Flying Dutchman Winery: Old World Wine on the Oregon Coast
February 3, 2009
by David Plechl
The grapes come from five or six different Oregon vineyards that include all three of the state’s interior growing regions, the Willamette, Umpqua, and Rogue Valley, but the wine is made right here on the Oregon Coast. The Flying Dutchman Winery is perched atop a salty, wind-kissed coastal highland. Just to the north, waves crash and exhale within the confines of the Devil’s Punchbowl. To the south, the swirling tide-pools of the marine gardens lure the curious. The setting is one of breathtaking beauty.
“We can actually watch whales and make the wine at the same time,” says tasting room manager Dan High, who is also assistant winemaker to owner Richard Cutler.
Cutler opened the winery ten years ago. ”It was always a passion he wanted to try his hand at,” says High. But its not just location that makes this winery special, High and Cutler also believe the unique atmosphere of the Oregon Coast breathes character into the notes and depth of the wines they create.
The wine ferments outdoors in oak. It takes a little bit longer, in the cool salt-air. High believes it’s worth the wait. ”Heat kills wine and diminishes flavors, that never happens to us,” he says. In fact, High and Cutler think so highly of “salt-air fermentation” that they’ve actually trademarked the phrase. Not only do these wines ferment longer, they age longer as well. Case in point, the 2003 Pinot Noir was only recently released. ”We like to take our time and do it the Old World Way,” says High.
The ‘Old World Way’ means boutique-style production levels of high-quality, hand-crafted wine. A larger outfit might produce more than 100,000 cases a season. The Flying Dutchman carefully releases just over 2000 cases each year.
The wines boast a big taste, and Flying Dutchman is the only winery on the coast that produces all the major varietals. The best way to taste one, two, or better yet all of these great wines is to visit the winery itself in Otter Rock. Those on the North Oregon Coast also have the tasty option of visiting the winery’s only tasting room outside Otter Rock within the acclaimed Bridgewater Bistro in Astoria.
It’s there under the vast arch of the Astoria Bridge and within view of the sweeping Columbia River that Dave Kinney will take you on a guided tour of these delicious wines. And Kinney is a guy that knows his stuff. He has personally toured over 500 wineries. ”Wine has been my life,” says Kinney who led an early career as a gourmet chef. “I can’t even drink beer.”
He’ll introduce you to the award winning Cabernet Franc, which recently picked up another gold at Astoria’s Crab Fest. Traditionally used in blends, the Flying Dutchman bravely allows this grape stand on its own. ”I’m just so excited about it. It’s a great wine,” says Kinney. “It’s got a little vanilla in it, cherry. It’s just damn good.”
The Flying Dutchman wines run more in the tradition of a French-style Burgundian, less fruit-forward than California reds, slightly more tannic, with notes of blackberry, currant, and vanilla.
Another wine garnishing laurels is the 2003 Pinot Noir Reserve. This fabulous wine is sourced from older, more established vines. It boasts a great nose, with notes of fig and vanilla in the finish.
But if a California style wine is your thing, the 2004 Merlot will not disappoint. ”The fruit comes right at you as soon as you put it in your mouth,” says Kinney. The wine is full-bodied, with a long, fruity finish that bathes the taste buds in berry, and black currant.
As demand for the wines continues to grow, High and Cutler have been considering expanding their fleet of 125 oak barrels with an additional facility in Depoe Bay. ”It’s the only way we can make more wine,’ says High. With the care they put into their wines, the Flying Dutchman Winery would probably even grow the grapes themselves if that were possible. Trouble is, no one’s quite figured out how to do that in the sopping-wet coastal climate. But the boutique-level production, and attention to quality craftsmanship is probably what makes these wines so great, and well worth the trip to beautiful Otter Creek, or the Bridgewater Bistro in Astoria.
The Flying Dutchman Winery
915 South West First St.
Otter Rock, Oregon
–or–
Bridgewater Bistro
20 Basin St.
Astoria, Oregon