Abacela wins vintner, wine honors

WINSTON — Recognition for 15 years of work in the wine industry was packed into one week for Earl Jones.

Jones, who with wife Hilda owns Abacela vineyard and winery, got back-to-back toasts earlier this month.

Abacela’s 2005 South Face Reserve Syrah was designated as an Editor’s Choice and was awarded a 95-point grade when reviewed by the “Wine Enthusiast,” a New York-based magazine. Jones said that taste testers with that monthly publication and a second one, “Wine Spectator,” have judged approximately 10,000 Oregon wines of which they’ve rated only 20 from just 12 Oregon wineries at 95 points or higher. Abacela is the first Oregon winery south of the Willamette Valley to have a wine rated so high.

The second honor came on March 6 at the 25th annual Classic Wines Auction in Portland. Jones was presented the Oregon Vintner of the Year Award. This honor is presented to individuals who have demonstrated significant achievements in building the Oregon wine industry and establishing its worldwide reputation.

“It’s amazing how both of these (honors) happened almost at the same time and they’re not related,” said Jones last week. “I really enjoy wine grape growing. I enjoy the science part of it, working with the soil, farming it right and maintaining that philosophy through the process. It’s fun.”

Having a passion for the science involved in the wine industry comes as no surprise to Jones. He worked in medical research, his specialty being how the body defends against infections, in Florida before moving west to grow grapes. And before making that move, he studied different climate zones to find one that best matched up with the regions in Spain that grow tempranillo.

When the Joneses picked the hilly acreage near Winston and began planting grape stock in 1995, they became America’s modern-era tempranillo pioneers. The grape had been grown some in California, but had been limited to jug wine production.

Abacela’s 1998 tempranillo, only the second commercial release at the winery, earned a double gold medal at the 2001 San Francisco International competition and became the first American tempranillo to best Spanish wines. There were 19 Spanish entries.

Abacela’s efforts and success in bottling tempranillo has led to 15 other vineyards in Oregon now growing the grape, and the number in California has expanded to 50.

While tempranillo is Abacela’s flagship varietal, several other Spanish and Portuguese wine grapes have been planted through the years for a total of 65 acres.

Earl Jones is the first recipient of the vintner award from outside the northern Willamette Valley. In addition to making tempranillo more popular, he was the president of the Oregon Winegrowers Association and chairman of the Oregon Wine Board in 2005; he’s been a board member since 2003, and he’s worked on advocacy and legal issues in the wine industry.

“Earl has done so much for the wine industry,” said Heather Martin, the executive director of the Classic Wines Auction, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for children and family charities. “The award is to recognize people who have made specific achievements in the wine industry and put forth an effort to expand Oregon wines outside the state.

“It was a no-brainer for us,” she added of a seven-member committee that selected Jones for the award. “He’s a wonderful ambassador in the wine industry. He’s so well respected.”

Abacela’s wines also continue to earn respect. Topped by the 2005 Syrah, the winery has four other 90-point current release wines: 2005 estate syrah with 92 points, 2005 reserve tempranillo with 91 points, 2006 estate tempranillo at 91 points and 2007 Albarino at 90 points.

“When I first started making wines, I had some in the 80s, but usually lower,” said Jones. “The steepness of the curve as you get to 90 becomes exceedingly steep. Having five at 90 or higher is a signal that not just Abacela but the southern Oregon region is getting primed to become an important wine-producing area. It’s being recognized as one.”

“Obviously, this enhances the reputation of Oregon and establishes a new high watermark for southern Oregon,” said Ted Farthing, executive director of the Oregon Wine Board. “The wines coming out of the Umpqua and Rogue AVAs (American Viticulture Area) just get better every year.”

Jones toasted that earlier this month.