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Movies boost tourist interest in local Pinot Noir and Spruce Goose |
Published: April 16, 2005
By YVETTE SAARINEN
Of the News-Register
A film crew was in the Yamhill Valley this week wrapping up a 30-day
shoot for a "Destination Oregon" program for the Travel Channel.
Chris Bray, field producer for the Los Angeles-based film company
Authentic Entertainment, said a time slot hasn't been nailed down yet
but the program probably will air over the summer.
Bray was accompanied by cameramen Christian Ortega and Mark LeFleur and
soundman Jake Rush. They plan to head back to L.A. on Tuesday.
"We've been everywhere in Oregon," Bray said.
Bray is from Maryland, Ortega from New Jersey, LeFleur from
Massachusetts and Rush from Minnesota. They have been on the road most
of the year, shooting similar programs in Texas and Florida.
They fly into their target state, then rent a car that gets a lot of miles.
Tuesday's segment was arranged by the Yamhill Valley Visitors
Association in cooperation with the Willamette Valley Visitors
Association. The crew stayed at the Mattey House Bed & Breakfast,
operated by Jack and Denise Seed.
A group of local YVVA members took on the role of visitors during a
tour led by Ralph Stinton and Fred Gunton of Grape Escape Winery Tours
out of Portland.
Gunton did the driving while Stinton gave a well-researched history of
the Yamhill County wine industry, liberally sprinkled with anecdotes.
"The people involved in the wine industry here are interesting people
because they are passionate about what they do," Stinton said. "They
definitely march to a different drummer."
Because the industry was founded on the delicate and finicky shoulders
of pinot noir, a varietal that demands a lot of attention, mass
production is not predominant. Small, family run operations are the
norm.
"California's Mondavia Winery is bigger than the entire Oregon wine
industry," Stinton said. "We don't have much corporate ownership here
because it doesn't pencil out."
Stinton said Grape Escape's wine tours annually result in $80,000 of
direct wine sales and about $10,000 in revenue to restaurants.
First stop on the tour was Amity Vineyards, not only known for its
stunning wines but also its spectacular view. Unfortunately, it was a
typically cruel April day.
While the crew briefly filmed the "tourists" being buffeted by wind and
pelted by rain, everyone soon retreated to the wine-tasting room.
Oregon wine pioneer Myron Redford, who has been on the premises since
1974, gave a tutorial on the renowned pinot noir. Then he presented the
lesser known gamay noir, dry gewurztraminer and pinot blanc.
The next stop was Willakenzie Estate near Yamhill. The gravity flow
winery, founded by Bernie and Ronni Lecroute brings a French/Oregon
feel to the facility and the wine, Stinton said.
New winemaker Thibaud Mandet continues the traditional production of
vineyard designated pinot noirs, but also makes pinot blanc, and
sometimes a pinot meunier or gamay noir.
The third stop was Cuneo Cellars in Carlton, where owner/winemaker Gino
Cuneo features only pinot noir and Bordeaux-style blends. His reds-only
rule stems from his belief that white wines are for cooking and red
wines for drinking.
The visitors also got to observe Bocce Ball, a lawn game that's almost
always under way at Cuneo's. The day ended with dinner at Nick's
Italian Caf? in McMinnville, where the tour group was joined by other
YVVA members.
The film crew charmed its hosts, striking just the right balance
between getting the job done and having fun, while always being polite.
Each day's digital video shooting is electronically sent to the office where Bray will write the script upon his return.
"Oregon is a beautiful place," he said. "All of Oregon has dramatic scenery."
He said he was taken by Yamhill County's rolling hills. "I can imagine
people driving through them and coming upon small wineries and having a
great time."
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