Native Italian grapes find a home in the land of Pinot Noir (#ItalianFWT)

Oregon’s Willamette Valley is famous for its Pinot Noir. Deservedly so. The region’s cool climate and rich soils lend themselves to often stunning and distinctive examples of Pinot Noir – some of them comparable to those of Burgundy.

In the midst of this bounty, it seems ungrateful to ask, “Uh, what else do you grow?” But that’s exactly what I do as I research Willamette Valley wineries. I can’t help but wonder about the full range of grapes this region offers.

At Montinore Estate, a 200-acre vineyard and winery 28 miles southwest of downtown Portland (Tualatin Hills AVA), my research turns up the Rossi di Marchesi collection of wines made from Italian varieties: Lagrein, Teroldego, Sangiovese, and my first Italian grape love, Nebbiolo. Ever since tasting a Nebbiolo field blend at tiny Va La Vineyards in southeastern Pennsylvania, I’ve been hooked on this light-colored, tannic red grape. Time for a road trip.

Do Italian grapes spark your interest, no matter where in the world you find them? Then the next Italian Food, Wine and Travel chat is for you. Hope you can join the #ItalianFWT bloggers as we explore these grapes and the people who vinify them. We’ll be on Twitter Saturday, March 6, starting at 8 am PT/11 am ET. Simply follow the hashtag.

A visit to Montinore

By some stroke of luck, my son recently landed in the Willamette Valley. Though he’s not there for the wine (unless mom’s visiting), his new abode offers a handy base of operations for exploring the region. Montinore was closed for the winter season, but Ari Grey, the estate’s hospitality manager, graciously agreed to host our party of four for a private, outdoor and socially distanced wine tasting.

Established in 1982, Montinore is a Demeter Certified Biodynamic® and CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers) Organic estate. That means the vineyards are maintained according to a philosophy and methodology that views the farm as a self-sustaining ecosystem. Certified since 2008, Montinore is now the largest producer of certified estate wines made from Biodynamic® grapes in the US and makes one of the only Biodynamic® sparkling wines in the country.

This philosophy of farming carries into the winery and Montinore’s winemaking practices as well. For example, instead of purchasing cultivated yeast, much of the yeast used to ferment their wine is sourced from their own vineyard. According to their website, “These yeast strains, unique to our estate, produce more complex profiles compared to commercial strains.”

Standing in the vineyard of this northern Willamette Valley estate, we get the lay of the land. Montinore’s vineyards benefit from their location on a southeast-facing slope and by having the Coast Range foothills to the west. These low-lying mountains cast a rain shadow that protects vines from the heaviest rainstorms that blow onshore from the cold Pacific Ocean. On a clear day, you can see north all the way to Mount St. Helens in southern Washington state. To the east rises Mt. Hood. These volcanoes – one active, one dormant – are reminders of the geologic upheavals still shaping the Pacific Northwest.

As Grey explains, the name “Montinore” means “Montana in Oregon,” a reference to the well-draining alluvial soils deposited here when glacial Lake Missoula broke through an ice dam more than 10,000 years ago and flooded parts of eastern Washington and western Oregon.

Like most Willamette Valley wineries, Montinore’s team regards Pinot Noir as the estate’s foundational grape. Fifteen of the 27 distinct types of Pinot Noir are grown in the Willamette Valley. Montinore cultivates seven of them. In addition, the estate produces white varieties and blends from Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Müller-Thurgau, Riesling, Muscat Ottonel, and Pinot Blanc.

So why Italian grapes?

Montinore’s Rossi di Marchesi collection is a nod to owner Rudy Marchesi’s Italian heritage. An iconic figure in the Willamette Valley, Marchesi made and sold wine on the East Coast before becoming captivated by the acid-driven wines of Oregon. After overseeing operations and serving as vineyard consultant for several years at Montinore, he became the estate owner in 2005 and expanded the Biodynamic farming already taking place.

When Marchesi realized that Oregon’s climate is similar to that of northern Italy, he saw the potential for some Italian varieties and teamed up with researchers to figure out which grapes were most compatible. Focusing on Lagrein and Teroldego because of their genetic relationship to Pinot Noir and affinity for food, he planted a couple of acres of each in a warm spot in the vineyard. That was more than 20 years ago and the vines are still thriving. Two other Italian grapes – Nebbiolo and Sangiovese – joined the Montinore portfolio later, both sourced from partner vineyards in neighboring Washington state.

We tasted three Rossi di Marchesi wines at Montinore – Lagrein, Teroldego, and a red blend. I brought home their Nebbiolo to savor and pair with food.

2017 Montinore Estate Lagrein, Tualatin Hills
Lagrein hails from the Dolomite Mountains of northern Italy. Related to Pinot Noir, but with thicker skins. Montinore’s estate-grown Lagrein spends 12 to 14 months in oak. Dark ruby in color, this wine hits the nose with fruit-forward and flowery aromas, followed by a dry yet juicy and toasty palate. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 12% Price: $40.

2016 Montinore Estate Teroldego, Tualatin Hills
Another northern Italian native in the Pinot Noir family, Teroldego is somewhat unusual, even in Italy. At Montinore, it grows in the warmest spot in the vineyard for maximum flavor and complexity. 2016 was a notable vintage in the Willamette Valley, distinguished by warm days and cool nights. Dark ruby in color with a spicy nose suggestive of cranberry and mocha. Earthy palate showing cherry and licorice. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol 12%. Price: $40.

NV Montinore Estate Rosso di Marchesi Sesto Atto, Oregon
The sesto atto (“sixth act”) of Marchesi’s Italian-style red blend consists of 27% Sangiovese, 13% Teroldego, 35% Lagrein, 16% Nebbiolo, and 9% Pinot Noir. Ruby red in color. Blackberry, cherry, licorice, tobacco, and tea leaf are the dominant notes. Medium+ acidity. Medium+ finish. Alcohol: 12.8%. Price: $28. Smooth and easy to love, especially at this price.

2016 Montinore Estate Nebbiolo, Washington State
Marchesi describes Montinore Estate’s Nebbiolo as “a Pacific Northwest wine that speaks Italian.” Grapes are sourced from Klipsun Vineyards on Red Mountain, a steep, southwest-facing slope near the Yakima River in Washington.

“A family favorite for years, this is just our second bottling of Nebbiolo. Guided by tips from winemakers in Italy’s Barbaresco and Barolo regions, we experienced the grapes starting off their fermentation an interesting mauve color, but then picked up color during the barrel aging process.”

My tasting notes: Light, transparent ruby in color. Cherry, tobacco, wet earth, and a hint of mint on the nose, followed by cherry, tobacco, and an explosion of strawberry in the mouth with a vanilla note at the end of a long finish. Medium+ acidity. Prickly, mouthcoating tannins. Age-worthy. Alcohol: 13.7%. Price: $40.00

Suggested pairing: A wine this tannic and bright begs for meat (or a hearty meat substitute) and tomatoes. We enjoyed the Nebbiolo with this rich and tasty lamb ragù over Rigatoni pasta. Perfection.

Marchesi recently announced plans to expand operations into the Willamette Valley’s Yamhill-Carlton AVA. In addition to a 100,000-case new winery, the property will include stand-alone tasting rooms for Landlines Estates and Montinore Estate. Groundbreaking will occur this spring, with the tasting rooms expected to open in late 2021 or early 2022. Meanwhile Marchesi will continue farming more than 100 acres in Tualatin Hills. Hope that means more wine from Italian grapes!

Check out all of the #ItalianFWT finds by following the links below:

• Camilla at Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Cheesy Bites, a Colorful Board, and a Barbera…from California
• Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm: Italian Grapes Grown Outside of Italy and Served Out of a Box? Che Diamine!!!
• Andrea at The Quirky Cork: Tuscany Meets Turkey with Chateau Murou Montepulciano Sangiovese
• Jeff at FoodWineClick!: Italian Grapes from Unti Vineyards at the Winter Grill
• Martin at ENOFYLZ Wine Blog: A Splendid Cal-Ital: 2016 Giornata Nebbiolo Luna Matta Vineyard
• Jennifer at Vino Travels: Remy Wines: Italian Grapes in Oregon and a Winery After my Heart
• Terri at Our Good Life: Italian Grapes in Lodi Paired with Grilled Salmon Tacos
• Nicole at Somm’s Table: 2 Italian White Wine Blends Born in California
• Gwendolyn at Wine Predator: Italy in California: from Aglianico to Zinfandel and Italy in California: Nebbiolo from Humboldt’s Terragena and Santa Barbara’s Silver
• Susannah at Avvinare: Vermentino, A Star In and Out of Italy
• Lynn at Savory the Harvest: Honoring An Italian American: Palmina Wines in Santa Barbara County
• Linda at My Full Wine Glass: Native Italian grapes find a home in the land of Pinot Noir