First, you have to know that Jason Lett is the coolest dude. He’s the most fun to talk to, and our conversations usually swoop from wine to politics to books and more. He’s the only guy I know who’ll talk Buffy and the oeuvre of Joss Whedon in one breath, and quote Oscar Wilde in the next. He’s a philosopher-thinker-winemaker with a dollop of droll wit.

I asked Jason for a quote about his 2007 Eyrie Estate Pinot noir and he wrote back with this fascinating perspective on Oregon Pinot. Jason muses on memories, philosophy, and junk food in an insightful take on the classic 2007 vintage:

Jason Lett and Daughters, August 2009

“Having tasted the complete vertical of Eyrie Reserve Pinots last summer, I was sure that the 1970’s were a Camelot era for Pinot noir. Over and over, the wines of the decade demonstrated profound presence and sweetness, in spite of their light color and diaphanous tannins.

I “helped” make wine as a kid in the 1970s, and I remember them well.  My birthday falls in late October, and it required heroic efforts on the part of my parents to break away from the pick long enough to ring in my birthday.  In fact, for years my standard birthday cake (and birthday joke) from Dad was a Twinkie with a candle in it – a “placeholder cake” until things slowed down.

I grew up making wine in those epic 1970’s vintages and I was sure that I would never have the opportunity to make wines like that in era of global warming. Back then we used to pick Pinot in late October, not late September.

But then 2007 came along, and it was Camelot again.  In 2007 we got 20 additional days of ripening time, picked in the dry every day, and had physiological ripeness parameters that were off the charts – amazing seed and stem ripeness as well.

For those that miscalculated in the vineyard and did not remove sufficient leaves in the summer, or set their crops too heavy, lessons will be learned.

For those that panicked, that picked too early, that rushed fermentation and aging… well, they missed out on some really amazing opportunities.

But to those with experience in Oregon’s founding decade, this vintage was a return to principle, and the kind of vintage that vaulted Oregon Pinot noir onto the world stage in the 1970s.

Overall, there is great balance, length and depth on the palate in our Eyrie 2007s. The alcohol levels are not fatiguing.  There is a lot of barely-hinted at stuffing in these wines that will be revealed to dramatic effect with time in the bottle.

I would take a vintage like 2007 every year if I could.

In exchange, I will gladly eat Twinkies on my birthdays.”

-  Jason Lett, Eyrie Vineyards

Isn’t that the coolest?