Happy spring 2023!
Howdy from western Oregon! We hope your holidays and the first days of 2023 are off to a great start! We, of course, have been busy and have so much to tell – farm, studio paintings, animals, vineyard, wine shipping and of course the wines – we are thrilled to have the 2021 vintage on deck and mid-April the 2022 laughing pig rose, which we are also excited about (2022 is so far, so fabulous, more on this later). Per usual we have our 2021 Willamette Valley Pinot noir, Pelos Sandberg Pinot noir, Wild Bee Chardonnay and 2020 Syrah – all stunning – we have started drinking them ourselves and we have already consumed more than our fair share!
new art project -
Maybe the most exciting (or ambitious) is the completion of a studio for Clare to paint in. We began planning in earnest 2 years ago and the final inspection just happened - thanks to Rich and Dan and crew of Blue Spruce Construction. As some of you know, Clare has been painting since she was a little girl, uses the Atelier in Carlton to paint, and especially went to work during the pandemic – over 70 paintings from April to December and they all found homes! Thank you to all who enjoy her work and encourage her to do more. As the pandemic subsides and Carlton and the atelier become busier with its intended use – wine of course! - it became more difficult for her to work (paint) uninterrupted and her dream of a studio at the farm became imperative. So, voila! Two years later she has a fantastic space that she has already started using! One small concession I bargained for is a bathroom and breakroom in the back for winery use – both lacking when we built the winery (it was bare bones – we have had a porta jon since 2014 – so definitely an upgrade!) I am really happy for Clare and am looking forward to watching her settle into the space and do some great work!
the farm and vineyard -
The vineyard continues to slowly take shape. End post and trellising went in last year, along with two more acres of Sunnyside Vineyard cuttings (8 acres total). We have most of the replants in – about 25% of the first 6 acres got toasted by the June heat dome in 2021. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the 2023 growing season is conducive to the growth of young vines. Eight sheep are part of our weed management program (yes, we ate two – tasty!) plus more are coming in May. They will not only be cute (and delicious!) but also help nurture the young vines by eating their competition.
The kid goats we bought in the spring did their job oh so well – and oh so tasty! We have more on order for the spring (thank you Connie!) They do such an amazing job of eating blackberry and browsing undergrowth in a way that cows and sheep do differently – so they are complimentary – and interestingly each is a dead end host for the other’s parasites, so between that and the rotational grazing we have yet to need worm medicine for any of our animals (knock on wood) – and they are so damn cute! Running the cows and goats under our reproduction timber has removed the undergrowth and allowed me to start removing the lower branches in hopes of making better timber, creating pasture (silvapasture) and reducing wildfire risk. As I often joke, I would never have imagined that watching grass grow could be so exciting! Currently the cows and sheep are in the barn – we keep them inside in the wet months to prevent the pasture from being torn up and it is warm and dry in the barn so they are happy too!
As some of you know we do most of our own fulfillment – meaning we pack and ship all of our own wines, as opposed to using a giant fulfillment warehouse on contract doing it for us. We started this in 2016, first in the winery, then in a rented space. In 2022 we moved into our own space and have set things up so they work exactly as we need and want (thank you Larry!) This allows us to provide flexibility, efficiency and ultimately (hopefully!) better customer service. The building is also in Carlton and close to the Atelier so all ‘in town’ btf is close. Laura Dalton is a dear friend and has led the charge on this aspect of our business since 2016. She had helped us prior since the first days with events and Thanksgiving and Memorial Day Weekend, so many of you have met her. Her reliability and get ’r done attitude, while still easy going, makes us super happy she continues to work with us.
On a sad note, we had to put Clementine down at the end of August. She was 16.5 years old and it was her time to go. We all miss her energy and spirit, and the house is quieter without her. Levi likes being an ‘only dog’ but I think even he gets a little lonely too. Bob the cat and his mouser friend Stanley continue to do their job, and Stanley is everyday braver the longer he is with us.
the wines -
Ok that is enough bs, let’s get to the wines! The 2021 vintage of course is marked by the June heat dome which brought us 116 degrees and cooked our baby plants - but established vineyards were hardly fazed – it was a dry and warm summer, but vines are hardy and thrifty and survive in all kinds of climates. The fall cooled off and saw some rain which allowed final ripening to happen in a measured pace – the resulting wines are delicious – full of fruit, firm yet pleasant tannins and lingering flavors that beg for more sips – yet still seemingly delicate.
The 2021 Willamette Valley Pinot noir is as always comprised of all the vineyards we work with – each is treated with equal diligence and as I say the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Vinified in the house style – whole cluster, native yeast, foot stomping, basket press, malo complete, only as much Sulphur as necessary, some oak but not too much, bottled after 10 months in barrel without any fining or filtration. We drink this wine regularly we hope you will too!
Pig on the label – 1846 cases bottled - 50$ a bottle - and of course if Laura packs 6 or more then ground shipping is on us
2021 Pelos Sandberg Pinot noir – this wine falls into the run don’t walk category – but 2021 is different. It may be the best yet of the 12 vintages we have been buying fruit from the Pelos Sandberg vineyard. Don puts enormous effort into his vineyard and does so much of the work himself, he knows each block row and vine. He is also a great friend and makes delicious wine of his own in the midst of his vines called Iota – his wines are certainly different than mine but equally compelling. He and his wife Joanna would be happy to hear from you – tell them I sent you!
250 cases bottled - Clare’s drawing of btf end posts – there is a story - $72 per bottle and yes Laura will happily pack 6 or more and we will send gratis
2021 Wild Bee Chardonnay – making chardonnay is deceptively simple – press, put juice to barrel, ferment, bottle – and yet there are so many small steps to coax the wine along, warming, cooling, stirring, topping – paying attention to what each barrel is doing – 80+ during harvest and 60+ post. I have great people and we are all paying attention – we love chardonnay and I love making it. So straightforward and yet delicious at the same time. Like the Willamette Valley Pinot, the Wild Bee is comprised of all the vineyards we work with, seven in 2021, so a true representation of the Willamette Valley. I visit each site regularly and make my picking decisions mostly using my palate. I usually wait until I taste flavors of ripeness - and look for signals in the grape (browning seeds, softening skins) and vine (some browning leaves) and of course what the imminent weather presents. All of our growers are diligent farmers so disease pressures are only a deciding factor every once in a while.
2021 is similar in ilk to past vintages – punching above its weight in quality verses cost – and this is intentional. We make 1,133 cases and we want you to drink it, cherish it certainly, but not covet it. Thank you and please drink responsibly. Label art NOT by clare – April Coppini! We bought the original art but pay her a royalty to use as our label – a win/win!
Again a small price increase - now $34 per bottle but again – once Laura is putting wine in a box, let’s make it 6! Saves you the shipping!
2020 Funk Estate Syrah – I really enjoy having something other than Pinot from time to time – both in the winery and on the table. I also enjoy the trip out to eastern Oregon to pick up the several tons we buy from Rich Funk ( great guy! And he has his own winery called Saviah). It takes me 5-6 hours to drive from BTF to Milton-Freewater – close enough that our growing seasons track in similar fashion in terms of timing, but far enough away that the coastal influences of the Willamette Valley are nonexistent, so it is warmer and drier and of course rockier! We brought the 2016 version of this wine to dinner with winemaker friends a month ago and Wow! It showed really well. That was our first vintage working with Rich’s fruit, so I was unsure of what to expect and how well it would stand up to the test of time – so far so good! The 2020 version is again made in the house-style, and similar to the Pinot with only minor adjustments – the most significant being longer elevage – 22 months in barrel verses the 10 moths for Pinot. Since it is a more substantial wine the longer time in barrel softens the tannins and makes the wine more approachable as a youngster. And please do! I often open a bottle and will enjoy for several evenings (as the wine ages this window will diminish) but then that is true for all wines. Like the country song says “ I’m not as good as I once was but I’m good once as I ever was!” 146 cases bottled – $68 per bottle – and yes of course – 6 or more and the shipping is on us.
Clare and I started this on a shoestring in 2006. We have and continue to put our shoulder into everything we do, with thought into all decisions – sometimes agonizing – but I believe the results are worth it. They reflect our persona – respect for the land, the people, the community and earth at large. And hopefully delicious wine! We do our best, always striving for perfection but also knowing, if achieved, it is for the briefest moment. I raise a glass to all of you who have helped us with our brief moments, and maybe, hopefully we are a small part of yours – cheers! Thank you, thank you, so much for continuing to enjoy and share our wines!
Cheers from our table to yours!
Brian and Clare, and the team at BTF
** a note on ordering wine - If you're super busy - please let us help you order wine in whatever way is EASIEST for YOU! We are happy to assist. Call, email - We are available to make sure you get the wines you love! If you want to reach out please just send an email to admin@bigtablefarm.com or call 503-852-3097 or Text Clare Directly! 503-922-3540 and we'll follow up with YOU and get your order. You can also Click here to go right to the buy wine page
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Take care of yourself and your neighbors and share that bottle you've been saving!