Vintage with Brian Bushlach

A half century ago only a handful of people knew how special Oregon's Willamette Valley was for grape growing. Cal Knudsen was among them, and as word got out, Brian Croser made the journey from Australia to see, and taste, for himself.  With his expectations confirmed, Croser teamed up with sparkling wine guru Rollin Soles to start Argyle, with Knudsen fruit as their founding vineyard. To this day, the Argyle-Knudsen partnership lives on in, and in this episode Croser joins Page Knudsen-Cowles and Host Brian Bushlach to reflect on what brought him to Oregon, and what keeps bringing him back.

We've all heard the saying "it all starts in the vineyard". It's a cliche because it's true! When the legends of the Oregon wine industry needed an expert hand on their vineyards, they called Allen Holstein. In this episode, Brian invites Page Knudsen Cowles to co-host another episode as we celebrate Knudsen Vineyards 50th Anniversary with the man who made it all possible in the vineyard.

The Burgundian influence on the Oregon Wine Industry, particularly the Willamette Valley, is inescapable. The Drouhin Family, led by Veronique, planted the French flag in the Dundee Hills in the 1980's and in doing so, legitimized the Oregon industry and fostered a partnership and friendship between the two regions. In this episode, Veronique joins us from Beaune to reflect on the relationships and growth of the industry with Brian and Page Knudsen Cowles.

1971 was a landmark year in Willamette Valley Wine Country- they just didn't know it at the time! Both Knudsen Vineyards and the Sokol Blosser Winery were founded in '71, and a half century later, they're both celebrating their 50th Anniversary. The parallels don't end there- both operations are now run by each family's second generation. In this episode, Brian welcomes back Page Knudsen Cowles to co-host as Alison and Alex Sokol Blosser join us for a fun conversation comparing notes on the past five decades in Oregon Wine Country.

You've probably heard of Argyle Wines thanks to Rollin Soles, who put the winery, and Oregon sparkling wine, on the map. There's a Knudsen connection in the DNA of Argyle, as Cal Knudsen teamed up with Brian Croser to found the Dundee Wine Company, giving birth to Argyle. To this day, Argyle is still sourcing the Knudsen Vineyards fruit for its award winning bubbles. In this episode, Brian invites Page Knudsen Cowles and Rollin Soles to share their journey in a fun and entertaining download.

There are many iconic names associated with the Oregon wine industry, but perhaps none as widely recognized as Dick Erath, who partnered with Cal Knudsen in 1971 to form the iconic Knudsen-Erath label. In this episode, Brian welcomes Page Knudsen Cowles and Dick Erath to revisit the roots of the Willamette Valley and the rolling Dundee Hills, reflecting on the past, present and future of the Oregon wine industry.

The Island Lifestyle, and the drinks that go with it, can now be enjoyed from the comfort of your home. A decade in the making, Tommy Bahama brings us the finest craft spirits from it's Coral Cay Distilling. Rum is obviously a prerequisite here, but Coral Cay is also delivering hand crafted bourbon, gin and vodkas. For those on the go, "Tommy Travelers" provide refreshing & handy canned sparkling cocktails. Beer is also on tap later this month. In this episode, Brian welcomes Jeff Soehren & Jamie Crain, the gents who teamed up with Tommy to make this dream a reality.

You never know what Mother Nature has planned for harvest in the Willamette Valley. This year, a cool spring and early summer impacted the vineyards. Then, just when it appeared fall was ready to arrive, a heatwave hit forcing vintners & vineyard managers to scramble. In this episode, Brian welcomes Winemaker Katie Santora and Vineyard Manager Jason Tosch from Chehalem Winery to provide the latest update from the vineyards and a recent bottling report.

We return to one of our favorite destinations, the Applegate Valley and Cowhorn Vineyard & Garden. Brian reconnects with Bill Steele, who co-founded the winery with his wife Barbara. They revisit the backstory of this iconic winery and what prompted Bill & Barbara to become the industry leaders in biodynamics. Ultimately, it's all about the Rhone varietals, perfect for this site in Southern Oregon. They are all showing well, all are highly rated, but it's the "drink now" aspect that we appreciate most of all.

How many times have you dreamed you were at your favorite winery or vineyard? Probably often these days... Unfortunately, your favorite winery or vineyard is hours away, requires a reservation or must limit capacity due to the virus. What if you could experience it pre-COVID? No masks, no crowds, in virtual reality? That's what Stoller Family Estate is doing with their groundbreaking Immersive Experience Center. We explore the experience and get an update on the Oregon industry with Stoller President Gary Mortensen in this episode of Vintage.

In this interactive, virtual episode Brian welcomes Stoller Family Wine Group VP of Winemaking Melissa Burr and Chehalem Winemaker Katie Santora to share the story of Chemistry, a collaboration between the teams at Stoller & Chehalem. Follow along with us at www.chemistrywine.com to browse the lineup from Chemistry, and have these amazing wines at an incredible value delivered right to your front door!

10 million Americans have filed for unemployment in the past two weeks, the majority of them in the hospitality industry, as the coronavirus sweeps across the nation and brings the economy to its knees. In this time of need, Oregon's Stoller Wine Group is partnering with popular local restaurant The Botanist House and Meals on Wheels to feed restaurant workers in need. In this episode, Stoller Wine Group President Gary Mortensen, The Botanist House Owner & Co-Founder Matt Davidson and Meals on Wheels Chief Development Officer Tony Staser join Brian to share their massive effort to serve those who serve us.

This year's Destin Charity Wine Auction moves from its familiar spot on the calendar in late-April to August 21-22. In times like this, it just gives us more to look forward to! Nothing can stop us from counting down to one of America's top wine events, one that many would argue is the most fun. Destin showcases the finest wines, but this event, like no other, is just as much about the chefs & cuisine. In this episode, Brian welcomes rock star Chef Cory Bahr, Owner/Founder of Parish in Monroe, Louisiana.

We open our virtual tasting room with a trip to Anacortes to visit with Doug Charles at Compass Wines. Over the past 20 years, Compass Wines has gained a well-deserved reputation as THE expert on Washington State wines and as a worldwide wine sleuth, finding incredible wines and values around the globe. Doug shares his story in the Washington restaurant industry which came of age at the same time as the Washington wine industry.

Legendary winemaker and Master of Wine Bob Betz founded this iconic winery in 1997 and sold to South African business partners Steve & Bridgit Griessel in 2011. Bob has remained as consulting winemaker, forging a close friendship with the Griessel's. Their goal was not to not only continue Bob's high standards, but to take this already prestigious winery to another level. Brian revisits Betz Family Winery in Woodinville and finds that mission has been accomplished, and then some.

Founded in 1983 as the third winery in the Walla Walla Valley, L'Ecole No. 41 enters its fifth decade as an American favorite and an international player. As Sara Schneider wrote in Robb Report "L'Ecole... has turned into a world ambassador with Ferguson." Those accolades, the result of claiming Best Bordeaux Blend in the World with the 2011 Estate Ferguson at the prestigious 2014 Decanter World Wine Awards. Owner & Managing Winemaker Marty Clubb joins Brian to share the L'Ecole No. 41 story and the wines that are grabbing headlines.

We can't think of a better way to pop the cork on our 2020 episodes than to do it on Valentines Day at the American epicenter of Grower Champagne, Fat Cork in Seattle. In this episode, Brian reconnects with Brian Maletis, who along with wife Abby founded Fat Cork a decade ago. Together, they bring the best of the best to America to share with the rest of us!

Dr. Madaiah Revana found the perfect piece of property in St. Helena and began a journey that led him to establish vineyards & wineries in Oregon and Argentina. In this exclusive interview, Brian travels to Napa to sit down with the Houston cardiologist and learn how his passion for wine produced this trifecta of respected wineries in two hemispheres.

A Who's Who of Washington's top vintners calls the Walla Walla Valley home. And with the wineries and tasting rooms within a short drive, it makes this region one of the most enjoyable to visit. Just north of the historic Marcus Whitman Hotel, Mike & Lauri Corliss welcome you to experience one of the most magnificent wineries & tasting rooms in America, with the wines to back it up. Brian travels to Walla Walla for a rare interview with Mike Corliss as he reflects on the past, present and future of the region.

The second generation of Oregon winemakers is now well established. In the Willamette Valley, where their parents migrated 30+ years ago, this group has set a new standard for the industry, raised expectations, perfected a Burgundian-style Chardonnay, and they are now turning their attention to sparkling wines. Jesse Lange is the winemaker, and an industry leader for his generation of smaller, family wineries that thrive in this region. Brian heads to the Dundee Hills to revisit Lange Estate Winery & Vineyards.