Let’s be honest, the dominance of single-varietal bottlings in the American wine market is a bit boring. But at the fun fringes, the iron grip of Cab and Chard is loosening and whole new kinds of wine are ascendant. Not just a single variety, not just made from grapes, the co-ferment has arrived for your drinking pleasure. Join us for a survey of the rainbow of colors and flavors possible when grapes are fermented in combination with other fruits and sometimes even herbs, honey and flowers. Fizzy, foggy, funky, electric, versatile with food, and with lower alcohol to keep the party going, many of these styles have a long tradition being rediscovered today. We’ll focus on Oregon producers who are playing a leading role in the co-ferment revolution. Piquettes, ciderkins, wine-cider hybrids, weird fruits in the mix, we’ll have it all. Get hip to the new/old forefront of fermentation with these delicious, unique, and truly sustainable beverages.
Because these are generally lower ABV products, Oliver will round out the tasting with a number of coferments and blends from his own cellar, including some he made himself with Oregon fruit over the last couple of years.
A native New Yorker, Oliver Longwell caught the wine bug in 2012 after a number of years working in government and politics. He has worked for leading wine retailers in New York and Los Angeles, with a particular focus on organically-farmed and natural wines. Oliver is a Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers and works as a freelance wine consultant. He enjoys experimenting with fermentations, especially ciders. He and his wife moved to Northeast Portland in 2021 and welcomed their first daughter in 2022 and second daughter in 2024.