Goldschmidt Vineyard: Former Oregon Gov. Neil Goldschmidt Producing Premium Pinot Noir
by Christina Kelly, Avalon Editor/Writer
Neil Goldschmidt, former Governor of Oregon, Mayor of Portland, U.S. Transportation Secretary under the Jimmy Carter administration and executive of Nike is adding another title to his long list of achievements: wine producer.
For the past four years, Goldschmidt and his wife Diana Snowden have sold grapes from their Dundee Hills Vineyards to some of the most prestigious Pinot Noir makers in Oregon, including Adelsheim, Patti Green and Rex Hill. The property, 17 acres nestled in the Dundee Hills in the Willamette Valley, once belonged to John and Sally Bauers, who began a vineyard in 1974.
"The Bauers sold grapes to Rex Hill, Elk Cove and others," Goldschmidt said in a recent interview. "When we purchased the property in 1998, we replanted some of the blocks, cleared sections that weren't planted and added different clones.
"Today, we have more wineries buying fruit from our property than ever before. As a result, we've had time to see how others used our fruit, so we could learn."
Lynn Penner-Ash named Winemaker
The Goldschmidts recently hired Lynn Penner-Ash to produce Pinot Noir for their yet unnamed winery. Penner-Ash was the winemaker at Rex Hill for many years until she left last year to produce wines under her own label. Both Penner-Ash and the Goldschmidt wines will be produced at the Carlton Wine Studio, a cooperative "green" facility in Carlton, just Southwest of Portland.
"Neil has always been a big fan of Oregon wines," said Penner-Ash. "He was looking for someone to make his wines and I was happy to help. Everything is in barrels now and we'll wait to see how it evolves."
Penner-Ash and Goldschmidt estimate they'll produce about 300 to 350 cases, perhaps to be available by May 2003. However, Goldschmidt says he could be longer, depending on what happens in the barrels.
"We don't have to get it out next year," Goldschmidt said. "Our focus is hand-crafted premium wine-the best we can produce. If it takes longer, then it takes longer. However, I think our first year will be the best ever."
What to Call the Winery?
The winery remains unnamed, although the Goldschmidts and partners, John and Linda Carter, own the rights to the name Dundee Hills Vineyards, which was the name of the property purchased in 1998. Penner-Ash says she thinks the name is confusing (there is another winery called Dundee Springs) and Goldschmidt says the request for a new appellation with the name Dundee Hills or Red Hills may also confuse consumers.
Yet the former politician doesn't necessarily want to use his name on the label, even though grapes purchased from his property are referred to as fruit from the Goldschmidt Vineyards. He said the vineyard partnership includes other people and using his name feels a little uncomfortable.
"The winery name is a project we'll have to tackle in the upcoming months," Goldschmidt added.
"His name is so well known," said an Oregon grape grower. "Who in the Northwest doesn't know the name Goldschmidt? Seems like a natural selling point to me."
From Politics To Winemaking
Goldschmidt said the wine bug bit him in the 1960s while attending law school in Berkeley, CA. He and friends would drive up to the Napa Valley to taste wine from a handful of producers. When he returned to his home state of Oregon in the 1970s, he began his political career and his wine cellar.
Goldschmidt became passionate about Burgundy and later, Oregon Pinot Noir. He purchased property and traded for sites while still holding political office, hoping someday to be involved in the wine industry.
His politics of a safe, clean environment carried over to his involvement in the wine business. The vineyard is managed using sustainable viticultural techniques, primarily organic farming. The yields per acre are small, about two tons per acre. Goldschmidt says he regularly walks the vineyards with his vineyard manager to check progress.
"I like a softer, more velvet Pinot Noir that is subtle and gentle and great with food," Goldschmidt said. "One of the reasons we selected Lynn Penner-Ash is that we like her wine. She is making wine the way we think it should be produced."
What will distinguish the Goldschmidt wine from Penner-Ash will be the fruit and the blends from different blocks in the vineyard, say both Penner-Ash and Goldschmidt.
Many winemakers in Oregon don't have a problem with the addition of Goldschmidt wine. In fact, several commented that his name familiarity would add to the industry and attract more attention. And Goldschmidt says producing a quality, hand-crafted, well-nursed Pinot Noir will only add to the prestige of Oregon's wine products.
"This is going to be fun," Goldschmidt said. "The quality of Oregon Pinot Noir keeps growing, and we're making many improvements over time. Oregon's future in the wine business will be based on the high quality of wines produced here. I see continued growth in the future."
When he isn't walking vineyards, talking shop with Penner-Ash, or meeting with other winemakers, Goldschmidt has a Portland consulting business with several partners. He has mostly private clients, focusing on transportation and the development of real estate.
At the age of 62, Goldschmidt isn't really slowing down as much as he is diversifying his interests. He still dabbles in political issues and has a strong interest in international affairs.
But, he knows for certain that he will be more involved in the wine industry, expanding his crop and experimenting with various grape clones to produce that silky, liquid-velvet Pinot Noir he favors.
Now if Goldschmidt can just find a name for the winery...
