Episode 11: A Monument(al) Conversation with Tyler Magyar of Monument

Another episode of Wet Hot Wine is here and this one is a special one. We're sitting down with Tyler Magyar, founder and one-man operation behind Monument, to close out our first run of episodes in style.Tyler's path to winemaking is not a straight line. In fact it involves a few pretentious turns, and honestly that's what makes it so good. Growing up in his father's Jersey Shore chocolate business gave him a deep love of small, creative work. After years in New York wine retail, a move to Portland, and a series of harvest internships, Monument was born in 2018.On the tasting menu we have "Jenny," a world-debut pseudo-rosé and orange blend named for his mother, followed by "Daughter," a pinot noir and syrah blend with a label painted by his niece, and finally "Permanent Piece Syrah," an Applegate Valley syrah dedicated to a long-standing grower relationship and a vintage honoring Roger. Every bottle has a story, and Tyler tells them beautifully.Along the way we get into the appeal of Oregon syrah, co-fermentation, wine accessibility and gatekeeping, and what winemaking really looks like when you're a one-man show. Tyler also takes a confident swing at guessing horoscopes and birth order…and we think maybe he should probably stick to winemaking. This episode is equal parts silly and surprisingly introspective, and we close with a tasting-notes Mad Lib that goes exactly as unhinged as you'd hope.This is our last episode for a little while. We're taking a summer break from long-form episodes, but you can find us on Instagram and YouTube all summer long and we'll be back in the fall with new episodes.Whether you're new to Oregon wine, curious about small Portland winemakers, or just want to spend time with someone who makes wine feel approachable and fun — this one's a great place to start.