Dundee Hills Review- END OF SUMMER 2006
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End of Summer Whites Check out the luscious white wines available that are refreshing well into fall months... |
CONTENTS
Letter from owner Dick Erath- "How do you know when it's time to retire?"
Letter from Ste. Michelle Wine Estates President, Ted Baseler
Report from winemaker Gary Horner - "Another Summer in Paradise"
What's Fermenting - Events and happenings at Erath Vineyards - Chef Series 2006!
The Cachet On Us - Recent awards, reviews and press
Cellar Society - Sign up for the Willamette Valley's premiere wine club
The White-Hot Shopping Cart - What's new in the tasting room and gift shop
LAST LETTER FROM DICK
Owner, Dick Erath
How do you know when it’s time to retire? For me, it was realizing that my far-fetched dream had become a reality. I had been lucky enough to go from being called “just plain nuts” for planting wine grapes in the Willamette Valley to owning and operating a successful winery and a nationally recognized brand. The success of Erath, and the rest of the Oregon industry, has exceeded my expectations.
As the winery has grown and I’ve gotten older (seventy-one and still crazy after all these years) it’s become apparent that someone with big plans and high aspirations should carry the brand into the future. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is the company that can and will do that. The name, of course, will still be Erath.
I’d like to personally thank all of you for supporting the Erath brand. It’s been a fulfilling and rewarding journey. And did I mention it’s been great fun?
Since I can’t retire completely, I’ll retain my vineyards and continue to manage other vineyards. Growing grapes in Oregon poses a different challenge in each vintage – and that’s what I love about it. Oh, and don’t forget to ask me about Arizona…
LETTER FROM TED
President, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Ted Baseler
Dear Friends of Erath Vineyards -
We are honored to be able to continue the legacy established by Dick Erath when he chose his first site for Oregon Pinot Noir in 1967. Dick is a true pioneer in American Viticulture, and over the years the Erath wines have become some of the finest produced anywhere. We look forward to being a part of this great tradition.
ANOTHER SUMMER IN PARADISE
Gary Horner, Winemaker
We are definitely into summer. The vines are growing, the sun is shining and we are bottling and bottling and bottling. Specifically we are bottling 2005 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir, a mere 50,000 cases in all. The Estate Selection and single vineyard boutique items, Prince Hill, Juliard, Leland, and for the first time, Neiderberger, will be bottled at a later date. Last year we produced 39,000 cases of 2004 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir and that was not enough to satisfy the demand. We are concerned that 50,000 cases won’t cover it this year. Let’s face it. Pinot noir as a variety is hot. There is a large sucking sound of Oregon Pinot noir evacuating winery warehouses.
The process that leads up to bottling is a complex one. First, it is necessary to uniformly blend the multiple individual lots of wine that comprise the 2005 Oregon Pinot noir blend. We had fifty separate lots since the beginning of harvest. Blending was no small task considering that this year the total blend was 120,000 gallons (50,000 cases) and that our blending tanks range from 2,400 to 6,000 gallons in size. Once the blend has been put together then I take a final look at the wine’s health. What I mean by that is I observe for the presence of any spoilage microbes or suspended particles that may ultimately result in the wine not showing its best. If there are any potentially damaging microbes (which rarely happens at this winery) the wine is filtered. If there are enough suspended solids (very common in a natural beverage) that detract from the wines true softness and roundness then I will also filter those wines. I commented on filtering a year ago in a previous newsletter but it bears repeating. There is a great deal of misinformation regarding filtration out there being spread by wine writers and dare I say winemakers both of whom should know better. The dogma has basically been that non-filtered wines are better than filtered wines. ‘Better’ is in the eye of the beholder. I do not favor the gritty tactile sensation imparted by suspended solids in my wine. I feel it detracts from the beauty of Pinot noir. Shine a focused beam of a flashlight through a glass of an unfiltered wine sometime and you will see the haze. Therefore, I choose to remove these substances through filtration. Filtration of this type does absolutely nothing to the flavor and aroma of the wine. It exclusively impacts the gritty tactile component. Do not be overly influenced by the bottle of wine that says on the label ‘Unfiltered’ as though that moniker magically makes it worth more money or demand a higher level of respect. Drink what you like.
The sound that penetrates every wall of the winery during the course of bottling is the constant clinking of bottles and the rhythmic blast of nitrogen blowing the room air out of the empty bottles and replacing it with inert non-reactive nitrogen. The purpose of the nitrogen is to minimize the uptake of excess oxygen at bottling which could prematurely age the wine in the bottle. It is all about retaining freshness in our Oregon Pinot noir. Next, bottles get filled by a 16 spout filler, pass on to get capped and labeled, then are placed by hand into custom printed cardboard cases. The cases are glued shut then stacked onto wooden pallets for storage and shipment to our various markets. Our $250,000 bottling line is state of the art. Our Cellar master, Jerry Olsen, is the person in the ‘zone’ with this very complicated series of machines. Our cellar crew, Tony Bonofiglio, Colin Howard and Michael Favale together with a 9 member crew made up of talented individuals from our vineyard staff work in harmony to bottle close to 1,700 twelve bottle cases per day. At this rate it will take seven straight weeks to complete this bottling alone. Bottling is monotonous work but one must keep one’s guard up and it must be done right. We work hard all year to make the wine and it would be a shame to stumble at the finish line so to speak.
I hope you enjoy what we are producing.
Until next time,
Gary Horner, Winemaker
PS Readers, the 2005 Pinot noirs are fabulous. They are classic Oregon Pinot noir typified by fresh red fruits, lively acidity and a soft tannin structure. Check out our 2005 Oregon Pinot Noir. It will give you a feel for the vintage and is currently on the retailer’s shelves.
WHAT’S FERMENTING
Events & Happenings at Erath Vineyards
2006 CHEF SERIES: WINE COUNTRY COOKING IN THE DUNDEE HILLS
SERIES FINALE - Thursday, September 14, 6:00 p.m. at Erath Vineyards Winery
Featuring James Beard Foundation's "Best Chef of the Southwest" Chef/Owner Mark Kiffin of The Compund in Santa FeErath is thrilled to close its 2006 Chef Series season with celebrated chef Mark Kiffin stepping into the kitchen up at the winery. Guests will get to enjoy southwest style cuisine starting with passed hors d’oeuvres, four courses followed by a dessert course. Mark’s menu was created with Erath wines in mind. A preview of Mark’s menu includes Oxtail Braised with Sangiovese Tartlettes, Foie Gras Panna Cotta with Caramelized Apricot Compote and Snipped Herbs, and Roasted Rack of New Mexican Lamb with Ragu of Summer Chanterelles (menu items subject to change). Some of the paired wines include current releases, such as the 2005 Pinot Blanc, 2004 Pinot Noir Fuqua Vineyard, 2004 Pinot Noir La Nuit Magique, as well as some library selections including the 2003 Pinot Noir Estate Selection and the 1999 Late Harvest Gewurztraminer.
Limited seating is still available.
Learn more about Chef Mark Kiffin and The Compound in Santa Fe.
Click here for more information on Events at Erath.
THE CACHET ON US
2005 Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc
Critic's Gold. Critic's Challenge International Wine Competition 2006.
2004 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Estate Selection
Silver Medal. San Francisco International Wine Competiton.
CELLAR SOCIETY
Members of the Erath Cellar Society will automatically receive four shipments of wine per year. Each shipment will include a selection of three of our wines, sometimes including pre-releases and special bottlings. Winemaker's notes will accompany the featured wines. In addition, Cellar Society Members will also enjoy a 20% discount off full retail prices when purchasing wine in the tasting room, online, or by telephone. Other benefits of membership include "last call" notifications, so you can stock up on wines in limited quantity, free admission to our Memorial Day and Thanksgiving Festivals, and complimentary tours and tastings at the winery for you and up to five friends (2 per year limit, please call in advance for reservations).Cost per shipment will range from $50 to $75, plus the cost of shipping. Your credit card will be charged automatically with each shipment. Shipments are scheduled to be sent on or near mid-March, mid-May, October 1 and December 1.
Membership in the Erath Cellar Society is a great gift idea! Your friends and family will love it for birthdays, weddings, graduation or as a client gift.
THE WHITE-HOT SHOPPING CART
What’s New In The Tasting Room & Gift Shop
The following new releases, except for the Oregon Pinot Noir, are available only in the Tasting Room.
NEW WINE RELEASES
2005 Oregon Pinot Noir
Often rated as a Best Buy selection, our Oregon Pinot Noir is packed with bright, fresh fruit aromas of cherry, raspberry and blueberry. This 2005 vintage maintains its youthful exuberance with lots of sweet fruit on the palate and hints of spice and vanilla. Wine doesn’t get as versatile with food as this one – great with fish, fowl, beef and pasta. It’s the perfect house red!
50,000 cases produced.
$16 bottle/$163.20 case price (with 15% discount)
2004 Pinot Noir, Fuqua Vineyard
Our first ever single vineyard release from the Fuqua (pronounced foo’kway) Vineyard. A beautiful complex nose of cherry fruit, vanilla, leather and toast is followed up with creamy, silky textured cherry and raspberry fruit on the palate. A great expression of Dundee Hills Pinot Noir character from one of the oldest vineyards in the area.
200 cases produced.
$40 bottle/$408.00 case price (with 15% discount)
2004 Pinot Noir, La Nuit Magique
La Nuit Magique is French for The Magic Night. As winery lore would have it (and what is a winery without some lore) every passionate Pinot Noir winemaker has had that one defining, spell-binding bottle of Pinot Noir that hooked them forever - that one magic night! So we bottle this special cuvee in honor of that Magic Night when wine transcends the moment and becomes immortalized as one of life's great wine experiences.
197 cases produced.
$50.00 bottle/$510.00 case price (with 15% discount)
2005 Oregon Gewurztraminer
This wine has become a kind of cult classic! Crafted with lively fruit and flower scents and a palate full of fruit and spice that evolves and changes with each sip, this wines’s fermentation and aging was completed in older neutral French oak barrels. The finished wine is perfect with Asian cuisine such as Pad Thai or Lemongrass Chicken.
382 cases produced.
$15.00 bottle/$153.00 case price (with 15% discount)
2005 Oregon Dry Riesling
Clean and supple with a hint of nectarine, apple and pine scents. More of these fresh fruit flavors come through on the palate and are balanced by crisp, mouthwatering acidity on the long finish. Great for picnics with fresh fruit, cheese and Asian noodle salads.
754 cases produced.
$15.00 bottle/$153.00 case price (with 15% discount)
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