@Jim_Anderson it was a real pleasure. That tasting was special. I haven’t laughed so hard in a while. Excited to be working with Freedom Hill fruit!
@Marcus_Goodfellow and @Megan_Joy it was awesome to soak in the sunshine from the cellar and talk shop. Always good to catch up with you both. You guys are crushing. Loved the full white wine line-up experience.
That WV sparkler and the field blend were knockouts.
Let’s get the gang back together for our spark tech tasting.
You meant Cole Hocker. Cole Hauser played Rip on the Yellowstone series.
@Erica_O_r_r this last weekend was a blast. Loved showing what we’re building down in our little hamlet of the Eola-Amity Hills. Those base wines definitely can get the morning going. Let me know what you think of the 2025 Eola-Amity Hills Rose! That is rose d’saignee - 100% meunier - 3.5 day “infusion” - fermented and aged in puncheon - filtered - finished with that pink wax over punch cork.
The golden sword pencils (#iykyk) are already getting their reps in. Thank you for all the parting gifts! #chenincheninchenin grenache merlot #salumeria
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I mean Cole Hauser running is a situation.
I had Gamine Wine Co’s Syrah in December (Gamine is a side project of Kate from Division Winemakers) and enjoyed it.
Buona Notte does Syrah as well and might be worth reaching out to - Graham’s tasting room in Portland is very fun.
I think Iruai is just south of the border in the Applegate valley, but they do Syrah. They can be more on the natural side, haven’t had the Syrah but might get to taste it Saturday at Wild Bunch.
Great story and thanks for sharing your adventure. Hearing the perspective of a crafter is enlightening but you added such great knowledge to your story. Plus, I got to relive a few visits.
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Interesting supposition; would love to hear from those in the know on this.
I think growers typically have less reserve wine, so more variation between different releases.
-Al
Steve Doerner also makes Syrah under his own Symbion label. Not sure he does it every vintage, but I saw the 2024 on the shelf at a store last week.
Thanks for sending this along.
And thanks for all of the suggestions - I have reached out @John_Peacock since he concentrates on Grenache and a few of the others, but it would be ‘challenging’ for a winery who only does one SKU to become a member of the organization and pay to pour at a tasting when they would only be able to pour a single wine. I’ll keep searching but I will say that @TreyB of Sleight of Hand has just joined and will be pouring at our event as weil the folks from Bionic Wines 
Cheers
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That fruit is going to Grant and Renee at Hundred Suns now. I believe that Steve is wrapping up the Symbion and Luke Jefferson labels.
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I’d like to blame auto-correct but I just blew it. Sorry Cole, you deserve better. Shout outs to Edwin Moses (not distance but certainly an amazing guy to watch and follow back in the day), Alberto Salazar, Seb Coe, Steve Jones (both not US, I realize) and Abebe Bikila (Marathon Man reference)
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Might have been a bigger deal than Pre in Oregon. Heresy, I know. Also, Mary Decker was running for the Eugene club. That was a magical time.
Never touch the Pre folklore.
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I saw Salazar on the streets of LA in '84 on his way to a 15th place marathon finish, and was lucky enough to have tickets to see Seb win gold in the 1500 (and Carl Lewis in the 4x100).
But my Alberto “brush with greatness” was the following January when I was a Freshman at Georgetown and he was in town for the inauguration. You may recall that was the year it was so cold they canceled the larger outdoor ceremony and had a smaller one indoors. I went to the fieldhouse to work out and there was Alberto doing god knows how many laps on the 200m indoor track. Of course I immedately hopped on and “went for a run with him,” hanging on his shoulder for about a lap before I was gassed…
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Looking forward to both Paso RR and Willamette!
Ran a small number of times with Joanie. Talk about humbling. She could click off 5:45 miles forever back in the day I’m quite sure. Barely any effort for her. Meanwhile I’m putting in a 10-mile PR.
Frank Shorter needs some love too. I remember that 1972 Olympics marathon win being a big deal for US running.
I recall him talking about how he’d piss blood the next day after a race like that. Made quite a visceral impression on my young mind.
My sister was on the Blue Angles track team with Mary Decker in mid 70’s. She wasn’t famous then, just fast. LOL.
I ran once with them at Mile Square park in Fountain Valley, CA. It was not good.
They generally have less of everything, so yes. A house like Herriot makes a ton of wine and they can be consistent due to more reserve wine, but don’t forget that they can also blend from across MANY more vineyards and select out the ones that don’t fit their needs