Martin Woods Winery
Artisanal Oregon Terroir
Evan Martin, winemaker and proprietor of Martin Woods, produces artisanal, terroir-driven wines grown from cool-climate vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Evan’s wines show a stylistic tension between elegance and textural weight, elevated aromatics and depth of flavor. This tension brings a complexity to Martin Woods’ wines that makes them pleasurable to drink on their own as well paired with the most diverse of tasting menus.
When you visit Martin Woods, you will see that this hallmark thread of tension Evan encourages in his wines exists beyond the bottle: Up a long dirt road in the forested foothills of Oregon’s Coast Range, the Martin Woods winery is a testament to Evan’s geographical focus, imagination and capacity to work; The Tasting Room, hosted at Evan’s HIFI Wine Bar in downtown McMinnville, spotlights his vision, stylistic finesse and ability to create. A common thread linking the two venues, along with Martin Woods wines, is the unique use of garryana, the indigenous white oak found throughout the Willamette Valley. Stop by HIFI on your next visit to wine country to check out the artistry and spin a few classics on the turntable.
Martin Woods, Gamay Noir
Willamette Valley, 2018
Martin Woods’ 2018 Gamay Noir was grown in a very warm vintage from two cool-climate sites: the loess soil of Tualatin Estate Vineyard in the far northwest of the Willamette Valley; and the marine sedimentary soils of Havlin Vineyard facing directly into the westerly winds of the Van Duzer Corridor.
The cooling nature of these sites is evident in this wine with brightness and freshness of fruit sustained throughout. Aromas of wild strawberry leap from the glass with fresh rhubarb, and violets. Sweet-heart cherries and juicy hibiscus add to the textural experience with a luscious, mouth-watering mid-palate and long herbaceous finish of light cedar and pink peppercorn.
Structurally, this wine shows it’s more-delicate side with mild tannins carried by bright acidity, a combination that affords a great opportunity to pair red wine with seafood. Moules Frites might be the perfect bistro pairing, but if I had my choice, I’d serve up Seared Sea Scallops over Farro Risotto topped with fried lardons and a Szechuan Peppercorn Saba.
Martin Woods “Hyland Vineyard” Riesling, Willamette Valley, 2019
Established in 1971, Hyland Vineyard claims the oldest Riesling vines in the Willamette Valley. Planted on volcanic soils in the foothills of the Oregon Coast Range, the maritime influence keeps the long summer days relatively cool while mitigating the risk of frost at the beginning and end of the growing season. These factors allow Riesling to mature slowly and fully ripen late into the autumn, affording an extended hangtime that brings layers of flavor and complexity to the final wine.
The 2019 Martin Woods Riesling from Hyland Vineyard shows the essence of the site. Tropical notes of pineapple, mango and papaya lead the aromatic charge supported by Red d’Anjou pear and Honeycrisp apple. An exotic combination of cinnamon and coriander add to the sweet-scented perfume along with floral chrysanthemum and dried orange peel. Across the palate the tropical fruits yield to a phenolic texture of apple skin and pineapple rind with white peach at the finish. Underpinning all of these flavors is a persistent acidity that elevates and brightens the ripe fruit flavors throughout the tasting experience.
Contemplating food pairings for this Riesling is an international juggernaut; any number of regional preparations could work extremely well. Whether you are enjoying a spicy Indian garum masala, a crispy Szechuan pork belly or an Italian radicchio salad with mandarin, anchovies, and black olives, this wine will balance with structure and complement with flavor.
That said, back in my Spago days, Chef served up a dish that I can’t stop thinking about for this wine: Veal Chop Lyonnais with rosemary-potato tartine, caramelized onions, bacon lardon and a Dijon mustard sauce to finish.