The Women Winemakers of the Weinnotes Podcast

If you are following along, this week is supposed to be a podcast week. Unfortunately, there was a little bit of a scheduling issue for this week’s podcast, which means I have something a little special for you this week. I hope you enjoy and the next two weeks will be podcast weeks. Enjoy!

Samantha Cole-Johnson dove into biodynamic viticulture in the Americas for Jancis Robinson.

The CEO of Peet’s Coffee is taking on a new role as CEO at Ste. Michelle​

Congrats to Cho Wines for pouring wine at an Oscar party last weekend. I am pretty sure their Blanc de Noirs is way better than Brad Pitt’s Champagne getting all sorts of attention at the Oscars.

I started looking at the upcoming Willamette Valley Collectors’ Auction happening March 28th - April 6th and all I have to say is someone please take my wallet and hide it from me! Some fantastic lots are going up for auction!

Beckham Estate got international attention for their Amphora Pinot Gris from Dr. Jaime Goode​

March is Women’s History Month, and Wednesday was International Women’s Day. I couldn’t exactly release a newsletter on Wednesday, so today, I want to take a little bit to highlight the women winemakers I’ve had on the podcast. There are countless others I could bring to your attention, but you would either get bored with all of the reading or bounce off the walls from constantly drinking coffee and reading the extensive list of the fantastic women winemakers we have in Oregon.

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My very first interview for the podcast was with Jessica Mozeico, the winemaker at Et Fille Wines. I look back at this interview and it is so rough. The audio isn’t the greatest. The video could be better, and so many other things, but the essence of Jessica Mozeico comes through loud and clear. What stood out for me was the fierce bond between her and her Dad. When he suddenly passed away, to say it was challenging to move forward is beyond words. The Oregon Wine Community stepped up to provide guidance and support.

Today, Jessica is creating a magical bond with her daughter, Gabriela, who sometimes comes in during Zoom calls or helps out in the vineyard. Et Fille translates into “And Daughter.” Jessica gets help from her mom, but being a single mom, a winemaker, a business owner, a mom, and a spectacularly unique human being, it is no wonder she would choose to hold time static as her superpower.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

A few weeks after interviewing Jessica, I was setting the tripods for an interview with Piper Underbrink at Prive and Sealionne. Piper and her soon-to-be husband, Ben, moved to the Newberg after purchasing Prive a few weeks before the fires of 2020 set in. It was frightening to enter a new journey with the possibility of fires destroying the vineyards and to have your first vintage surrounded by the drama of fire. However, looking back on her experience in California allowed her to prosper and for that vintage to succeed.

Since then, the estate vineyard has increased with the purchase of another vineyard in Ribbon Ridge and recently launched another label called Sealionne. Being active is essential to Piper; sometimes, her dogs will nudge her to get out for a run or a bike ride. When asked what superpower she would like, she immediately responded, “Talk to animals.” The future is bright for Piper!

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

The next winemaker on my podcast journey was Wynn Peterson-Nedry, and what an absolute delight to sit down with someone with the depth of experience and knowledge of the Valley. She has around 30 Oregon vintages under her belt, and her bond with her Dad is unfreakin-believeable. The father and daughter bond is evident all over the place. If you don’t know Harry Peterson-Nedry, hit that reply button and we can chat. His history, knowledge, and desire for Oregon to be a stellar wine region are off the charts. Even though these wonderful people do so much, you would think they enjoy the spotlight, but they prefer to make huge impacts in the background quietly.

Outside of being the winemaker for her family labels, RR and Ridgecrest, she recently took over winemaking for Janis at Arlyn. With 2022 being the first vintage of wines under Wynn, I can’t wait to see how spectacular Arlyn's wines will be. Wynn also has a pet project of Chenin Blanc that was planted in 2020. Last year it only produced a small amount of fruit, but with it being the first vintage of Chenin, I have high hopes for the following years.

I mention Wynn without mentioning her son, who was born in 2020 and has a blast running around in the vineyard. Juggling making wine for three labels, being a mom and a wife, there is so much going on. She is a wonderful easy-going person who has a tremendous heart and loves to share!

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

If you follow Hazelfern on Instagram, you know Bryan and Laura are always having fun and are one heck of a team with two teenage daughters. Sit with that information for just a few minutes. Can you imagine working with your husband daily in the family business while raising two teenage daughters? Laura does an amazing job of juggling everything with a smile, no matter the circumstances.

Laura is right there alongside Bryan, both neck deep in Harvest to produce some outstanding wine. Last year James Suckling recognized their strenuous efforts with some 95+ point scores. They recently had their first vintage of the “Hazelfern Vineyard” and a Trousseau. If you don’t know, Laura is a huge Champagne / Sparkling fan. I started the rumor last night that they are making a Sparkling, and you know what? I will stick with that rumor because one day, it will happen. It might be in ten years, but I am more than willing to wait!

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

During 2020 I wanted to visit Leah Jorgensen, but I couldn’t. So last year, I finally got the opportunity to interview Leah, and wow, she is a bright, intelligent, and one heck of a forward-thinking human! I won’t forget when I mentioned my interview with Wynn. I referred to a side project Leah did where she also interviewed Wynn. It took Leah maybe half a second and then she started busting out laughing.

Leah produces top-notch Oregon Cab Franc and is all about the energy that goes into her work. She wants to ensure the winemaking facility is full of positive energy. When I chatted with her she recalled working at Drew Voit’s facility where everyone was full of vibrant positive energy. They were all there to get their job done, but everyone would also crack up one another creating a community within the community.

She also recently expanded her family and has a four-year-old son. She juggles parenthood, marriage, winemaking, and being a life learner. Leah chooses to have invisibility as her superpower while eating her indulgent food of delicious, high-quality organic dark chocolate.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

When I interviewed Jessica and Paden West of Approachment wines, I wished to redo it. I kind of knew Jessica, but I knew nothing about Paden. So when I started researching Paden, I went down the rabbit hole and didn’t begin to give Jessica enough exposure. In my eyes, Jessica is the Sparkling Queen. Not only does she enjoy consuming Sparkling, but she

has her hands in many Sparkling projects with all of Drew Voit's consulting clients. Asking her husband, Paden, "Who is the better winemaker?" He responded, “No comment,” meaning Jessica is the better winemaker.

Jessica and Paden created their label called Approachment, and the whole philosophy behind the brand is to make stellar wine at an approachable price point. For example, their extended contact Pinot Gris is $24, and they just released a Gamay for $29. I’ve had the Pinot Gris, and it will be a great wine this summer! I will be trying the Gamay shortly.

I don’t want to sound like an ad, but Jessica brings to the table an off-the-charts fun energy to everything she does. She and Paden constantly do little funny, goofy things, and Jessica has personally helped me with a few projects. I am also pretty sure it is because of Jessica the labels for the Approachment bottles are the motivation they are out of this world. When Jessica isn’t working, her King Charles Spaniel, King Bowie, is next to her while using her superpower of eating pizza and not gaining weight.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

Two weeks ago was when Kate Payne-Brown’s interview came out. It was also the weekend of the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration. From the outside, I am sure it looked like I might have planned her interview to coincide with the crab dinner held at Stoller, but I got lucky. Her story of taking a Harley road trip with her husband ultimately getting her into wine is something else!

Overseeing the Sparkling and Reserve wine programs at Stoller isn’t the only thing she is responsible for. Kate is also the vice president of Women In Wine, a mother of two, a wife, she has her label called Dolores, and she is all about finding community in your village. You can find Kate using her superpower of flying or swimming underwater without oxygen tanks going from one place to another.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify​

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With Gratitude,

A.J.

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