A Little Taste of Oregon Pinot Camp 2022
We spoke to one attendee who was hugely impressed with the investment in quality
There’s a very special event in the trade calendar that was sorely missed for two years… the beloved Oregon Pinot Camp. So finally, after much planning and patience from vineyards, a very orange bus full of restaurant and retail buyers pulled into their first tasting at Sokol Blosser.
(image credit: Carson Gray)
From here, Pinot Camp attendees experienced the True Character of Oregon Wine, with workshops, panel discussions and tastings. Here’s a top line rundown:
On the first evening, campers settled in with a welcome reception at Sokol Blosser Winery.
The first full day was all about building some regional knowledge, with three workshops throughout the day on history, geology and heritage. With a Wine Country Lunch to break up the day, a tasting and then dinner at Anne Amie Vineyards - campers had a chance to immerse themselves in the food and wine offerings of the Willamette Valley.
The second day entailed a workshop on biology, white wines and a session on ‘Multiple Personalities of Winemaking’. The day was finished on the Stoller Family Estate with a tasting and a traditional Northwest Salmon Bake for dinner.
On the third day of OPC, the wineries plan lighthearted "recovery" events, with campers able to book into sessions such as ‘Chardonnay the Oregon Way’ and ‘Behind the Vintages: A Memorable Lunch with Rare Wines & Stories from Oregon Wine Founders’.
We got a little ‘taster’ from Jessica Hutchinson, founder of Vindependents. Hutchinson shared some of her favourite moments from Pinot Camp 2022 below…
What surprised you about the wine region the most?
This was my first time in Oregon. I was most surprised by the green-ness of the countryside. I also wasn’t aware of the abundance of Pinot Gris.
Can you pick out a highlight from the trip?
I loved the traditional Salmon Bake at the Stoller Family Estate. Another highlight was also getting to try lots of different wines from large formats and from older vintages. It was wonderful and I wish other wine regions did the same thing!
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Was there a standout wine you tasted along the way?
All the wines from Beaux Freres.
Did you see any sustainability practices you thought were particularly 'ahead of the curve'?
I was very impressed by the biodiversity and the use of polyculture. You don’t see that in many wine regions as they are mostly just huge stretches of vineyard land. Oregon had lots of different plants and trees growing and an abundance of wildlife which is fantastic to see.
If you’re interested to see more of Oregon Pinot Camp 2022, take a look on Instagram.
