Julia Crowley was the first wine blogger that I met in NYC, after I sent out a tweet asking if anyone wanted to share a cab to our first tasting of Scarpa Wines. Julia immediately accepted and met me in the lobby. However, fellow Snoot...
Julia Crowley was the first wine blogger that I met in NYC, after I sent out a tweet asking if anyone wanted to share a cab to our first tasting of Scarpa Wines. Julia immediately accepted and met me in the lobby. However, fellow Snooth PVA bloggers (and former NYC residents) Megan and R.J. soon joined us, and we all took the subway uptown. It was an early precursor to the camaraderie that would follow online for weeks and months after the event. I met so many fascinating writers on that trip, and the purpose of this interview series is to introduce them to my readers. Important note to avoid confusion: my girlfriend Julia, mentioned many times on this blog, and Julia Crowley are two different people. Additionally, neither were the inspiration for The Beatles, Robert Herrick, or the 1960s TV show starring Diahann Carroll. Hopefully that's clear for everyone.Julia's site was named the Best New Wine Blog of 2012 by the Wine Blog Awards, and I wanted to get to know some more about her own history and philosophy surrounding the world of wine. BWR: Did Oregon make you fall in love with wine or did wine influence your current state of residence?Julia: Oregon made me fall in love with Pinot Noir, but years earlier, a visit to the Loire Valley of France made me fall in love with wine. My sister and I stayed one night in an absolutely amazing castle in Brissac, France, named Château de Brissac. We were the only two people staying in the stunning (and huge) castle, aside from the owners: the Duke and Duchess of Brissac. After an amazing dinner in the main dining room of the castle with the Duke and Duchess, the Duke handed us a bottle of 1998 Château de Brissac Cabernet Franc Anjou-Villages-Brissac along with two wine glasses. He then said, "explore, discover...the castle is yours tonight." We explored for hours - discovering unique rooms, several small theaters, secret tunnels with doorways hidden behind large hanging tapestries, fascinating art work and statues, fireplaces so big we could walk into them...all while enjoying every single sip of the first Cabernet Franc I had ever had. It was an unforgettable evening, and I fell head over heels in love with wine.Years later, when my husband and I along with our two young boys moved from Florida to Oregon, I was completely unaware of the high-caliber Pinot Noirs in Oregon - until we attended a neighborhood association party at a nearby winery located in the South Willamette Valley named Iris Vineyards. During that party, I tried my first Oregon Pinot Noir: Iris Vineyards 2005 Reserve Pinot. Ultimately, I was blown away by the sheer elegance it displayed, the bright red fruits and distinctive earthy notes flowed onto my palate in seamless, silky waves. Soft acidity added depth of character without overpowering the alluring fruit and earth components. This was the very moment that Oregon Pinot Noir captured my heart. Although Oregon wine didn't influence my current state of residence, it certainly influences my decision to stay-put and enjoy life in wine country to the fullest. BWR: What's your favorite Oregon wine + local food pairing? Bonus points if the dish features fiddlehead ferns or wild mushrooms. Julia: I like bonus points, and I love wild mushrooms. The best pairing I've ever had was a match made in heaven between Youngberg Hill's 2009 Natasha Block Pinot Noir and Beef Tenderloin Stroganoff prepared by Chef Chris Czarnecki of the famed Joel Palmer House. Definitely not your typical Beef Stroganoff, this one was made with wild Oregon Porcini and Trumpet mushrooms and served over rice. The earthiness of the mushrooms and savoriness of the creamy sauce paired flawlessly with the earthy finish on the Pinot. It was stellar. BWR: My first introduction to wine came in high school through some great tastings and a lot of Napa wine that I could experiment with in the kitchen while I was teaching myself to cook. How do you intend to introduce your own children to