry-amber color, slightly faded rim

Nose: Clean, earth, dark fruit, bold aromas, toasted, medium high intensity, caramel, cooked milk and sugar

Palate: Dry, medium acidity, medium-low tannin, smoky, spice, light red cherry, cranberry, soft finish

The last Pinot noir in this flight (though we’ll have two more featured tomorrow which are estate grown, second labels) this bottle is soured from a particular vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Presenting a nice balance between fruit, earth, and oak this wine showed some really interesting characteristics (the caramel especially).

I think each of the four wines we sampled here definitely pay homage to the classic wines of Burgundy – fruit and earth, finesse and structure. Though I also think they exemplify the beauty of Oregon Pinot noir – offering easy to drink, fruit forward wines that are not bold or over the top. Pinot is a delicate but fickle grape. However it does well growing in both the Côte d’Or and the Willamette Valley, where wine makers are working to reflect the best wines they can. Seven of Hearts is doing a good job striking a balance between old and new world.

Cheers!

Ryan Reichert is originally from Northeast Ohio and recently relocated to the Willamette Valley where he works as the Tasting Room Manager at Trisaetum Winery in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. He has received both his Intermediate and Advanced certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and is also a certified French wine enthusiast and Spanish Wine Educator. Ryan strives to learn all he can about wine and to share his passion with everyone. You can read more of Ryan’s work at http://www.oe-no-phile.com where he posts about many wine related topics.

Inspired by classical French wine labels, the wines at Seven of Hearts depict an old playing card embellished with a crest-like image of one of the couple’s cats, Seven.

I’ll be sharing my tasting notes for these wines in thee parts this week – our first tasting notes will cover the two whites that Byron shared with us.

2008 Seven of Hearts Chardonnay
Evenglade Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton AVA

Appearance: Clear, pale golden yellow

Nose: Clean, lemon and citrus, soft apple, minerality, sea salt, granite, mustard seed

Palate: Dry, medium acidity and body, soft vanilla, gentle citrus, soft yellow apple with a medium finish

Burgundian Chardonnay, notably from Chablis (not to be confused for Carlo Rossi), combines aspects that are dry and steely yet still rich and fruity. Milder climate, similar to that of Oregon, creates higher acidity and makes the wine a great pairing to shellfish.

Terroir is derived from Kimmeridgean soil, composed of limestone and fossils which results in fruit that produces those chalky, steel, mineral qualities mentioned. The ‘08 Chardonnay by comparison is well matched with it’s inspiration and would also make a great pairing to seafood. Regarding soil, Willakenzie is one of the three major soil types in this area and is similar to Kimmeridgean having high deposits of oceanic sediment.

This is the first Oregon Chardonnay that I think I’ve tried since moving here. Most of the white wine I’ve had at other tasting rooms/events has been either Pinot Gris or Riesling. I think that Seven of Hearts has definitely done a fine job in expressing the terroir with this wine. The minerality is well balanced to the fruity characteristics, and it is not overly oaked.

2008 Seven of Hearts Chatte d’Avignon
Viognier 75% | Roussanne 25%
Columbia Valley AVA

Appearance: Clear, medium golden yellow

Nose: Clean, ginger, citrus, floral, green apple, peach pit

Palate: Dry, medium-low acidity, medium-full body, citrus, stone fruit, ripe apple, medium finish

Moving from Burgundy, the white wines of the Rhône Valley are responsible for inspiring this white blend. Viognier is grown nearly exclusively in the northern Rhône and famous for the rare wines from the Condrieu AOC. Pronounced foral qualities are very common for the variety. Blending of two varieties, Marsanne and Roussanne is while not permitted in Condrieu, is approved in other areas for both red (Syrah based) and white wines. Blending imparts further aromatics, acidity, and aging ability to a wine.

The Chatte d’Avignon (a reference to the papacy’s former home situated in the Rhône delta) offers some of the aromatics one might expect in a Rhône wine, though a little softer around the edges. The acidity however is great, and along with the wine’s richness I definitely would love to pair it with food. The first thing that comes to mind is a savory ratatouille, a vegetable based stew originating in southern France. I don’t recommend pairing it with rat, though that might be something Seven the cat would prefer.

Check back next week as we explore five Pinot noirs made by Seven of Hearts, and discuss their old-world influence.

Cheers!

Ryan Reichert is originally from Northeast Ohio and recently relocated to the Willamette Valley where he works as the Tasting Room Manager at Trisaetum Winery in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. He has received both his Intermediate and Advanced certifications from the Wine & Spirits Education Trust, and is also a certified French wine enthusiast and  Spanish Wine Educator. Ryan strives to learn all he can about wine and to share his passion with everyone. You can read more of Ryan’s work at http://www.oe-no-phile.com where he posts about many wine related topics.

So, when Travel Lane County invited me to be their guest at the Fifth Annual Oregon Truffle Festival this past weekend in Eugene, it took about five seconds to say “yes.”

I learned lots, including the fact that while three types of truffles (white, black and brown) are currently harvested in the Pacific Northwest, there are over 350 species living in these same forests. White truffles are found from northern California to southern British Columbia and are called Oregon White Truffles. That’s what we were after. They fruit twice a year: the “spring” bloom from January through June, and the “autumn” from October to January.

My truffle adventure started with a trip to a former Christmas tree farm outside of Cottage Grove, south of Eugene. Douglas Firs, it seems, are the perfect breeding ground for the Oregon truffle. Zoe the truffle dog wasted little time proving we were in the right spot.

I was joined by a few dozen other truffle hunters — young and old. We learned to be nimble in moving the mulch of fir needles, in hopes of finding treasure just below the surface.

Dogs help maintain sustainable truffle patches…they only signal where the mature fruit is hiding, protecting young tubers from indiscriminate raking.

When washed, a white truffle looks like a small heirloom potato, with skin similar in appearance to a crimini mushroom. Although the hard freeze last December appears to have stunted the bloom, I was able to dig up a handful of small morsels and take them home.

After the truffle hunt, we headed to Sweet Cheeks Winery for an all-truffle lunch prepared by John Newman of Newman’s at 988 in Cannon Beach.

General Manager Lorrie Normann and winemaker Mark Nicholl poured their 2007 Pinot noir, 2008 Chardonnay and Pinot gris, and non vintage sparkling wine… all great matches with the menu.

The crab ravioli with shaved white truffle was to die for.

Poached pear with black truffle mascarpone cheese topped off the meal. Yum.

After lunch, we headed back to the Valley River Inn for a much needed rest before the next event: the grand dinner prepared by several of the state’s top chefs: Philippe Boulot of the Heathman Hotel and Bar, Naomi Pomeroy of Beast, Gabriel Rucker of Le Pigeon, and Pascal Sauton of Carafe, all hosted Rocky Maselli of Eugene’s Marche. The menu was seven courses of truffle heaven, prepared and served beautifully with Willamette Valley wines.

If you’re serious about food, and want to learn just about everything there is to know about truffles, start making plans now for the 2011 Oregon Truffle Festival, which happens at the end of January.

Leaving with my treats!

One of the things that makes me love  Oregon so much is that there always seems to be something new to try. And, if it’s food or beverage related, you can bet I’ll be on of the first in line to try it. This is why I was especially thrilled to find a couple new treats at the recent Oregon Wine, Food & Brew Festival at the Oregon State Fairgrounds.

Treat One: Herbes de Provence Havarti from Willamette Valley Cheese Company. I would very much like to thank my coworker Linea for introducing me to this cheese. I’m an Herbes de Provence enthusiast and am often looking for ways to incorporate this into my cooking. Thankfully, I can now incorporate it into my snacking, preferably with a glass of wonderful Oregon Pinot Noir.

Treat Two: Gilgamesh Brewing Black Mamba AND Chocolate Mint Stout. You might say that all beer is brewed using hops, but you would be wrong. Black Mamba is brewed with earl grey tea leaves which makes the beer smell AMAZING. It tastes amazing, too. You might also say that mint has no place in beer, and you would also be wrong. I loved the Chocolate Mint Stout so much that I brought home a growler. It’s like liquid dessert.

Treat Three: 2005 Pinot Noir Reserve from Methven Family Vineyards. My description of this wine won’t do it justice. Methven’s website describes it as, “Young now, the sweet palate is high-toned with red and black fruits intertwined in a mouthwatering and juicy red raspberry and cherry silky texture, echoing the smoky and pungent aromas in the mouth with saddle leather and pipe tobacco.” I say it’s delectable. I’ll leave it at that.

Next year’s Oregon Wine, Food & Brew Festival is already on the books for January 7 & 8, I think it would be a good idea to put it on your calendar right now.

Find even more foodie events.

Every year around Thanksgiving, many Oregonians gather around holiday tables groaning with turkey, and enjoy a sumptuous feast accompanied by some of the spectacular vintages. But alas! After the meal is done, many wine cellars are rather depleted. So what better way to stock up than to take advantage of the Thanksgiving Open House weekend at the wineries?

I created a random tour group of winery visitors by sending out a request on Facebook, and was pleased to have several friends reply. I was joined by my friend Liz and Jennifer, and we pointed the car westward from Portland to take advantage of the wine country’s proximity to Oregon’s biggest city.

Our first stop was at Four Graces Winery, named after the daughters of the owner. Upon pulling into the parking lot, we were immediately greeted and directed to the tasting area. Liz and Jennifer enjoyed some white wines which they sipped by the hearty outdoor fireplace, a nice touch on a cool day!

Inside, they tasted several other wines, including Pinot Noirs, for which Oregon is famous. Then, it was on to our next adventure. Consulting several wine guides and publications, the unanimous decision was to strike farther west to the small town of Carlton. Back when I went to college, this town, while quaint, was hardly a destination point. But now, no less than 13 wineries have tasting rooms nearby, which made Carlton an ideal stopping point to sample a wide array of wares.

We parked outside of the Tyrus Evan tasting room, housed in what used to be theold Carlton train depot. It was packed, and the wines were spectacular. Even though I was the designated driver, that didn’t stop me from going into a buying frenzy, and I purchased a bottle of their 2006 Ciel du Cheval Claret. Jennifer and Liz were tasting a variety of other wines, and nibbling on the sumptuous hors d’ouevres available to tasting guests.

Our next stop took us to my personal winery favorite: Scott Paul winery. I had first discovered this boutique wine maker when they were a part of the famous Carlton Winemakers Studio during a previous Thanksgiving open house several years ago, and fell in love with their La Paulee Pinot Noir. Trying not to gush, I talked to the tasting room staff, and mentioned that I LOVED this wine. Needless to say, I walked out of there with two bottles of the 2007 La Paulee and an etched wine glass. Then, one of the staff pointed to a gentleman standing in a corner, helping pour. She said, “That’s Scott Wright – the winemaker. “

Giddy as a school girl, I got a photo with Mr. Wright, who then generously autographed one of my purchases from the tasting room staff. It isn’t too often (except in Oregon) when you can meet the actual wine maker and talk to them about their craft and the wine that they make. I was pretty excited (as Jennifer and Liz can attest).

We moved on to Solena Cellars, and learned more about some additional wines, and I purchased a 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. It was tough not being able to taste, but Liz and Jennifer swished their tasting glasses and let me smell the bouquet. It was pretty awesome.

Our final winery stop was at the Seven of Hearts Winery, with yet another owner/winemaker, Byron Dooley, pouring his wines for visitors. His wife, Dana, stood behind the Honest Chocolates counter in the tasting room, which made this a stop made in heaven for any foodie! Byron doled out the appropriate chocolate paired with just the right wine to really brighten up the palates of the tasters. Our little tour group had fallen in love with the story about the name of the winery, named after a cat adopted from a cat shelter that had stolen the Dooley’s hearts.

To cap the day (and clear the minds), Liz, Jennifer and I stopped at the Cielo Blu cafe for lunch. Upon sitting down, the wait staff immediately brought over hot rosemary bread fresh out of the oven, and I melted. They were delicious, as were our tasty Italian-style lunches that were a perfect end to our wine tour.

A delightful day with great friends, and some wonderful wines to enjoy throughout the winter. I can’t wait until the Memorial Day Open House at the wineries now!!

This November, we’re also celebrating the very first Native American Heritage Month with several opportunities to experience our nine federally recognized tribes’ lifestyles and traditions.

We’ve also got a fabulous appetizer recipe that would be perfect for your Thanksgiving celebration as well as one last chance to enter to win an Oregon Bounty Getaway.

See you in Oregon, where we’re planning our Thanksgiving Weekend Winery Tour.

Tell us…what’s your favorite winter culinary find in Oregon?

More information about Ingredients

Not only were the views stunning from the hilltop looking over fields of grapes on the
vines below, but they were pressing grapes for chardonnay and the air was permeated with the sweetness of fresh, crisp grapes. A crowd had gathered on the lawn overlooking the vines and we headed inside for a taste. We opted for the $10 special, a fruit white, a chardonnay with hints of subtle pears and two reds covering the palate of pomegranates and berries. Divine.

When you can’t go to Tuscany, an hour outside of Portland hits the spot. We left Tuscany, for Japan and headed down the road to Torii Mor, known for their Pinot Noir and Japanese gardens. After a White flight of three smooth white wines we wandered out into the garden to a table in the shade. The perfect location for a girl’s day conversation and lots of laughter. Before we knew it we were rolling through hills of vineyards on an Indian summer’s day dancing to the radio and anticipating the final winery. We landed at Erath and didn’t even make it inside. We stood in awe at the landscape, the rolling hills in afternoon sun, the smell of warm red dirt and grapes, the whooshing of wind through the leaves. It was utterly breathtaking and the perfect photo opt. We stood taking it all in and for a moment and feeling like the world stood still long enough to let us imagine we were transported to the far away wine country of Europe. A heavenly Saturday.

Sarah McMurray is a wanderlust, a hopeful romantic, an artist, a writer and a passionate connoisseur of coffee and culture. She holds a BA from Seattle Pacific University and has been transitioning from higher education to the non-profit sector. Currently she resides in Bend, Oregon where she feels she is the luckiest girl in the world to call herself a native.

Read this great story by our friends at WineCountry.com. Their “Top 10″ list will have you eagerly planning your next escape to meet the winemakers and explore the quaint towns of Oregon’s wine country.

Wine hasn’t been big in Oregon’s bucolic Willamette Valley for long – in fact, it was only in the 60s that the first plantings were made in what is now considered by many to be some of the most hallowed ground for wine production in the world. With a cool, moist climate that favors Pinot Noir in particular, the region just an hour’s drive from Portland has fast turned into one of the most exciting places to swirl, sip and savor your way through wine country. Read on for my top ten wines tasted on a recent visit. >>Full Story