Sunday, December 02, 2007 | Food, Wine, Beer & Spirits
Lovely to the letter

Oregon’s A to Z wineworks

By Jason Tesauro and Phineas Mollod

In 1997, the Oregon State Legislature recognized dairy production’s contribution to the economy by naming milk as the official state beverage. They were way off. Ten years later, the Beaver State’s wineries outnumber its dairy farms two to one. To get the lowdown, we caught up with Oregon’s fastest growing producer, A to Z Wineworks, co-owned by husband-and-wife teams Bill and Deb Hatcher and Cheryl Francis and Sam Tannahill. “Abecedarian” is a word that describes someone who is either learning or teaching the alphabet. While you’re just learning the ABCs of Oregon, A to Z is a great place to start. Pinot noir and pinot gris are ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in the state in terms of varietal production, and A to Z produces a dandy in each category. The Sunday Paper recently chatted with Deb Hatcher for a brief tutorial.

Q There is a lack of powerful oakiness in the wines and a lovely minerality. Old World approach in the New World?

A Oregon’s long summer days and cool nights make it the best place in the contiguous United States to grow berries … and grapes are berries. We prefer to let the natural flavors of the wines predominate without oak masking or dominating the fresh, crisp nuances inherent in well-made Oregon wines, including some minerality (our Jacob Hart Vineyard is completely covered in rocks so the soil is not even visible).

Wine drinkers playing Freudian word association would immediately say pinot noir when hearing Oregon. But there’s more, isn’t there?

Unexpected varietals can reward experimentation. Oregonians are increasingly interested in Riesling, which was originally planted in the 70s and grafted to pinot gris in the 80s. We make a small amount of pinot blanc just because I love its elegance and graceful adaptability to food. Southern Oregon is as different from the Willamette Valley (and Napa Valley, too) as night and day. Although the region is similar to much of California and appropriate for big red varietals, high elevations allow for cooling every summer night so that the grapes stop cooking and the vines recover.

Being less than $20, is the ultimate A to Z credo: boutique quality wines at drink-me-everyday prices?

Since A to Z’s founding in 2002, it’s become synonymous with value, and is already the largest winery in the state. By offering aristocratic wines at democratic prices, we hope to attract newcomers and also be a dependable choice for everything from family dinners to large weddings.

The rosé was sangiovese, and there was tempranillo in the Night & Day ... such wonderful selective experimentation.

For the rosé, we pick early to retain bright fruit flavors and good acidity, and cold soak for three days to get that incredible color. This well-built wine is as reminiscent of strawberries and cream as is imaginable. As to the Night & Day, we start with a Bordeaux template (cabernet sauvignon, cabernet Franc and merlot), but add tiny amounts of syrah, nebbiolo, dolcetto, tempranillo, petit verdot, grenache or whatever helps to lift and inform the wine with seductive but elusive notes.

Some A to Z offerings made it our Thanksgiving tables. What graced your table?

We greeted our 15 guests with our rosé but eschewed the usual pinot gris pairing for some eclectic magnums: 1989 Domaine Drouhin, 2002 William Hatcher Pinot Noir, 2000 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas and 1986 Chateau Gloria St. Julien, along with a bottle of 1999 Comte de Vogüe Bonnes Mares, capped with 2001 Chateau Roumieu Lacoste Haut-Barsac Sauterne. SP

Phineas and Jason are the authors of “The Modern Gentleman” and “The Modern Lover.” E-mail them at booze@sundaypaper.com.

TASTING NOTES
Pinot gris 2006: Ripe citrus, white flowers and tropical fruits meet honeysuckle, mid-palate juiciness and terrific acidity that leads to a long and vibrant finish.

Pinot blanc 2006: Starbright with pear, honeysuckle, apricot and river stones. Lemony citrus is balanced by ripe nectarines and minerals. Long finish.

Riesling 2006: White peach, mandarin orange and slate in an off-dry wine with slight petulance. White grapefruit flavors with high acid and a long finish.

Chardonnay 2006: Its crisp richness is reminiscent of Chardonnay from northern Italy as the acid and pear sidle up to star fruit.

Night & Day 2004: Nose of red fruits, blueberries, rose petals and earth in a wild yet harmonious blend. Barrel aged with some new wood.

Pinot Noir 2006: Blueberries, blackberries and under-ripe strawberries in the nose with touches of clove, vanilla and soil. Blended from wines representing all of the Oregon AVAs that grow pinot noir.

Rosé 2006: Beautiful cranberry hue the color of Rootin’ Tootin’ Raspberry Kool-Aid. A bowl of summer fruit on the nose (watermelon, kiwi, mango) that’s lush red fruit in the mouth. Finishes tart and begs for a picnic. 100 percent sangiovese.