Can Willamette Become the Next Napa?

Can Oregon’s Willamette Valley become the next Napa? Will the rolling hills and red soil be dotted with limousines and tour buses much like California’s famed wine region?

I made my second visit in a year to the Willamette in April and remain much taken by its simplicity and charm. I had the chance to talk to winemakers/owners in three different wineries.

Napa Valley has lost some of its charm because of tourism, many have argued. Indeed, during a 2006 summer visit to Napa, I was a surprised by the size of the tasting rooms, the number of tourists visiting.

The Willamette has big weekends similar to Napa around Memorial Day and the weekend prior to Thanksgiving. It certainly is more spread out than Napa and has a certain feel of agriculture and small business. The Valley features fabulous Pinot Noir, beautiful tasting rooms but in a 2008 summer visit and brief April visit I didn’t see near the crowds.

But do the wine people think further growth is a good or bad thing?

“If you’re trying to sell wine it’s a good thing,” said Craig Baker, who owns Ancient Cellars wine with brother Chris. “I think it will continue to grow. People have said the Willamette Valley is the next Napa-type thing. I guess we can always get too much of a good thing but now it’s more specific times.”

Baker just released a Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. He works for a large wine production facility but started his own label with brother Chris, who lives in Fishers, Indiana. Chris helps market the wine which is available in Indiana.
But not everyone is welcoming the tourist crunch.

“Fear,” is how Donna Morris and Bill Sweat, owners of Winderlea Winery in the Dundee Hills, answered in unison. “I think most people who are here are here for the love of the vineyards and the love of the grapes that these vineyards produce,” Morris said. “For a lot of the people it’s the attention to and the love of artisan winemaking. If you look around here everybody is making 1,000-5,000 cases. I think people are passionate about quality. It’s very hands on. It’s a very communal group of people and very collegial. People are willing to work with you but expect you to make a good product.”

Jesse Lange, general manager and winemaker for Lange Estate Vineyards, differs from both of the previous opinions. He just doesn’t think it’s going to happen. “I don’t know if those fears have any basis. Most of Oregon’s wineries are still very small productions. I think Kendall Jackson makes more wine that what we do as a state. Even our biggest wineries in Oregon are pretty small by California standards. We don’t make enough to ever be a drop in the bucket compared to our neighbors in California.”

Still, and particularly if you enjoy Pinot Noir, Oregon is a delightful place to visit. There is a less-rushed pace and I love that when you enter the tasting room it just might be the owner or winemaker pouring the wine.

I have more about Ancient Cellars and Winderlea in my blog (linked at above right) and reviews of wines I’m drinking each week.

Howard W. Hewitt, Crawfordsville, is a former newspaper editor and writer who considers himself a wine enthusiast.

Wine Shops Reacting to Tough Economic Times

Tough economic times require creative thinking, flexibility, and a business person’s best instincts. That list probably gets longer for small, retail wine shops.

Finding a wine shop or two you’re comfortable with is one of the best steps to improving your wine knowledge and broadening your palate. The economic downturn is tough for small business. You need to get into your wine stores and support them. On the other hand, many of those stores are re-thinking their product strategy that plays right to your pocketbook.

Ashley Lockwood and husband Rob Ventura own two retail stores in Indianapolis. Ashley worked in wholesale and retail wine sales in Los Angeles and Chicago from 1998-2005. When she moved to Indianapolis in 2005, she opened her Broad Ripple store and recently added a second location in Carmel.


The tough times have been reflected in her customer’s buying habits.

“Many of our "wall wine" (over $15) regulars are now shopping mostly off the floor (under $15.) Our under $10 wines are flying off the shelves,” Lockwood said. “When we first opened, I had a couple of $6.99 wines that just didn't move because people thought they were too cheap. Now we can't keep our $6.99 wines in stock.”

I’ve heard the same themes from other retailers –wine shop owners and buyers are working harder to find wines you can’t buy in the grocery store, but at grocery store prices.

“I quadrupled the number of under $10 selections, and discontinued many of the $14.99 and even $13.99 wines,” Lockwood said. “We dedicated an entire corner of the store to $6.99 wines. I am buying larger quantities of wines in order to get the prices down. When we find great deals on closeout (from wholesalers), we buy everything they have.”

Just like any other business, the wine industry feels the pinch from winery, to wholesaler, to retail. Most wholesalers have product to move so smart retailers can get good buys to pass to their customers.

“Often (close-out lists) are wines I already know so I grab them,” Lockwood said. “Sometimes I am looking for a particular bargain (under $15 Pinot Noir or under $15 Chianti). If there is a wine that fits that profile, I will do some research on scores and reviews and then request a sample. For a lot of the smaller distributors, they approach us with specific wines they aren't moving and offer a deal. Many of the wines we have that are under $8 weren't originally that inexpensive.”

I have recently found some great under-$10 wines. I got this column idea in Ashley’s store during a recent visit. Husband Rob talked up an Italian Chardonnay. It was light and tasty. I bought a full case of a Spanish Monastrell. That grape (similar to Grenache or Syrah) will be new to most of you, but it illustrates why finding a retailer or knowledgeable wine person is so valuable. Both of these wines were $6.99. I have tasted a lot of $13-$17 wines not nearly as balanced and full-flavored as these two examples.

“Finding under $8 wine isn't hard,” Lockwood mused, “but finding under $8 wine I would take home and drink can be!"

A Visit to Oregon's Lange Winery

DUNDEE HILLS, Oregon – During a recent business trip to Oregon I had the opportunity to travel the Willamette Valley. The valley is home to some of the world’s best Pinot Noir.


I usually keep the columns and blogging to the under $25 price point, but I had a really special visit to the Lange Winery and thought I’d use that experience to explain price points and also to share a winemaker’s insights into great Pinot.

Many of the great Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc white wines made in Oregon are under the $20 price point. Most of the Pinot Noir is priced over $30, but many wineries have at least one bottling that will be $30 or under.

In virtually every public talk or conversation I’ve done on wine, I get asked about the difference between a $10 bottle and a $40 bottle of wine. It’s about the quality and craftsmanship that goes into the winemaking and it shows in the taste.

Industry publications Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast have praised Lange Winery as one of the best. I spent time with Jesse Lange, whose parents Don and Wendy started the winery in 1987. Jesse farms the vineyards and makes the wine with his father. He also serves as the winery’s general manager.

See a few extra photos from my visit by clicking here.

“It’s really critical in making Pinot Noir to make it in very small increments,” Lange said. “We do the farming in very small increments. You’re able to pay attention to things at a level I don’t think a lot of winemakers get to do. Pinot Noir is so expressive, there’s a range of flavors and elements of complexity. It’s the ultimate winemakers challenge to both grow and make.”

While large production wineries will blend wines in vats the size of a farm silo, Lange blends their Pinot Noir no more than three barrels at a time.

“I describe what we do as sustainable farming, small artisanal winemaking, focusing on quality not quantity,” Lange said. “We’re looking to make classical wines that have a lot of the fruit elements of Pinot Noir and the spicy elements of Pinot Noir. There is a hedonistic side to wine drinking that I think every wine drinker can appreciate from the total beginner to the expert.


“I want to make sure when people have a glass of our wine they say ‘Wow, I want another glass.’ I think our style really plays well because our wines are well balanced with a lot of fruit, great palate texture, and richness without being over the top.”

Lange produced 14,000 cases of wine last year. In comparison many of the big California winemakers, names you’d recognize, make more wine in one facility than all of Oregon’s wineries combined.

The secret of Oregon wines, and especially Lange’s Dundee Hills’ wine, is the environment. To wine geeks, that’s terrior. “That means place,” Lange said of the French term. “It’s a very broad all-encompassing term that includes soil, climate, heat units, elevation, but also encompasses the wine grower’s philosophy about farming. Certain wines from a certain place and a certain varietal really showcase that.

“The secret is the place, without question. You can only grow world class Pinot Noir in about five places. You just can’t grow world class Pinot anywhere.”

Fortunately for Hoosiers, you can buy Lange wines in our state. They have a beautiful Pinot Gris around $16 and an award-winning Pinot Gris Reserve at $22. The reserve was the best Gris I tasted during my two-day visit.

They also have a reasonably priced Pinot Noir. The 2007 Lange Willamette Valley Pinot can be found in Indiana for about $24. They have other bottlings of reserve and estate wines that range from $30-$60 which is consistent with most Oregon premium wine producers.

To progress in your wine drinking and to understand boutique wineries and real handcrafted wines, try a Lange Pinot Noir. Or try an Oregon Pinot Noir recommended at your wine shop.

For Jesse Lange the most important thing is creating wines that are correct to that terroir. “I don’t want anybody to taste our wines to say I really like it because it tastes like Cabernet or it’s like Syrah. I want it to be its own and be an Oregon Pinot Noir.”

His explanation on the attention to detail was probably best in an off-handed remark he’s obviously used before as we walked the grounds near the beautiful overlook of the valley. “We want to be more like Audrey Hepburn than Marilyn Monroe.”

Taste, Taste, Taste

Any wine shop owner, winery hospitality worker, and even a newspaper columnist/blogger will tell you the best way to learn more about wine is pretty simple.

Taste. Taste. Taste.


There are lots of ways to do that but don’t overlook the simplest approach. During the warmer weather months many of us have friends over for a cookout or gathering. How about adding a couple different bottles of wine and spend some time before or after just talking about what you’re drinking? That is a wine tasting in its easiest form.

But if you are serious about your wine or just would like to be more serious you need one person who has a little more knowledge. You might have a friend who fits that category but the easiest way is check with any retail wine shop. There is no better way to sell wine than let people taste wine.

The base of my wine knowledge started with wine tastings. One of the very best is Dean Wilson in Indianapolis. Deano has been doing tastings since 1997. And he has some definite opinions about what people should look for at a wine tasting.

“We take the guess work out of it for the consumer,” Wilson said. “We keep it seasonal. Right now we’re doing heavier style whites and lighter style reds. Come summer time we’re still doing lighter style reds and lighter style whites like Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Grigio. In the summer we do bigger bolder whites like chardonnay. In the fall, we’re getting into ports, tawny ports. At Christmas time, we’re doing ports, and bigger style reds and obviously the bubbly or champagne right before the New Year.”

Wilson said it’s sort of like wine for dummies – taking the guess work out of what wines work best with the season.

Jill Ditmire, owner of the Mass Ave. Wine Shop in Indianapolis, has a similar approach to the taste, taste, and taste philosophy. “You can read reviews, watch videos, listen to others but your palate is your best buy indicator. Go to tastings.”

Both wine shop owners said encouraging people to try new things is the real key. “Too many people think all there is in the wine world is Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay,” Ditmire said. “I love it when someone samples a Tempranillo or Malbec and says ‘wow, that tastes so different.’ “


Deano takes the wine drinkers moving away from entry level wines and tries to ease the transition. “We like to let them know that some of the top entry level wines are over sugared,” he said. “So when people say they get hangovers or headaches from drinking wine, I say life is too short to drink cheap wine.”

But Ditmire and Wilson agree there are so many easily affordable options.

“I try to steer the consumer to new world wines like Australian Shiraz because the fruit is sweeter up front and you still have the dry residual finish on the back,” Wilson said.

In the end, the best wine is the wine you like.

“Anyone who tries to tell you what you should drink doesn’t know much at all,” Ditmire added. “We each experience wine differently. A good wine is one you like. A bad wine is one you don’t like.”

So check with your nearby wine shop and get to their tastings. It will open up an entirely new world of wine for you and really pique your interest in discovering new wines.

Howard’s Pick:
Deano’s Vino : Dean Wilson offers the most education-based wine tasting I’ve attended in Central Indiana. He does tasting every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. There is a $5 charge but you get to taste anywhere from 5-7 wines and he usually has some crackers, cheese or meat as part of the tasting. His shop and restaurant is located in Indianpolis’ Fountain Square District.

Others: Mass Avenue has tastings on Tuesdays at 5:30. Cork and Cracker on the north side does weekly tastings. Vine and Table in Carmel has wine open for tasting many days, but especially on Saturday mornings.

Advice From Someone Who Is Selling Plenty

After nearly six months of writing a wine column and related blog, the response has come mostly from wine novices or people who want to take a step up into better $10-$20 wines.

That’s why offering advice from many different sources continues to be a goal.
I’ve written a couple of columns of general advice and will continue to seek the opinions of others with varied backgrounds. My background is from buy, drinking, and tasting a lot of different wines. I think someone who is selling wine every week certainly has an even more credible and broad-based experience to offer.

You can almost always find such people in area wine shops and increasingly they’re turning up in grocery stores. But it’s not just grocery stores in high-income metropolitan suburbs. Reggie McConnell is helping Baesler’s Grocery in Terre Haute move wine you don’t normally find in the supermarket.

Target and a few other stores have a wider selection of wine than most of the big chains, it’s still rare to find a wine steward, advisor, or host in most vino aisles. McConnell ended his business career in 2008 with early retirement. He had always been a wine buff and loves talking wine.

When Bob Baesler approached him about helping stock the shelves of his family-owned grocery, answer questions, and help sell more wine, Reg enthusiastically agreed. Now you can find him on hand Thursday, Friday and Saturdays helping customers select wine and try new wines. He has boosted case sales to nearly 15 percent of the store’s total and more than doubled the wine selection.

The grocery still carries plenty of Yellowtail and other brands you’d expect to see, but McConnell has also brought in an eclectic mix of other wines up to about $25-$30. Operations like Baeslers remain rare and you may not find one near you, but the trend is for more stores to hire wine stewards with the ever-increasing wine sales across the country.

A few metropolitan Indianapolis markets have wine help on hand during busy times of the week.

“While I think it’s a good strategy to find a wine consultant one is comfortable with (whether it be at the retail level, or even a nationally known critic) don’t make the mistake of placing too much emphasis on your advisor's opinions,” McConnell said.

“Wine consultants can be enormously helpful as general guides for the hobbyist. Most folks don’t have the time, money, or inclination to devote untold hours to seeking out new wines. Find a consultant or reviewer whose tastes seem to dovetail with yours and let him/her be your guide. This method can save hobbyists considerable time and cut down on costly mistakes. Should you find that your consultants’ recommendations are not passing muster then find a new consultant.”

Reggie took time out on a recent Saturday morning to talk wine and the wine business. He said the key to any grocery selling more wine was better selection and simply someone there to answer questions.

Too many people find wine to be a mystery. When there is someone there to help buyers out, they buy more wine. Generic advice doesn’t always work, but simple things like reading labels, read the shelf notes, and try lots of different wines, will broaden your wine appreciation.

McConnell has another piece of advice I can heartily endorse.

“Wine’s ability to enhance the taste of food (and vice versa) cannot be overstated,” he said. “I suggest folks new to the hobby begin their journey by introducing wine with the evening meal. It’s amazing how pairing the right wine with the right food can turn one’s everyday dining experience into something truly special. Europeans have known this for centuries, while Americans are just catching on to the notion of enjoying a glass of wine each day.”

My suggestions would be a crisp Sauvignon Blanc with fish, Riesling with simple chicken or turkey dishes, Cabernet or a Zinfandel with steak off the grill, perhaps a Syrah with BBQ, and a nice Sangiovese-based Chianti with your pasta. If you have a food pairing question, go to my blog (www.redforme.blogspot.com) and send me an e-mail.

Howard’ Pick:

Klinker Brick – This is a label instead of a wine. I recently had the Klinker Brick Zinfandel, at about $18, and their Syrah, which was $16. The Klinker Brick label is relatively new but comes from a vineyard that has long sold its grapes to other producers. I thought both wines tasted well above the price you’ll pay for them. Both were great representations of the grape and big, bold-flavored wines. You won’t find Klinker Brick in any market, but I have seen the label in Indiana wine shops.

Cabernet - Even the Name Sounds Royal

Cabernet Sauvignon – even the name sounds royal. That’s appropriate for a wine often thought of as the King of Red Grapes!

Cabernet, or “Cab”, is the world’s best known grape varietal. It is the big wine that gets all the attention, headlines, and often sells for really big bucks.

Now let’s be honest here, Cabernet is not what I’d recommend for beginning wine drinkers or even novices. It’s very difficult to find good ones under $20 and it is generally a big-flavored, very tannic, red wine.

But it is the wine most people have heard of and read about. It is the primary grape in the great French Bordeaux wines and it dominates California’s Napa Valley. It is the one red wine most often put away in the cellar to age for a few years, or many years, before drinking.

It’s a hearty grape that is easy to grow, at least in comparison to many others. It likes warm climates and has spread to every major wine growing region of the world.
And you can’t go to any grocery and not find a Cab on the shelf. In a wine shop you’ll find Cabs from around the world. There are many big wines that are actually blends with Cabernet. The traditional Bordeaux blend has long been Cab, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot. Now days you might find just about any red wine grape blended with Cabernet to soften the big grape’s flavor.

Being a big and brawny grape it’s the wine you want with a great steak. Cabs are usually very dark wines with a flavor of cherry, bell pepper or even green olive. You can almost always taste the oak used in the aging process on the finish as you swallow the wine.

And frankly, there are a lot of bad Cabs out there on the super market and wine shop shelves as well.

I waited 10 columns into this adventure in wine writing to just tackle Cabernet. I’d suggest if you have been drinking Merlot, Malbecs, Syrah and other varietals and have not yet tried Cabs then you are ready to get started.

I’d point you toward Washington State Cabernets initially. I’ll recommend what I think is a very good one below. The Washington Cabs seem more “ready to drink” than many you’ll find from California. They are a bit softer and smoother.

General guidelines never work, but if I was to offer just one I’d say buy a Cabernet that is at least three years old. If you’re not prepared to buy red wine and set it aside for 2-3 years, minimum, then the 3-year rule works well. The bigger the Cabernet the smoother and richer it will become with age.

There are some very palatable Cabs coming from Argentina and Chile. You won’t find many Indiana Cabernets but there is one I can recommend. Huber Winery’s 2006 Cabernet is surprising for a Hoosier Cab at just under $20.

There is nothing better with a steak off the grill than a really big and smooth Cabernet. For most of us the really good Cabs are going to be at or above the top end of what we want to spend on wine. The greatest glass of wine I’ve ever sipped was the iconic Joseph Phelps Insignia from Napa Valley. The current release, a 2004 Cab blend, retails at $225 a bottle! And, that isn’t the top end of what you’ll pay for the signature Napa Valley wines but it does give you a clue.

If you want to buy a really good Cabernet for a special occasion, there are many really great Napa Cabs in the $40-$60 range. Joseph Phelps, Cakebread Cellars, and Chappellet are three I have tasted and think are superb. All three are found in better Indiana wine shops.

But most of us aren’t buying too many bottles at that price point, especially in these economic times. There are good Cabernets out there under $20. And I’d love to hear your recommendations. I’ll include your favorite Cabs in a future column. Just drop me a line with the winery name, vintage year, and where you bought it, with your comments at: hewitthoward@gmail.com

The best two Cabs I’ve ever tasted under $20 are below.

Howard Picks:
Duck Pond 2004 Cabernet – This Washington state Cabernet tastes like $30-$40 wine. It’s big and smooth and ready to drink. I paid $10.99 at an Indianapolis shop and was astonished by the quality.

Green Lion 2005 Cabernet – This Napa Valley Cabernet is a bit bigger than the Duck Pond but also unbelievable wine for around $20. It’s a little harder to find than the Duck Pond but it is available in Indiana. Look for the funky and color label done by the same artist who once did album covers for The Beatles!
Remember to check out my wine blog for regular wine reviews.

Try Something Different for a Change

One of the greatest joys of appreciating wine is trying something new and different.
Maybe you love Chardonnay and really enjoy trying the big oak-flavored Chards of California and then comparing them to the lighter stainless steel-aged wines of France.

Or maybe you like the bigger red wines and like to compare the fruit-forward Syrahs versus the peppery finish of a big Zinfandel.

Here’s a challenge to be more adventurous. There are more than 10,000 documented varieties of wine grapes. Most fine wines come from about 230 grape varietals. There are hundreds more pressed and aged into wines in all corners of the world.
So instead of trying the same wine from another country, how about trying a grape you’ve only heard of or, better yet, one you’ve never heard of at all?

Let’s start with some red wines for your consideration. If quizzed on the mostly widely planted grape in the world many would probably guess it’s Cabernet Sauvignon. But it’s widely believed that Grenache is the most planted varietal of wine grapes. The heart of Grenache (or Garnacha in Spain) is the Spanish countryside and lower France, though it is grown around the world.

Grenache is often used in blends and is the key grape in many of the fabulous Southern France wines such as Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Those wines are usually more expensive juice, starting at around $40 a bottle and going up. But I’d suggest buying a bottle of Spanish Garnacha in order to try something different. There are many great Spanish Garnacha wines in the $12-$20 range.

Grenache will often have something of an herbal nose with raspberry and peppery notes. The wines can range from super smooth to big robust wines. It’s a very easy-to-drink wine you’ll enjoy by itself or with food.

How could you not like a wine when the grapes are known as “little sweet ones?” Dolcetto D’ Alba is an Italian grape and wine from the Piedmont region of Italy meant to be consumed when young. If you buy much red Italian wine the odds are you’re buying Sangiovese. The Dolcetto grape makes a wine which is dry with some acidity. You’ll taste the fruit and it will go down smooth. Try it with your next plate of pasta instead of Chianti.

You’ll have an easier time finding Grenache than you will the Dolcetto, but both are worthy of your palate. And both are usually quite affordable.

Other reds worth your effort which are relatively smooth, easy to drink and affordable: Malbecs and Bonarda from Argentina, Carmenere from Chile, and wonderfully affordable Tempranillo or Mencia from Spain. (I’ll be writing about these wines in future columns as well!)

Let’s switch gears for the white wine fans and offer a couple I think you’ll really enjoy.

First up is an ancient grape that dates back to Roman times. The wine is quite easy to find and even easier to enjoy. Viognier started in France but can be found extensively in the United States, Australia and other parts of the world.

One of the great things about this wine is the nose. I think one of the most under-appreciated aspect of all wines is the sensual pleasure of getting your nose into the glass and really appreciate what you’re about to drink.

Viognier will give you hints of peaches, apricots and sometimes musk. The California Viognier is usually very affordable. If you want to go to the grape’s origins pick up a Condrieu from the Northern Rhone region of France.

Some of the best white wines you will ever drink come from wineries and grapes you’ve never heard of out of Italy and Spain. One of the easiest to find is Soave, a dry white wine from Italy’s Veneto region. Soave wines will sometimes include more than one but always includes the Garganega grape.

The wine will be crisp and at least slightly acidic but pair it with seafood and you have a great wine-food experience. The wine will have a bright and fruity nose and perhaps a touch of mineral to the taste.

Other whites to consider include: Gewürztraminer, an aromatic and spicy wine that is awesome on a summer evening. Gewurtz’s hybrid brother Traminette is grown and made into great wine by many Indiana wineries, great Pinot Gris from Oregon, and a great French or American Chenin Blanc are all good choices.

Howard’s Picks:

2006 Vega del Castillo Garnacha – A nice representation of the wine, a bit acidic but pairs well with food. Give it an hour open before pouring. Under $15.

2004 Tamellini Soave – A beautiful wine that would pair nicely with white fish. It has a bit of apricot on the palate and a surprisingly smooth finish. I paid $13 for this Italian beauty.

A reminder that any wine I recommend in these columns was purchased in an Indiana wine shop. To read more about the wines and what I’m drinking, go to my wine blog at www.redforme.blogspot.com