There’S No Doubting Thomas

Here’s what can be so frustrating about Oregon pinot noir: The wine rarely lives up to the hype.

Ever since an Oregon pinot kicked booty on some fancy French wine in a blind tasting back in the late ‘70s, we’ve been hearing that the state could be the next Burgundy. (It’s on the same latitude as that famous French growing region, producers frequently note.)

There’s no question the state has the potential to produce some incredible wine. The key word there is potential.

Yeah, the grape is hard to grow. It likes warm days, cool nights and a long, dry season. Oregon is notorious for getting early fall rains that hasten harvest.

And the delicate nature of the pinot grape makes it a tricky wine to make. That means in a perfect year, a skilled winemaker can make a fantastic pinot noir. But there are lots of mediocre pinots on the market. After sampling some thin, wimpy pinots on a trip down the Oregon coast, I finally saw the light following my first sip of an elegant ‘94 pinot from the Thomas Winery. pinot. And behind that pretty facade, there was real depth and structure. The lovely flavors lingered in your mouth long after the wine had gone down the old gullet.

If you discover a gem like this - a pinot that actually lives up to the exalted reputation - you can bet it’s going to cost you.

Thomas is a tiny boutique operation (something on the order of 600 cases a year), making its wine practically impossible to find and precious in the price department. (I splurged and spent $63 - groan - at a restaurant for that bottle.) So the story goes with lots of the more sought-after pinots from that state. While there are now more than 100 Oregon wineries, most of them are so small, they barely sell beyond their tasting rooms. If they even have tasting rooms.

The most impressive producers seem to have one thing in common, though. They plant vines very close together, which stresses the grapes and makes for more intense flavors. Winemaker and grape grower John Thomas plants 3,000 vines per acre, as opposed to 200 to 300 vines per acre for most of his Willamette Valley neighbors.

The respected Domaine Drouhin also employs this high-density planting approach. Maybe other growers should move in that direction for pinots with more concentrated flavor.

I’m going to keep looking for that perfect pinot. (If you can lay your hands on any from the ‘94 vintage, those are worth sampling. It was an ideal growing season, but most of the ‘94s are long gone.)

To get on the mailing list for Thomas Winery, write to P.O. Box 48, Carlton, OR 97111, or call (503) 852-6969.

Belly up to the wine bar

Niko’s stylish new wine bar has opened in downtown Spokane.

The place, adjoining the popular Greek restaurant at 725 W. Riverside, is a cozy space with several tables, booths and some comfortable stools at the bar.

They’re pouring an extensive selection of wines by the glass as well as offering “wine tours.”

Wine bar manager Pauline Riley puts together a changing selection of 2-ounce tastes arranged under some kind of theme. A few examples include a “cheers to California,” the “toast of Washington” and a salute to big reds. (Can you say zinfandel?)

There’s also a large selection of bottled wines from around the world available for purchase. (If you want to drink it there, you pay an additional $7 corkage fee.)

A special selection of winefriendly appetizers ranging from baked brie to a pita pizza with spinach, feta cheese, Roma tomatoes and pine nuts will available in the wine bar.

Niko’s wine bar is open every day but Sunday and stays open late (until midnight) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Merlot on the menu

Downtown Spokane’s other wine bar, at Mizuna (214 N. Howard), is putting together a tasting of some of Washington’s top merlots.

On Sept. 16, you can decide which wine rules: Waterbrook, L’Ecole No. 41, Kiona, Canoe Ridge, a reserve from Barnard Griffin or Chateau Ste. Michelle.

In addition to the six 2-ounce pours, a variety of nibbles will be provided including a grilled forest mushroom phyllo tart, eggplant caviar with crostini and baked goat cheese with roasted peppers and fresh herbs.

Tickets are $38, which includes tax and tip. They can be purchased at the Vino! wine shop, 1319 W. First.

A field trip

Tri-Cities area wineries will celebrate harvest with the annual “Catch the Crush” weekend Sept. 26-27.

At participating producers, visitors can see the very start of the winemaking process as bins of ripe grapes are dumped into the crusher. (Just watch out for those yellow jackets that like to hang out near that fragrant juice.) Some wineries offer sips of the free-run juice or tastes of the grapes, along with gourmet food samples and live entertainment.

You can catch the crush at the following wineries: Badger Mountain, Barnard Griffin, Bookwalter, Claar Cellars, Columbia Crest, Gordon Bros., Hedges Cellars, The Hogue Cellars, Kiona Vineyards, Oakwood Cellars, Preston Premium Wines, Seth Ryan Winery and Terra Blanca.

For additional information, call (509) 627-5000.

Art at the Arbor

A little closer to home, Arbor Crest has been doing a series of showings at the Cliff House featuring work from area artists.

On Sunday, photography from Don Hamilton will be on display along with limited editions of watercolor floral prints by Ken Spiering.

Sample some of Arbor Crest’s fine wines, stroll around the magnificent grounds and visit with the artists. Sounds like a darned nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

The festivities run between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m., and no one under 21 is allowed.