Where are you from?
Wine Travel Beyond the Socials
Traveling through Europe, I’m often asked, “Where are you from?” It’s an interesting question, as an American, to be asked. If you ask that of someone in Europe, they generally will name the place where they and their family have lived for generations, or they will name their ancestral home, for example, I live here, but I’m from (fill in the blank). As an American, the question is more nuanced. For instance, do I say I’m from Willamette Valley? It’s certainly where I live, but it’s not where I’m from. But if I were to say I’m from Chicago, which is where I can trace back a few generations, and where I feel at home, even that’s not entirely representative. And to say I live in Oregon, but I’m from Chicago, well, that just leads to confusion. In reality, the US is such a relatively young country, our ancestral roots are more of a morass and likely why ancestral services are big business.
Now, while I have no interest in sharing my DNA with any database service, I did once go on a hunt for ancestors from my maternal family tree for which we have a physical document spanning generations and centuries. It’s literally drawn out like a giant oak tree on a massive piece of paper. From there, I learned the story that began with Daniel Ferree and his wife Marie Warenbuer. It goes something like this:
Daniel’s family were silk weavers and merchants belonging to one of the oldest noble families in lower Normandy. When Daniel and Marie (who was from the Loire) were married around 1675, their business was located in Bavaria, which was then part of France. They had six children and were well-respected in the community, which I say not out of pompousness, but due to the fact that this played a role in their destiny. You see, they were also Protestant – Huguenots to be precise in a very Catholic France.
To make a long story short, the Huguenots were ordered to be exterminated in France throughout much of the 16th and 17th centuries. As a result, and like so many other families of various religions throughout history, my ancestors, the Ferree family, were marked for persecution. The Ferree’s were targeted in particular owing to both their prominence in the community as well as their relentless commitment to their faith. Fearing their lives, they escaped to Strasbourg - a foreign province of France.
The family eventually left Strasbourg for the Palatinate region (of Germany) where Daniel died in 1708. Marie the family stalwart and an outspoken woman, took charge of her six growing children a few of which had since married and sought safety and provision despite her lack of means and exile. She initially moved the family to Holland where they were given passes to England. Queen Anne of England had issued an invitation for Protestants of the Palatinate under which they would receive passage to the New World in order to begin the colonization of America.
The story goes that Marie eventually met with William Penn who sympathized with her plight and arranged for her to meet the Queen who granted her land and passage to America. I don’t know that this detail is accurate, but she did receive rights to land, free passage, and provisions from the Queen to settle in Pennsylvania. Marie and her family set sail for America and settled in the Pequea Valley (Lancaster County), where they remained for many years. Marie passed in 1716 and remains buried in the Ferree Graveyard (now known as Carpenter’s Graveyard). She and her family were among the first 5,000 of 150,000 Huguenots to immigrate to America and countless family lines have since sprung from her roots – including mine.
Now, why am I telling you all of this? Well, last week, I learned there is more to this story. Records found in Germany in 2023 show that Daniel Ferree and his wife Marie were in the Palatinate earlier than previously thought - 1681 - and that Daniel had vineyards in the winemaking region near Steinweiler, Germany. So, the family in fact, descends from Daniel Ferree, a French winemaker in Germany. I’ve always said wine was in my blood. It just came too naturally. Ancestral memory*? Perhaps. Perhaps not. Either way, it definitely gave me more a sense of where I’m from.
*Ancestral memory is the idea that certain behaviors, instincts, or even fragmented memories of ancestors can be passed down through generations, potentially influencing an individual's traits and behaviors. This concept suggests that experiences of past generations can leave a mark on the genome and can be biologically encoded and expressed in descendants.
Now for the wines that literally ended up in my bloodstream, here’s this week’s sips, tastes, and pours:
In My Glass
2022 Domaine de Montille Saint-Christophe Meursault
Fucking bliss. If you are a fan of white Burgs, you’ll feel me. A touch reductive, a touch of that Burgundian animal fat, lightening-like electricity and a range of flavors across a rounded palate that was just utterly seductive. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to keep smelling it or drink it. Ultimately, I did both, but my goodness, this is the kind of wine that ruins you - in the best way possible. It does benefit from a decant to soften some of its intensely flinty reductiveness, but don’t worry, if you’re a fan of that style (like me) it will remain, but becomes intoxicatingly integrated. Sip and savor this one to experience its full evolution in the glass over the course of a long meal. Lovelorn. $105
2023 Di Majo Norante Falanghina
My husband has a rule: if he sees a Falanghina on the by-the-glass list, he orders it. It’s a solid rule. This time, it wasn’t on the btg list, but I knew he wouldn’t argue with a bottle of this summertime quaffer overlooking Lake Michigan on a sweltering day in Chicago. It’s a wine that always delights with its crispness, vibrant fruit flavors, minerality, and ability to standalone or pair with food. It’s a fabulous white wine, both unlike anything in the category and yet, remarkably familiar. Pick me. $15
2023 Jules Taylor Grüner Veltliner
It’s been my year of Grüner. While I’ve long been a fan, for some reason this year, it’s been calling to me all spring and summer. I typically favor bottlings from the grape’s origins in Austria, but since making some when I worked in a cellar here in Oregon, I’ve been broadening my horizons. Take this one for example, it’s all the way from New Zealand. It’s fruity and lean out of the gate, and with a little air and temp increase, it starts to showcase those herbaceous and white pepper notes that make this variety a stand-out. Grüner is a fab alternative to Sauvignon Blanc and if it’s from NZ, chances are its grown and made sustainably too! Chur. $19
2021 Domaine des Roches Neuves, Saumur-Champigny 'Terres Chaudes'
You might think I had my fill of Cab Franc on my holidays in Loire, but that would be next to impossible. In fact, I ordered up this beauty the night after we returned home. It’s a fab value for the quality and a classic take on my favorite grape from the limestone-laden Saumur-Champigny region: fresh, fruity, silky, and with that hint of earthy funk I love from Loire, herbs, spice, violets, as well as a subtle touch of graphite. It’s exceedingly food friendly and frankly just makes me happy. Bistro night. $48
In the Spotlight
Winery of the Week
I’ve previously referenced my “summer of Sagrantino,” and the month I spent living in the Umbrian countryside in 2016. Well, one of our last winery visits on that adventure, and again my last tasting on this most recent visit to Montefalco, Italy, was the historic, family winery, Antonelli. It also happens to be one of my favorites.
The Antonelli family purchased 469 acres in Montefalco in 1883, making it one of the oldest, and longest running, family operations in the region. References to the vineyard and wines date back to 1899, but it wasn’t until 1979 that the family began bottling and marketing wines under the Antonelli name. The hilly landscape is planted to around 150 acres of vineyards with Grechetto, Trebbiano Spoletino, Sagrantino, and Sangiovese grapes, as well as 32 acres of olive trees in soils of clay and limestone at around 1,150 feet in elevation. Today, the farm is certified organic and the vines average 15 years old, with the Sagrantino vines being the oldest at 30 years of age.
The cellar is located below the historical villa and has recently undergone renovations to include an underground fermentation area, and a gravity fed space for aging and bottling. Additionally, these underground facilities help to ensure that the wines are stored at constant temperatures. Antonelli only works with grapes indigenous to the region, including Sagrantino for which they produce wines from two crus, Chiusa di Pannone and Molino dell’Attone. They also produce a classic Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG for which they choose the best grapes from the vintage to include in the wine as well as a classic Montefalco Rosso (a blend of Sagrantino and Sangiovese). And in addition to the reds, Antonelli produces several cru-style bottlings of Trebbiano Spoletino, including a sparkling, and classic, crisp white wines from Grechetto.
Tours, tastings, and various hospitality experiences are available to the public at Antonelli. I highly recommend a visit if you’re planning a trip to the region. But if Montefalco isn’t on your itinerary, I have good news! Antonelli wines are widely available in the states and very much worth seeking out. You can also find a snapshot of the various recent vintages on their website to help guide you in your purchasing decisions.
Suggested vintages for Antonelli’s Sagrantino (or Montefalco Rosso): 2005, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2019, and 2020. I also very much enjoyed the 2021s, but like the 19s and 20s you’ll be best rewarded after a little more time aging.
Wine Region of the Week
One grape. One color. One wine. This week, we’re talking about the largest and only dry white wine appellation in the Languedoc which is found along the coast of the Mediterranean south of Montpellier, AOP Picpoul de Pinet. The region encompasses six communes: Castelnau-de-Guers, Florensac, Meze, Montagnac, Pinet, and Pomerols and is dedicated to one singular grape: Piquepoul. Incidentally, Picpoul is one of my favorite words to say in wine. It just makes me smile! And it’s equally as delightful on the palate.
AOP Picpoul de Pinet was established in 2013, but the grape itself has been cited as far back as 1384 (at which time it was a red grape). In the beginning of the 19th century, Picpoul transitioned from a red grape to white, and in the 1920s, as it gained recognition, an association of producers formed. By the 1980s, Picpoul had become an international star. The region is comprised of 3,830 acres, 23 independent producers, and four co-operatives which together produce around 11 million bottles. Today, Picpoul accounts for 80% of Languedoc’s total white wine exports with 67% of the production leaving France (40% for the UK).
As for the terroir, the local saying is that “its terroir is the sea.” And with much of the appellation directly adjacent to the sea, and all of the appellation impacted by its influence, that seems fitting. The soils of AOP Picpoul de Pinet consist of loam, silt, alluvial deposits, and yellow sand, as well as limestone, terrarossa, and calcareous limestone depending on the specific geographic area of the region. In the north, there are more limestone mounds and terrarossa, surrounded by pinewoods and covered in garrigue. These hills lessen the maritime influence. Coming down out of the hills and moving towards the sea is where the marin area sits, a vast plateau of clay, silt, sand, sandstone, and alluvial pebbles surrounded by more garrigue.
As for the climate, in addition to its Mediterranean exposition, you’ll find the sizable Thau lagoon which also contributes to the marine character of the wines. The climate here is obviously about as Mediterranean as it gets with dry conditions - only around nine to 15 inches of rain a year - and mild winters. AOP Picpoul de Pinet also sees around 4,460 daylight hours and strong winds from the north. The grapes are drought resistant, have a long maturation period, and thin skins. And as they are typically harvested in mid-September, allowing them to benefit from the cooler nights beginning in mid-August, they are generally naturally high in acidity and phenolics**. Wines from Picpoul de Pinet are generally described as refreshing, lean, and lively with noticeable minerality and notes of citrus, white flowers, and garrigue.
**Phenolics are a diverse group of natural compounds that help to define a wine's color, taste, texture, and overall quality. They are primarily derived from the grape skins and seeds and contribute to the sensory experience of wine, influencing factors like bitterness, astringency, and color stability.
In Depth
On this last tour through the Languedoc, I attended a fascinating Masterclass on Picpoul de Pinet. Now, while Picpoul is not new to me - it’s been a longtime favorite (particularly with fresh oysters) - I did discover a new designation within the region: “Patience.” Patience is a more gastronomic style of Picpoul meant to improve with age, and a new “project” proposed by many of the appellation’s winemakers. The first bottlings under this category appeared in 2018.
Patience-style Picpoul wine is derived from more mature vines and vinified on the lees with the intention of producing Picpoul with varietal typicity combined with greater complexity, roundness, and longer aging potential. Wines in this range must be declared a month post-harvest and are selected by a committee of local winemakers based on three tastings and for their aromatics, balance, and aging potential. Once chosen, they must have six months aging on the lees and are then bottled under natural cork in numbered, brown bottles. The wines are aged in the bottle until the 1st of June following the last harvest (or a minimum of eight or so months). Wines that are overly oaked or oxidative are rejected. Distribution of these wines is then reserved for specialty wine shops and higher-end restaurants who can then communicate the story and quality of the wine, because, and I can confirm, this is not your average, or expected, Picpoul.
Here are a few of the descriptors across the six “Patience” wines I tasted at the Masterclass: mineral-driven, tarragon, saline, citrus, stone fruit, beeswax, white pepper, herbs, high acid, looong finish, floral, nutty, viscous. In other words, similar to “regular” Picpoul, but with a significant bump in complexity and in my opinion, worth your time and exploration.
In the Know
The name “piquepoul” means “lip stinger” in French, but likely stems from chickens, or poules in French. The “poules” used to pick the grapes that fell to the ground. The theory seems to track as the grapes fall easily from the stems.
As for the bottle in which Picpoul de Pinet is sold, it’s called the “Neptune.” Since the 1990s this bottle has come to define the category, making it uniquely recognizable. The name of course refers to the Roman God of the Sea and the bottle itself is stamped with the Languedoc cross and waves. Since, 2016 the bottles have also been engraved with the name “Picpoul de Pinet,” and have become the emblematic (and patented) symbol of wines from the AOP.
In the Room Where It Happened
Method Oregon: the first annual celebration of traditional method sparkling wines produced in the state. The all-day event featured 22 producers with a minimum of two labels produced via Méthode Champenoise (where the second fermentation which creates the bubbles occurs in the bottle) and that were aged for a minimum of 15 months in the bottle. All told, 65 wines were on display.
The event was held at Domaine Willamette in Dundee, Oregon and kicked off with a panel of notable and historic sparkling winemakers in the Willamette Valley: Rollin Soles (who began the sparkling wine program at Argyle and later founded ROCO Winery), Andrew Davis (founder of Radiant Sparkling Wine), and Kate Payne Brown (head winemaker at Argyle). The panelists covered a range of topics from sparkling wine’s history in the Willamette Valley, to the more technical aspects of wine production. It was an informative discussion followed by a lively Q&A session where guests peppered the panelists with numerous questions on grapes, AVAs, and the future of Oregon sparkling wine.
After the panel discussion, guests were treated to a light lunch where many of the producers walked the room presenting back vintages and magnums tableside. Wines ranged from cuvées and single-varietals and from blanc de blancs to rosés. A Grand Tasting came next, where guests could go from table to table to meet the winemakers and taste as many of the 65 wines present as possible. For my adventure, I chose to focus primarily on the sparkling wines that were new to me (although I did make sure to visit my top three favorites as well) to help formulate my overall assessment of the category for the state.
And as for my take: I’m excited at the potential of sparkling wines here in Oregon. Now, I will say, having had the opportunity to taste at Method Oregon on the heels of my holiday in Champagne, there is no comparison. Champagne stands alone. You can’t replicate it. It has a unique terroir and a very long history, each of which contribute to the unique and outstanding character of wines from the region, and I don’t think Oregon sparkling will ever truly reach the heights of Champagne. That said, I do think there are a few outstanding examples and producers in this Pacific Northwest state, and that it has the ability to be the best region for sparkling wines in the “new world.” Why?
Terroir (climate, soils, weather, elevation, etc.),
grape varieties (Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Meunier in particular),
and the people, a growing number of whom are not only passionate about this detail-oriented winemaking process, but that are also skilled winemakers crafting sparkling wines with intention (and not just as a one-off to have in the tasting room).
As for those few outstanding references, I have strong opinions. I’m a harsh critic when it comes to bubbles. It’s a category I revere and I think there is a wide gap between excellence and mediocrity. Here in Oregon, I think there are a few producers that reach the level of outstanding for not only quality, but consistent quality - across vintages and labels. I then believe there’s a small gap to another handful of producers that have one or more outstanding labels, although they can be inconsistent across various vintages. After that, I think there is a much wider gap before you find the majority of wineries and labels which range from good to decent, and in some cases are just not commercially viable. With that said, I do think there are fewer and fewer examples of poor quality sparkling traditional method wines in Oregon, and that the category as a whole has made significant leaps in quality. And when you think about it, given that sparkling wines were really only born here around 1979, and that the boom in production is far more recent than that, the winemakers here are fast coming into their own. As they continue to gain experience, as new talent comes to market, and as they start to harness the beauty of Oregon’s terroir, I do contend this will be the best region for traditional method (or should we say “Method Oregon***”) wines in the “new world,” and most certainly in the states.
As for the question, did my top 3 change? Since I produced my 2024 Willamette Valley Guide, yes. But did they change after the Grand Tasting at Method Oregon? No. And those top three: Arabilis, Corollary, and Maison Jussiaume. Seek these out now. I also recommend checking out various sparklers from Lytle-Barnett, ROCO Winery, Goodfellow, Lundeen, Flâneur, Domaine Willamette, and Granville.
And if you’re interested in more about domestic sparkling wines, I pulled this from behind the paywall for a refresher:
***There has been talk of - and hope for - a potential classification system that would help consumers to differentiate Oregon’s traditional method sparkling wines from those that are made via different methods (ex. forced carbonation or Charmat method). For instance, in Champagne there are a set of rules that must be followed for the wine to carry the moniker of “Champagne.” Likewise, Cap Classique sparkling wines in South Africa also must meet certain standards to carry the label. The thought behind creating a “Method Oregon” classification is to make it easier to identify sparkling wines that meet a certain set of standards. As for those standards, it’s a safe bet they will have to be made via Méthode Champenoise, spend a certain amount of time (which is TBD) in the bottle, and be made with grapes from the state. Will there be additional regulations? Only time will tell, but the goal of the project will ultimately be to help Method Oregon wines gain, not only local, but worldwide recognition.
In the Hopper
I’ll be staying local for the next few months, with travel not slated until October, but we still have quite a bit to roll through from China, Montefalco, and Languedoc. I also have so many wines, stories, and regional highlights to share from my holidays in France: Paris, Champagne, and Loire Valley! Plus, harvest is getting ever closer and I still have more Slow Wine USA visits on the docket. In other words, there’s lots to come. And as for that future travel, I have exciting excursions to my faves: Italy & Spain! Stay-tuned.
In My Opinion
When I review wines, I always provide honest, qualitative assessments. As a critic and wine judge, I can and do set my personal bias aside. And when it comes to wines on my social media pages or via this newsletter, I’m a firm believer in that old saying, “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say it at all.” That said, as I’ve previously mentioned, with the newsletter in particular, I’m typically only posting things that are to my personal liking. I typically don’t write about wines or places that I personally dislike in this space. That said, a recent experience at a new local establishment left me feeling so incredulous, I’m going to break my rule - albeit for the paid subscribers. In this case, it’s a matter of both quality and opinion.
