Since Perkins HARTER is now part of BD15 I have been meaning to write something up about these wines and people. Well better late than never. I first tried one of their chards during the pandemic. I noticed that they were distributed in NYC by Vom Boden. Which is odd because VB is mostly German. I knew of course they would be good but never got around to asking Stephen, my partner in source | material about them. The best part of the pandemic was ordering lots of new wines to try. This was by far my best discovery. The Johan Chardonnay was mind-blowing! It was like a hypothetical blend of a Mosel Riesling (think Falkenstein or Ludes) and Oregon Chard! One of the most unique and perfect for my tastes Chards that I have ever had. This further fueled my interest in Oregon so post pandemic we brought the Rieslingstudy party to McMinnville and the number one winemaker I wanted to meet was Shelby! WELL if you think her Chards are an electric jolt of energy…just WAIT until you meet her! We all fell immediately in love with her within the first 30 seconds. What followed was an incredible tasting of wines in barrel, visit to her home and vineyard and tasting of some bottled wines. The wines and people behind them are a great example of why I am so excited about Oregon wines! I can’t recommend them more highly…and you know my track record…MacDonald, Sandlands, Maitre-de-Chai, Beta/Jasud, TIDINGS
I poured the Rose at the Detroit Jazz Fest after-party after the Jahari Massamba Unit (Madlib and Karrim Riggins) performed. Both Madlib and Karrim loved it! It was a huge hit. They also performed Riesling for Robert in my honor for the first time! What a night that!
Here is what I wrote about what was a very last minute tasting visit scheduled after Perkins Harter came to my attention from a Monopole Cru offer in the spring of 2022.
I visited Shelby and Peter with a friend on our recent trip to WV and really enjoyed it. The property is beautiful, with views to die for, and they were incredibly accommodating, interesting, and friendly–so much so that we were there for 5 hours! Peter fired up the grill and served us a variety of German sausages with a greens salad straight from their gardens. I really enjoyed the rose (best of the trip imo) and a couple of the sparklers. My friend absolutely loved an older zin that Shelby had made in California. (I don’t know too much about Zins, but also thought it was very good.) Due to timing Shelby didn’t have any PN on hand to taste, so that will have to be left for another time.
I wish I didn’t have to drive back to Portland that evening, because I had to be very conservative and start spitting/dumping (Shelby insisted on full pours for the aromatics even though she knew I would be dumping), but my friend partied with them like it was 1999!
PSA: I see Shelby has some of those older Zins available in her BD15 offer.
Really too kind. I was totally expecting yesterday to be total crickets for me since I haven’t spent much time on the forum…but wow…I can’t tell you enough how much your support means - and all the MC and GC members who came out for me yesterday as well…THANK YOU!!!
Arunas Starkus has some of my wines in Lithuania. We met when we were hosted by Grand Cru Classe in Bordeaux while studying for the MW, then walked Hermitage w/ Chapoutier’s vineyard lead…good times. He’s been here to Oregon as well, and I’ve linked him up with wineries here in the US for import to Lithuania. Great guy…his daughter is a magnificent golfer at the U of AZ.
It looks like Arunas still has the 2019 Bracken Pinot which got decimated early. Also - 18 Bracken Chard, OG Johan - it’s a veritable Perkins Harter time capsule in Lithuania. Def reach out to Arunas:
Anything for a friend and countryman: I’m 1/4 Lit so the roots go deep.
Arunas has an amazing story. After the wall fell, he bought and sold grey-market cigarettes, then clothes, then traincars of building materials…and eventually boot-strapped himself into wine. OK, Lithuania is the size of Connecticut, but he’s THE GUY when it comes to wine in that country. Told me his whole story over dinner in Hermitage…really an amazing person.
Changed the title of this thread. Thought given all of the excitement around these wines we should have a thread to aggregate tasting notes and other related info.
