Leah Jørgensen
Leah Jørgensen brings a wealth of Oregon wine industry background to her eponymous brand. A graduate of Sweet Briar College for women with a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing, Leah went on to earn postgraduate degrees in holistic nutrition at the Wellspring School, studying a curriculum of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Functional Medicine, and then Enology, the science of winemaking, at the Northwest Viticulture Center. Leah finds her inspiration in her father’s heritage rooted in Denmark and Norway, and her mother’s winemaking heritage rooted in Italy and Austria. She’s a 10th generation winemaker from her Italian lineage in Campania. She specializes in the production of Cabernet Franc, which she refers to as the ultimate Cinderella grape.
In 2004, Leah made her way out west to her father’s home state of Oregon to attend a highly coveted wine industry event – Oregon Pinot Camp. Within hours of her visit in the Willamette Valley, she found a way back to the Pacific Northwest to work where her great-grandparents had settled and farmed. Her grandfather’s side came to Oregon by way of Denmark and her grandmother’s side from Norway. Both lines of her family had been farm owners and workers in Scandinavia long before coming to America in the late 1800s. Both families lived and worked on farms in Montana, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and South Dakota, prior to Oregon.
Leah began her wine career at Erath, then went on to work for Adelsheim, Anne Amie, Shea, Harper Voit, and Alloro. Today, Leah concentrates exclusively on Loire varieties and Loire-style wines, mostly from Southern Oregon vineyards. Her passion for the Loire developed from her time as a sales rep for Louis/Dressner Selections. Her "flagship" wine is Cabernet Franc, and the Tour Rain red we selected for this month’s club salutes the traditional Touraine Red blend via Rogue Valley Franc and Willamette Valley Gamay. The bright and juicy 100% Gamay Noir is entirely from the Willamette Valley. Made without skin contact, the barrel fermented Blanc de Cabernet Franc is Leah's signature white. There's also a Pouilly-Fumé-inspired Sauvignon Blanc and a crisp, pale Rosé of Cabernet Franc. At the apex is Clos Rogue Valley, an amazingly concentrated yet elegant "reserve" Cab Franc, conceived in homage to Leah's idol, Clos Rougeard. These wines exist comfortably in the company of top Loires, though for most palates, with greater accessibility.
Oregon is obsessively leading the way in the US with sustainability, organic and biodynamic winemaking/farming. All of the vineyards Leah works with are certified sustainable via L.I.V.E. (Low impact Viticulture + Enology) and are certified Salmon Safe - very important in the Pacific Northwest to protect their waterways. All of Leah’s Applegate Valley fruit from Mae’s vineyards, which goes into the Blanc Cab Franc is farmed organically, but is not yet certified. Leah’s wine cellar is even sustainable; from the materials that were used to make the building to how the cellar is operated and managed.
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Leah Jørgenson Cab Franc Blanc |
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Region / Country of Origin: Newberg, OR |
About the winemaking: In 2011, Leah Jørgenson was the first winery outside of the Loire Valley in France to commercially produce a still white wine from Cabernet Franc grapes. It was inspired by their favorite Crémant de Loire sparkling wines, specifically from Touraine, which are made with Cabernet Franc in a blanc de noir style, or blended with Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc. The grapes were picked early at targeted brix and pH levels, then gently whole-cluster pressed, like white wine, to avoid the influence of pigment and tannin contained in the skins. The juice settled in tanks for 24 hours, then was transferred into acacia barrels for fermentation and aging with regular bâtonnage sur-lie to add richness, complexity, and an interesting briny, salinity to the finish. They are now using 100% acacia for this wine for the lifted floral and herbal aromatics. Tasting Notes: This medium-bodied wine typically has delicate nuances of “early blush” apricot, golden raspberries, Meyer lemon, blood orange, white tea leaf, tarragon, and hazelnut- making up a pretty complex white wine from red grapes. This vintage, the wine also offers subtle botanical notes of Elderflower, jasmine, lime blossom, sweet pea shoot and a hint of ground cinnamon, with flavors of clementine, lemon meringue, and honey leading into a creamy and nutty mid-palate. The finish has refreshing salinity. |
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Winemaker: Leah Jørgenson Jean |
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Price: $24.99 btl/$280.69 cs |
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Suggested Food Pairing: white fish or shellfish, especially oysters or scallops wrapped in bacon; pasta with simple cream sauce; pork chops with apple compote; roasted chicken; crab stuffed poblano peppers with cream sauce; mesquite grilled trout with charred lemon; polenta with charred broccolini; a young, creamy, nutty Gruyère. |
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Leah Jørgenson “Tour Rain” |
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Region / Country of Origin: Newberg, OR |
About the winemaking: This wine is inspired by the Touraine red blends from France’s Loire Valley that are centered around Gamay Noir. This “Loiregon” version, whimsically called “Tour Rain”, is comprised of 40% Gamay Noir and 60% Cabernet Franc. The Cabernet Franc harvests were on September 17th (Crater View, 22 brix) and October 8th (Fortmiller, 23 brix) and went through traditional short vating (5-6 days), and were sorted, de-stemmed, crushed lightly (half whole berry, half crushed), with a four-day cold soak, starting fermentation at 55° F so as to have a slow, extended fermentation. Manual punchdowns occurred twice daily, then the juice was aged in neutral French oak barrels for 10 months, with malolactic fermentation completed in two months. The Gamay was harvested on October 3rd at 22 brix, and was sorted, de-stemmed, whole berry crushed, with a four-day cold soak followed by the same fermentation practice. The wine was racked, blended, then filtered prior to bottling.
Tasting Notes: This classic Loire blend is a lovely balance of floral notes, red fruit, and a hint of pepper and sweet wood, with aromatics of ripe cherry, raspberry, cassis, hibiscus,cedar, cigar box and vanilla bean. Its flavors bring Bing cherry, pomegranate, cranberry, cocoa powder and clove- always with mouthwatering acidity and juicy rich soft tannins. Enjoy slightly chilled (cellar temp).
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Winemaker: Leah Jørgenson Jean |
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Price: $24.99 btl/$269.89 cs |
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Suggested Food Pairing: Pasta dishes, spicy, rich Asian dishes, smoked salmon, charcuterie and cheese boards, beet salad, brick oven thin crust pizza, kabobs. |
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