Vininspo! Podcast Episode 36: Jason Lett, The Eyrie Vineyards

I don’t remember when I first became aware of Eyrie’s existence. It just isn’t possible to interact with Pinot Noir obsessives without this domaine coming to your attention. It owes its existence to a pioneering pinotphile who bet the farm on the entirely untested potential of the Dundee Hills to grow wines whose long-lived beauty would resonate across the globe. The Willamette Valley is now one of the stars around which the Pinot world revolves, and The Eyre Vineyards lies at its core.Vininspo! is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.My first conversation with Jason came a couple of years ago. It was an information-gathering exercise back then; the kind of chat where you’re digging for facts, not words of wisdom. But I was struck by how clearly his thoughts—from an incisive, open mind that didn’t profess to be right about everything—deserved to be weighed by a far wider audience.The estate was founded in 1965 by David Lett and his wife, Diana. It’s impossible to talk about Eyrie without delving into the character nicknamed Papa Pinot, and Jason shares plenty of insight on the estate’s foundations. The handover of the reins was a protracted, sometimes difficult, process, and Jason took the lead at Eyrie in 2005. That was three years before David’s death, after which Jason and Diana continued as co-owners. He pays tribute to his mother’s enormous contribution here.If Oregon hasn’t been on your radar, this conversation offers excellent insight and context. However, a few names warrant explanation. Jason talks about what David Lett learned at the University of California, Davis, including his close friendships with men who went on to establish estates in the Willamette Valley: Charles Coury (Charles Coury Vineyard) and Bill Fuller (Tualatin Vineyards). He also mentions David Adelsheim, who worked at Eyrie and went on to found Adelsheim Vineyard in 1971, the same year that Bill Blosser, also mentioned, planted the first vines at Sokol Blosser in the Dundee Hills.Jason refers to Victor Pulliat’s book, Mille Variétés de Vignes, Description et Synonymies, which was instrumental in David Lett’s choice to plant Melon de Bourgogne, Muscat Ottonel, Meunier, Riesling and Gewürztraminer alongside his Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. These were classified as Period One grapes, meaning they could ripen in the coolest climates where winegrowing was considered viable. Jason has since opted against Riesling and Gewürz and added Trousseau, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chasselas to the roster. This last one was noticed by prominent Swiss viticulture researcher and family friend, Werner Koblet.Other important influences referenced are André Tchelistcheff, the long-serving winemaker at Beaulieu Vineyards, a star who led the post-Prohibition flowering of the Californian wine scene. Becky Wasserman-Hone, meanwhile, was the barrel broker-turned-influential importer who inadvertently got Eyrie noticed on the global stage. She was instrumental in facilitating the Letts’ friendships in Burgundy. In that Pinot motherland, Michel Lafarge (Domaine Michel Lafarge in Volnay), Gérard Potel (known for his mythical wines at Domaine de la Pousse D’Or) and Lalou Bize-Leroy (Domaine Leroy) are mentioned. Looming even larger, thanks to their faith in Oregon’s terroir, is the Drouhin family of Maison Joseph Drouhin in Beaune and Domain Drouhin in the Willamette Valley.The Eyrie wines are not currently being imported into Australia, which is a dreadful shame. I hope someone will be game to take up the mantle. In any case, The Eyrie Vineyards has a tasting room in McMinnville, Oregon. I’ve never visited, but I hope to one day. I know the Lett family and their team would love to see you, so get there if you can. “In a region of increasingly opulent tasting rooms, the historic Eyrie Vineyards keeps the focus on the beauty inside the glass,” was Wine Enthusiast’s verdict. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit edmerrison.substack.com/subscribe