This seminar focuses on Oregon’s major wine producing region, the Willamette Valley, exploring Pinot noir as an expression of soil. It is beyond the scope of this seminar, and perhaps human knowledge, to explain Pinot noir. The goals are to examine the range of Pinot noir produced on Willamette Valley’s three main soils and allow participants to experience the wines produce from this grape in this region and in this climate informed by the winemaking panelists. The experience of each taster can then place Oregon Pinot noir into the broader framework of Pinot noir produced in other regions of the world.
The other wines to be tasted are Gamay noir, a rising variety of promise and being embraced by the next generation and the Willamette Valley’s two main white varieties: Chardonnay, to show the promise and cellaring ability of the variety within the region, and Pinot gris.
The broad geographic view will be refined by specifically looking at how climate, soil and seasonal variations inform the grape growing, winemaking and style of Willamette Valley wine.