Oaky Producers

[stevebody]

Joy Anderson, Snoqualmie's winemaker, told me at a tasting here last winter that, if she could, she'd make everything she produces unoaked, but Stimson-Lane won't hear of it. Let me rephrase that: The Stimson MARKETING DEPARTMENT won't hear of it. She loves the fruit she's getting and thinks it's ready to stand alone but ain't allowed to do it. BTW, this was said in a casual conversation and may have been a loose burr under her saddle but I can see how she might feel that way.

I forgot to mention one winery that makes very artful use of oak and has even been known to leave it off: DeLille. The Chaleur Estate and the Harrison carry a touch of oak that flatters what's going on with the fruit and mineral while keeping resolutely in the background.