Oregon’s Tremendous Truffle Pairings

Piedmont and Périgord may top gourmands’ list when it comes to pairing wine with truffles, but Oregon’s Willamette Valley is catching up fast.

My Latest in The Drinks Business:

Oregon’s Tremendous Truffle Pairings

by L.M. Archer

Piedmont and Périgord may top gourmands’ list when it comes to pairing wine with truffles, but Oregon’s Willamette Valley is catching up fast.

Just like wine, truffles reflect their terroir. Oregon truffles specifically love damp weather and unlike other truffle species, they only grow wild in forests, upon the roots of Douglas fir trees.

“Truffles, much like our wines, are all about where they come from,” says chef Javier Santos, owner of Subterra Restaurant in Newberg, Oregon. “I have discovered truffles with unique aromas and flavours, depending on the area where they were foraged.”

Oregon Truffles

Oregon currently counts four types of native truffles. These include Oregon winter white, Oregon spring white, Oregon black, and the elusive Oregon brown truffle.

Average prices fall between US$30-$50 per ounce (28g). By contrast, white Italian Alba truffles fetch several hundred US dollars for the same amount.

Peak Oregon truffle season runs from January through March. During this time, fungi fans flock to annual events like the Oregon Truffle Festival and Taste Newberg Truffle Trail. Activities range from truffle-themed fairs and educational classes, to truffle hunts, and truffle hound training.

Simple, yet sublime

Local truffle-centric tasting menus also abound, with chefs coveting Oregon white truffles for their delicate aromas, and Oregon black and brown truffles for their earthy characteristics.

To celebrate this versatile gastronomic gem, Santos creates a “Truffle Shuffle” menu at Subterra each truffle season.

“Pairing Willamette Valley wines with truffles is about bringing out the best in both,” he says. “It’s about celebrating the uniqueness of each of our AVA’s alongside the nuances of truffles, creating a dining experience that’s both simple yet sublime.”

Dave Specter, winemaker and owner of Bells Up Winery, also in Newberg, believes that “the inherent earthiness of Pinot Noir”  provides “an absolute bang-on match for the earthiness of truffles.” READ MORE HERE.

I’m pleased to present my latest feature on Oregon Truffle & Wine Pairings in The Drinks Business with you.

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