While tasting this morning, I had realized that it had been several years since I had visited the value Oregon project, Portlandia Vintners. There are so many producers in Oregon making good wines but I think few can match Portlandia in terms of sheer value. Certainly the wines of St. Innocent come to mind, but many of Portlandia’s wines hover around $20.00. That is certainly a challenge, particularly considering the impressive body of vineyards that they work with. Founder Damien Davis made his way from his home in Florida to Oregon in 1999 to work a harvest and fell in love with the region. Fast forward to 2008, Portlandia was founded to create wines that showcase terroir at a great price.
I tried three new releases from Portlandia and all were equally impressive but for different reasons. Under $20.00, the 2019 Portlandia Pinot Gris (OB, 90) is fresh, vibrant and a killer match for any fresh shellfish. I adored the 2018 Portlandia ‘Momtazi Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) with its killer terroir and freshness, with fleshy red fruits and great aromatic and flavor range. Learn more about these great wines at https://portlandiavintners.com Here are my reviews of the new Portlandia wines.
2019 Portlandia Pinot Gris- This shows a wonderfully bright degree of minerality with lovely Bosc pear, wild mushroom and salty minerals on the palate. While not particularly geared towards weight, the freshness is outstanding. Pair this with fresh Kusshi oysters. Drink 2020-2023- 90
2018 Portlandia Pinot Noir- This 2018 bottling is soured from a host of great sites throughout the Willamette Valley including the ‘Hyland’ and ‘Loubejac’ vineyards. Very pretty rose water and red cherry with guava puree tones collide with minerals and a soft mouthfeel on the palate. This is a great value. Drink 2020-2025- 90
2018 Portlandia ‘Momtazi Vineyard’ Pinot Noir-I have long admired wines from the ‘Momtazi Vineyard’ set on two distinct soils and a vineyard whose wines seem to scream terroir. This edition is complex and delicious with its dusting of volcanic rocks, saline drenched Ranier cherry, blood orange zest and vibrant sense of minerality. Full-bodied and downright delicious, enjoy this fabulous new Pinot Noir over the next decade. Drink 2020-2028- 93