Blanc is the new black, or more accurately, the new noir. At least that’s what they are saying in Paris, New York, London and of course, Oregon wine country. The French have been making Blanc de noir for centuries, a style of sparkling Champagne made into a colorless wine—and created exclusively from dark grapes (Pinot noir and Pinot munier). French wine is often the inspiration for new wine endeavors in Oregon. Consequently, a handful of Oregon producers decided to give the Blanc a whirl, but with one big omission: no bubbles.
The non-effervescent venture was a success. The trail blazer, Domaine Serene, is set to release their seventh vintage of the glistening, white Pinot this year. Others have followed suit with great success. Anne Amie and Ghost Hill both have Pinot noir blanc currently available and Matello will be releasing their first Blanc de noir in May. Oregon Riesling superstar, Trisaetum Winery and Vineyards, is one of the latest to turn noir to blanc with their inaugural release of the 2010 Pinot noir blanc.
With customers as their muses, the folks at Trisaetum decided to dive in after their club members repeatedly asked for the wine. “My co-winemaker Greg McClellan and I decided we’d use some of our leanings from making six different Rieslings each year, and apply them to making a white wine from Pinot noir clusters,” said James Frey, co-winemaker and proprietor of Trisaetum Winery.

Spend your vacation or weekend getaway in Portland, Oregon—the premiere spot for arts and odditites. From its craft beers, neighborhood pubs and coffee, to its locavore dining and, of course, bikes, Portland is the Northwest’s culture cauldron and creative den. Experience Portland’s culinary brilliance in multiple eateries scattered throughout the city while taking in its thriving arts scene chock-full of writers, painters, filmmakers, dancers, musicians and performance artists. Also get the most out of your visit and explore Portland by foot, bike or public transportation—either way, you’ll get a full dose of its ‘Portlandia’ character and receive local praise for going ‘green.’
 

Unrefined and outback, Eastern Oregon may be. Still, there are not too many wide open spaces left in this world like this experience-rich region of Eastern Oregon. There’s unmatched camping in the desert, horseback riding in the Steens Mountain Wilderness, horse-pack camping into the Wallowas and rivers to float, but Eastern Oregon’s true resource is its people—from sunstone mining and raising grass-fed beef to the Pendleton Round-Up. Open spaces and open faces are waiting to greet you in Eastern Oregon.

The Willamette Valley is known for its fantastic Pinot noir and blanc, its fertile farmland and its state universities—University of Oregon in Eugene and Oregon State University in Corvallis. The rolling hills and wet side of the Cascades bring Oregon much of her bounty from the earth. Pass through this region, and you’ll likely find yourself taking back a few glasses of wine over a delicious meal made with ingredients from the farm next door. Plan your Oregon getaway in these parts and prepare yourself for lush scenery, hints of a ‘Ducks vs. Beavers’ rivalry, good food, even better wine, and opportunities for hiking, biking and kayaking.