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"Hooked on Italian varietals" while making wine with "a bunch of old Italian men," Remy Drabkin has taken her Oregon-based winemaking skills (she's worked Oregon's harvests since the age of 13) and headed in a new direction. In Pinot-centric McMinnville, she makes Italian inspired Sangiovese, Barbera, Lagrein, and red blends. - Remy's wines are made with considerable skill and a distinct point of view, usually developed at a much later age. She has a cult following among Willamette Valley winemaking families and friends. She's on a trajectory to become one of Oregon's winemaking stars. It's time to try Remy's Wines. - 
Remy, 27, grew up in Oregon's wine country. "There were only about ten families in our area making wine when I was a kid - including the Adelsheims, the Ponzis, and the Letts (Eyrie). They were our neighbors." Remy was "hanging around getting in the way" at wineries by age eight. She worked her first harvest at age 13. Through high school, she worked after school at Erath. - At the age of 18, Remy moved to Pittsburgh to manage the Enrico Biscotti Company, a restaurant and bakery in the heart of the city's Italian-American neighborhood. The restaurant's basement is where everyone makes their own wine, using a 100 year-old wine press. - While in Pittsburgh, Remy made wine with "a bunch of old Italian men," using grapes shipped from California. "They made wine from classic Italian varietals like Sangiovese, Barbera, Alicante, Nebbiolo, basically anything they could get their hands on. The final wine was a blend of whatever they could get in that vintage - a hearty, rustic Italian-style table wine, aged in old whiskey barrels." - "The experience hooked me into Italian varietals" Remy says." I loved that their winemaking was so rustic and traditional. They focused on the craft of it, not the science." - When Remy returned to Oregon (after some time in France) she started her own winery, Remy Wines. It's a one woman show, making about 1600 cases a year of delicious Sangiovese, Barbera, Syrah, and red wine blends.
Remy Wines (mixed cases OK) 48 cases made
Very small production of Remy's old world-inspired, fruity and supple Barbera. -
Aromas of blackberry jam and roasted fruit introduce a lush, succulent wine, juicy and appealing. Red and black berry and cherry flavors are enhanced by hints of smoke and licorice. The finish is clean and refreshing.
- The Remy Barbera is such a super food wine - we had it with meatball sandwiches from Corvallis' great Italian deli, Natalia & Cristoforo's. Both the wine and the sandwich were delicious on their own, but the combo was Piemontese ambrosia.
Remy Wines (mixed cases OK) 74 cases made
A Pacific Northwest Sangiovese that really tastes like Sangiovese. The wine is made from old vine fruit from Kiona's Red Mountain vineyard. - An expressive, ample wine with red and black fruit scents and flavors. Layers of smoke, dusty black pepper, licorice add concentration and weight. Fresh, uplifting fruit and a hint of vanilla cream on the finish. Tannins are fine and barely present. Very good value. - Remy says: "The Sangiovese is from Kiona vineyards on Red Mountain. I try to make my wines true to the varietal - emphasizing the beauty fruit more than trying to emulate a winery or region." - "One thing I do believe is that certain traditional techniques are employed because they are tried and true. For instance the Barbera was barrel aged for 2 years to integrate that wonderful acid and give it an authentic style. The Sangiovese sees very little oak because I am trying to emphasize the fruitiness of the varietal - but gets a little passive oak to incorporate some of the more dusty characteristics that make Sangio so yummy."
Remy Wines (mixed cases OK) 26 cases made
Beautiful bottle, beautiful wine - juicy & sweet red raspberry with the tiniest hint of pepper and a refreshing finish, this Port-style Barbera based dessert wine was the crowd favorite at a recent Remy Wines tasting. Highly recommended and a great gift. - The Beneficio is made from Barbera grapes (Rosebud Vineyards, Mattawa, Washington) and fortified with Grape Neutral Spirits from Clear Creek Distillery. It is made in a Port-style although Remy doesn't call it a port - "Beneficio" is the name of the process of adding the spirits to the fermentation to stop it. - Remy's Beneficio was barrel aged for 3 years. She made only one barrel .
Remy Wines (mixed cases OK) 95 cases made
As soon as the cork popped, the scent floored us. It is a super- perfumed bundle of raspberry, vanilla, fresh saddle leather, and, yes, hints of bread pudding and black plum. - After a lot of swirling and sniffing, time to venture a sip. Succulent. Sweet, deep black fruit flavors (black plum, black cherry, black currant, briar). Tellicherry peppercorn, meaty (as in charecuterie). Unusual. Giant. Creamy, like a rich pudding, but with a tannic backbone and berry style acidity that enlivens the wine. Remy took inspiration from the traditional Italian style - rustic and hearty. She added her own distinct Pacific Northwest twist. - The Remy Lagrein 06 is a bit young. As Adrienne says, this is a wine to age for 5-6 years - something I really want to do, if I can resist showing off my few bottles to friends. Marcus and Adrienne agree that Remy's Lagrein screams for game sausage - elk, venison, or maybe Oregon lamb. Or perhaps cassoulet. - Jean - Remy makes about 60 cases of Lagrein from one acre of grapes planted at Illahe Vineyards, in the mid-Willamette Valley.
Apolloni Vineyard (mixed cases OK)
Soleggio, which means sunshine in Italian, represents the sunshine-ripened grapes which make up this Super Tuscan-style wine. - Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon provide structure and brightness as Merlot adds balance. This wine opens with a burst of figs and bright cherry while the structure tannins tie the black pepper, toast and coffee notes into a lasting finish.
Meet Alba, Avalon's newest mascot, named for one of our favorite Italian food and wine towns.
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