March Winemaker's Barrel: Crowley Wines

Kevin tells this story best. “In the mid-2000s, everyone at L&E would drive down to Cameron Winery, where Tyson Crowley was assistant winemaker at the time, to taste for our cuvee. The guys there would all try to guess which barrels we would pick. Tyson had our palate so dialed in, he got it right every single time.”

Tyson Crowley was always meant for the beverage production business. His family in upstate New York are major milk suppliers going back several generations. Tyson’s journey towards wine started on a trip to the Finger Lakes region, where he found himself interested in both the process of making wine and the finished product. In 1995, Tyson found his way to Oregon where he landed a job at Erath doing the most constant of winemaking jobs: cleaning things. He worked his way up to cellar master before brief stints with Oregon standouts JK Carriere, Brick House and Archery Summit before landing at Cameron as assistant winemaker. From there, it was only a matter of time before he struck out on his own, and in 2005 Crowley Wines debuted with the first vintage of “Entre Nous” Pinot Noir.

The watchword for Tyson’s wine is focus. His Pinot Noir might have deeply textured tannins and body one vintage and high toned citrus lined acidity the next, but each will have a clear sense of purpose, a single thread running from the first note on the nose all the way through the finish. His Chardonnay is just as clear and energetic and some of the most mineral scented white wines in Oregon. Liner & Elsen has always been a fan of his wine, so we’re proud to select a barrel - one Tyson knew we would like, of course - for an L&E Cuvee.

Since 2008, Evan Roberts has been an integral member of the Crowley team, managing sales, helping out in the cellar, and doing all the little things that make wineries work. He will be joining us on Saturday, March 4th for a taste of wine and stories.

 

 

Wine to be tasted:

2020 Crowley Willamette Valley Chardonnay

2020 Crowley Chardonnay Four Winds Vineyard "Phoebe"

2021 Crowley Pinot Noir "Entre Nous"

2021 Crowley Pinot Noir La Colina Vineyard "L&E Cuvee" 

Don't forget to check out Crowley Wines on Instagram!