News
News
Politics, Passion & the Perils of Wine
Paul Gregutt’s NW Wine Guide – Paul Gregutt
November 2024
Plus: Choosing your Holiday wines, and new releases from Drouhin Oregon, DDO, Long Walk Vineyard, :Nota Bene and Sineann
This is one of a very few Substacks devoted to wine coverage, and just to make it even more of a niche within a niche, my focus is on small, artisanal wineries from the Pacific Northwest. But inevitably, politics pokes its nose into wine matters, and must be acknowledged in some way. My friend and colleague Tom Wark, on his Fermentation Substack, is the pre-eminent voice on all sorts of legislation impacting wine production and sales. He has already begun to address the potential impact of proposed tariffs, which could result in retaliation from wine producing countries around the world…
8 Outstanding Willamette Valley Wines at $50 or Less
Wine Spectator – Chris Cardoso
October 2024
Oregon’s Willamette Valley encompasses more than 5,000 square miles between the Oregon Coast and Cascade mountain ranges. For millions of years, tectonic plate collisions pushed these mountains out of the Pacific Ocean, forming the crescent-shaped valley and giving it a diverse array of volcanic and sedimentary soils. This week’s Tasting Highlights explores the intricacies of a few Willamette Valley subregions with eight outstanding-rated wines that earned 90 points or more on our 100-point scale.
The 9 Best Pinot Noirs to Buy Right Now
Robb Report – Mike Desimone & Jeff jenssen
August 2024
We picked our favorites from each of the world’s top regions. Pinot Noir offers a wide range of styles, from light and elegant to bold and deeply extracted depending on where it is grown. More refined versions will feature polished tannins and flavors of cherry, milk chocolate, and orange peel, while bolder iterations may showcase blackberry, coffee bean, and dried herb notes.
8 Impressive Oregon Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at 90+ Points
Wine Spectator – Tim Fish
June 2024
My annual Oregon report just hit print in Wine Spectator‘s June 30 issue, and that’s excellent news for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay lovers. The heart of Oregon’s wine production, Willamette Valley, continues its reign as one of the most dynamic wine regions in the country. The excitement is palpable across the state, as major players from the world of wine bring new energy and investment to the scene. The wines listed below represent the current-release 2022 and 2021 vintages, which are generally outstanding across the board, as validated here by ratings of 90 points or more on our 100-point scale.
Sitting Pretty: Oregon’s New Release Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Beyond
Vinous – ERIC GUIDO
JANUARY 2024
It’s incredible to think that even with all the expansion of vineyards and wineries within Oregon, the region has untapped potential that remains ripe for future development. Somehow, as California and Washington have pushed the limits of exposing terroir, in Oregon, there are not only new and unique locations being discovered within the larger AVAs and sub-AVAs, but also new sites throughout the state that are being developed. The reality is that an aspiring winemaker with the right investors and a good nose for terroir can still secure uncultivated land here and begin planting vineyards at a reasonable cost.
Véronique Drouhin Is the New President of Primum Familiae Vini
Wine Industry Advisor – Press Release
June 2023
June 29th – Each year, Primum Familiae Vini (PFV) – an association of twelve prestigious families from the world of wine – appoints one of its members as President to oversee the association for the year and act as its representative at various events around the world.
This year, Véronique Drouhin (Maison Joseph Drouhin, France and Oregon) succeeds Pablo Alvarez (Tempos Vega Sicilia, Spain) as PFV President for the period July 2023 to June 2024.
Renowned winemaker named Naples Winter Wine Festival 2024 Honored Vitner
Florida Weekly
August 2023
The Naples Children & Education Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, announced that it will celebrate renowned Burgundy and Oregon winemaker Véronique Boss-Drouhin of Maison Joseph Drouhin and Domaine Drouhin Oregon as its Honored Vintner at the 24th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival on Jan. 26-28, 2024.
Oregon Family Wineries: Planning for the Future
Wine Business Monthly – L.M. Archer
August 2022
IT’S A BRISK, WINTER morning in southern Beaune. Soft sunlight spills across the limestone walls of Clos des Mouches, across the lane and into the conference room of Maison Joseph Drouhin’s satellite winery.
Inside, Véronique Boss-Drouhin, snug in coral cardigan sweater, settles down to rows of neatly labeled wine samples arrayed along a linen-draped table. Across from her, daughter Laurène Boss, cozy in a white wool scarf, powers up the laptop.
From the court to the vineyard: CJ McCollum talks wine
OPB – Crystal Ligori & Paul Marshall
November 2021
You are probably already familiar with CJ McCollum the basketball star. Drafted in 2013 to the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s become a leader in the league, both on and off the court. He not only averages more than 20 points per game for the Blazers, but last year, McCollum was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, tasked with leading the union in bargaining talks with the NBA.
Grab One of the Best Pinot Noirs For Wine Night
LA Times
October 2021
One of the most popular red varietals around the world, Pinot Noir is a delicate grape that’s difficult to grow. Native to Burgundy, France, there are only a handful of other appellations that are known for producing excellent Pinot Noir. Cooler regions of Northern California, the Willamette Valley in Oregon, the Yarra Valley in Australia, and a few cool regions of New Zealand rival Burgundy for making the world’s best Pinot Noirs.
Oregon Pinot Noir: top producers to know and wines to try
Decanter – Charles Curtis MW
With its distinctive soils and innovative planting and winemaking trends, this corner of the Pacific Northwest has found great success with Burgundy’s temperamental red grape. Charles Curtis MW shares his top Oregon Pinot Noir producers to know and the best wines to buy.
The 11 Best Oregon Pinot Noirs to Drink in 2021
Liquor.com – Jonathan Cristaldi
February 2021
Oregon’s culinary values span a wide range, from its iconic marionberries to its subversively exotic doughnuts. But whatever you do, don’t overlook the treasure trove of Oregon-made pinot noir wine. The wine-making industry in the state is relatively young, but Oregon, and in particular the Willamette Valley, shares a latitude and climate akin to France’s Burgundy region, and that similarity to a world-famous appellation is what gives Oregon’s pinots an edge on other American-made pinots.
10 Amazing Oregon Chardonnays That Rival the Great White Burgundies
Robb Report – Sara L. Schneider
July 2020
Through the ’90s and early aughts, while California winemakers were buttering up Chardonnay, dressing it in flashy new oak—and unleashing the virulent ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement in the process—winemakers one state to the north were quietly pursuing an entirely different style. Early failures with the grape in Oregon were history, as clones from France displaced material from California unsuited to the Willamette Valley’s shorter, cooler growing season. And as vineyard farming evolved and sites for Chard were selected with more intricate knowledge of soils and microclimates, the region has emerged as a producer of Chardonnays that rival great white Burgundies for brightness, complexity, structure and minerality.
Oregon’s Willamette Valley Makes Rosé Like No Place Else On Earth
Forbes – Leslie Kelly
May 2020
In a state known for its exceptional Pinot Noir, it should come as no surprise that there are some gorgeous Rosés made from that noble Burgundian varietal. These wines are far from the frivolous pinks used to make frosé, though they’re certainly right at home in the Rosé all day category. Especially if the midday sip involves the kind of lavish lunch that tempts you to linger.
And, here’s a bit of welcome news during these dark days: Some tasting rooms around Willamette Valley have reopened, adopting stringent safety standards for guests. Here are a few producers of Pinot Noir Rosés to remember for your next visit, or to search out when ordering online.
WBM Announces 2019 Hot Brands
Wine Business Monthly – Erin Kirschenmann
February 2020
Wine Business Monthly’s annual list of Hot Brands honors wineries, winemakers, growers and others within the industry who are making some kind of statement: experimenting with lesser-known varieties, utilizing creative winemaking techniques or voicing an unpopular opinion for the sake of moving the U.S. wine world forward. Hot Brands is more than a “best of” list, it’s a chance to explore new regions, varieties and winemakers that we think embody some of the latest innovations in the ever-growing, and ever-changing, wine market.
11 Editors’ Choice Oregon Pinot Noir Picks
Wine Enthusiast
September 2019
Pinot Noir might be notoriously difficult to grow, but it still manages to thrive in cool climates all over the world. When done right, Pinot Noir produces lighter-bodied wines of elegance and complexity. Some of the best examples hail from Oregon, which might be surprising considering it was just barely 50 years ago that the first Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs were released. Today, the state is home to almost 800 wineries, and this red grape continues to be the star of the wine scene. As one might imagine, it wasn’t easy to cull through a list of so many excellent bottles. But here are some top picks you will definitely want to have on your shelf.
Breaking through the Glass Ceiling of Oenology
The Royal Gazette – Michael Robinson
July 2019
Fourth-generation winemaker Véronique Drouhin-Boss is widely admired for her work in Burgundy (Maison Joseph Drouhin) and Oregon (Domaine Drouhin Oregon). She has been designated by her family as keeper of the family style, the person responsible for making sure that all Drouhin wines emphasise elegance, balance and sense of place. In 1987 her father, Robert, purchased land in the Dundee Hills of Oregon, established Domaine Drouhin Oregon and named Véronique as winemaker. This began the Drouhin family’s commitment to Oregon, which is an important and active part of their lives. Véronique, married to Michel Boss and mother of three children, lives in Burgundy.
Wine Spectator’s: Top 10 of 2024
Wine Spectator
November 2024
#6 2022 Roserock Pinot Noir
Domaine Drouhin is the Oregon outpost of Burgundy’s Maison Joseph Drouhin. While most of the estate vineyards are in the Dundee Hills, Roserock Vineyard in Eola-Amity Hills has become increasingly key to the winery’s success since the Drouhins purchased the 122-acre vineyard in 2013. Véronique Boss-Drouhin, who oversees winemaking operations in both Burgundy and Oregon, blended a selection from the vineyard’s 35 individual blocks, which she fermented separately…
Last: Is Oregon the new Burgundy?
Calgary Herald – Geoff Last
October 2024
Burgundy aficionados may balk at the notion of Oregon being the “new” Burgundy, mainly because the old Burgundy is still making highly sought-after benchmark wines, but based on what I have been tasting from Oregon of late, I think it’s safe to say that the state is on track to producing pinot noir that can challenge the French wine throne.
Roserock Pinot Noir 2022 Eola-Amity Hills
Jancis Robinson – Samantha Cole-Johnson
August 2024
A vibrant Willamette Valley Pinot Noir to pull you out of the doldrums. Starting at $29, £32.29, €48.50.
It was late in the afternoon and I should have been in my office writing. But the blinking cursor had begun to taunt me and anything I’d managed to eke out was angrily deleted. Finally, internally castigating myself for leaving my desk, I wandered into the kitchen, hitting the bake button as I passed the stove.
Maison Joseph Drouhin announces first cargo ship wine transport to the US
The Drinks Business – Colin Hay
June 2024
This summer will see 15,000 bottles of Chablis and Côte de Beaune 2022 white wine sail from Le Havre to New York on board the Anemos as part of a partnership with TransOceanic Wind Transport (TOWT).
The Anemos (which is also the name of the TOWT’s certification label) is part of the new generation of cargo sailboats, the first of eight ships in the TOWT’s fleet. The boat, which is 80 meters in length and has a load capacity of 1100 tons, is currently being finished in Concarneau, before being launched in Le Havre this summer.
Meet Oregon’s French Winemakers
Wine Enthusiast – Paul Gregutt
May 2023
To some degree, the diversity and excellence of Oregon wines makes comparisons to Old World styles irrelevant. But those factors should not undercut the influence French-born and trained winemakers have had on the state’s success.
Along with the pioneering Drouhin family, which enters its fourth decade making Oregon wine, a number of more recent arrivals have put their winemaking expertise to work in the state, which remains one of America’s leading producers of Pinot Noir.
Green Pioneer: Maison Drouhin celebrates 30 years of organic and biodynamic production
The Drinks Business – Arabella Mileham
December 2023
For more than 140 years, Maison Joseph Drouhin has been producing some of Burgundy’s highest-calibre wines. Devoted to showing the terroir, it is now the largest biodynamic producer in the region, its estate having been fully organic and biodynamic since 1993.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Acquires Methven Family Vineyards in Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Wine Business – L.M. Archer
August 2022
Dayton, Oregon – Domaine Drouhin Oregon has acquired Methven Family Vineyards in Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA.
“We knew the Methvens were considering selling the property a couple years ago, and we had a chance to see it then,” said David Millman, President and CEO of Domaine Drouhin Oregon. “For various reasons, it wasn’t the right moment, but we came back to the idea a few months ago.”
Decades of Care
Oregon Wine Press
November 2021
As the pandemic continues, ¡Salud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction will host its annual auction virtually, Nov. 8–14, raising funds for accessible healthcare services for Oregon vineyard workers and their families. A project of OHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center (formerly Tuality Healthcare), ¡Salud! celebrates three decades of service in 2021.
The Perfect Wine and Pizza Pairings, Please
Food & Wine – Ray Isle
Whether it’s a plain cheese from Domino’s or a Margherita made with buffalo mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, and tomatoes straight from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the key here is simplicity (and not that much fat). Chianti Classico really does work like a charm, but so do other midweight reds, like Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or even Pinot Noir from Oregon.
ON OREGON’S WINE TRAIL, PINOT NOIR FINDS ITS SWEET SPOT AND CHARDONNAY COMES ON STRONG
James Suckling.com
We went big in our tastings of Oregon wines this year. We uncorked more than 800 bottles in our largest review of the state so far and found plenty of evidence to substantiate its reputation for making consistently top-notch pinot noir, with a smaller but potentially even more impressive selection of chardonnay.
Five Inspiring Women in the World of Wine
town & country – Karen Lubeck
Women are fearless leaders in the wine industry. Through remarkable innovation and daring, they continue to push boundaries and dazzle the palate. Whether as newcomers or as members of a centuries-old family winemaking heritage, they have one thing in common: determination. Taste the fruits of their efforts in these five delicious wines.
Oregon Chardonnay: Top 12 to try
Decanter – Charles Curtis MW
That it’s such a draw for so many Burgundians of note is sufficient to tell you that Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a developing wine region to be followed, and still a land of discovery. Charles Curtis MW highlights his pick of the producers, along with 12 great wines to try
30 Years of Domaine Drouhin Oregon
Decanter – Anne Krebiehl MW
February 2020
A blind tasting of Pinot Noirs back in the mid-1980s – long before Oregon was established as a wine region – was the spark that led to the establishment of this famous Burgundian-American winery.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon – a New World Pioneer
Club Oenologique – Adam Lechmere
March 2020
They were the first Burgundians in Oregon, and like all trailblazers they found it hard. Thirty years later, Veronique Drouhin is producing some of the finest American Pinot and Chardonnay. Véronique Drouhin first went to Oregon in 1986 when it was a fledgling wine region with only a handful of producers. Her father Robert, head of Maison Joseph Drouhin, believed in its potential for Pinot Noir, and in 1987, after numerous visits over the years, he bought what she calls “a beautiful field” in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley. Both are now American Viticultural Areas but in the mid-80s “they had no notion of AVAs”, Véronique recalls. Drouhin chose the land because – in terms of elevation, aspect and latitude – he considered it “remarkably similar” to Burgundy.
Steven Spurrier’s Wines of the Month
Decanter – Steven Spurrier
September 2019
Created in 1987 on Oregon’s Dundee Hills by Robert Drouhin, for whom the gentle slopes overlooking the Willamette Valley bore a striking resemblance to his native Burgundy, Domaine Drouhin now covers 52ha of mostly Pinot Noir with a little Chardonnay. Robert names his daughter Véronique as winemaker from the start and the Cuvée Laurène’s first vintage was 1992, the year Véronique’s eldest daughter was born.A very strict barrel selection, it has been made every year since, winning regular citations as one of America’s best-expressed examples of Pinot Noir.2015 was an exceptional vintage, matching if not surpassing the superb 2014, the wine described by Véronique as: ‘Intensely aromatic and complex on the nose, the palate is captivation, displaying great concentration with refined texture, beautifully balanced with a long aftertaste.’While being totally Oregonian, it could match a premier cru from Vosne-Romanée. Thirty-two years on, Robert Drouhin states: ‘Skilled get more refined, methods evolve, but what’s important is what is transmitted from generation to generation: the search for excellence, the intellectual curiosity, the sense of values, passion, the respect for terroir.’ The Cuvée Laurène 2015 reflects this well: 94pts, drink 2020-2030
Oregon Pinot Noir – Meeting the Challenge
Forbes – Tom Hyland
August 2019
Oregon is a wine territory where Pinot Noir dominates, both in plantings as well as state of mind.I recently tasted a few dozen Oregon Pinot Noirs – admittedly a small cross section, as there are over 500 producers in the state that craft a Pinot Noir – to get an idea of the status quo for the varietal in the state.
Burgundy and Beyond – Learn About Maison Joseph Drouhin – Wine is History
Wine Traveler – Kristy Wenz
July 2019
I mentioned my affection for the wines of Maison Joseph Drouhin in my recent Burgundy itinerary for the Village of Beaune, and there is a reason why these wines captured my heart – the Drouhin family. Wine tasting and winery visits for me go beyond what’s in the glass, because what’s in the glass is a product of history, people, energy and passion. And for these wines in particular, you will also find complexity, elegance and finesse – the hallmark characteristics of Drouhin wines first imparted by Joseph Drouhin 139 years ago.
The Leaders of Wine
Wine Spectator Magazine – Mitch Frank
November 2016
Our modern wine culture has been built on the efforts and achievements of a community of passionate people—vintners, farmers, scientists, chefs, importers, marketers, the list goes on and on. Over the years, Wine Spectator has brought its readers many of their stories. Here, we profile more than 40 wine-world luminaries who made a difference.
Robert Drouhin Honored by Wine Spectator Magazine
Wine Spectator Magazine – Bruce Sanderson
September 2013
Robert Drouhin is the recipient of Wine Spectator’s Distinguished Service Award (DSA) for 2013. As the head of Maison Joseph Drouhin from 1957 to 2003, he developed the company, founded by his grandfather in 1880, into one of Burgundy’s most important négociants.
8 Impressive Oregon Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs at 90+ Points
Wine Spectator – Tim Fish
June 2024
My annual Oregon report just hit print in Wine Spectator‘s June 30 issue, and that’s excellent news for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay lovers. The heart of Oregon’s wine production, Willamette Valley, continues its reign as one of the most dynamic wine regions in the country. The excitement is palpable across the state, as major players from the world of wine bring new energy and investment to the scene. The wines listed below represent the current-release 2022 and 2021 vintages, which are generally outstanding across the board, as validated here by ratings of 90 points or more on our 100-point scale.
Sitting Pretty: Oregon’s New Release Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Beyond
Vinous – ERIC GUIDO
JANUARY 2024
It’s incredible to think that even with all the expansion of vineyards and wineries within Oregon, the region has untapped potential that remains ripe for future development. Somehow, as California and Washington have pushed the limits of exposing terroir, in Oregon, there are not only new and unique locations being discovered within the larger AVAs and sub-AVAs, but also new sites throughout the state that are being developed. The reality is that an aspiring winemaker with the right investors and a good nose for terroir can still secure uncultivated land here and begin planting vineyards at a reasonable cost.
Véronique Drouhin Is the New President of Primum Familiae Vini
Wine Industry Advisor – Press Release
June 2023
June 29th – Each year, Primum Familiae Vini (PFV) – an association of twelve prestigious families from the world of wine – appoints one of its members as President to oversee the association for the year and act as its representative at various events around the world.
This year, Véronique Drouhin (Maison Joseph Drouhin, France and Oregon) succeeds Pablo Alvarez (Tempos Vega Sicilia, Spain) as PFV President for the period July 2023 to June 2024.
Renowned winemaker named Naples Winter Wine Festival 2024 Honored Vitner
Florida Weekly
August 2023
The Naples Children & Education Foundation, founders of the Naples Winter Wine Festival, announced that it will celebrate renowned Burgundy and Oregon winemaker Véronique Boss-Drouhin of Maison Joseph Drouhin and Domaine Drouhin Oregon as its Honored Vintner at the 24th annual Naples Winter Wine Festival on Jan. 26-28, 2024.
Oregon Family Wineries: Planning for the Future
Wine Business Monthly – L.M. Archer
August 2022
IT’S A BRISK, WINTER morning in southern Beaune. Soft sunlight spills across the limestone walls of Clos des Mouches, across the lane and into the conference room of Maison Joseph Drouhin’s satellite winery.
Inside, Véronique Boss-Drouhin, snug in coral cardigan sweater, settles down to rows of neatly labeled wine samples arrayed along a linen-draped table. Across from her, daughter Laurène Boss, cozy in a white wool scarf, powers up the laptop.
From the court to the vineyard: CJ McCollum talks wine
OPB – Crystal Ligori & Paul Marshall
November 2021
You are probably already familiar with CJ McCollum the basketball star. Drafted in 2013 to the Portland Trail Blazers, he’s become a leader in the league, both on and off the court. He not only averages more than 20 points per game for the Blazers, but last year, McCollum was elected president of the National Basketball Players Association, tasked with leading the union in bargaining talks with the NBA.
Grab One of the Best Pinot Noirs For Wine Night
LA Times
October 2021
One of the most popular red varietals around the world, Pinot Noir is a delicate grape that’s difficult to grow. Native to Burgundy, France, there are only a handful of other appellations that are known for producing excellent Pinot Noir. Cooler regions of Northern California, the Willamette Valley in Oregon, the Yarra Valley in Australia, and a few cool regions of New Zealand rival Burgundy for making the world’s best Pinot Noirs.
Oregon Pinot Noir: top producers to know and wines to try
Decanter – Charles Curtis MW
With its distinctive soils and innovative planting and winemaking trends, this corner of the Pacific Northwest has found great success with Burgundy’s temperamental red grape. Charles Curtis MW shares his top Oregon Pinot Noir producers to know and the best wines to buy.
The 11 Best Oregon Pinot Noirs to Drink in 2021
Liquor.com – Jonathan Cristaldi
February 2021
Oregon’s culinary values span a wide range, from its iconic marionberries to its subversively exotic doughnuts. But whatever you do, don’t overlook the treasure trove of Oregon-made pinot noir wine. The wine-making industry in the state is relatively young, but Oregon, and in particular the Willamette Valley, shares a latitude and climate akin to France’s Burgundy region, and that similarity to a world-famous appellation is what gives Oregon’s pinots an edge on other American-made pinots.
10 Amazing Oregon Chardonnays That Rival the Great White Burgundies
Robb Report – Sara L. Schneider
July 2020
Through the ’90s and early aughts, while California winemakers were buttering up Chardonnay, dressing it in flashy new oak—and unleashing the virulent ABC (Anything But Chardonnay) movement in the process—winemakers one state to the north were quietly pursuing an entirely different style. Early failures with the grape in Oregon were history, as clones from France displaced material from California unsuited to the Willamette Valley’s shorter, cooler growing season. And as vineyard farming evolved and sites for Chard were selected with more intricate knowledge of soils and microclimates, the region has emerged as a producer of Chardonnays that rival great white Burgundies for brightness, complexity, structure and minerality.
Oregon’s Willamette Valley Makes Rosé Like No Place Else On Earth
Forbes – Leslie Kelly
May 2020
In a state known for its exceptional Pinot Noir, it should come as no surprise that there are some gorgeous Rosés made from that noble Burgundian varietal. These wines are far from the frivolous pinks used to make frosé, though they’re certainly right at home in the Rosé all day category. Especially if the midday sip involves the kind of lavish lunch that tempts you to linger.
And, here’s a bit of welcome news during these dark days: Some tasting rooms around Willamette Valley have reopened, adopting stringent safety standards for guests. Here are a few producers of Pinot Noir Rosés to remember for your next visit, or to search out when ordering online.
WBM Announces 2019 Hot Brands
Wine Business Monthly – Erin Kirschenmann
February 2020
Wine Business Monthly’s annual list of Hot Brands honors wineries, winemakers, growers and others within the industry who are making some kind of statement: experimenting with lesser-known varieties, utilizing creative winemaking techniques or voicing an unpopular opinion for the sake of moving the U.S. wine world forward. Hot Brands is more than a “best of” list, it’s a chance to explore new regions, varieties and winemakers that we think embody some of the latest innovations in the ever-growing, and ever-changing, wine market.
11 Editors’ Choice Oregon Pinot Noir Picks
Wine Enthusiast
September 2019
Pinot Noir might be notoriously difficult to grow, but it still manages to thrive in cool climates all over the world. When done right, Pinot Noir produces lighter-bodied wines of elegance and complexity. Some of the best examples hail from Oregon, which might be surprising considering it was just barely 50 years ago that the first Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs were released. Today, the state is home to almost 800 wineries, and this red grape continues to be the star of the wine scene. As one might imagine, it wasn’t easy to cull through a list of so many excellent bottles. But here are some top picks you will definitely want to have on your shelf.
Breaking through the Glass Ceiling of Oenology
The Royal Gazette – Michael Robinson
July 2019
Fourth-generation winemaker Véronique Drouhin-Boss is widely admired for her work in Burgundy (Maison Joseph Drouhin) and Oregon (Domaine Drouhin Oregon). She has been designated by her family as keeper of the family style, the person responsible for making sure that all Drouhin wines emphasise elegance, balance and sense of place. In 1987 her father, Robert, purchased land in the Dundee Hills of Oregon, established Domaine Drouhin Oregon and named Véronique as winemaker. This began the Drouhin family’s commitment to Oregon, which is an important and active part of their lives. Véronique, married to Michel Boss and mother of three children, lives in Burgundy.
Meet Oregon’s French Winemakers
Wine Enthusiast – Paul Gregutt
May 2023
To some degree, the diversity and excellence of Oregon wines makes comparisons to Old World styles irrelevant. But those factors should not undercut the influence French-born and trained winemakers have had on the state’s success.
Along with the pioneering Drouhin family, which enters its fourth decade making Oregon wine, a number of more recent arrivals have put their winemaking expertise to work in the state, which remains one of America’s leading producers of Pinot Noir.
Green Pioneer: Maison Drouhin celebrates 30 years of organic and biodynamic production
The Drinks Business – Arabella Mileham
December 2023
For more than 140 years, Maison Joseph Drouhin has been producing some of Burgundy’s highest-calibre wines. Devoted to showing the terroir, it is now the largest biodynamic producer in the region, its estate having been fully organic and biodynamic since 1993.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon Acquires Methven Family Vineyards in Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Wine Business – L.M. Archer
August 2022
Dayton, Oregon – Domaine Drouhin Oregon has acquired Methven Family Vineyards in Willamette Valley’s Eola-Amity Hills AVA.
“We knew the Methvens were considering selling the property a couple years ago, and we had a chance to see it then,” said David Millman, President and CEO of Domaine Drouhin Oregon. “For various reasons, it wasn’t the right moment, but we came back to the idea a few months ago.”
Decades of Care
Oregon Wine Press
November 2021
As the pandemic continues, ¡Salud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction will host its annual auction virtually, Nov. 8–14, raising funds for accessible healthcare services for Oregon vineyard workers and their families. A project of OHSU Health Hillsboro Medical Center (formerly Tuality Healthcare), ¡Salud! celebrates three decades of service in 2021.
The Perfect Wine and Pizza Pairings, Please
Food & Wine – Ray Isle
Whether it’s a plain cheese from Domino’s or a Margherita made with buffalo mozzarella, extra-virgin olive oil, and tomatoes straight from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, the key here is simplicity (and not that much fat). Chianti Classico really does work like a charm, but so do other midweight reds, like Vino Nobile di Montepulciano or even Pinot Noir from Oregon.
ON OREGON’S WINE TRAIL, PINOT NOIR FINDS ITS SWEET SPOT AND CHARDONNAY COMES ON STRONG
James Suckling.com
We went big in our tastings of Oregon wines this year. We uncorked more than 800 bottles in our largest review of the state so far and found plenty of evidence to substantiate its reputation for making consistently top-notch pinot noir, with a smaller but potentially even more impressive selection of chardonnay.
Five Inspiring Women in the World of Wine
town & country – Karen Lubeck
Women are fearless leaders in the wine industry. Through remarkable innovation and daring, they continue to push boundaries and dazzle the palate. Whether as newcomers or as members of a centuries-old family winemaking heritage, they have one thing in common: determination. Taste the fruits of their efforts in these five delicious wines.
Oregon Chardonnay: Top 12 to try
Decanter – Charles Curtis MW
That it’s such a draw for so many Burgundians of note is sufficient to tell you that Oregon’s Willamette Valley is a developing wine region to be followed, and still a land of discovery. Charles Curtis MW highlights his pick of the producers, along with 12 great wines to try
30 Years of Domaine Drouhin Oregon
Decanter – Anne Krebiehl MW
February 2020
A blind tasting of Pinot Noirs back in the mid-1980s – long before Oregon was established as a wine region – was the spark that led to the establishment of this famous Burgundian-American winery.
Domaine Drouhin Oregon – a New World Pioneer
Club Oenologique – Adam Lechmere
March 2020
They were the first Burgundians in Oregon, and like all trailblazers they found it hard. Thirty years later, Veronique Drouhin is producing some of the finest American Pinot and Chardonnay. Véronique Drouhin first went to Oregon in 1986 when it was a fledgling wine region with only a handful of producers. Her father Robert, head of Maison Joseph Drouhin, believed in its potential for Pinot Noir, and in 1987, after numerous visits over the years, he bought what she calls “a beautiful field” in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley. Both are now American Viticultural Areas but in the mid-80s “they had no notion of AVAs”, Véronique recalls. Drouhin chose the land because – in terms of elevation, aspect and latitude – he considered it “remarkably similar” to Burgundy.
Steven Spurrier’s Wines of the Month
Decanter – Steven Spurrier
September 2019
Created in 1987 on Oregon’s Dundee Hills by Robert Drouhin, for whom the gentle slopes overlooking the Willamette Valley bore a striking resemblance to his native Burgundy, Domaine Drouhin now covers 52ha of mostly Pinot Noir with a little Chardonnay. Robert names his daughter Véronique as winemaker from the start and the Cuvée Laurène’s first vintage was 1992, the year Véronique’s eldest daughter was born.A very strict barrel selection, it has been made every year since, winning regular citations as one of America’s best-expressed examples of Pinot Noir.2015 was an exceptional vintage, matching if not surpassing the superb 2014, the wine described by Véronique as: ‘Intensely aromatic and complex on the nose, the palate is captivation, displaying great concentration with refined texture, beautifully balanced with a long aftertaste.’While being totally Oregonian, it could match a premier cru from Vosne-Romanée. Thirty-two years on, Robert Drouhin states: ‘Skilled get more refined, methods evolve, but what’s important is what is transmitted from generation to generation: the search for excellence, the intellectual curiosity, the sense of values, passion, the respect for terroir.’ The Cuvée Laurène 2015 reflects this well: 94pts, drink 2020-2030
Oregon Pinot Noir – Meeting the Challenge
Forbes – Tom Hyland
August 2019
Oregon is a wine territory where Pinot Noir dominates, both in plantings as well as state of mind.I recently tasted a few dozen Oregon Pinot Noirs – admittedly a small cross section, as there are over 500 producers in the state that craft a Pinot Noir – to get an idea of the status quo for the varietal in the state.
Burgundy and Beyond – Learn About Maison Joseph Drouhin – Wine is History
Wine Traveler – Kristy Wenz
July 2019
I mentioned my affection for the wines of Maison Joseph Drouhin in my recent Burgundy itinerary for the Village of Beaune, and there is a reason why these wines captured my heart – the Drouhin family. Wine tasting and winery visits for me go beyond what’s in the glass, because what’s in the glass is a product of history, people, energy and passion. And for these wines in particular, you will also find complexity, elegance and finesse – the hallmark characteristics of Drouhin wines first imparted by Joseph Drouhin 139 years ago.
The Leaders of Wine
Wine Spectator Magazine – Mitch Frank
November 2016
Our modern wine culture has been built on the efforts and achievements of a community of passionate people—vintners, farmers, scientists, chefs, importers, marketers, the list goes on and on. Over the years, Wine Spectator has brought its readers many of their stories. Here, we profile more than 40 wine-world luminaries who made a difference.
Robert Drouhin Honored by Wine Spectator Magazine
Wine Spectator Magazine – Bruce Sanderson
September 2013
Robert Drouhin is the recipient of Wine Spectator’s Distinguished Service Award (DSA) for 2013. As the head of Maison Joseph Drouhin from 1957 to 2003, he developed the company, founded by his grandfather in 1880, into one of Burgundy’s most important négociants.
