A Tut’s Tomb Of Wine In Colorado

Tom Passavant, a wine-loving friend who fled New York for the ski slopes of Aspen, stumbled upon one of those improbable wine shops that you expect in New York but not in Carbondale, Colo. “It’s about 30 miles down valley from Aspen,” he said. Called the Catherine Store, it’s an old gas station run by a former New York derivatives trader and her companion, a physician who specializes in gerontology.“Anyway,” Mr. Passavant continued, “I walk into this place and discover a King Tut’s Tomb of wine. The owner, Rhonda Black, has everything. I mean, I’ve never seen anything like it, let alone in a place like Carbondale. She’s got wines from little California wineries like Saxum, Sine Qua Non, and Kongsgaard.”With that, Mr. Passavant practically keened. “I can’t even get on the waiting lists for these producers, and she’s got all these impossible-to-buy producers. How does she get them?”I explained, with as much compassion as I could muster, my “snout in the trough” theory. It’s simple, really. You sniff constantly, even obsessively, for the latest up-and-comers and then you contact the winery to get your snout in the trough. Ms. Black and other wine lovers like her, got in early and bought often.For example, back in February I alerted Sun readers to a small, new, you-heard-it-here-first winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains called Rhys Vineyards (“This Land Is Their Land,” February 15, 2006). But I wasn’t the only one sniffing around. The word got out. Already, Rhys Vineyards has a waiting list.All of which is prelude to why you should take note of the Oregon pinot noir producer called Evesham Wood Vineyard and Winery (www.eveshamwood.com). Oregon now boasts close to 300 wineries, the vast majority of which produce fewer than 5,000 cases a year. That’s small by any measure. (A small Napa Valley winery makes three times as many cases.)Now, there’s a lot of hype about Oregon pinot noir. And, as the saying goes — or ought to — where there’s hype there’s smoke. An increasing number of small-lot Oregon pinot noirs are asking $60 to $75 a bottle or more. Several ask triple-digit prices. Are they worth it? Value is in the eye (and palate) of the beholder. But for this taster, the prices asked are usually disproportionate to the quality. They’re good, but most are not $75 good.A few, however, not only are worth such money but — here’s the kicker — they don’t ask these prices. Does this make sense? Of course not. But since when has sense had anything to do with wine pricing?The leader of this tribe of sensibilists — alas, there’s not enough of them to call it a movement — is owner-winemaker Russ Raney of Evesham Wood. He produces 3,600 cases a year, offering two chardonnays of no particular note and several absolutely noteworthy pinot noirs. Mr. Raney’s own organic-transitioning-to-biodynamic vineyard is just 12.5 acres. It’s supplemented by purchases of grapes from other producers in the Willamette Valley.Evesham Wood’s pinot noirs consistently represent some of the very best that Oregon offers with this famously tricky grape variety. Mr. Raney’s winemaking style seeks austerity and detail over gobs of swoopy, oak-drenched fruitiness. If Brooks Brothers made wine, it would taste like Evesham Wood.Evesham Wood’s signature wine — as close to an Oregon cult pinot noir as is made today — is called Cuvée J. in homage to the legendary Burgundy producer Henri Jayer (who died on September 20 at 84). Little more than 150 cases of it is made in any given vintage. It’s a blend of what Mr. Raney deems the best barrels in his tiny cellar. He asks just $37 for this consistently stellar wine.Other standout pinot noirs from Evesham Wood include Le Puits Sec (the dry well), which very often equals Cuvée J for this taster. Made exclusively from Mr. Raney’s own low-yielding vineyard, it’s a prime example of the kind of finesse allied to pure berryish pinot noir allure that sets apart Oregon pinot noir from any other American versions. Look also for the Seven Springs Vineyard bottling, which is all about red fruits and Mr. Raney’s signature austerity.HERE’S THE (GET IT NOW) DEALEVESHAM WOOD “WILLAMETTE VALLEY” PINOT NOIR 2005 Followers of Evesham Wood’s pinot noirs know that the best deal offered by this always modestly priced producer is its “Willamette Valley” bottling. For every vintage, without fail, Mr. Raney blends pinot noirs from several sources in the zone to create a pinot noir a Burgundian would be proud to call his own. And every year it sells out with almost unseemly speed.So here’s your chance. According to Mr. Raney, “I shipped 135 cases of our 2005 ‘Willamette Valley’ pinot noir to our New York distributor, which is Martin Scott Wines.” Now, 135 cases in a market the size of New York gives new meaning to the word “minuscule.” But for the wine go-getter it should suffice.You want this wine. It’s unusually fleshy and rich for Evesham Wood, thanks to Mr. Raney’s decision to switch part of the sourcing to a vineyard in a warmer site, which creates riper grapes. Also, there’s no new oak influence. It’s a pure pinot play with no vanilla or spice notes from oak barrels — and none needed. All of the barrels used in this wine are five years old and have no oak flavor. Mr. Raney further notes that about 20% of the blend was entirely in stainless steel, which further enhances the flavor purity of this wine.This is rich, dense, luscious pinot noir that tastes flat-out wonderful right now, although experience shows that it will age gracefully for at least five years. The price is unbeatable for the quality: $16.50 a bottle.

A Tut’s Tomb Of Wine In Colorado

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