Wine Enthusiast Raves

Wine Enthusiast recently threw on their party hats and gave our wines a serious fist bump in their upcoming April issue (on sale March 26, 2024). Check out these rocking scores:

92 points Pet Matt 2022 Sunnyside Vineyard Riesling (Willamette Valley).

Matt Berson of Love & Squalor is a skilled Riesling practitioner, so I was excited to try his pétillant-naturel-style sekt. It did not disappoint. Green papaya, peach fuzz, hazelnuts and yeasty brioche aromas segue into flavors of a mineral-laden tonic water garnished with lemon. This wine is bone-dry and ready to dance. Editors’Choice. —M.A. buy here

91 points Pet Matt 2022 Sams Vineyard Sparkling Rosé of Cabernet Franc (Southern Oregon).

This pinkhued pétillant-naturel wine with brash acidity is more fun than we deserve. Crushed strawberries and sunflowers paint an aromatic picture made even more irresistible by notes of thyme and rose petals. Flavors of candied nectarines, saline and juniper berries rub up against a chalky texture. Hidden Gem. —M.A. buy here

94 points Love & Squalor 2019 Reserved Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley).

It’s always the quiet ones. The winemaker named this wine “Reserved” because he thinks it only hints at its potential. Trust me, it is already excellent. Dark raspberry, orange peel, basil and clove aromas lead to flavors of white tea and red cherries. Lemony acidity matches with brawny tannins. Drink now–2034. Cellar Selection. —M.A. buy here

91 points Garageland 2022 Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley).

In Garageland, the wine is always a great value, and The Clash is always playing. The latest Garageland Pinot Noir offers dark raspberry and pine needle aromas accompanied by a trace of cranberry. Boisterous acidity backs flavors like cherry, dark chocolate, cedar and coriander. Best Buy. —M.A. buy here

95 points Love & Squalor 2022 Gamay Noir (Willamette Valley).

This is one of the best reds I tasted in 2023. It is a 100% whole cluster, partialcarbonic maceration wine that aged in neutral oak for 11 months. It’s Tootsie Roll and bergamot aromas remind me of the Terry’s Chocolate Orange I’d get in my stocking as a kid. Cranberry-orange and raspberry pastille flavors meld with green tea and thyme notes. Editors’ Choice. —M.A. buy here

91 points Love & Squalor 2021 Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley).

While the wine’s aromas of ripe blackberries and freshly cut grass are nice, the show really begins with the first sip. Rich boysenberry sorbet and dark chocolate flavors glide on a palate as smooth as silk and the Fine Young Cannibals. This is a fuller-bodied Pinot Noir with gentle acidity and plush tannins. —M.A. buy here

Wine Enthusiastic for LOVE & SQUALOR!

Our latest reviews in Wine Enthusiastic have been stellar! Check it out:

Love & Squalor 2018 Dry Riesling (Willamette Valley)

As dry and crisp as fall leaves crunching underfoot, this brilliant Riesling displays aromas and flavors of Granny Smith apples, Anjou pears and a not-quite-ripe honeydew melon. A plethora of herbs, from chamomile to lemon basil, make appearances. The acidity is brisk and so is the wine's texture. MICHAEL ALBERTY

RATING 92
DESIGNATION Dry
VARIETY Riesling
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 12%
CATEGORY White
DATE PUBLISHED 4/1/2023

BUY HERE

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Love & Squalor 2021 Gamay Noir (Willamette Valley)

This partial carbonic maceration Gamay Noir is a “must try.” It is fresh and vibrant, with enough acidity to light a small village. Aromas of black cherries and Emmental cheese are joined by a lively cucumber note. Strawberry and raspberry flavors are flanked by basil and apple pectin. MICHAEL ALBERTY
RATING 92
VARIETY Gamay Noir
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL13%
CATEGORY Red
DATE PUBLISHED 4/1/2023

BUY HERE

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Love & Squalor 2018 Reserve Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

What an amazingly floral nose. Aromas of blackberries, seagrass, jasmine, hibiscus and orchids—it's like tasting wine with a Hawaiian lei around your neck. Dark-cherry and chocolate flavors and a touch of toasted coconut dominate the palate. Decant, as the tannins are still grippy. MICHAEL ALBERTY

RATING 91
DESIGNATION Reserve
VARIETY Pinot Noir
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL13%
CATEGORY Red
DATE PUBLISHED 4/1/2023

BUY HERE

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Love & Squalor 2019 Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

A really classic Willamette Valley Pinot nose, with lots of red cherries, black tea, orange zest and a streak of Thai basil. Nice, bright acidity steals the show from soft tannins with a subtle grip. The wine tastes like a soda fountain cherry phosphate mixed with blackberry, straw and lemon verbena flavors. No squalor here, just a whole lot of love. MICHAEL ALBERTY

RATING 92
VARIETY Pinot Noir
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 13%
CATEGORY Red
DATE PUBLISHED 4/1/2023

BUY HERE

THE OREGONIAN - PINOT NOIR PARTY RECOMMENDATIONS

6 Willamette Valley pinot noir party recommendations

by Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive

A Willamette Valley pinot noir is always a welcome guest at any backyard party or front porch social. With that in mind, I’ve been tracking down pinots that over-deliver on quality while not giving wine budgets a case of the summertime blues. I’ve listed where I purchased these wines and the price I paid for them. Prices may vary in other locations. The still wines are all 13.5% alcohol by volume, while the “Pinot Pop” is 11%.

2021 Garageland Willamette Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir

Meet the only rosé in the world named after a Clash song. Garageland is made by the highly talented Matt Berson, who joins his wife Angela Reat as the co-owners of Love & Squalor Wine in Southeast Portland. The Garageland is the color of a pink rose that’s been crushed by a pair of Doc Martens combat boots. Aromas of peach and mint slam up against a mineral quality best described as a concrete sidewalk after a drought-breaking rain. It has a crisp mouthfeel with enough acidity to rock the casaba melon and orange citrus flavors.

”You can buy” …at Market of Choice-Cedar Mill, 250 N.W. Lost Springs Terrace, 503-596-3592.

link to article

OREGONIAN INTERVIEW WITH MATT ABOUT LOVE AND SQUALOR

Love & Squalor makes serious wines with a humorous touch

Updated: Jul. 13, 2022, 10:01 a.m. | Published: Jul. 13, 2022

Winery spotlight: Love & Squalor

By Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLIve

My dad once asked me to track down a wine called Lust & Poverty, and it took me a few days to figure out he was talking about a new winery named Love & Squalor. That was almost 14 years ago, and I’ve been happily drinking Matt Berson’s wines ever since.

Love & Squalor is best known for: dry wit and dry riesling.

“Must try” current release: 2017 Love & Squalor Willamette Valley Dry Riesling ($20). A delightfully crisp wine filled to the brim with aromas and flavors of citrus, chamomile tea, and Granny Smith apples.

Innovation: In 2012, a half-ton of gewürztraminer arrived unexpectedly during harvest chaos. Berson kept the fruit, but he couldn’t process it right away. After 10 days spent soaking in a cooler, the grapes were pressed, and the traditionally white gewürztraminer was now an orange-colored wine with some tannic structure.

Berson named the wine “A Frayed Knot.” It was one of the Willamette Valley’s first extended skin-contact “orange wines.” While Berson thought it might be a “one-off” if nobody liked it, he’s been making the wine ever since.

The most recent experiment is a 250 ml. can of sparkling sauvignon blanc infused with fresh Mosaic hops. The Portland Wine Company “Rumble Can” sells for $7 and is an exotic pick-me-up on a warm summer evening.

Favorite Oregon “get away” spot: The Chicken House in Gearhart. “It’s a nice place on the coast to relax,” Berson said.

History: Twenty years ago, Matt Berson put San Francisco in his rearview mirror to take a job managing the now-defunct Oritalia restaurant at The Westin Portland hotel.

Working at various restaurants in the Bay Area, Berson was well-versed in wines from California, Italy and France. His familiarity with Oregon wines, however, was limited. That changed quickly. “I started tasting Willamette Valley rieslings made by Jimi Brooks, Jay Somers and Tad Seestedt. They were so lively and dynamic that my mind was blown,” Berson said.

Berson’s journey to winemaking began with an invitation to pour wines one weekend at a Patricia Green Cellars open house.

Winemaker Patty Green and Berson hit it off, so he returned to work harvest for her in 2003. The restaurant career was over as Berson worked various jobs with Green, Somers, Brooks and anyone who needed help at the Carlton Winemakers Studio. Stints in New Zealand, Argentina, German and the Napa Valley rounded out his winemaking chops.

Berson made his first wines while working for Seestedt at Ransom Wines in 2006. The only problem was Berson didn’t have a name for his winery. “I was carrying around a notebook to jot down ideas, but nothing was clicking,” Berson said.

Then Berson picked up a copy of J.D. Salinger short stories at a Goodwill store. “For Esme — With Love and Squalor” resonated with him. “I thought to myself, ‘love and squalor, that’s it, that’s winemaking,’” Berson said.

The laundry-filled clothesline on Love & Squalor labels also reinforces winemaking’s sometimes precarious nature. The clothesline artwork was created by artist Clare Carver of Big Table Farm winery fame. Angela Reat, Love & Squalor’s general manager and Berson’s partner and wife, has created the winery’s labels and graphics since then.

Love & Squalor’s winery and tasting room is located inside the Portland Wine Company building at 3201 S.E. 50th Ave.

What we don’t know: Berson co-wrote a restaurant gossip column in San Francisco in the late 1990s. The “Side Dish” appeared in SF Weekly under the nom de plume of Harry Coverte.

Biggest inspiration: In terms of wine, Berson names two friends and mentors who are no longer with us: Jimi Brooks and Patty Green. “I’m always thinking about how they would do something in the cellar or what music Jimi would be playing. Their presence motivates me to do better,” Berson said.

Berson also names his parents, Tom and Dorothy Berson, who he said “found their own way in life, with thoughtfulness and on their own terms.”

Key insight: Berson would like to reassure everybody that while he has fun with his labels and life, he takes winemaking seriously. “We fret, worry and split hairs over every grape we pick and every single wine we make. Maybe think of me as a comedic actor that’s also pretty good at taking dramatic turns,” Berson said.

Where to buy: Love & Squalor wines are easy to find in the Portland area at Division Wines and various New Seasons Market, Market of Choice and Zupan’s Markets locations.

In Portland, Gado Gado, Noble Rot and Bullard Tavern are the places to be if you would like to experience Love & Squalor wines with food. In San Francisco and Seattle, Berson’s wines are served at Waterbar and Rock Creek Seafood, respectively.

portlandwinecompany.com or info@loveandsqualorwine.com.

-- Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.

link to original article

OUR NEWEST RELEASE IN WINE ENTHUSIAST

Love & Squalor Dry Riesling Scores in Wine Enthusiast

This new vintage drops the alcohol more than a full point from the previous year, but it remains a dry, steely wine whose electric tension punches up ripe citrus fruit, notably grapefruit, and tart, racy acids. For that style of bone-dry Riesling this is ground zero, with a lipsmacking finish. PAUL GREGUTT

• RATING 91

• ALCOHOL 11.5%

• DATE PUBLISHED 8/1/2020
  

Buy the newest Love & Squalor Dry Riesling Willamette Valley 2017 here<

The Love & Squalor Sunnyside Vineyard Riesling SCORES!

The Sunnyside Vineyard was established near the Salem I-5 corridor in 1971. The site was settled and has been farmed by Tom Owen and Luci Wisniewski since 1980. The block is planted to the Geisenheim Riesling clone 90. It is farmed by hand with multiple passes of leaf thinning and green harvest. The fruiting canes are trained with so-called Pendelbogen arches, and the canopy is permitted to drape down over the clusters, particularly is hot years such as this. The vineyard additionally raises Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Dolcetto and a few other surprises. It is a lovely place.

Riesling is THE varietal that rocked my boat in 2001 when I first tasted its expression from the Oregon soils. I find that white wines, and Riesling in particular, are beautifully transparent in their reflection of the site and the winemaker, in a way that reds can never be - cloaked warmly as they are in their skin contact and their barrel aging. Everything has its place and time. Now is the time for vineyard-specific Oregon Riesling...and here it is!

You can buy it here —>

WINE & Spririts

published August 2021 issue

92 pts. Love & Squalor

2016 Willamette Valley Sunnyside Vineyard Riesling: From a parcel planted in 1971, this wine's scents of lees and lime fruit feel slow to rouse. The wines' texture has an old-vine feel, dry but unctuous, like lime oil, with sneaky acids and a wheat savor to the finish. - P.J.C. (25 cases)

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VINOUS

published sept 2020

91 pts. Love & Squalor 2016 Riesling Sunnyside Vineyard
Willamette Valley, Oregon
White wine from United States
Drinking window: 2020 - 2025

Brilliant straw. Bright and piercing on the nose, displaying an array of fresh citrus fruit and floral scents and a strong mineral topnote. Racy and precise on the palate, offering nervy lemon zest, green apple and bitter quince flavors that very slowly unfurl on the back half. Shows firm cut and mineral lift on a long, penetrating finish that leaves a suave honeysuckle note behind.

Josh Raynolds. Tasting date: March 2020

Another Reason to Love Oregon Wine Press...

November 1, 2019

Going Urban

Love & Squalor celebrates new Rose City space

By Mark Stock

Just in time for this year’s harvest, Portland Wine Co. has settled into their new world headquarters in the southeast part of the city. The space, a 5,000-square-foot former showroom and warehouse, now houses the winemaking and tasting room for Love & Squalor Wines. It officially opened to the public on Oct. 24, amid fermenting fruit and another fantastic Oregon vintage. 

Couple Matt Berson and Angie Reat bought the place after several years of sniffing around their hometown of Portland; Berson previously made their wine at Goodfellow Family Cellars in McMinnville’s Granary District. Before launching their label in 2006, Berson worked crush pads all over the planet, from Germany to New Zealand to Argentina. He considers late greats Patricia Green and Jimi Brooks to be his first major mentors.

Portland Wine Company owners Angela Reat and Matt Berson.Photo provided

Prior to Love & Squalor, the tasting room and barrel cellar areas of the newly renovated structure served as a local grocer dating to the 1920s. The adjoining production space was built a few decades later, most recently in operation as a fire extinguisher service company. As Portland Wine Co., it will serve as a gathering place for folks in the surrounding, bustling neighborhoods like South Tabor, Foster-Powell and Richmond. Plus, it’s only a short drive the airport and downtown, making it an easy stop for Oregon’s growing tourist traffic.

For Berson and Reat, the move made sense on a lot of levels, including being able to show the inner workings of their craft to an eager Portland audience. As the city’s dynamic wine scene has demonstrated, urbanites — not always up for the hour’s drive to the belly of wine country — enjoy being able to witness winemaking in action.

But, most importantly, he’s much closer to those he cares about most.

“I really wanted to bring my girls out of the office and into the cellar, to mix it up a bit,” Berson says. “Now, with all the winery operations and tasting room under one roof, there is plenty to keep the whole family busy and still have dinner together at our kitchen table.

“Also, we are only a few blocks from our daughter’s school, so I hope to be able to train her after class lets out to take over the winemaking someday,” he says with a wink. Roxy, just 9 years old, represents the second generation of the family business — of course, time will tell what their daughter will choose.

Love & Squalor is perhaps best known for its stunning family of Rieslings. It’s also responsible for varietals such as Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Gamay Noir, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. The label pulls from storied vineyards throughout the Valley and beyond, some of which are well-established sites first planted in the 1970s. The name is a nod to iconic author J.D. Salinger, while partner, Reat, a graphic designer by trade, is responsible for all of the branding, including labels.

The new space also provides a place for experimentation and side wine projects, like Marty, Berson’s red blend of Southern Oregon fruit, and Mothershucker, a Willamette Valley white table delight. In addition, the winery hosts two outside brands: Jackalope Cellars and Landmass Wines.

In some ways, the Portland winemaking community is like that of wine country back in the early years. There are relatively few players and, come crush, a tangible sense of camaraderie. “We love our community in the city,” Berson adds. “Just a great ragtag bunch of wine pirates. The urban wineries kind of have to make do and help each other along this far away from the vineyards and supply stores. We are joining up to fly the flag of local wine and bring it to the thirsty.”

The 750-square-foot tasting room features an enticing mix of lounge-friendly furnishings and a living-room sort of feel. Presently, there are 15 glass pour options available, ranging from sparkling Chenin Blanc to Pinot to Gamay Noir. There are simple and satisfying food options, too, such as tinned fish, popcorn and stuffed vegetables. A modest corkage fee of $10 is tied to any sub-$50 bottle purchase. The wines sport added appeal in that, for the most part, they represent great bargains.

Aesthetically, the space is easy on the eyes, a mix of soothing blues and browns. Wood-framed windows welcome in plenty of natural light from their street-corner location, and barrel stacks throughout remind guests that winemaking is an essential part of the venue.

As for their first harvest in the new spot, Berson suggests it’s going swimmingly. Space is a little tighter and awareness of nearby city neighbors can be a challenge, but, by and large, crush remains much the same. If anything, the biggest change of pace is being handed to them by the nature of the vintage itself: Berson says an intense stretch of heat, trailed by significant precipitation, rendered the fruit a bit more on the delicate side.

“That said, my vine-tenders pulled some really nice fruit off their plants,” he adds. “We sorted thoroughly, and the ferments are happy and smell delicious.” Berson thinks the 2019s will offer a reset of sorts from the vintages of recent history. “But the wines will achieve classic status, I believe,” he says.

Portland Wine Company will offer celebratory case discounts for its first six operating months. The family-friendly operation is open Thursday–Monday.

The space promises to be a boon for Love & Squalor’s growing wine club, “Friends with Benefits,” and the city’s growing wine scene, which now boasts Love & Squalor’s tremendous catalogue of Rieslings and another dedicated family business.

 Read from their site here —>

FOOD+WINE Magazine says come visit!

What a nice write up in the FOOD+WINE magazine. You can read it from their site here—>

The article says:

Winemaker Matt Berson, who has a bent towards both literature and sarcasm, named his stellar Willamette Valley winery after the famous J.D. Salinger story, “For Esme, with Love and Squalor.” As Berson puts it, “passion and poverty are two of the building blocks of any worthy endeavor.” Berson served as the president of the board of directors for IPNC in 2019 and provided a backdrop of hilarity most anytime he donned the microphone. His wines, however, are no laughing matter.

With a current lineup of 12 different wines in their portfolio, they are known for their dry Rieslings. But don’t miss the Love & Squalor Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir ($54) from Eola-Amity Hills. If this was Burgundy, Temperance Hill would be a Grand Cru vineyard. This tiny production wine offers up gorgeous fresh cherry fruit accented by complex layers of chocolate-covered orange peel and mocha spices. They also make white wines, orange wines, and a Gamay Noir and prices range from $20 up to $54.

Their brand new space is Portland sits on a corner street, with windows that open onto the street, making it light and bright. Peer through a glass wall to see wine aging in barrels and check out the Juke Box loaded with classic R&B and “terrible 80s hits” as Berson puts it. There’s a comfy area with tables and chairs, and a small bar to enjoy wines as flights, by the glass or bottle, as well as for takeaway. Light snacks like gourmet popcorn, cheese and charcuterie will be served, and the space may even host the occasional pop-up dining experience.

Appointments available: At their new tasting room opening fall of 2019 at 3201 SE 50th Ave. in Portland, Oregon. NOTE: In the city, not in wine country, and by appointment only at first, then open to the public with regular hours later in the fall. Ask about group tastings with the winemaker in the barrel room.

Fee: $15 per person / waived with a purchase.

Contact: angie@loveandsqualorwine.com or call 503-320-9956

Wine & Spirits Top 50 Wines in America’s Best Restaurants April 2018

Love & Squalor got a great review in the latest Wine & Spirits Magazine. Here's the review:

Year’s Best Pinot Noirs

Our blind panels tasted 1,479 new-release US pinot noirs over the past 12 months. Our critics rated 213 ass exceptional (90+) and 38 as Best Buys. Joshua Greene reviews California wines…Patrick J. Comiskey reviews Oregon. Find a complete list of wines tasted and all reviews at wineandspiritsmagazine.com

90 points

Love and Squalor 2015 Eola-Amity Hills Temperance HIll Vineyard Pinot Noir

A wine that leads with dark cherry scents and fairly lavish oak notes, this delivers its flavors in a sleek, wood driven character, the dark plum and black cherry fruit spiced up by cinnamon notes and firm, dry tannins. (50 cases) 

—Patrick J. Comiskey

Wine Enthusiast Reviews are in... 93pts & Editors Choice

93 points
Editors Choice

L&S 2015 Riesling Willamette Valley 

This utterly delicious dry Riesling has just enough roundness to cut through the acidity. Its lush mix of citrus and stone fruit gathers strength and focus as it roars across the palate. It's instantly accessible yet built for enjoyment over the next decade.

VARIETY Riesling
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 12%
DATE PUBLISHED 2/1/2018

Review online: http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/love-squalor-2015-riesling-willamette-valley/

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92 points

L&S 2013 'Antsy Pants' Reserve Riesling

This 2013 is the current release. Its lovely floral highlights distinguish the aroma and carry into the flavors. Sourced from 40-year-old vines from the Brooks and Sunnyside vineyards, it was fermented entirely with native yeasts to almost complete dryness.

DESIGNATION Antsy Pants
VARIETY Riesling
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 11%
DATE PUBLISHED 2/1/2018

Review online: http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/love-squalor-2013-antsy-pants-riesling-willamette-valley/

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92 points

L&S 2015 Sunny Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir

This well-balanced wine pushes cherry fruit front and center, underscored by refreshing minerality. The tannins are polished and firmly set on the finish, with a cinnamon kick that resonates long after the last swallow.

DESIGNATION Sunny Mountain Vineyard
VARIETY Pinot Noir
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 14.4%
DATE PUBLISHED 2/1/2018

Review online: http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/love-squalor-2015-sunny-mountain-vineyard-pinot-noir-willamette-valley/

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92 points

L&S 2015 Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir

This well-known and widely-admired vineyard doesn't disappoint in this wine, delivering lovely cherry fruit touched with a citrusy edge. The concentration builds gracefully, with tasty highlights of chocolate-covered orange peel and roasted coffee.

DESIGNATION Temperance Hill Vineyard
VARIETY Pinot Noir
APPELLATION Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 14.2%
DATE PUBLISHED 2/1/2018

Review online: http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/love-squalor-2015-temperance-hill-vineyard-pinot-noir-eola-amity-hills/

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91 points
Editors Choice

L&S 2015 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

Lovely cherry lollipop flavors introduce this smooth and tasty effort. Its juicy and irresistible sweet fruit is highlighted with sliced orange and lemon peel notes. A streak of coffee runs through the finish, and the wine is substantial enough to cellar for another half decade or longer.

VARIETY Pinot Noir
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 13.8%
DATE PUBLISHED 2/1/2018

Review Online: http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/love-squalor-2015-pinot-noir-willamette-valley/

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91 points

Love & Squalor 2015 Sunnyside Vineyard Riesling  

The first-ever vineyard-designated Riesling from Love & Squalor, this is bone dry and as tart as lemon juice. Its green apple fruit shows excellent concentration. For acid lovers, this will be a revelation. If acid isn't your thing, look to the winery's regular Riesling instead.

DESIGNATION Sunnyside Vineyard
VARIETY Riesling
APPELLATION Willamette Valley, Willamette Valley, Oregon, US
WINERY Love & Squalor
ALCOHOL 13%
DATE PUBLISHED 2/1/2018

Review online: http://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/love-squalor-2015-sunnyside-vineyard-riesling-willamette-valley/

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Reviews by Paul Gregutt, a Contributing Editor for Wine Enthusiast magazine, a founding member of the magazine’s Tasting Panel, and reviews the wines of Oregon and Canada.

OREGON WINE PRESS ORANGE CRUSH

The Oregon Wine Press wrote an article about Orange Wines and our L&S 2016 'A FRAYED KNOT' ROSÉ OF GEWURZTRAMINER gets a shout out (we say Rosé right there on the label, but really it is an 'Orange Wine'). If you want to know more about Orange Wines, read on...

October 1, 2017 - OREGON WINE PRESS

Orange Crush

Skin-contact whites color harvest season and cellar

By Tamara Belgard

Photo by Andrea Johnson

As the leaves turn and pumpkins ripen on the vine, the color orange reigns. Even the Harvest Moon casts a tangerine hue as the autumnal equinox approaches. Unlike the calculated timing of the season, some orange wines are best described as “accidents gone deliciously right.” No surprise for owner Matt Berson of Love & Squalor, who says, “Isn’t that the prevailing thread in the history of wine?”

Produced from white wine grapes using the red technique of fermenting fruit along with skin and seeds — the source of a wine’s color — orange wine represents a category all its own, with texture, weight and a broad palate of character as its trademarks. Not to be confused with rosé, traditionally crafted from red varietals such Pinot Noir, Grenache and Tempranillo, orange wine is most commonly made from Pinot Gris and Gewürztraminer, whose grapes are actually pink in color.

Back to the scene of the “accident.”

“We began experimenting with skin-contact wine somewhat accidentally when we made our first Pinot Gris in 2013,” said Jenny Mosbacher of Fossil & Fawn. “We were making wine at two facilities, and time got away from us, as it tends to do. The juice spent 36 hours on the skins and when we pressed it off, it was the color of electric watermelon Jolly Ranchers. We rolled with it, and it turned out to be a hit. The following years we approached it with much more intention.”

This purposeful strategy is growing throughout Oregon as winemakers experiment with Pinot Gris production, treating it more like the red grape it is. In fact, Pinot Noir and Gris share similar genes. And yet, the two varietals couldn’t be treated more distinctively.

Mosbacher sees a lot of Pinot Gris in Oregon cropped for higher yields, rushed through the production process, released in late winter or early spring and priced to move. Practically speaking, it’s treated as a cash-flow wine, while Pinot Noir sells at a far more prestigious price point.

Does Pinot Gris warrant more time in the cellar?

Enter orange wine.

In making rosé, the juice undergoes only brief contact with the grape skins during the fermentation process — often around 24 hours — imparting the recognizable pretty pink hue. The juice is then pressed off and finished like a white. With orange wine, the juice macerates with skins and seeds — and stems, too, when working with whole clusters — for days, weeks or even months, just as a red wine would.

Skin contact imbues orange wine its gorgeous color, ranging from golden to salmon, from coral to amber, even a bright pink — like the striking colors of a fall sunset. The skin also contributes tannic backbone, intense richness and grippy texture, compelling complexities making it irresistible to wine connoisseurs.

Nate Ready of Hiyu Wine Farm explains, “Skin contact amplifies everything about a wine, like increasing the contrast in a photograph. A little bit can be wonderful, but for each wine, there is probably a place where you’ve taken it too far.”

Like the range of color and styles of orange wines, opinions of the style run the gamut, as well. Wine buyers struggle with its position on their lists, while critics and consumers often disagree on its merit. Either they’re revered — think cult following — or despised, presumed faddish and trendy, a novelty that won’t last.

Considering orange wine is ancient — estimated origins trace it to Georgia in Eastern Europe some 5,000-8,000 years ago — it can hardly be considered novel.

Savvy wine consumers approach wine with fewer preconceptions than professionals; they’re true wine adventurers, accepting both new techniques as much as a return to the past.

Rudy Marchesi of Montinore agrees, “I’m very excited consumers are embracing orange wines because I think they provide a nice combination of weight, texture, and fresh fruit that pairs so well with dishes difficult to find the right wine to serve with.”

Expanding on the theory of consumer acceptance, Tyler Bradley of Bradley Vineyards says, “Food, wine, beer lovers — and Oregonians in particular — have a more evolved palate than the average bear. I’ve found that experienced wine drinkers love the L’Orange because it has so much power, aroma and flavor. The less experienced may find it a tad overwhelming, but I’m fine having a more ‘expert-level’ wine.”

Mosbacher discovered clarity in orange wine. “The longer we make Pinot Gris with skin-contact, we coax out flavors that I would never have imagined associated with the grape. I often wonder aloud if this is maybe how it was always meant to be made.”

Taste one of the featured Oregon oranges, and see if you agree.

Tamara Belgard is a freelance writer who explores the Oregon wine scene from her home in S.W. Portland.

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Love & Squalor 2016 A Frayed Knot Rosé of Gewürztraminer

Pure aromatics and a lithe palate with plenty of acid keep the whole show poppin’. Lychee candy, orange blossom, honey and fresh peach pie on the nose, with strawberry, peach, pink grapefruit, tangerine and stony minerality on the palate. This one keeps unfolding forever. $20; 150 cases

Read the whole article here: https://www.oregonwinepress.com/orange-crush

Portland Monthly Magazine Picks Love & Squalor

Portland Monthly Magazine Fall issue listed Love & Squalor Riesling Willamette Valley as one of the "50 wines you need to drink RIGHT NOW!"

WINE PICKS

The 50 Oregon Wines You Need to Drink Right Now
Eight local wine experts give their top bottle picks for every activity, from stormwatching to drinking while you cook.

LOVE & SQUALOR
2014 Sunnyside Vineyard Riesling
Willamette Valley
$48 at Avalon Wine Inc
“ACID! And not the ‘I woke up after a rave’ kind—the lean, mouthwatering, steely, brace-yourself kind. There is a bit of weight and power behind it to balance the austerity.”
Kurt Heilemann

See the whole article here

By Benjamin Tepler  9/13/2017 at 5:28pm  
Published in the October 2017 issue of Portland Monthly

Best 100 wines of 2016 says Wine Enthusiast. Guess who’s #53?!

#53

Love & Squalor 2013 Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley)

93 Points Editors’ Choice

A sensational value, this is a Pinot lover's wine, beginning with the gorgeous color of a deep red/orange sunset. Cherries, chocolate, and a light touch of orange peel elevate the aromatics and inform the well-integrated midpalate. The wine lingers gracefully through an immaculate finish.

You can buy the wine online here (click)

The article can be seen here: http://www.winemag.com/toplists/top-100-wines-2016/

Portland Monthly Magazine's top 50 wines

Guess who is in the top 50 wines chosen by Portland Monthly Magazine—Check out #33!
hint: Love & Squalor Riesling

http://www.pdxmonthly.com/articles/2016/9/13/oregon-s-50-best-wines

33. Love & Squalor

2013 Riesling. 
Willamette Valley, $20
Grapefruit zest and crabapple. Mouth-watering acidity that makes your mouth pop. Earthy. Textural and aggressive. Pair with: choucroute garnie