You get what you need

We were supposed to be enjoying sunshine and surf on the Oregon coast, but Mother Nature had something more akin to a cold winter in mind for us.  At first we were disappointed, maybe even grumpy, or downright ill-tempered. But finally, we let go of our attachment to what we wanted and instead opened ourselves up to what is. 

What is, you ask? Wine tasting. Wine tasting always is….

Just 50 miles east the sun was shining! Now, it’s grey and muggy but, oh well, at least it’s still warm here in the Willamette valley, and the wine is superb.  We’ve yet to hit Walla-Walla so the jury is still out, but as of now, the Willamette is our favorite region besides Napa.  And, the craziest thing is, it’s Pinot country.

We tasted at Willamette Vineyards, Panther Creek, Anthony Dell (photo #3 of Anthony and Tree), Eyrie (the first to plant Pinot in Oregon), and Anne Amie yesterday. Not only did the Pinots blow us away at the first four stops, but we met some wonderful people pouring for us along the way.

I can tell that both Tree and I are really excited about our new appreciation of Pinot. After having tasted so many smooth, silky, medium-bodied, complex, earthy, juicy, touch of spicy Pinots, we finally understand what all the fuss is about. The only problem is, we can't afford it.  We don't seem to like a Pinot under $40!!! (With the exception of Anthony Dell, great buys on fantastic wine!)  

Musing about my newfound love, I determined that passion is like Cabernet- big, bold, undeniably delicious- but trust, trust is like Pinot.

As quoted by Miles in Sideways:
"It's a hard grape to grow. As you know. Right? It's, uh, it's thin-skinned, temperamental, ripens early. It's, you know, it's not a survivor like cabernet, which can just grow anywhere and thrive even when it's neglected. No, pinot needs constant care and attention. You know? And, in fact, it can only grow in these really specific, little tucked-away corners of the world. And only the most patient and nurturing of growers can do it, really. Only somebody who really takes the time to understand pinot's potential can then coax it into its fullest expression."