PORTLAND, Ore. -- A big tourism boost is coming to Oregon wineries.
The new issue of Wine Spectator magazine comes out this week, and Oregon pinot noir is the cover story. The authors recommend and rate a staggering 650 Oregon wines.
But the amazing part is, most of those were nearly ruined by flooding rains.
Beaux Freres Winery, seven miles northwest of downtown Newberg is featured prominently.
Co-owner Michael Etzel is having a pretty good day, "It's nice to be out in the vineyard pruning and enjoying the sun."
Not only does he work in a beautiful place, but he's headed to Hong Kong this week to speak about Oregon pinot noir, and Wine Spectator just rated his 2013 Upper Terrace pinot the best in state with a score of 96 out of 100, even devoting an entire magazine page to his winery.
"A lot of people will make an effort to search this wine out and purchase it, we're not inexpensive so it helps us in the sales department certainly," Etzel said.
Already, that particular wine, which produced less than 400 cases, has sold out, at $100 a bottle.
The 7-page cover story on Oregon wines focuses on the challenge that was 2013. It was a lot like this year, a tale of opposites. The summer was long and warm, but then flooding rains hit in September, right when they need to harvest. All that moisture can rot or split open the grapes.
It looked like financial disaster for vintners. Like most, Etzel had to throw away a lot of his crop.
"But we were able to get the right kind of fruit and it fermented into wines that pinot noir drinkers really look for, low alcohol and fresh, red fruit," Etzel explained.
In the tasting room, the Dunnes from Seattle have been Beaux Freres customers for 20 years. They appreciate the knowledge it takes to turn rain into wine.
"Even in a weak year for weather, he makes his wine in a vineyard," said Guy Dunne. "Having even a crappy year, you manage your crop, you manage your harvest and then what you do in the winery is probably very minimalist anyway and that's why the wine is really made up in the vineyard."
Wine Spectator is read around the world. Wine makers are excited at the attention it'll bring to the Willamette Valley.
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