Oregon-Washington Wine Expedition Opens New Era for Toronto Trade Tastings

By David Lawrason, with notes from Michael Godel and John Szabo, MS

About 200 people were invited to the first large COVID era trade tasting at The Globe & Mail’s event space in downtown Toronto on September 22. Like the explorers Lewis and Clark who opened up the Pacific Northwest in the 18^th Century, this event was an exploration of new territory for not only safer, but better, public and trade tasting experiences in Ontario.

“For years I have been asking myself how we could improve on the stock tasting event format where guests crowd and jostled around tables to grab a splash of wine and not really engage with the winemakers” said organizer Will Predhomme. “Covid has provided us with the “distanced” solution”

The Oregon-Washington Expedition event included three simultaneous seminars with three-person panels and other speakers sprinkled among the audience (each at their own table). Then in the main tasting area there were dozens of individual distanced tables where solo guests ordered tasting flights from one of 37 Oregon wineries and 13 Washington wineries, served by visiting winery reps or their Ontario importing agents. There was also a media tasting room featuring dozens upon dozens of wines from the participating wineries, some showing two vintages as last year’s event was stymied by Covid shutdowns after the wines were shipped.

Oregon Washington Distanced Trade Tasting in Toronto Sept 2021

I hadn’t seen such an infusion of Oregon and Washington wines since the glory dates of the mid-90s when Scott Wilson’s “Pacific Northwest Wine Fairs” at Roy Thomson Hall were considered the crown jewels of the Toronto wine event scene. At that time Toronto was the single largest export market for Oregon wines. But the marketing alliance behind those fairs broke apart and Northwest wines all but disappeared from Ontario for years. This Expedition brings them back with a roar!

I was shocked by the number of wineries that were new to me, and although I worked four hours in the media room, I could have used two days to get through them all. And I was really impressed by the overall quality, with many wines easily scaling past 90 points and some peaking at 95 or better. The many, many Oregon pinot noirs were particularly steady and impressive, but then so were the Oregon chardonnays and pinot gris, and the incredible Washington syrahs plus much improved cabernets and merlots. Very few duds this day!

John, Michael and I have put forward our top ten picks from the Expedition tasting, with links to full reviews on WineAlign database. We do this to promote general awareness of what is happening in the Pacific Northwest, more so than guide your purchases. Because what has not changed is that most are not available at the LCBO. Prices in Ontario may or many not be available, but we have included the name of the importer (six Oregon wineries were seeking representation) so that you can at least begin to ferret them out.

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Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Gris

Cristom Vineyards Chardonnay 2019, Eola Amity Hills
$59.99, Profile Wine Group
Michael Godel – Fresh and luxe, crisp yet glazed, full textures and flavours running full, throughout Captivating chardonnay.
David Lawrason – A very complex chardonnay that is smooth, almost creamy yet braced by firm acidity, minerality and some warmth. Excellent length.

The Eyrie Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2018, Dundee Hills
$48.00, Vinexx
John Szabo – A superb wine here from Jason Lett at Eyrie, in the top echelon of Oregon chardonnay.

Lemelson Vineyards Tikka’s Run Pinot Gris 2018, Willamette Valley
$29.95, Not Represented in Ontario
David Lawrason – Here’s an intense, mineral, complex pinot gris with excellent depth. One of the very best Oregon pinot gris in my experience.

Adelsheim Vineyard Chardonnay 2019, Willamette Valley
$35.60, Mark Anthony Wines & Spirits
David Lawrason – From one of Oregon’s pioneering wineries, here’s a great firm, taut and slightly mineral chardonnay. The aromas and flavours are very compact yet complex. Very linear.

Oregon Pinot Noir

Domaine Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir 2018, Eola-Amity Hills
$45.00, Philippe Dandurand Wines
David Lawrason – This is sumptuous yet elegant and refined pinot, maybe a bit low in acid and high in alcohol, but glossy.
John Szabo – A lovely, perfumed and herbal, floral and lifted, orange peel and resinous example of pinot from Drouhin’s Eola-Amity Hills vineyards, a cool and particularly stony site.

Soter Vineyards Mineral Springs Ranch Pinot Noir 2017, Yamhill-Carlton
$100.00, Brand New Day Wines
David Lawrason – Wow, this is lovely! So elegant, slender and firm. The aromatics are generous, spot-on and very fragrant.
John Szabo – Soter’s Mineral Springs ranch in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and its sedimentary soils has delivered a finely detailed and elegant pinot, with excellent length.

Trisaetum Wichmann Dundee Estate Pinot Noir 2017, Dundee Hills
$69.95, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
John Szabo – 2017 is a very silky and perfumed vintage for the Wichmann pinot noir from the weathered basalt soils of the Dundee Hills, with bright and fresh red fruit flavours.
David Lawrason – This is quite delicate, perfumed with very pretty aromas and flavours that stay very focused on the elegant, firm palate.

Brittan Vineyards Basalt Block Pinot Noir 2015, McMinville
$41.95, The Living Vine
Michael Godel – Going back a few years here for a volcanically living, breathing and expressive pinot noir. There is something lurking, an elemental and sous bois sensation that permeates and infiltrates.

Brittan Vineyards Gestalt Block Pinot Noir 2017, McMinville
$97.00, The Living Vine
Michael Godel – This is what great nebbiolo and sangiovese do, along with pinot noir. Their silken texture and impossible magic can hypnotize with great allure. This is a very special wine.

Cristom Vineyards Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Eola-Amity Hills
$119.99, Profile Wine Group
John Szabo – Eileen is the aromatic class of Cristom’s 2018 single vineyard pinots in my view, at least showing the most composure and polish at this stage.

Cristom Vineyards Louise Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Eola-Amity Hills
$119.99, Profile Wine Group
John Szabo – Louise 2018, along with Eileen, are the stand outs from the excellent Cristom single vineyard range this vintage.

Adelsheim Vineyard Breaking Ground Pinot Noir 2016, Chehalem Mountains
$65.99, Mark Anthony Wines & Spirits
Michael Godel – Delivers a solid, almost full throttle palate punch while stretching out generously with elastic reach. Crisp exterior, chewy interior.

Lemelson Vineyards Stermer Vineyard Pinot Noir 2017, Yamhill-Carlton
$64.95, Not Represented in Ontario
David Lawrason – How pretty and fragrant on the nose and there is an overall sense of vinosity that is very compelling.. Just delicious!

Domaine Drouhin Oregon Laurene Pinot Noir 2016, Dundee Hills
$76.95, Philippe Dandurand Wines
Michael Godel – Right place and right time, fallen into or rather melted into its skin with fruit forthright and bones softened. A concentrated and most elegant pinot noir.

Alexana Winery ‘Revana Vineyard’ Estate Pinot Noir 2016, Dundee Hills
$67.94, Le Sommelier Inc.
Michael Godel – Here the elements work or even conspire with the fruit to create a warmth, calm and seamless mille-feuille layering. That this happens to be so bloody delicious takes nothing away from the fine structure.

Washington Syrah

Reynvaan Family Vineyards Stonessence Syrah 2018, Walla Walla Valley
$160.00, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
Michael Godel – Meaty and iron clad but actually in fact within reason and quite elongated, elastic and pleasurable. Balanced, impeccable, living, breathing syrah.
John Szabo – Another syrah that takes no prisoners, Reyvaan’s 2018 Stonessence from the estate In The Rocks vineyard is a monumental wine.
David Lawrason – From stony Chateaunneuf-du-Pape-like vineyards on the Oregon side of Walla Walla AVA, this a real cracker that will tug at fans of northern Rhone syrah.

Reynvaan Family In the Rocks Vineyard Syrah 2018, Walla Walla Valley
$146.00, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
John Szabo – A syrah from Reyvaan’s exceptional “In the Rocks” vineyard in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA across the Washington border into Oregon, this is yet another highly distinctive, dense wine.
Michael Godel – Deep and intense, not massive yet stony, elemental and captivating. Superb acids and tannins. Structured forever.

Reynvaan Family The Contender Estate In the Rocks Vineyard Syrah 2018, Walla Walla Valley
$146.00, Nicholas Pearce Wines Inc.
John Szabo – A syrah from Reyvaan’s exceptional “In the Rocks” vineyard in the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater AVA across the Washington border into Oregon, this is yet another highly distinctive, dense wine.
Michael Godel – Deep and intense, not massive yet stony, elemental and captivating. Superb acids and tannins. Structured forever.

Washington Bordeaux Reds

L’Ecole No 41 Ferguson Estate Ferguson Vineyard 2018, Walla Walla Valley
$109.95, Noble Estates
John Szabo – L’École’s top cabernet-based Bordeaux-style blend, from the basalt rocks of the Ferguson vineyard on the Oregon side of the Walla Walla Valley AVA, is a deep and saturated.

Gramercy Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2016, Columbia Valley
$63.95, Not Represented in Ontario
John Szabo – A very ripe, slightly raisined, maturing cabernet sauvignon from master sommelier Greg Harrington’s Walla Walla vineyards.

Aquilini 10,000 Hours Cabernet Sauvignon 2018, Red Mountain
$45.00, Breakthru Beverage Group
David Lawrason – Red Mountain is a red soiled, south-facing almost desert scrubbed outcrop at the mouth of the Yakima Valley. This has lovely lifted, classic cooler clime cab aromatics and is very well structured.

David Lawrason

VP of Wine

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