Field Notes

from winemaker Leah

THE STORIES WE TELL.

October 22, 2024

I recently ran into a former colleague and we had a nice chat about our personal evolutions. It’s been many […]

WELCOME TO THE FUTURE.

September 18, 2024

It is time. Time to announce the regenerative future of our wine endeavors. Time to anchor from the past, sail […]

YOU HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE…

August 5, 2024

This summer I was delighted to run into a kindred colleague and friend who had moved to Bend, Oregon a […]

Various shades of rose wine. Flat-lay of rose wine in different colors in glasses and spring blossom flowers over marble background, top view. Wine shop, bar, tasting, seasonal wine list concept

LUCKY No. 21

July 30, 2024

ABOUT THE 2021 “CLOS ROGUE VALLEY” RESERVE “FUTURES” WINE Twenty one is something. It has been my lucky number ever […]

Tourbillon: cars. wine. life.

July 5, 2024

Legendary French car maker Bugatti just launched its latest masterpiece, Tourbillon, a super-coupé hybrid “hypercar”, under the new ownership of Croatian […]

The Science of Assessing Aging Potential

May 21, 2024

I had the urge to be playful about this topic – assessing aging potential. I’m contemplating both the experiences of […]

Time Travel: 2012

May 10, 2024

“FLAT TRACK” CABERNET FRANC Back in 2013, when I was getting ready to bottle my first 100% Cabernet Franc red […]

Q & A: WHAT IS ACTUALLY GOING ON?!?

April 16, 2024

Photo: Leah Jorgensen recycles her wine boxes as part of her regenerative cardboard cover no-till garden. Last week, I had […]

RESTRUCTURING MY WAY.

April 2, 2024

In 2011 I came up with an idea. I had a vision for an Oregon wine beyond the state’s love […]

THE MOVEMENT: Regenerative Biz

March 29, 2024

This past year has been one of my best years in a long time. It feels ironic to write that […]

THE MOVEMENT: Regenerative Ag

March 27, 2024

I did not plan, initially, to write extensively about regenerative business here, in my Field Notes. My time spent on […]

HOW DO WE GROW?

March 18, 2024

I am not just thinking about the wine business anymore. I’m not. In some ways, that ship has sailed. There […]

THE GREAT WALL: What is happening to the wine business?

March 13, 2024

I don’t shy away from difficult conversations. I have been saying for years the wine industry is going to hit […]

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

March 1, 2024

“If you wished to know how civilized a culture is, look at how they treat its women.” – Bacha Khan […]

ALL ABOUT MY MOM: An Interview By My Five Year Old

February 16, 2024

Certainly one of the many interesting parts of my work is that every now and again I get interviewed for […]

PRO-TIP / AGING ROSÉ

February 2, 2024

Since I’ve studied herbalism and adapted to an herbalist’s lifestyle, I have enjoyed working with roses. From rosebuds, to mature […]

COOKBOOK NOOK / My Rice Bowl: Korean cooking outside the lines

January 25, 2024

I first met Chef Rachel Yang when we partnered for a winemaker dinner at her restaurant Joule in Seattle on […]

THE RESTORATION ERA.

January 5, 2024

Welcome, 2024. This is the official start of a new era for LJC Wine Co., the parent company of Leah […]

CAB FRANC FOR THE HOLIDAYS

December 19, 2023

Cabernet Franc Day lands on December 4th each year and we believe it’s the perfect occasion (and wine!) to kick […]

COOKBOOK NOOK / The Inn at Little Washington Cookbook: A Consuming Passion

November 23, 2023

Today is Thanksgiving Day and I have so much to be thankful for. I love this holiday because of what […]

CF & FOOD / What to Bring to Thanksgiving

November 6, 2023

As Thanksgiving nears, I am feeling nostalgic for so many wonderful Thanksgivings past. Growing up in Virginia, Thanksgiving was marked […]

REGENERATIVE BUSINESS vs SUSTAINABILITY

October 28, 2023

As I began my sabbatical year away from processing grapes to wine (yes, I’m still in business, and yes, I […]

AND SO BEGINS MY GAP YEAR…

September 1, 2023

According to Wikipedia: “A gap year, also known as a sabbatical year, is a period of time when students take […]

COOKBOOK NOOK / The Garden Chef

August 12, 2023

My greatest passions extend winemaking. Nourishment has been the cog in the purpose wheel for me for as long as […]

CF & FOOD / the ultimate pizza wine

August 6, 2023

Summertime brings me the best memories of chewy, bubbly, Neapolitan pizza – especially when reminiscing about my travels to Italy […]

2015: Vintage of Dreams

July 20, 2023

Photo: Me back in 2016 staging the 2015 red wine barrels to prepare blends for bottling. Every vintner has an […]

WE GET YOU / wine motivations

June 30, 2023

Some producers may never learn what truly motivates their customers. In our defense, we often get stuck in a loop […]

Geology:   From the Stars to the Seas to Your Glass

June 11, 2023

Map of Limestone Deposits in Jackson County, Oregon from 1880 – Oregon Historical Society One of my hobbies is learning […]

PRO-TIP / how to determine a wine’s aging potential

May 30, 2023

The aging potential of a wine is influenced by several factors, and assessing it involves considering various aspects of the […]

A Whirlwind Story for the Ages

May 24, 2023

Let me share a once-in-a-lifetime story.  As many of you probably already know, aside from being a winemaker, I am […]

TOOLS WE LOVE / for wine collectors

May 16, 2023

FEATURE: Üllo Wine Purifier After writing my last post on Decanting Older Wines, I promised to review a tool that […]

PRO-TIP / decanting older wines

May 1, 2023

HOW TO AVOID COMMON MISTAKES & DISASTERS There’s nothing worse than opening up a special, rare, older bottle of wine […]

Why You Should Join Our Collector’s List

April 24, 2023

(AND JUST SO YOU KNOW… A COLLECTOR’S LIST IS NOT A WINE CLUB) A wine club and a collector’s list […]

Happy World Malbec Day!

April 17, 2023

WORLD MALBEC DAY is on Monday, April 17th and this is our eighth year celebrating! While we are a Cabernet […]

PRO-TIP / for new wine collectors

April 10, 2023

THE COMMON STAGES OF WINE COLLECTING The journey from not drinking wine, to occasionally drinking wine, to obsessing over wine […]

TOOLS WE LOVE / for wine collectors

April 4, 2023

FEATURE: VinGardeValise® by FlyWithWine Image borrowed from FlyWithMe, Instagram, August 2022 One of the biggest challenges for wine consumers who […]

5 Mistakes All Wine Collectors Make

March 27, 2023

Wine collecting is a hobby enjoyed by many around the world. Whether it’s for personal consumption or investment purposes, collecting […]

Why I Never Enter Wine Competitions & Pulled the Plug on Submitting My Wines for Scores:

March 22, 2023

CULTIVATING A MARKETING PROGRAM THAT IGNORES THE “COMPETITION” OUT THERE I have never entered my wine in a wine competition. […]

Various shades of rose wine. Flat-lay of rose wine in different colors in glasses and spring blossom flowers over marble background, top view. Wine shop, bar, tasting, seasonal wine list concept

PRO-TIP / for new wine collectors

March 17, 2023

HOW TO MAKE BETTER WINE PURCHASE DECISIONS One of the common complaints I hear from my customers and wine club […]

A wooden tray holds 2 bottles of Leah Jørgensen wine (Blanc de Cabernet Franc and Rosé de Cabernet Franc) with a wine glass and decanter of water.

TOOLS WE LOVE / for wine collectors

March 9, 2023

FEATURE: THE DURAND® There’s nothing more disappointing than beginning the ceremony of cutting back the foil then twisting a traditional […]

10 Things Every Wine Collector Should Know

March 1, 2023

The world of wine can be confusing to navigate.  Collecting wine had long been limited to a certain audience considering […]

A row of ripe wine grapes ready for harvest on a hillside vineyard.

Crushed Grape Chronicles

October 10, 2022

We were interviewed by Crushed Grape Chronicles at the Uncommon Wine Festival last July – our conversation was so engaging […]

Leah checks a bunch of grapes during Harvest.

Oral History Interview

August 13, 2018

This “Oral History” interview was filmed a year ago at Corkscrew Wine Bar in Portland, Oregon.  It’s presented by the Oregon […]