Travel the world’s best wine regions without feeling the burn of high fuel prices and poor exchange rates. The International Wine Passport Series brings the wines, terroirs and stories of 12 unique and exciting wine regions to the classroom.
We invited 12 of our favorite Portland-based wine professionals to join us for this series and asked each to select the wine region they are most passionate about. Their interests spanned the globe from the dry-farmed vineyards of the Barossa Zone to the steep, schistous rock faces of the Douro Valley and included little-known regions such as British Columbia, Canada; Savoie, France; and Lombardy, Italy.
Whether you are new to wine or have been studying it for years, we invite you join us for this fun and informative series. Membership is available at all levels from Platinum Frequent Flyer to Daytripper.
| January - The Douro | May - Chinon | September - New York State |
| February - Priorat | June - Jura/Savoie | October - The Rhone Valley |
| March - Kamptal/Kremstal | July - Franken | November - Barossa Zone |
| April - Lombardy/Umbria | August - British Columbia | December - Ribera del Duero |
Frequent Flyer - Platinum Member
Frequent Flyer - Gold Member
Frequent Flyer - Silver Member
Daytripper
July: Franken, Germany
- Thursday, July 15, 6:00p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204
- Portland, Oregon
- 9 Spaces Available
- $50 / Members - $45
The German region of Franken was – before unification – the country’s easternmost wine region. Winters here are severe, summers are cool, and frosts frequently destroy crops and reduce yields. Riesling has the potential for elegance here, but it’s Silvaner and Muller-Thurgau that dominate plantings – both capable of producing high quality wines in the region’s best vineyards. The Franken makes relatively little red wine, but finds success with a number of other unique white grapes including Bacchus, Rieslaner, Kerner and Scheurebe. Bottled in the flagon-shaped bockbeutel and made from lesser-known grapes, Franken wines are distinctive, characterful and unlike anything you’ll find in other parts of Germany.
About the instructor: Ewald Moseler is the northwest's foremost importer of German wines.
August: British Columbia, Canada
- Thursday, August 19, 6:00p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204
- Portland, Oregon
- 9 Spaces Available
- $50 / Members - $45
Most of Canada’s best wines are produced in British Columbia on the eastern side of the Cascade Mountain Range in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. Shielded from coastal weather, the climate here is hot and arid and the moderating effect of Okanagan Lake is essential to quality wine production. Wines of exceptional quality are made from a broad range of grapes including: Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Bordeaux varieties. A unique opportunity to explore these hard-to-find gems!
About the instructor: Cole Danehower is co-publisher and editor of Northwest Palate magazine. He is a James Beard Journalism Award winner and a frequent freelance wine writer and wine judge.
September: New York State, U.S.A.
- Thursday, September 16, 6:00p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204
- Portland, Oregon
- 7 Spaces Available
- $50 / Members - $45
Although New York’s wines are little known on the west coast, the state boasts eight distinct American Viticultural Areas (AVAs), produces more wine than Oregon, and successfully grows and vinifies a diverse selection of grapes. From the Ice Wines of the Finger Lakes to the Merlot and Cabernet Franc of Long Island, New York wines are unique, dynamic, and certainly worth watching. Taste and learn about these underappreciated American wines!
About the instructor: Mich Nelson is Tasting Room Supervisor at Erath Winery. She holds the WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits (AC).
October: The Rhône Valley, France
- Thursday, October 14, 6:00p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204
- Portland, Oregon
- 9 Spaces Available
- $50 / Members - $45
There is very little wine made in the Northern Rhône and most is of exceptional quality. Steep slopes, infertile rocky soils, and low-yielding vines produce complex and long-lived wines. Syrah is the star here and the primary component of the region’s red wines, but white wines made from Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne can also be exceptional. To the south, the valley flattens out, temperatures warm, and significantly more wine is made. Most red wines made in the Southern Rhône are blends dominated by Grenache with other local varieties such as Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Carignan and Syrah filling out the blend. These grapes can be used to produce a range of wine styles, from fruit-driven and straightforward Côtes du Rhones to earthy, leathery and concentrated wines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and Vacqueyras. Discover why the Rhône Valley is one of the world’s most prestigious wine regions!
About the instructor: John Kennedy is owner of Great Wine Buys.
November: Barossa Zone, Australia
- Thursday, November 4, 6:00p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204
- Portland, Oregon
- 9 Spaces Available
- $50 / Members - $45
Australia’s Barossa Zone makes wines in a broad range of styles, most famously the concentrated red wines of the Barossa Valley and the ethereal Rieslings of the Eden Valley. In Barossa, it is the large plantings of dry-farmed, low-yielding old vines (some 150 years in age) that provide the backbone of the region’s best bottles. Shiraz dominates in the vineyard, but other Rhône varieties such as Grenache and Mataro (Mourvèdre) also thrive in the region’s hot, dry climate. The neighboring Eden Valley sits at a higher elevation and is significantly cooler. Some Shiraz is grown here as well, but it is the long-lived, citrus and limestone-scented Rieslings that are the true standout. Join us as we explore many of Australia’s best wines!
About the instructor: Lisa Shara Hall is senior editor of Wine Business Monthly and writes for a number of British wine publications. She is the first student from Oregon to sit for the prestigious Master of Wine (MW) qualification.
December: Ribera del Duero, Spain
- Thursday, December 2, 6:00p.m.
- 828 SE Ash Street, #204
- Portland, Oregon
- 9 SPACES AVAILABLE
- $50 / Members - $45
Ribera del Duero is one of Spain’s most acclaimed wine regions and is the most recent Spanish appellation to attain the DOCa designation (Rioja and Priorat are the only other appellations at this quality level). The region is recognized for its red wines, which are made almost exclusively from Tinto Fino – a local variant of the Tempranillo grape. Characteristics of this strain along with climatic conditions that are arid and dry, combine to produce a much different expression that what we find in Rioja. Wines are concentrated and full-bodied with spicy, black fruit character. Many of Spain’s most prestigious wines are made here, but the region also turns out exceptional wines at the value end of the price spectrum.
About the instructor: Adam Rhynard is co-owner of the Wine & Spirit Archive and holds the WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits (DWS)
January: The Douro Valley, Portugal
- Thursday, January 28, 6:00p.m.
- Class Closed.
The Douro was first designated as an official wine region in 1756, making it one of the first delimited wine regions in the world. The region’s best vineyards, vines are planted on narrow, schist-based terraces on the steep banks of the Douro River. Intense summer heat, low yields, and flavor-dense indigenous grape varieties combine to produce concentrated wines suitable for extended aging and fortification. In this class, we will discuss and taste the full spectrum of Douro wines from oxidized, silk-textured tawnies to spicy, fruit-rich rubies to the region’s flagship wine – Vintage Port. A great way to warm up this January!
About the instructor: Dixie Huey is owner of Trellis Wine Consulting and holds the WSET Advanced Certificate in Wines and Spirits (AC). She was formerly the Director of Marketing and Communications for Premium Port Wines.
February: Priorat, Spain
- Thursday, March 4, 6:00p.m.
- Class Closed.
The isolated, mountainous region of Priorat is producing many of Spain’s most prestigious wines. These wines combine low-yielding, old vine plantings of the traditional Spanish grapes Garnacha and (to a lesser extend) Cariñena with new plantings of international grapes such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Syrah. The region’s hot temperatures, intense solar radiation, infertile soils and low-yielding vines combine to produce wines of tremendous concentration and complexity. Join us as we explore these long-lived, world class wines!
About the instructor: Peter de Garmo is owner of Pastworks and is the founder of the Portland Slow Food Convivium.
March: Kamptal/Kremstal, Austria
- Thursday, March 25, 6:00p.m.
- Class Closed
The neighboring regions of Kamptal and Kremstal in the Niederösterrich region of Austria are renowned for their complex and concentrated white wines, principally from Grüner Veltliner. Loess soils in Kamptal and clay/limestone soils in Kremstal are credited for the quality and density expressed in these wines. Full-bodied and flavor-dense, these wines have the substance to stand up to foods typically partnered with red wines. Aromas and flavors are complex and range from white pepper to citrus to stone. Although produced in smaller quantities, the full-bodied, mineral-rich Rieslings of the Kamptal are exceptional as well. Exquisite wines worth exploring!
About the instructor: Emma Healion is a Sales Representative at Galaxy Wine Company.
The Italian regions of Lombardy and Umbria don’t share a geographical border: Lombardy abuts Switzerland in the north and Umbria lies directly in Italy’s center – the country’s only landlocked region. What they do share are collections of unique, undervalued (and often under-priced) wines that deserve more attention. Influenced by a variety of geographical features including the Alps and the region’s many lakes, Lombardian wines come in a range of styles including Trebbiano-based whites, traditional method sparkling wines, and reds made from local varieties such as Barbera, Shiava, and Bonarda. In Umbria, Trebbiano dominates white winemaking and Sangiovese dominates red winemaking, but other grapes such as Gamay, Sagrantino and increasingly international grapes also play a role. Come discover Italy’s best values!
About the instructor: David Holstrom is owner of Guy du Vin.