Jul 26, 2010
If, when you travel, you don't ask yourself, "Could I live here?", then I suspect you aren't traveling with your head, but rather just with your feat. And that's no way to travel. I was recently sitting at a window seat on a bus, watching McMinville, Oregon move past me as a returned to Linfield College from a Winery luncheon at Lemelson Vineyards as part of the Friday festivities at the International Pinot Noir Celebration. McMinnville is a small town…
Jul 24, 2010
“Pinot Noir is the tuning fork of the soul.” "I seek a Pinot that transmits truth.” “Pinot is the only grape that can legitimately be described as ethereal.” It all strikes me as a bit much to heap on one grape varietal, but these are only a few of the otherworldly descriptions I heard laid upon Pinot Noir in just the first few hours of the International Pinot Noir Celebration. I suppose it all sort of explains the “C” in…
Jul 21, 2010
The International Pinot Noir Celebration strikes me as an act of homage not too subtle. I find this somewhat ironic given that one of the things most of us love about Pinot Noir is it's nuanced and often subtle arrangement of flavors and aromas. But more to the point and more important than this observation is that I'm leaving tomorrow to attend this homage to a grape that, if past experience and program details are any guide, should be a…
Jun 15, 2010
I've always been a fan of that strange, under-appreciated sub-genre of Science Fiction known as Alternative History. "What if the South won the Civil War" or "What if America didn't enter WWII and Germany won WWII" are the two most classic renderings of this interesting little literary sidenook. So, it naturally got me wondering about "What Ifs" when I read the following from Joel Peterson, founder of famed Zinfandel producer Ravenswood and board member of ZAP-Zinfandel Advocates and Producers: "The…
Jun 8, 2010
In July, I'll be heading up to McMinnville, Oregon to attend and cover the 24th Annual International Pinot Noir Celebration—arguably the granddaddy of the ever-increasing selection of varietal-inspired celebrations/conclaves for industry and enthusiasts. I'm excited to be invited to attend the event. The last time I went I was in work mode. This time, I'll be in "soak-it-up-and-observe-and-listen-and-ask-questions" mode. This happens to be the mode that most often results for me in both confusion and insight. The IPNC has an…