Mike Moore, owner and wikemaker of Blackwood Canyon Winery in Washington died suddenly on Monday night after a short illness. Mike was a maverick, a man who had a very idiosyncratic view of winemaking. He shunned the 'normal' approach of modern winemaking and was an extremely passionate winemaker who used very traditional winemaking practices to make the kind of wines he wanted to drink. He was shunned if not ostrasized by many in Washington, as he definitley made wines that did not fit into the modern styles that have been championed in the last 20 years. Indeed, despite the difficulties he had selling his wine, he never wavered from his wine-making philosophies, and his passion and vision was an inpiration to me.
I'll never forget my first visit to Blackwood Canyon. I showed up at around 5pm, close to closing time, and had no knowledge whatsoever about Mike and his wines. His passion and uniqueness was immediately evident: it was clear this wasn't a 'normal' tasting room or tasting room experience! A planned short visit turned into about a 3 hour visit, long after the 'official' closing time had passed. Other vists were even longer! As soon as Mike figured out a visitor shared his passion about wines and had an open mind to the kinds of wines he made, he was an incredible host. While I didn't always love all of his wines, his Semillons and Chardonays in particular were a revalation to me. It was probably the first time I had tasted an oxidative style of winemaking, when this style was almost abhorrant to most wine lovers. How things have changed!
After that first visit, I knew to show up earlier, and Mike always recognized me, even though I only visited him every 2 or 3 years. I had four visits with Mike, and he always showed great kindness to me, and I loved his excitment at his willingness to show me what he was working on at the time. Many, many wines were tasted, and each wine and resulting discussion led him to say, 'Oh, you've got to taste this one then!", and we would climb up his moutain of wine barrels or wander outside to taste a wine that he had left outside somewhere on his property. On the last visit he invited me into his home to have dinner and a few more bottles, but I had an appointment early the next morning in Tri-cites, and didn't accept. Now I really wished I would have taken him up on his kind offer. I took a trip to Red Mountain this summer, but was with other people and decided not to visit him on that trip - again, in hindsight, it was a stupid decision, and I would have loved to have seem my friends' reaction to Mike and his wines.
Mike marched to the beat of a different drummer, and I think the world needs people like Mike to challenge established 'truths'. I'm really choked up by his passing, and find it hard to articulate why. I admired him, maybe in part because of the lack of appreciation of him as a person and winemaker among his peers, and I'll never forget his friendly and generous welcomes: the visits I had at Blackwood Canyon were among the most memorable I've ever had at any winery anywhere in the world. I'll miss his smile, his passion, his irrascible nature and his generosity. His wines were a clear reflection of his personality, and he showed great bravery in being consistent to his vision.
Mike, I'll miss you, and visits to Red Mountain will never be the same. My sincere condolences to his family and other loved ones. We have lost a one of a kind person.
More information is provided in the following link: http://www.winepressnw.com/2011/09/27/7312/red-mountain-winemaker-dies.html