Teeny Tiny Wineries of... Oregon

[Rick Allen]

Love and Squalor. Easily the best name in the biz.

Dig their Rieslings

Very good Gamay too.

[Jerry Murray]

I'll add a few:

Matzinger Davies
Leah Jorgenson Cellars
Viola Wines
Project M Wines
Bjornson Vineyard and Winery
Helioterra Wines (Myself)

Will think of more later, too!

Thanks for the mention!

[Jerry Murray]

Harper Voit.
Second the Paetra nomination.

[Darryl Joannides]

I'll add a few:

Matzinger Davies
Leah Jorgenson Cellars
Viola Wines
Project M Wines
Bjornson Vineyard and Winery
Helioterra Wines (Myself)

Will think of more later, too!

Thanks for the mention!

Thanks for including Viola, Anne! I'd add:

Franchere
Flat Brim
Gersing
Loop de Loop

gotta show some love for the Portland peeps!

[Todd Hamina]

Drew does a great job. The Holmes Gap he makes is tasty too.

[D@vid Bu3ker]

Not sure how big they are, but I really love the wines coming out of Division Wine Co.

[Todd Hamina]

EIEIO
Kiff Ranch

[D ulbricht]

Nice thread you started Todd Hamina. However, that kook that only makes wine from the Pommard Clone (SchöneTal Cellars) scored a 92 from Vinous (Josh Raynolds) for the 2014 and 2015 vintage.

[Todd Hamina]

You did good.

[Todd Hamina]

Also, I am thinking of starting an "unfiltered" white/pink/orange wines of Oregon thread too if there is interest. I know it can be a polarizing topic (hehehe) but IMO if you don't filter and make something beautiful that is the pinnacle of winemaking. It will only be to showcase who can do what, so don't get all torqued about the process, let's just celebrate the brave and foolish who do so well.

[Todd Hamina]

Dominio IV has a Viognier made with a little Syrah that masquerades as a rosé which is fantastic.

[Todd Hamina]

Anything new?

[Leonard Taylor]

Prive is awewome.

[John Simpson]

+1 for FrannyBeck and Vincent. Both make a range of varietals that are all very tasty. Long Play and iOTA are good too but a more narrow range of offerings.

[MitchTallan]

Not new and tied to a much larger winery (Rex Hill/AtZ) but Frances Tannahill is tiny and never mentioned. I buy The Hermit whenever I get a chance.

[Rick Allen]

Martin Woods. Pinot, Gamay, Chardonnay, Riesling, and a Cab Franc from the Oregon side of Walla Walla that was harvested several weeks before the big gloopy WA versions.

[rfelthoven]

Isn't Cayuse in Washington? Was that a joke and I missed it?

Production is in Milton-Freewater, OR and the tasting room is in Walla Walla.

All of their vineyards as well as all production is in Oregon. They keep their "tasting room" in downtown Walla Walla so they can be a part of the Washington winery associations. That "tasting room" is only for show, is never open, and I've heard they have to keep a single barrel of wine there so it is a "production" space to be a part of the winery associations. Actual tastings happen at the winery in Oregon only on one weekend a year in April.

Cayuse is an Oregon winery, no other way around it.

Not trying to be a hater, but isn't Christophe getting like $100+ on every one of his Cayuse branded wines? Seems like that's demand driven rather than by costs. I must be missing the joke?

[lleichtman]

I would include Youngbird Hill winery at the Youngbird inn. Really nice PN. And also a small one near Amity called Iota. Couple there make a good lineup.

[Leonard Taylor]

I would include Youngbird Hill winery at the Youngbird inn. Really nice PN. And also a small one near Amity called Iota. Couple there make a good lineup.

Youngberg

[Todd Hamina]

Martin Woods is a nice reco.

[John Osburn]

Martin Woods is a nice reco.

Yes! Former assistant winemaker at Belle Pente, Evan Martin, and his wife Sarah own and operate it.

[jon leifer]

Todd: thank you for this thread, very enlightening..My wife will be touring Washington and Oregon in June, plan to run half marathon and 5 K in Seattle, Pre's trail in Oregon and do some wine tasting in the Woodinville and McMinnville areas..Some great info posted here re teeny-tiny wineries, just the kind places I am looking for,, thanks again

[PeterH]

I would include Youngbird Hill winery at the Youngbird inn. Really nice PN. And also a small one near Amity called Iota. Couple there make a good lineup.

Youngberg

Wineries in the McMinnville AVA tend to get neglected. Even the well established Maysara rarely gets mentioned. I've also enjoyed Brittan, Coeur de Terre, and Coleman. Hyland not as much. Maybe the future is in cannabis (I hope not).

[Todd Hamina]

Cowhorn down there too.

[PeterH]

Applegate Valley is Oregon in an alternative universe. Or maybe just a spatial, and temporal translation of Mendocino County.

[Jim Anderson]

I would include Youngbird Hill winery at the Youngbird inn. Really nice PN. And also a small one near Amity called Iota. Couple there make a good lineup.

Youngberg

Wineries in the McMinnville AVA tend to get neglected. Even the well established Maysara rarely gets mentioned. I've also enjoyed Brittan, Coeur de Terre, and Coleman. Hyland not as much. Maybe the future is in cannabis (I hope not).

Just because Maysara is in the Mac AVA does not make it a teeny, tiny winery. It’s a huge vineyard and a beautiful one at that. The winery facility is large. You could hide my winery in it. They have a second (original) winery on the property that is around the size of my winery. Likewise Hyland is not a small venture by any means. We get fruit from there (as of 2017 and it’s gorgeous stuff) and it’s a big vineyard and while they sell fruit they keep a good chunk for themselves.

[Todd Hamina]

I used to make Maysara... and didn't put it on the list.

Couer de Terre and Brittan and both good examples from the Mac ava.

[John Peacock]

Not trying to be a hater, but isn't Christophe getting like $100+ on every one of his Cayuse branded wines? Seems like that's demand driven rather than by costs. I must be missing the joke?

$100+ would be in the secondary market. Most of the Cayuse wines on release to the mailing list are $75-$85 (I'd have to go back and look at our purchase a few months ago to get exact $$), and there are a couple wines that are north of $100. Any wine over $20-$30 is supply/demand (or perceived quality) driven, and not driven by costs.

[Todd Hamina]

If you can regularly get paid well to make wine, then my hat is off to you. This is a stupid, stupid business.

[dsGriswold]

If you can regularly get paid well to make wine, then my hat is off to you. This is a stupid, stupid business.

But Todd you made so many friends!

[Todd Hamina]

And enemies...

[Marc Frontario]

I would include Youngbird Hill winery at the Youngbird inn. Really nice PN. And also a small one near Amity called Iota. Couple there make a good lineup.

Youngberg

Wineries in the McMinnville AVA tend to get neglected. Even the well established Maysara rarely gets mentioned. I've also enjoyed Brittan, Coeur de Terre, and Coleman. Hyland not as much. Maybe the future is in cannabis (I hope not).

Maysara with their family named Momtazi vineyard is a gorgeous location, the daughter Tahimiene (affectionately called T-Money) is a friend of mine and cool person to drink with.
https://maysara.com/images/

[Richard T r i m p i]

Martin Woods is a nice reco.

Yes! Former assistant winemaker at Belle Pente, Evan Martin, and his wife Sarah own and operate it.

Good to know. Thanks.

RT

[dougwilder]

After reading the "Pinot noir, in a warmer world" thread in which a publicist places some excellent drivel into Bloomberg I wondered what about the teeny tiny places that make lovely wines and never get a chance to show the world. We already know that I will shill and am an attention whore, so I thought why not add some names to the hit list of Oregon that people could visit or purchase from or both. Think of it as a locals recommendation. The nice thing about it is that it could be completely repeatable in other wine growing communities. I used teeny tiny, but people can type whatever they like. Here goes the shill part:

Mellen Meyer
- Bobby Rowett has a screw loose. Bubbles, the guy makes sparklers in OR on a small scale.

Maloof
- Ross and Bee make tiny amounts of heart throbbingly tasty juice. Gewürztraminer... who does that?

Jackalope
- Corey is a silly person. White Cab Franc and a ripper of a Viognier.

Quady North
-Herb Quady may push the limits on teeny tiny (cuz not), but in Southern Oregon you need all the help you can get. Show some love.

Claygate Estate
- Deb and Rick bought land a quarter mile from Brickhouse. Everyone told them to plant so they did. Really they raise Alpacas. * I help.

Gypsy Dancer
- Christine resurrected this brand and it is delish. Bigger Gary Andrus styled wines. * I help.

SchöneTal
- Dave only wants to make pinot using the Pommard clone, what a kook. * I help.

Cayuse
- A French guy named Christophe in Oregon cattle country needs help, everyone thinks he's in Washington.


* I either get paid or I get free fruit.

So check out these lesser known folks, and please add to the list. If there is interest I will add to the list. Check them out! Thanks.

Where were they in October?

[Seth L.]

Amalie Robert

[Todd Hamina]

Doug just named Big Table Farm winery of the year. Nice folks.

[Richard T r i m p i]

Doug just named Big Table Farm winery of the year. Nice folks.

Brian at Belle Pente has always been very positive about them. I found the style a touch too round a few years ago, which in no way takes away from their niceness.

RT

[Todd Hamina]

One can be nice and round.

[rfelthoven]

How are you defining “teeny tiny”?

Rock hard and you still piss all over your balls

[Andy Steinman]

How are you defining “teeny tiny”?

Rock hard and you still piss all over your balls

LOL! Belly Laugh!!

[G. Bienstock]

Andy, had the Gamay on Xmas. What a pleasure.

[Andy Steinman]

Andy, had the Gamay on Xmas. What a pleasure.

Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it.

I know Ken is very happy working with the Arlyn Vineyard fruit.

[Brian Glas]

The winery facility is large. You could hide my winery in it.

Yes I didn't understand why Maysara built that massive barn. It might be the biggest building in Yamhlll County. I think Todd told me that Mo built it during the 2008 recession just to keep the workers from his construction business employed.

[Monte Mast]

I had the Project M Riesling at Thistle a few weeks ago. If that is what an inaugural vintage tastes like, this is winery to watch. I don't know what the rest of the lineup tastes like.

I agree with a number of others listed. I will look up some of Todd's suggestions. There are a few new ones to me in his list.

[Todd Hamina]

Project M is a good reco too. And their sister project Nasty Woman wines.

[Todd Hamina]

After reading the "Pinot noir, in a warmer world" thread in which a publicist places some excellent drivel into Bloomberg I wondered what about the teeny tiny places that make lovely wines and never get a chance to show the world. We already know that I will shill and am an attention whore, so I thought why not add some names to the hit list of Oregon that people could visit or purchase from or both. Think of it as a locals recommendation. The nice thing about it is that it could be completely repeatable in other wine growing communities. I used teeny tiny, but people can type whatever they like. Here goes the shill part:

Mellen Meyer
- Bobby Rowett has a screw loose. Bubbles, the guy makes sparklers in OR on a small scale.

Maloof
- Ross and Bee make tiny amounts of heart throbbingly tasty juice. Gewürztraminer... who does that?

Jackalope
- Corey is a silly person. White Cab Franc and a ripper of a Viognier.

Quady North
-Herb Quady may push the limits on teeny tiny (cuz not), but in Southern Oregon you need all the help you can get. Show some love.

Claygate Estate
- Deb and Rick bought land a quarter mile from Brickhouse. Everyone told them to plant so they did. Really they raise Alpacas. * I help.

Gypsy Dancer
- Christine resurrected this brand and it is delish. Bigger Gary Andrus styled wines. * I help.

SchöneTal
- Dave only wants to make pinot using the Pommard clone, what a kook. * I help.

Cayuse
- A French guy named Christophe in Oregon cattle country needs help, everyone thinks he's in Washington.


* I either get paid or I get free fruit.

So check out these lesser known folks, and please add to the list. If there is interest I will add to the list. Check them out! Thanks.

Where were they in October?

Also Doug, the Willamette Valley Winery Association is not what I would call a "friend" to the smaller wineries here in the valley. Maybe reach out to the smaller AVA associations?

[Rick Allen]

Love and Squalor - Matt Berson recently moved his winery to PDX after "rooming" with Marcus Goodfellow for a couple of years. Riesling, Pinot Noir, Gamay, and a few others.

[Todd Hamina]

Fausse Piste and Kelley Fox.

[Todd Hamina]

Kelley Fox. I know she's mentioned here already, but... you should add her to your list. Hung out with her today, such a fantastic person.

I wish the "natural" wine people had chosen "true" as their moniker instead.

Kelley's wines are true.

[Steven Miller]