The Vine Guy

Oregon’s Willamette Valley – blessed with fertile soil, gentle microclimates and natural boundaries – has a magical recipe for making world-class Pinot Noir. The warm summer days, tempered by the cooler evenings, thanks to three openings in the Coast Range which bring cool air in to the Valley from the Pacific, provides a perfect setting for the early-ripening Pinot Noir, allowing it to concentrate flavors and develop bright acidity.

Last summer, I had the good fortune to experience the Oregon Pinot Noir phenomenon in person when I was invited to attend the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), in McMinnville, Oregon. Over 70 wineries – with more than 35 coming from Willamette Valley – are featured during a three-day tour de force where Pinot Noir lovers get a chance to enjoy a vast array of Pinot Noir wines from around the world through tastings, tours and seminars.

But on April 2, 2014, residents in and around Washington, DC can enjoy many of these gems when Pinot in the City brings the wines of the Willamette Valley to the Nation’s Capital. 54 winemakers are coming to Washington DC for the first time to tell their stories of the growing region, and share their wines… a lot of their wines! Winemakers, owners and representatives will be on hand to pour over 160 different wines.

Pinot in the City takes place from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Long View Gallery (1234 9th Street NW) in Washington, DC. Tickets ($75) are available online at willamettewines.com/event/pinot-in-the-city.

Click Here to read about a few of the wines that will be featured at the event

Click Here to listen to my recommendations on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week

What is a proud parent to do when his son’s college makes it to the NCAA Basketball Tournament for the first time? Why, invoke the “Personal Choice” right-of-wine statute, of course! Good thing that this particular child chose an institution of higher learning located smack-dab in the middle of one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the country; San Luis Obispo.

Yes, my son is a freshman engineering major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Go Mustangs!). And aside from being an incredibly difficult – if not almost impossible – campus to get to from the east coast, I can tell you that the wines, like the school, are well worth the effort to hunt down.

CLICK HERE to read about my favorite wines from SLO Town

CLICK HERE to listen to my picks on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week

PS – I am aware that the Mighty Mustangs did not get past Wichita State in the first round, but I am a proud Cal Poly Dad nonetheless!