Naysayers and doomsday prognosticators be still! (Or at
least pause for a bit and take another breath). Having just returned from Oregon’s premier wine producing region, I can be counted  amongst the glass half full optimists when it comes to vintage 2013.  After spending last week trekking through Willamette Valley’s prime AVAs, tasting wines, picking fruit and working a sorting table or two (in weather both idyllic and fickle) there’s only one thing I can confirm for certain: it’s way too early to definitively predict any outcomes. 

Early indications point to parallels like the recent 2011 vintage that, while challenging, ultimately produced many successful wines.  Having a chance to taste several of these during my visit and buoyed by the elegant, complex versions that resulted, leads me to believe that 2013 could be a similar triumph.

Accompanying me throughout the journey were my ABCFWS colleagues Arthur Maille and Glenn Sudnick; two very fine wine professionals indeed and assuredly good natured travelling companions as well.  Heck, anyone who can put up with my erratic driving for several days without complaint should readily qualify for the extreme patience merit badge.  Readers should eagerly anticipate future comprehensive postings from them in this blog space. 

I plan to chime in too with a more in-depth musing once I get a handle on these exciting, albeit labor intensive, guest-centric store sets I had a short reprieve from.  

Very special, heartfelt thanks must go to the entire Momtazi family at Maysara, Dave Grooters at Carlton Cellars, Athena Pappas of Papas Wine Company, and Stewart Boedecker of Boedecker Cellars for making this a memorable trip.  Cheers!

Jim Greeley

Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

@abcwinejimg