WINE
continued from page 3
winemakers who traveled north in the
early '80s. As a lobbyist, Bernau fought
in 1983 to establish an Oregon wine ad
visory board, which would receive rev
enues for the research and promotion of
an Oregon wine industry from two
sources: a tax on wine and wine grapes.
"I was approached by California wine
makers who were interested in passing
laws for establishing an Oregon wine in
dustry, " Bemau said. "I really took a keen
interest for what they were doing and 1
already had a strong appreciation for
pinot noir. I think I am the first native
Oregonian to buy land and own a win
ery in Oregon following Prohibition."
According to information provided
by Silvan Ridge/Hinman Vineyards in
Eugene, the Oregon wine industry's
historical roots date back to around
1825, when the Hudson Bay Compa
ny established the first vineyard at Fort
Vancouver. The first commercial win
eiy opened in 1883, and old zinfandel
vines still exist near Hood River.
"Oregon is not as new as people be
lieve in the wine industry," Johnson
said.
Bernau said the wine industry is
currently the sixth most important
agricultural industry in Oregon with
vineyards in the Willamette, Rogue
and Umpqua valleys and the Colum
bia Gorge. Altogether, Oregon winer
ies produce more than 1 million cases
per year, with gross revenues of
approximately $220 million, placing
the industry just behind milk and
ahead of wheat and Christmas trees.
"A lot of people don't realize just
how important an industry it has be
come," Bernau said. "It may even
eventually surpass milk."
In the national spotlight
Although Oregon's largely small
scale wine production pales in com
parison with that of California and
France, its pinot noir and pinot gris
have gained national recognition. The
Willamette Valley Vineyards and King
Estate Vineyard labels have recently
garnered accolades from USA Today
and The Dallas Morning News, re
spectively. USA Today columnist Jerry
Shriver recently named the
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2002
bottlings among the best in $ll-$20
white wines — placing Willamette in
the "Great Producers" category.
"Other Oregon wineries have had
such recognition too," Bernau said.
"Others have performed brilliantly in
world competitions and in reviews."
Willamette's wines have also been
featured in "Wine Spectator" and
"Bon Appetit" magazines and on
prime time television shows.
"(The 'Friends' chef) so loved our
wines that she bought some and took
them back down to the studio, and she
shared them with the actors on the
'Friends' show," Bernau said. 'The actors
ended up drinking it right on television."
He said he was recently watching
an episode of "The West Wing" where
President Jed Bartlet, played by Mar
tin Sheen, presented his wife with a
bottle of Willamette Valley Vineyards
wine before her birthday dinner.
"He said, 'We've got this for the en
tree, this for the dinner, and by the
way we have Willamette Valley Vine
yards pinot noir,'" Bemau said. "I was
watching television and just about fell
off the couch."
Bemau said Oregon wine produc
ers are setting themselves apart in pro
tecting the environment while
maintaining a viable harvest. His 260
acre winery operates to the standards
HE
018835
/
Lawrence 177, April 22nd-24th
April 22nd & 23rd 8:15pm
April 24th 6:00 pm
Free with Student ID
$2 for community members
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
see website for complete listing
www.culturalforum.uoregon.edu
of the Low Input Viticulture and
Enology, an organization with a set of
standards established in Europe to
protea the environment from harm
ful byproducts produced by farming.
"We use no herbicides or pesticides,
and we use natural methods of improv
ing soil nutrition and vine health and
balance," he said. "We are very into be
ing a good steward for the land."
After harvesting the grapes in Oc
tober, Bernau said the grapes are tak
en fresh from the field to the fo
menter in one day.
"That's where quality comes from,"
he said. 'The fruit begins to break down
the moment it comes off the vine."
Baker said the pinot noir is a
particularly difficult wine to grow
right, with an average of six out of 10
mm m:-m -•mmww
vintages receiving too much rain.
"You really get superior flavor de
velopment and complexity when it is
struggling to get ripe," Baker said.
"The pinot noir is a Holy Grail not
just to consumers but winemakers as
well. They feel it is one of the most se
ductive, and — when you get it right
— one of the most entrancing wines
in the world."
Bernau said although attention to
detail is costly and time consuming,
consumers notice the difference in
taste and quality.
'There will always be a place in the
world for high-quality low-level pro
duction," he said. "I believe in time
we will see a good return."
Contact the freelance editor
atjennifersudick@dailyemeraid.com.
(Above) University
alumnus Jim
Bernau founded
Willamette Valley
Vineyards more
than 20 years ago
and now employs
about 100
workers. (Far left)
Workers in the
Willamette Valley
Vineyards barrel
room move empty
oak barrels for
storage.(Left)
Visitors can
sample wines in
the Willamette
Valley Vineyard’s
tasting room.
Adam Amato
Senior Photographer
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