The wine world, like everything else, changes over time. New appellations pop up across the world; vineyards succeed with grapes that seem wrong for their land; and dynamic new producers emerge. All of which can complicate a wine geek’s attempt to keep it straight, but offers great opportunities for consumers to try something different and maybe find some new favorites.
For example, take Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Most folks think Pinot Noir when they think of Willamette and leave it at that. Of course, when the Pinot Noir “pioneers” introduced the grape to the region in the ‘70s, the “experts” said that it would never work. Evidently, the experts were wrong. And Riesling doesn’t come to mind when we think of Willamette Valley, but we selected one anyway for our wine of the week.
The Willamette Valley AVA begins just south of Portland and is roughly 120 miles long by 60 miles wide. It’s bordered on the west by the Coast Range, and on the east by the Cascades. Willamette Valley feels different from most wine regions. First, the vineyards are scattered among farms, orchards and roadside fruit stands. And you won't find large wineries here; most are small- to medium-sized, family-run operations.
- An AVA is an “American Viticultural Area,” a relatively rudimentary version of the French appellation system. Unlike the French system, AVAs typically cover relatively large areas and have very few restrictions on the types of grapes that can be grown.
- Until recently the Willamette Valley AVA contained seven smaller “sub-AVAs.” With the 2020 addition of the Laurelwood District and Tualatin Hills there are now nine sub-AVAs, with each potentially having its own personality. The other seven are Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton and the Van Duzer Corridor. If you want to learn more about these areas, and Willamette Valley wines generally, click here.
- Why should you care about the sub-AVAs? That’s a good question. In theory, the relatively small ones, such as the Willamette sub-AVAs, should exhibit their own unique personalities.
Our wine of the week is a 2018 Stoller Single Acre Riesling ($30 retail). (The picture above shows the Stoller vineyards in Dundee Hills. ) This is a very nice wine, with a style distinct from Rieslings produced in other regions. It's dry, although the fruit gives it a sense of sweetness. But, you won’t confuse it with a sweeter off-dry German Riesling. The wine has aromas of nectarines, citrus and honeysuckle. The palate is medium-bodied and nicely balanced, with bright acidity and notes of pear, nectarine and citrus. This wine has a relatively low 12.5 percent alcohol level and an interesting medium finish.
- It makes a great aperitif and pairs well with poultry, pork and even ham. I’d give it a try with Asian food, including moderately spicy dishes.
- The Stoller Riesling is made in small quantities, so it may be hard to find. Don’t let that discourage you – if you find a Willamette Riesling give it a try!
Cheers!
Cheers! Happy Halloween! 🍷🎃