From: Underwood Mountain, Columbia Gorge, Washington, USA
Varietal: Gruner Veltliner
Tasting Notes: This PNW Gruner Veltliner really highlights the Landmass’ skill at producing bright white wines. With its aromatic profile leaning into notes of jasmine, lemon-lime citrus, crisp peach, and spring grass, this wine bears more resemblance to a Sauvignon Blanc than a Pinot Gris. These notes continue on the palate, alongside passionfruit curd, more tart stone fruit, white pepper, and a lasting crispness on the finish.
Pairing: The 2022 Landmass Gruner Veltliner is wonderful on its own and a versatile match for pairings with its bright acidity, white pepper, and herbal notes. The wine’s freshness will shine through when it’s paired with light chicken or seafood dishes featuring citrus and herbs. Meanwhile, its flavors won’t shy away from a crunchy radish salad, the complexity of moderately-spiced Thai or Indian curries, or even richer foods like fried chicken and crispy gnocchi. We love the idea of enjoying it with a fried tofu sandwich with all the fixings (see recipe below).
Superiority Burger’s Crispy Fried Tofu Sandwich
Recipe from Brooks Headley, adapted by Alexa Weibel
About. Melaney Schmidt and Malia Myers fell in love with winemaking while interning at Illahe Vineyards- so much so that they relocated from Los Angeles up to Oregon’s Willamette Valley/Portland area. They have since relocated to a facility in Cascade Locks. The two of them are navigating the queer community in the Pacific Northwest, as well as the winemaking communities along the west coast. They have been involved in numerous collaborations with winemakers in a few different states and even apiarists to use honey in a sparkling wine. Melaney and Malia make intriguing wines with some unexpected blends- they even released a wine that had table grapes blended in!
The following is a quote from Melaney from when she did an interview with Margot Mazur of The Fizz, a newsletter about the history and present of American winemaking; she discusses her path to wine and how she ended up interning at Illahe with her partner:
"I’ve been working in food and beverage for a really long time. I started off my very first bar job at an Applebee's in a small California town. My first foray into beer, wine, and cocktails wasn’t very high caliber, but it was very methodical. I worked at bars through college and had friends who worked at really cool restaurants, and I would just ask them “hey, if you’re ever hiring, let me know.” This was when craft cocktails were first coming up in L.A.—2005/2006. I had a friend who worked at this really cool bar and he encouraged me to go work there.
They had a wine program there, but I didn’t know anything about wine. I kind of felt like wine is for rich people, wine is for fancy people—that’s not my background. I started bartending there and then eventually one of the managers was leaving and she told me that I should step up and start managing the bar. I didn’t know how to build a wine list, but she was really encouraging.
I started taking classes with the Court of Master Sommeliers, and when I took over that program, I had to reach out to some of our wine reps. Who were the people who are selling wine into this restaurant already? I emailed this woman, Crystal Williams, and I expected her to show up in a suit and tie and a rolling bag, you know. In walks this woman—she's young, she's covered in tattoos, she's smiling, she's super friendly. That was the first time for me that I felt wow, wine can look like this.
I was writing the wine list and studying with the Court, but what starts to happen is that you realize—I could read a book on winemaking, but I need to have my hands in it, because there was no way I was going to retain that information unless I was fully absorbed in it. I was buying wine from Oregon and I just reached out to an Oregon producer [Illahe Vineyards] and said hey I love your wine, and they said well, you should come up and see what we do.
My partner and I went and we actually spent a day at this winery. They let us sleep on the property, which was incredible. It was just the most beautiful experience. You wake up and there's an old black lab pawing at you telling you it’s time to go. People are showing up to work and they’re smiling and all the fruit comes in and it smells incredible. It was completely team oriented and all about community. I just remember thinking okay, I don't care about being a sommelier at all. I want to do this. I want to learn how to make wine."
The 2022 Landmass Gruner Veltliner is not to be missed. It comes from two different organic sites in Underwood Mountain on the Washington side of the Gorge. Thanks to huge winds and fertile, volcanic soil, this fruit shines. Being that this varietal ripens late, this fruit was picked right as the threat of rain and snow hit the Gorge in late October. Clinging onto its acids and aromatics, the abv of this wine is a crushable 11.8%. It was made in 25% Hungarian oak, 50% neutral French oak and 25% stainless steel.