I'd say it takes a lot for a person who spent the night and next day with a hangover the size of Texas rampaging inside their head, to still think the previous afternoon's experience was totally worth it and they'd do it again.
Indeed, I was drunk before the sun even went down.
Last Saturday Harrington Wines had a rare open house opportunity so off we went, to the little backroom of an industrial warehouse space, neighboring an auto performance shop and behind some metalworking company. It's as unpretentious as it gets.
We're talking Pinot Noir and averaging $40-$60 a bottle. Nor are these the type of wines to bring home, immediately pop open the cork, and guzzle till done. These are best kept well and aged for an additional year or more (if the limited samples of the older year's varieties are a taste of what's to come for these babies).
It doesn't matter if you're not a fan of Pinot or hate Pinot, it's still worth it to come here. If anything, to get a chance to talk to Bryan Harrington, the owner. He is dedicated, approachable, friendly and very happy to share his winemaking experiences and stories. I learned so much here and was treated to my first of several barrel samples. It offered an amazing glimpse into how a wine develops as it ages. I also learned about SO2 (sulfur dioxide) used since Roman times during certain times throughout the fermentation process to keep the wine from spoiling, and how even some biodynamic wines will still use this chemical. Although it instantly turns that nicely reddening wine nasty green and putrid-smelling when added in. Mr. Harrington stated he's been trying to find an alternate to SO2 and has been experimenting. And how some of the best he's tasted didn't have it, if only the wine didn't subsequently spoil so quickly.
Although the pinots may seem pricey to some people, it is truly a labor of love for this guy and he does work on the side to make ends meet. He's not a big time winery with the expansive gardens and show-offy estate. Yet he's willing to risk part of what he makes towards building a better and cleaner wine and not succumb to what everyone else has been using "just because that's how it's been done for ages" (even though the nasty sulfur dioxide stuff is just a hop and a step from acid rain). And I find that very inspirational.
It also doesn't hurt that what he's made so far shows great promise. We were happy to buy 3 bottles.
Now let's see if our patience to wait holds up. read more