Willamette Pinot Noir from Sokol-Blosser Winery
Willamette Pinot Noir is one of the most prestigious wines to come from Oregon. Yet it wasn’t always this way.
In 1966, most Stanford graduates would prepare for exciting professional careers in cities like San Francisco, Manhattan, or Chicago.
But Susan Sokol and Bill Blosser, both Liberal Arts majors, heard the calling of the Willamette Valley.
Life with Willamette Pinot Noir
Both Bill Blosser and Susan Sokol knew they wanted to spend their lives in the wine world.
Bill Blosser spent a year in France while in college. He fell in love with the wine and the wine culture. Susan Sokol’s father had an excellent wine collection comprising fine Burgundy and Bordeaux. She learned to appreciate wine at an early age.
The young couple bought a 5-acre plot on a dilapidated prune orchard in the Dundee Hills (now an American Viticultural Area) of the Willamette Valley.
In 1971, Oregon did not have a wine industry. So wine lovers can thank the Sokol-Blossers and the other families for being Willamette Pinot Noir founders.
50th Annniversary with Willamette Pinot Noir
To commemorate their 50th anniversary, the Sokol-Blosser family hosted a Willamette Pinot Noir tasting and webinar.
During this virtual visit, the founders talked about the early days of buying land in the Dundee Hills AVA. They were one of the few winemakers in the region – but they became friendly with other couples their age who shared their winemaking vision.
The couple produced their first Willamette Pinot Noir vintage in 1977. The quality of the wine from the area soon gained recognition and international awards. It is now home to the successful International Pinot Noir Celebration.
Willamette Pinot Noir - Family Business
To commemorate their 50th anniversary, the Sokol-Blosser family hosted a tasting and webinar.
During this virtual visit, the founders talked about the early days of buying land in the Dundee Hills AVA. They were one of the few winemakers in the region – but they became friendly with other couples their age who shared their winemaking vision.
The couple produced their first vintage in 1977. The quality of the wine from the area soon gained recognition and international awards.
Sokol-Blosser Willamette Pinot Noir in 1970s
Blosser spoke at length about growing up in the 1970s on an isolated Willamette Pinot Noir vineyard. The siblings are both co-presidents of the company. Alex is also winemaker, while Alison focuses on sales, marketing, and overseeing operations. Their brother Nik Sokol-Blosser involves himself with the winery but is co-founder and president of Celilo Group Media, Inc. This is a Portland, Oregon-based media company with the mission of expanding markets for sustainable products.
Certified Organic and Green
Sokol Blosser Winery has been Certified Organic by the Oregon Department of Agriculture since 2005.
In 2007, Sunset magazine honored both founder Susan Sokol Blosser and Sokol Blosser Winery with their prestigious “Green Winery of the Year” award. Sokol Blosser Winery is a participant in the Carbon Reduction Challenge, an initiative begun by Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski in 2009 as the Carbon Neutral Challenge. Their goal was to inspire businesses to measure and progressively reduce greenhouse gases.
The Winery has been ranked multiple times as one of Oregon Business magazine’s Top 100 Best Green Companies for which to Work
Willamette Pinot Noir Tasting
The Tasting allowed participants to contrast the three Pinot Noir wines side by side. And it was a treat to try the 2012 Big Tree Block Estate Pinot Noir, still fresh and vibrant at nine years of age.
2018 Bluebird Cuvée Sparkling
This is a delicious wine made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but also Early Muscat, Muller-Thurgau, and Riesling for freshness.
2018 Dundee Hills Estate Pinot Noir
The Sokol-Blosser family says this wine epitomizes everything the family stands for. They crafted the wine to function as a genuine expression of terrior from their hillside vines and Jory soil. On the nose and palate you can detect black cherry, clove, mushroom, and truffle. Delicious with a long finish and a long life ahead of it.
2018 Old Vineyard Block Estate Pinot Noir
This was one of my favorite wines, mostly because of its firm, chewy tannins. The vineyard is the oldest on the property, though they replanted the original vines. On the nose and palate tasters can detect red fruit, leather, and allspice.
2012 Big Tree Block Estate Pinot Noir
This wine comes from their single block program, with the vines grown on Jory soil. It has aromas of fresh blueberries, nutmeg, and spices of coriander and white pepper. The wine is drinking very well now and can be enjoyed for the next ten to fifteen years.
Final Thoughts
The tasting took place electronically across the country. Yet as the Sokol-Blosser family spoke about their history and virtually served me their wine, I felt like I was sitting across from them at a dining table.
The young third generation of the Sokol-Blosser family are expressing interest in becoming active in the winery. Something for wine lovers to look forward to in future years.
Click here to read about another Willamette Pinot Noir founding family.
