◆ VC: Can you tell us about the ownership change?◆ VC: Are you seeing a shift in customers’ attitudes to alternate varietals?◆ VC: How are you going with all the varietals you have?◆ VC: What are the challenges with growing so many varieties?https://www.village-cellars.co.jp/pdf/news/JohanVineyards_labels.pdfhttps://www.village-cellars.co.jp/pdf/winery/JohanVineyards_map.pdfhttps://info.village-cellars.co.jp/Editorial/posts/JohanVineyards－8－Johan Vineyards, which we featured in our Spring 2021 Winemaker Interview, became a subsidiary of Cowhorn Vineyards, a biodynamic producer based in southern Oregon's Applegate Valley, that autumn. We asked Morgan Beck, head winemaker and general manager since 2020, what has changed and what has stayed the same since then. Varietal: Chardonnay Alc.12.5%RRP ￥8,600A pure texture with minerality and complexity on the palate from lees aging. The lingering finish is tight and serene. Serve with white fish in cream or butter sauce or roast chicken. The trees on the label are a soulful winter scene in the front yard at Johan Winery.CODE12724―― Morgan: We discussed last time that we have 16 varietals ‒ how we started grafting over Dijon Pinot Noirs to other Pinot Noir clones and new varieties. Currently we have about two thirds Pinot Noir of various clones, 10% Chardonnay, and 1 to 4% of all other 14 varieties, depending on the variety. We have also diversified Pinot Noir from the Dijon clones which were the majority when the vineyard was purchased. Because we grafted over time, our vineyard looks like a patch work!Among them, the star performer is Blaufrankisch. I say, “Pinot Noir brought me to Oregon, Chardonnay brought me to Johan, and Blaufrankisch keeps me at Johan”. It’s fantastically suited to Oregon, in both cooler and warmer vintages, and can express lifted black tea or floral to more black fruit characters and tannin structure depending on the vintage. We could only make Rose in 2020 due to smoke events, but the 2021 vintage is almost ready to be released, which we are excited about.―― In the vineyard, it’s actually more about advantages than challenges. Varieties build complexities and resilience, because each variety and clone expresses differently due to the weather conditions and copes differently with various challenges. Also staggered harvest times means we can process all the fruit with a smaller winery. In the winery, finding the best vinification method for each of them can be a time-consuming process, since we can only try so many methods each vintage, as each will take time to express itself. Having many varieties also helps, because we can blend them together to make very interesting wines even if each of those wines might just be out a little with the vinification methods we trialled at the time. Blends are a fantastic way for us to be bolder with our trials, and for the customers to enjoy the complexity.―― Morgan: From the time our founder, Dag Johan Sundby, decided that he was ready to move to the next chapter of his life, it took him and us five years to find the right person. We interviewed and walked through the vineyard with so many potential buyers, but we knew straightaway the Cowhorn team was different. Cowhorn’s own property is biodynamic and organic with similar farming philosophies. Instead of defending our farming practices, we talked about the future. It went pretty quickly from meeting them to closing the deal because we knew we found the right people. And now with just over 40 months of the new ownership, we’ve seen increased investment in both our vineyard management practices and our winemaking facilities, without trying to insert their organizational structure upon us. It feels much more like a partnership, which is fantastic.Varietals: Kerner 40%/ Friulano 30%/ Gruner Veltliner 30% Alc.11.9%RRP ￥6,500A blend of three white varieties macerated on the skins to explore varietal expression and new possibilities. Aromatic, with a black tea texture and tannins leading to a refreshing aftertaste. Pair with hearty dishes such as chicken, pork or cheese. Watercolour artist Yong Hong Zhong created the label based on the wine’s flavours.CODE12533―― When we planted those grapes, there were a lot of people who said, “what are you thinking?” And this was only 14 years ago! Today, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are king and queen of this valley, but the adventurous spirit of people trying and drinking new things has changed dramatically. Before, when people couldn’t pronounce Blaufrankisch, they didn’t want it. And now it’s almost like, “I can’t pronounce that. I have no idea what it is, I’m going to buy it” ‒ a complete reversal! I think that’s actually thanks to the beer industry which has gotten really diverse and funky with their production methods, and people have got more comfortable to new ideas. Morgan: Dag, the founder knew he wanted to farm organically, then Dan Rinke, our previous viticulturalist pushed for biodynamics and Demeter certification. He was the one who taught me both the practical and philosophical aspects of being biodynamic. I went on the journey with him as he progressed further to permaculture* where biodynamic and regenerative agriculture** came together. We changed the entire property to no-till farming and introduced perennial cover crop, introduced animals on the properties, and so on. We continue to get certified every year, and these philosophies stayed as the owners changed and Dan transitioned out. We have been improving on the practical side, and this year, with the 100th anniversary of the Agricultural Lectures***, we also had the opportunity to reconnect with the spiritual side. The Agricultural Lectures book club, held five years ago, re-established itself with more members and we have been a part of that too. Reading these lectures the second time around has allowed us to connect our philosophies and practices. It was very energizing for our whole team. We are still committed to Demeter’s regenerative organic certification because we feel that this is the only certification that takes the farming philosophy and transitions it completely into the winery.Morgan explains the origin and story behind each label ☞2023 Vintage Report 2023 was a really nice vintage ‒ average throughout the year with no notable highs or lows. The yields were decent. We did some thinning just to kind of make sure we could get things ripe on some of our later ripening varieties. There was some disease pressure in the valley, but our vineyard manager kept on top of it. Then we had a really nice growing season, and I am in love with the reds from ’23, the tannin structures are fantastic. They are complex but not overbearing, the tannins are really pretty, and the wines are dark. Whites are just finishing fermentation, and I am waiting to see how they are. We are just at the beginning of the ’24 vintage. The fawn lilies are blooming in the meadows, and that usually signifies that Chardonnay bud break is days away.VC: Lastly, how has being biodynamic evolved for you?*An agricultural philosophy and practice that combines persistence, agriculture, and culture (permanent-agri-culture). **“Sustainable” refers to initiatives related to environmental regeneration that aim for a sustainable society and environment. No-till cultivation and organic cultivation are types of regenerative agriculture. ***A lecture given by Steiner in Kobelwitz (then Germany, present-day Poland) in 1924.Varietals: Blaufrankisch 34%/ Pinot Noir 25%/ Zweigelt 15%/ Kerner 14%/ St Laurent 12% Alc.12.1%RRP ￥5,400Rosé made predominantly from Austrian varietals. Light red fruits are pierced by clean acidity. Pair with goat cheese, ham or sausage on bread. The label was designed by Morgan’s artist friend Leah, with an image of the winery’s chickens dancing at a disco.CODE12530Johann VineyardsChardonnay 2020All wines are 750ml unless otherwise specified. Prices do not include Consumption Tax.Village Cellars Wine Catalogue 2024SummerJohan Vineyards Maceration 2021Fawn lily flowersVineyard map ☞Johan Vineyards Disco Chicken Rosé 2021 （Featured in Spring 2021 Catalogue）Interview with Morgan Beck ☞Johan Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon