The effects of water on tannin levels in grape development - Part one: Soil science

Last month I had the pleasure of speaking at the Oregon Wine Industry Symposium on a panel talking about grape and wine tannins. Anna Matzinger, Steve Price and I wanted to clarify what tannins are, how their levels in wine affect texture and structure of the wine, where tannins come from, the role of soil moisture on grape tannin levels and how harvest date affects quality of tannins. Part 1 dives into soil science, water retention & the effects it has on tannin levels.  Continue »

Oregon Wine Symposium Part One

While attending the Oregon Wine Symposium in Portland last week, A to Z, REX HILL and a few other wineries were able to present some of their research and development projects. I had the opportunity to present a project I supervised last harvest at REX HILL. It was great to interact with some of my fellow colleagues on a subject we are all passionate about. It felt good to be an active member of the Oregon winemaking community and to represent A to Z and REX HILL at a public event.  Continue »

Pair Pinot Noir with your next cheese plate

Our friends at Cabot Creamery have put together an easy-to-follow infographic on how to wow with your next cheese plate.  Continue »

Learning to Prune

I don't have a green thumb. Far from it. I've been known to kill cactus. So you might imagine my apprehension when Karen, our Viticulturist, handed me her pruning shears as we stood in the REX HILL Vineyard this misty February morning. Thankfully, Karen is a good teacher.  Continue »

The Meaning Behind February 2nd (Groundhog Day)

Quando a Senhora das Candeias está a rir está o inverno para vir, quando está a chorar está o inverno a acabar.  Continue »

6 reasons to choose wine this year

It's 2016 and our resolution is to drink more wine! There isn't an occasion, time of year or a meal that wine won't improve. We've come up with six solid reasons why you should choose to drink wine this year:  Continue »

5 meaningless 'wine' facts answered by our 2015 harvest interns

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Oregon's economy and the wine industry

In February, the Oregon Wine Board released an industry economic impact study done by Full Glass Research. On the surface, the figures look impressive but when taken in context and proportion, they diminish considerably.  Continue »

Soils!

In celebration of the UN naming 2015 the International Year of Soils (IYS), our Tasting Room Manager, my fellow Karen at A to Z, and I have put together a table of shared terms used to describe wines and soils. The first in a series of soil-related posts.  Continue »

A to Z Wineworks Only Winery to Earn B Lab's Best for Community Honor

B Lab’s award recognizes top-performing Certified B Corporations and their community impact  Continue »