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A LETTER FROM THE VALLEY
Hi friends,
A little bit about me...
Firstly, if I’m not driving people around wine country I probably have my nose in some sort of wine or mycology textbook, or my wife and I are exploring some bit of Oregon with our dog Rory. I spent my formative years in England and Germany which is where I first got my taste for wine. Later in life I found myself in Colorado where I started distributing wine, in California where I worked in production, and now Oregon, where amongst other things I have leaned into wine education. McMinnville is where my wife and I call home and we love every second of it.
New York Times named Mcminnville “America’s Favorite Downtown" which we heartily agree with, but it's even better known as "The Heart of Oregon Wine Country".
Secondly, I'm an incurable romantic. I believe the age-old adage “dulcius ex asperis” or, “sweeter after difficulty”. Like most people, my deepest loves have sprung from stories of perseverance. For me, those hard won passions are not limited to my relationships but also include rugby, backpacking, wrestling, and yes, even wine.
You could say wine feels like love to me. My relationship with and understanding of wine grows with every passing day, just as my relationship with my wonderful wife grows every day. Every mistake made, blister endured, and day spent in the hot sun digging ditches around the vines has all been in love. Through patient endurance and hardship I have learned what it is to zealously pursue the "why" and "what" I love about wine. Now I can focus on the experiences ahead and give even more meaning to the hard work by bringing the romance of winemaking to those who wander.
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Wine is much like salt. When it comes to life, salt flavors food. Wine, when enjoyed responsibly, flavors life. I've had wine at fire lookouts at the peaks of some of Oregon's great mountains, at empty beaches with the love of my life and I have made friends from around the world over a simple 6 oz pour. The magic of wine isn't limited to breaking down language barriers...Wine pairs with the bounty of the sea, forest, and local farms, too. Wine has broken the ice for all of my favorite relationships and I have found that people are like wine; some turn to vinegar but the best improve with age.
My favorite wine comes from here in the Willamette Valley where the terroir of romance is rooted in the ground and sustainability and biodynamic traditions are as well established as our oldest vines. Pinot Noir is a language all in itself that one could take a lifetime to learn, and that is exactly what I intend to do.
Come stay at our Airbnb in McMinnville, where everything is walking distance and streets shut down all summer for dining, events, and activities. Mcminnville is home to some of Oregon's best restaurants, wine bars, and of course wineries.
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I can't wait to show you around our little slice of heaven.
Cheers,
Bryce McClain
