An AVA for Central Oregon ?
The acronym might draw a quizzical “What’s an AVA?” response for many people. But to winegrowers and others who gathered recently at Faith Hope & Charity Vineyard it’s an important question.
Some are confident that Central Oregon will one day be designated an American Viticultural Area, a prestigious recognition that would put it—for example--on a level with regional wine appellations such as Yamhill and Willamette AVAs in Oregon, and Columbia, Yakima and Walla Walla valleys in Washington.
AVAs are recognized by the federal Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau after reviewing petitions from a wine region. Oregon
The AVA optimism may be a few years premature for the fledgling local viticulture industry. But members of the Winegrowers Association of Central Oregon, along with guests, were as upbeat over the future prospects as the recent weather—a rare warm day with a light breeze, puffy clouds and blue sky in this latecomer Spring.
The snow-laden Three Sisters peaks for which the vineyard is named provided an appropriate backdrop for the 15 acres of grape vines that could be the first in Deschutes County
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| Faith Hope & Charity vineyard with its namesake peaks in the distance |
Featured on the program were Laura Cooper and Linda Donovan, a one-two combination of wine appreciation and winemaking knowledge. And both encouraged the winegrowers’ optimism over the future of the local effort.
Cooper, a land use attorney, recently took time off from her position at the Ball Janik law firm to study at a London wine school and to visit vineyards and wineries throughout Europe to enhance her skills.
Donovan is a principal in Pallet, a Medford University of California at Davis , she is now making wine on contract to Faith Hope & Charity from grapes grown at Monkey Face Vineyard at Ranch at the Canyons near Smith Rock State Park
Cooper’s presentation covered the basics of recognizing characteristics of wine in the glass and on the palette—from color and clarity to the nose and taste, acids and tannins, and length of the finish.
Although appreciating and recognizing wine attributes can be charted and quantified, “Winemaking is really an art,” Cooper emphasized.
Acknowledging Donovan’s role as a contract winemaker, “it’s not unlike someone who has hired a surrogate to have their baby,” Cooper explained.
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| Standing, l-r, Linda Donovan, Laura Cooper, Kerry Damon and Cindy Grossmann |
But the quality of the grapes is essential, she said.
“You can make a bad wine out of good grapes, but you cannot make a good wine out of bad grapes.”
Donovan focused on the winemaking process—from the harvest in the vineyard to the crush, fermentation, barrel racking and the continuing analysis of brix, or sugar content, and other factors as the juice gains unique attributes before bottling.
At times the dialogue slipped into technical details—indigenous yeast profiles of individual vineyards; the intensity derived from “dead yeast” and the desired levels of malalactic fermentation.
But the give and take of questions to Cooper and Donovan amply demonstrated the higher knowledge level and serious intent of the regional winegrowers.
At one point an association member observed, “this (the local industry) has an AVA potential.”
That enthusiasm found support from Donovan, who recounted her recent learning curve with the American hybrids now being grown in Central Oregon .
Both Donovan and Cooper said that American hybrids, rather than vitis vinifera grapes grown in warmer climates, will likely be the signature varietals of Central Oregon .
Donovan acknowledged that as a Californian she was unfamiliar with the hybrids until receiving the contract shipment of grapes grown at Monkey Face Vineyard and purchased by Cindy and Roger Grossmann at Faith Hope & Charity.
As the grapes started fermentation she called in her Medford
In particular, Donovan said, “Le Crescent is really, really unique. I think you guys are really going to be surprised.”
Vineyard manager Kerry Damon of Monkey Face at Ranch at the Canyons also noted that Central Oregon grapes are gaining a reputation. A red dessert wine, Beet Red, made from a blend of area grapes at Maragas Winery on Highway 97 in Jefferson County recently won a Silver Medal in the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.
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| Participants take a break during recent Central Oregon Winegrowers event |
Damon is known as a mentor to other winegrowers in Deschutes County
Damon, and other regional winegrowers, recognize the climate challenges of growing wine grapes in Central Oregon, especially late and early frosts making for a shorter season.
But they also say that mesoclimates, or the weather of an area as small as a few acres, mean certain varietals will thrive. Some growers, such as Doug Maragas of Maragas Winery and Vineyard near Monkey Face, are also experimenting with vinifera grapes including Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon to see what might be successful.
Most growers, however, are concentrating on the hybrids, among them Frontenac , Leon Le Crescent in whites.
Damon believes Marechal Foch will be the varietal that will see much success in Central Oregon . Maragas has already produced the varietal with grapes grown at Monkey Face.
