Report: Pinot noir craze over
EUGENE, Ore. - Oregon's wine industry is headed for a fall, according prominent Oregon wine maker Bill Hatcher. Too much Pinot noir and too few wine distributors may be to blame, he says. And local wineries agree with him -- at least on one thing.
"We have a lot fewer distributors than we've ever had in this country," said King Estate Executive Vice President Steve Thomson. "And we have so many wineries -- 6,000 wineries in America -- all vying for a limited amount of shelf space."
However, when it comes to the grapes, King Estate's Steve Baker said Hatcher is dead wrong.
"I think the demand and appreciation for Pinot noir is just an upwards growth curve for us," said Baker.
It's the same thing at Sweet Cheeks Winery where the pinot taps have run dry and they've actually had to rely on outside help to meet the demand.
"We're seeing that there's still a great need for pinot noir," said Lorrie Normann, general manager.
And if it looks like there's too much Pinot, Steve Thomson said the good growers will go and cut the fruit to reduce yield. So while the trends may come and go, Oregon growers and their Pinot noirs appear prepared to weather the storm thanks to the varietal and the environment.
"There is literally only 5,000 or 10,000 in the world that can grow world class Pinot noir, so we always have that on your side in the long run," said Thomson.
The wineries we talked to credit pinot noir's longevity to its versatility and the fact that it pairs well with most foods.
