Wineries celebrate Oregon Wine Month with an event showcasing Oregon’s growing reputation as a producer of premium Sauvignon Blanc
Dayton, Ore. (April 8, 2024) – Durant, home to the Durant Vineyards Winery & Tasting Room and Oregon’s only commercial olive mill, is collaborating with twelve other Oregon wineries to host Sauvage for the second year. The Sauvignon Blanc-focused event will take place on Saturday, May 18 and highlight Oregon’s growing reputation as a producer of high quality Sauvignon Blanc. This year, the event will include a moderated panel discussion held at the Durant Olive Mill in addition to a progressive Sauvignon Blanc tasting at the Durant Winemaking Facility, a space not generally open to the public. Sauvage is part of ongoing statewide celebrations for Oregon Wine Month, which takes place throughout the month of May.
The “History of Sauvignon Blanc” panel discussion will be moderated by Michael Alberty, wine writer for The Oregonian and Wine Enthusiast. This educational seminar will feature five participating winemakers exploring the varietal’s origins, old world vs new world, styles of the various regions, and ultimately highlight what makes Oregon Sauvignon Blanc unique. This portion of the Sauvage event will be held classroom style above the Durant Olive Mill from 10-11:30 am. Tickets are priced at $60 and space is limited.
In addition, guests can also join one of two sessions for a progressive tasting accompanied by delicious fare curated by Durant Culinary Directors, Chefs Eric Bartle and Sara Kundelius, to pair specifically with Sauvignon Blanc. Guests will receive a beautiful glass designed to showcase the varietal’s characteristics, as well as a stylish tote for wine purchases. This portion of the Sauvage event will be held in the Durant Winemaking Facility from 12-2pm and 3-5pm. Tickets are priced at $75.
“Oregon has so many unique growing regions and microclimates, with wines covering a range of expressions. We’re excited Sauvignon Blanc has been developing its own storied reputation here in the Pacific Northwest,” said Durant owner Paul Durant. “After grafting Sauvignon Blanc in 2016 and being so impressed with the wine, we’ve fully embraced this grape and want to encourage more wineries to get involved in making Sauvignon Blanc from the Dundee Hills. ‘Sauvage’ offers a deep dive for wine enthusiasts to learn more about the grape and how Oregon’s Sauvignon Blancs are unique due to the terroir and climate, and how they’re informed by the winemaking style of the region.”
This year’s participating wineries include Durant Vineyards, Sokol Blosser Winery, Patricia Green Cellars, Division Winemaking Co, Iterum Wines, Appassionata Estate, Matzinger-Davies Wine Co, King Estate Winery, Laurel Ridge Winery, Pallino Winery, Andante Vineyard, Beckham Estate Vineyard, and Limited Addition Wines.
Tickets for “Sauvage: An Exploration of Oregon Sauvignon Blanc” are on sale now – details and reservations are available here.
About Durant
Founded in 1973 in scenic Dayton, Ore., Durant includes Durant Vineyards Winery & Tasting Room, charming accommodations, and Oregon’s only commercial olive mill, Durant Olive Mill. As pioneers in Oregon’s wine-making industry, the Durant family has become renowned for bright Pinot Gris, lively Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Brut, and food-friendly Pinot Noir. In 2008, Durant founded Durant Olive Mill, consisting of 17 acres of olive trees and a state-of-the-art Italian olive mill. Durant Olive Mill is the premier purveyor of Oregon milled extra virgin olive oil and home to the annual Olio Nuovo Festival. Year-round, visitors are invited to stroll the grounds to see the beautiful gardens, hedges and koi pond, peruse the artful garden pottery for sale and admire the fragrant plantings of rosemary, lavender and other herbs. For more information or to purchase Durant goods online, visit: https://durantoregon.com/.
