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Surprising New Wine Regions
Janice Kleinschmidt October 18, 2007PAGES: 1 2
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It would seem logical that the warmer, southern region of Oregon should trump the northern part of the state when it comes to wine, yet Willamette Valley (particularly known for its Pinot Noirs) has received all the glory. The tables could turn, since grape growing in southern Oregon is “going like gangbusters,” according to Kim Kinderman, owner of Agate Ridge Vineyard in the Rogue Valley. “We have tripled the number of acres we have planted in the last five to six years,” she says.
Not only are the number of wineries proliferating, but also the range of varietals is expanding, particularly with later-ripening grapes. Kinderman, who counts 36 wineries in the four-valley area (all within an hour of each other), says Rhone varietals do particularly well there. And the word is getting out. A wine writer from D.C. Examiner published two articles on the region after a visit this summer.
The oldest winery, Hillcrest Vineyard, dates back to 1961. Agate planted its first vineyards in 2001 and opened its tasting room this year. Most of the wineries are young and still small, so if you want to buy a bottle of southern Oregon wine (particularly if you don’t live in Oregon), you’ll probably have to visit the wineries.
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Tasmania, Australia
Farther afield, where the Pacific Ocean rips a notch into the northern coast of Tasmania, blue and yellow signs guide travelers along the 105-mile circular Tamar Valley Wine Route.
“There were two vineyards planted in the 1960s, which are still in full swing today,” says Mary Wilson, owner with husband Micheal of Velo Wines. “The first was named La Provence, now Providence Vineyard at Lillydale (this is Tasmania’s oldest vineyard), and Chateaux Legana, now Velo Wines.” (Velo gets its name from Micheal Wilson, Tasmania’s only Tour de France cyclist.) The region’s wineries—now up to 21—are noted for Pinot Noir and sparkling wines, though they also produce Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot.
Switzerland
Lavaux, Switzerland, celebrated its recent designation as a UNESCO World Heritage site in September by throwing a festival showcasing its wine appellations. “Chasselas is ubiquitous; and with their concentration on this one white grape to the exclusion of all others, Vaudois vignerons—particularly those at Dézaley, St. Saphorin, and Epesses—produce some of the best Swiss wines,” says Maja Gartmann of Switzerland Tourism. “And low-priced Gamays have recently taken on imported French Beaujolais with some success.” Pinot noir is another specialty of the region.
What makes the shores of Lake Geneva particularly attractive—in addition to the backdrop of the Alps—is that you can follow a foot trail through the vineyards. Granted it’s a healthy walk (20 miles), but what better way to spend a day? For those less inclined to hoof it, there are trains, including the Lavaux Express, a mini train similar to one you find in a theme park. No freight-hopping experience necessary: Le Petit Train des Caveaux stops at cellar doors during its two-hour ride (why else would they give you a souvenir glass?).
Maryland
“Tobacco farming is effectively dead, and there is a lot of land looking for something to do,” says Rob Deford, owner of Boordy Winery in Hyde, Md., about 15 miles north of Baltimore. After a state buyout program in 1998, many tobacco farmers turned to viticulture. But a deficit of local grapes exists (with 1.5 tons imported for every ton grown in Maryland) “because the [wine] industry is growing so fast,” says Deford, who was a produce farmer before being recruited to grow grapes for Boordy and who purchased the winery in 1980 after studying viticulture at University of California-Davis.
“We were the first winery in the state and one of the first in the East, post-Prohibition,” Deford says. Now Boordy is one of eight wineries on the Mason-Dixon Wine Trail—a two-state collaboration that Deford says makes a point of maintaining an equal number of wineries in Maryland and Pennsylvania, all within a 20-minute drive of each other. It is one of nine wine trails identified by the Maryland Wineries Association.
Although he now sees about 50,000 tasting-room guests in a year, Deford caters to a single-state market. “That’s where the pride factor is working in your favor; and Maryland, fortunately, is a thirsty state,” he says. He’s most proud of his winery’s Cabernet Franc and a blend called Rockfish (named after the state fish) made with Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and Chardonnay. Grapes that do best in Maryland are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vidal Blanc.
Boordy has more than tripled production in the last six years, and Deford is excited to see other wine-producing regions besides the usual suspects in the press.
“I’m pleased to see that slowly but surely the outback is gaining attention.”
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