Northern Neighbors Finally Give Pinot Noir its Due
 

               By Fred Delkin

               Way back in 1984, as spokesperson for the Oregon Wine Advisory Board, we debated state of Washington wine mogul Allen Shoup of Chateau Ste. Michelle on a Portland television forum.  Shoup declared at the time that "Oregon is never going to be a major wine producing state because you have some unique problems ... your claim to fame is Pinot Noir ... you have to be a masochist to grow that grape!"

               Well, brother Shoup, your former employer has just seen the light with the just-announced  purchase of Oregon’s Erath Vineyards, a prime Pinot Noir producer. Ted Baseler, Ste. Michelle CEO successor to Shoup, told The Oregonian "It’s our firm belief that Pinot Noir is going nowhere but up, and a great reason for that is the great wine coming out of Oregon..." He added that "risks posed by occasionally bad weather in the Willamette Valley are far outweighed by ... increasing customer demand for Oregon Pinot Noir."

               A demand we know has been fueled by the spotlight shown on the glories of this grape’s stardom in last year’s box office hit "Sideways." Oregon wine entrepreneur Joe Dobbes declares that the Erath purchase "validates Oregon as a prime place to grow great wine grapes." While central and eastern Washington vineyards produce far more volume than Oregon wine properties, their climate and soil conditions prohibit Pinot Noir production.

               Dick Erath was an Oregon viticultural pioneer, concentrating on Pinot Noir, alongside Dave Lett of Eyrie Vineyards in the mid-‘60's. Erath, 70, retains 118 acres of his Dundee Hills vineyards in the Ste. Michelle agreement, which also includes financing a foundation to advance viticultural and  oenological science in Oregon. Lett earned the sobriquet "Papa Pinot" based upon his

               1974 Pinot Noir’s surprising triumph in an international Pinot Noir tasting in France sponsored by French wine exporter Robert Drouhin. This inspired Drouhin to purchase Dundee Hills property and place his daughter Veronique in charge of a new winery and vineyards for Pinot Noir production.

               Erath label continues

               Ste. Michelle retains the Erath label and plans expansion of the winery. This will assure growth of international distribution for the Oregon product. Ste. Michelle, a division of the United States Tobacco Co., currently has an annual production of 4,200,000 cases under its own label, with both domestic and overseas distribution.

               Shoup left Ste. Michelle in 2000 to establish his own consortium of premium wineries under the corporate name Long Shadows. This Seattle firm has gathered a "dream team" of international vintners utilizing Columbia Valley vineyards production. The first Long Shadows release was in 2004. The boutique labels include Poet’s Leap Riesling vinted by Germany’s Armin Diel, Chester Kidder red blend crafted by Washington’s Gilles Nicault, Feather Cabernet Sauvignon

               by Napa’s Randy Dunn, Pedestal Merlot by Michel Rolland of Bordeaux, Sequel Syrah by Australia’s John Dunn and Pirouette red blend by Napa’s Agustin Huneeus and Philippe Melka.

               Shoup engineered Ste. Michelle partnerships with Italian wine’s Piero Antinori and German Riesling mogul Dr. Ernst Loosen just prior to creating Long Shadows.

               Now Shoup’s Ste. Michelle successor will reap the benefits from an Oregon association that attests to Dick Erath’s deserved reputation as grower and vintner of premium Pinot Noir.

© 2006 Oregon Magazine