Analemma Wines - Mosier, Oregon
"NEVER LOSE A HOLY CURIOSITY."
(editor’s note: article published a few years back — the vines bearing the Galician grape varieties referred to here have since been planted and wines have since been made from them. We thank former long-time E&Rer Stephanie Sprinkle for this writeup…)
Where to even begin? With the incredibly talented winemaking/growing duo that, from many perspectives, may seem to have transpired out of thin air? With their impressive backgrounds and current talent resulting in some of the most remarkably farmed vineyards in the Pacific Northwest? With their landmark wines from extraordinary vineyard sites in the Gorge situated at 1400-1700 feet with majestic mountain views? With their Pinot Noir that diverges from the Willamette Valley model yet is every bit as compelling and in some ways even more so because it stands on its own? Or their rosé that every wine drinker on earth should taste from a black glass so they can unbiasedly conclude that, regardless of color, they are tasting something uniquely special? How about their Gewürztraminer that belongs in a line-up with European archetypes? Or their Blanc de Noir and the fact that even though sparkling wine has been made in Oregon (and America for that matter) for decades, we’ve never tasted one like theirs before? Or simply with the reality that they have broken new ground in Oregon, Washington and America, and illuminated the great potential of the Gorge, providing wine lovers with a beautiful new discovery?
TEAM ANALEMMA
It’s not a magic trick – Steven Thompson and Kris Fade did not appear out of thin air, nor have they impulsively jumped on board a fast moving wave of virtual wine trends. In 2010, they homesteaded: bought land, planted vineyards, leased vineyards, built a winery and created a home in Mosier, Oregon, in the Columbia River Gorge. They did this after living and working in wineries and vineyards in New Zealand; after Steven left his position at one of America’s most coveted wineries, Cayuse, where he made wine and directed their biodynamic vineyard program; after he graduated from Walla Walla’s Enology and Viticultural program; after leading bike tours in Italy where he fell in love with wine and landed a job in Tuscany during harvest.
No, this didn’t happen over night. Steven and Kris - a geology enthusiast who’s research while studying in Walla Walla naturally intersected with wine, grape growing and terroir - met in Walla Walla, and the rest, as they say, is history. And we believe it will be a significant part of history, as the work they are doing is monumentally important to the world of Oregon wine, the Pacific Northwest and America.
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THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE
If you are a native Portlander, you have more than likely discovered the magic of the Gorge. At the very least you have soaked in its abundantly forthright visual beauty, and possibly meandered its tree-lined paths, recorded images of its powerful waterfalls, gathered fruit from its orchards and slept in one of its historic inns. The Gorge is a real life treasure box, yet, as long as grapes have grown there, the wines have rarely entered serious discussions.
It wasn't until 2004 that the official AVA of the Columbia River Gorge was created, though grapes have been growing within the outline of its wildly diverse alluvial/volcanic swath for at least as long as Oregon's more famous Willamette Valley AVA. In the case of The Pines Vineyard, located in The Dalles, Zinfandel vines have continued to grow there for over a hundred years. But the Gorge isn't about just a single grape or style, and in the shadow of the confident Pinot Noir culture of the Willamette Valley and the charismatic "big reds" of Washington, the Gorge has yet to pinpoint its "thing". Or has it?
Carved out by the ancient glacial surge of the Missoula floods, the Columbia River Gorge is rugged, diverse and extremely complex. First of all, it straddles two states (which is to take the credit and/or responsibility of the AVA?). Ranging from Riesling, Albariño, Primitivo and Syrah, over 40 grape varieties are grown within its two state 40 mile stretch protected by the rain shadow of the volcanic formations of the Cascade Range. Its terroir is influenced by four different rivers and the annual rainfall ranges from nearly 40 inches on the western end, to just 10 inches at its eastern boarder. Vineyards are planted from close to sea level up to nearly 2,000 feet. This incredible diversity straddles corners and crevices through tiny individual microclimates capable of hosting various grape varieties.
In the last few years we have come to realize the potential of the Gorge through a few small-production wineries from the region focusing on "quiet" wines rather than the more flamboyant styles that can more easily garner attention. But when vineyards are carefully managed and wines are thoughtfully made, the nuances that the terroir of the Gorge can create speak volumes (at attractive audibles). No winery has more clearly revealed this than Analemma.
ATAVUS VINEYARD
While working in New Zealand, Steven and Kris dreamed up plans for their viticultural future in America's Pacific Northwest. They found the cooler climate of the Gorge (as opposed to Walla Walla where they had built their vineyard/wine foundation) and the resulting variation from vintage to vintage more viticulturally interesting. After having already made the decision to build a future in the Gorge, they were officially lured back by the chance to work with a special vineyard site on the Washington side of the Columbia.
If you were to step foot in it you would immediately understand the draw. Atavus Vineyard, originally planted in 1968 by the current owner, Charles Henderson, and Dr. Walter J. Clore, the "Father of Washington Wine", is an historical gem. Dry farmed since its inception and situated at 1600-1800 feet above sea level with a majestic view of Mount Hood, Atavus is planted to the Swiss Mariafeld clone of Pinot noir and "Alsatian-inspired" Gewürztraminer. It's almost unbelievable to consider that it was planted in the same era of David Lett's famous Eyrie Vineyard and yet it's gone largely "undiscovered" for so long. But it's exactly how these things work. In every corner the world and every facet of life there are gems yet to be discovered. It just takes the right combination to reveal them and the curiosity to see what's been exposed. Kris and Steven seized the opportunity and it was their vision and talents that illuminated the profuse capacity of Atavus Vineyard.
In 2010, Analemma was born as Steven and Kris "set out to breathe life back into the old vines" at Atavus Vineyard. Steven and his on-staff vineyard team farm Atavus themselves, employing 100% organic and biodynamic methods.
Analemma's Champagne method sparkling wine marks what is perhaps the biggest surprise in E&R's history of tasting local wines. Champagne is a major focus for the shop. While there are some terrific Oregon sparklers that we love, I don't think any of us anticipated our mouths meeting a local sparkling wine that speaks with such poise and conviction in a way that is uncannily reminiscent of Champagne (sparkling of the region of Champagne).
While tasting with Steven and Kris at their winery a little over a year ago, I was provided a trailer tasting of their sparkling wine. I was reminded that after my first taste of their 2010 rosé (a year or two (?) before) I remarked that it reminded me of a more friendly version of base wine for Champagne: a la Champagne before the bubbles. Steven grinned and said something to the effect of: "Good. We are making a sparkling wine with the same fruit." I thought, "how smart". It is not a wine forced into a sparkling gown simply because they longed to make a bubbly wine. Just as their rosé was destined to be rosé, it just makes sense. A swiss clone of Pinot noir grown at 1800 feet in a cool climate with plenty of precipitation is practically begging to be made into sparkling wine. Steven and Kris just listened... and then they did everything right.
Much to my dismay (though, ultimately, my appreciation), they did not rush to get their blanc de noir into the market. Rather the opposite. After a fermentation similar to their rosé ("gently whole cluster pressed and aged on its lees in neutral oak for six months"), it was aged sur lie in the bottle for 42 months before being disgorged in October 2014 and released (now) without dosage.
The post-taste silence said it all when Steven and Kris stopped by the shop last week and poured us the finished version. I eventually broke the silence by proclaiming "it is really freaking good". It was difficult to say much else because the superlative commentary, regardless of how sincere, still could not match the singularity of the wine. E, R and I knew this, and since Steven and Kris already had a window into my enthusiasm, I turned to Ed and said, "you like it, don't you?". With the question hanging in the air between the square shaped huddle of our heads and eyes focused in Ed's direction, he pensively replied, "It's the best American sparkling wine I've tasted".
It was no small statement but he spoke for all of us. Analemma's Blanc de Noir is a landmark wine for American viticulture and evidence of something special and unique about the place (the Gorge) and the people (Steven and Kris). In an attempt to describe the "style" of the wine, the best I can do is say that it belongs alongside the finest examples of NV grower Champagne. Its doughy aromas and mineral undertones transport you directly to Champagne, and texturally it feels like Champagne, which seems to be one of the biggest challenges of Champagne and non-champagne sparklers alike. It energetically pirouettes across the palate with gracefully charged acidity balanced by enough concentration to provide a wine of real depth and stature. Pay attention as the mid-palate glides into the long finish.
Analemma has more surprises on the way. In 2011, Steven and Kris bought a 52-acre property in Mosier (most of which was planted to cherry trees, and they still farm the remaining 12 acres) and began to establish their own estate. With 90% of crops in the Mosier Valley planted to fruit trees, it "isn't really on the viticultural map", but Steven and Kris welcomed "the challenge of being the first to plant in a new valley, vs the latest to plant on a known soil type". They began planting the Mosier property in 2012 with a different intention than their Atavus and Oak Ridge wines due to the distinctly different terroir. "With inspiration to source appropriate varietals to match this distinct site," they turned their focus on Galicia, Spain, noting "striking similarities" between it and their Mosier estate. In the future, it might be possible to taste Analemma wines made from Mencia, Grenache, Tempranillo, Trousseau, Cabernet (all currently planted in experimental sized parcels) and Galician inspired whites (being planted next year).
The future wines might be less of a surprise now that we have seen/tasted the landmark wines unearthed by Analemma, but we'll eagerly stay tuned.
E&R: What are the most important aspects of the Analemma wines and what do you hope they communicate?
Steven: “Only some people realize that the process and end goal isn't always readily seen nor communicated and it can sometimes be a struggle to find it each vintage. We strive for light, acid-driven refreshing wines of purity with ethereal qualities that touch the soul. We hope they communicate transparency of place and are vibrant, vivacious and confirming of varietal but not so obvious as to obstruct what else is there/being said. True wines with modesty, humility grown and raised with lots of respect for the process.”
(LB)
Click on each wine for more detail.