On Bryn Mawr's High Hill
published by covagabond
X.OR.wine.2: On Bryn Mawr’s High Hill
Bryn Mawr Vineyards: 5935 Bethel Heights Rd NW, Salem, OR
Bryn Mawr Vineyards (bryn mawr translating to ‘High Hill’ from the Welsh) in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley overlooks sweeping views of the surrounding countryside from its bucolic perch. Golden fields, evergreen farms, and twisted fence lines marking the robust quilt of rolling landscape under an azure sky greeted me as I arrived at the vineyard.
Karyn Smith, Bryn Mawr’s Hospitality Director was very generous with her time and knowledge.
“Karyn was exactly the kind of woman we needed to tell us our ideas were enthusiastically misguided,” the owners effuse, saying that she “bring[s] just the right hint of professionalism…[,] unmistakable energy, and confidence into any room she [enters].”
Smith gave me a closer look into the passion of the Bryn Mawr family as we chatted in the new addition to their beautiful facility, the patchwork hills behind us a backdrop to her dedication.
“What separates us from [our competitors] is that [Jon and Kathy] realized early on that they were not going to be able to compete with some of our neighbors [without proactive innovation]. We have high scoring wines [among] our pinots. So do they. But they have twenty years’ establishment [history to compete with].”
Bryn Mawr’s 40 acres, 26 of which are maintained under vine and feature pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling, pinot blanc, tempranillo, and dolcetto among other varietals was started in the mid-nineties by Welsh investors, and was acquired a decade ago by current owners Kathy & Jon Lauer. The original property, now referred to as the “Jeffries Block” and the “Christus Block” were all initially pinot noir plantings.
The Lauers and their team of experts, Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Rachel Rose, Hospitality Director (and my host) Karyn Smith, and Tasting Room & Sales Director David Lauer have taken on Bryn Mawr’s lofty potential with a will, expanding and remodeling to include a spotless, state-of-the-art commercial kitchen, private tasting venues, and panoramic views from an elegant great room made cozy by an inviting fireplace.
Another distinguishing characteristic of Bryn Mawr is quite ancient. During the recession of the last ice age Lake Allison (a prehistoric body of water larger than all of today’s Great Lakes combined) formed ice dams which repeatedly burst, flooding the Willamette Valley an estimated 60 or more times and depositing roughly 20 feet of soil on the valley floor and varying shallower depths atop the underlying, surrounding ridges – parts of old lava flows that form the bones of the land.
These rich volcanic soils, along with the Willamette’s cool Van Duzer coastal winds, create ideal conditions for viticulture and have established Oregon as one of the United States’ most prized wine producing regions.
“It was the tempranillo that actually put us on the map,” Smith told me. “From [the tempranillo] then came the dolcetto [which] is grown in the Piedmont region of Italy…. We chose the dolcetto because the [climate there] is very similar to what we have here.”
Scores of 90+ percentile awards attest to Bryn Mawr’s success and standing as one of the foremost vintners in the AVA, and are too numerous to be detailed in this short article. Visit their website, brynmawrvineyards.com, to view their accolades.
Of course Covid-19 is impacting even the high hills of Eola-Amity, but Bryn Mawr has adopted curbside pickup and other new services for their loyal guests. Schedule an appointment and drop by for a drop of Oregon’s finest with the Bryn Mawr family atop their high hills of flavor and complexity at your leisure.
Writing to you from Salem, OR,
Your covagabond
~
“Wine is the only artwork you can drink”
– Luis Fernando Olaverri.
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