Oregon Winemakers
My visit to Fossil & Fawn and Monument
When I think about the best wines I’ve tasted over the last year, the ones that stand out are always tied to a person and a place. I may not remember every tasting note, but I always remember the conversations and the feelings shared in those moments. For me, the wines that best capture this come from Monument and Fossil & Fawn. During harvest, my partner and I had the chance to spend three hours with Jenny and Jim of Fossil & Fawn and Tyler of Monument, observing their work and asking questions.
Both producers have a natural-leaning, terroir-driven approach, focusing on letting the grapes tell their story. They’re incredibly intentional about where the grapes come from, preferring to choose vineyards where families live on-site. As Jim led us around the No Clos Radio space, he pointed out the vineyard written on each fermenter, sharing stories about the people who grew the grapes inside. When asked about the grapes fermenting around us, we were told that the wines were still in their infancy and had yet to reveal their full personality. I am excited to see how the Pinot Noir develops after tasting the whole-cluster grapes before pressing.
Throughout our time there, I watched them haul each other’s compost, jump in to dig out each other’s grapes, and trade turns on the forklift, all with a shared sense of purpose. However, when asked about what it was like to share the space, they all focused on the emotional benefits: knowledge sharing, collaborative problem-solving, keeping each other’s spirits up, and the “summer camp vibes” from all staying on the property. The laughter we heard and visible Halloween pranks we saw only reinforced that sense of camaraderie. Each was just as quick to celebrate the other’s wine as their own, constantly pointing out what makes each other’s work special.
Are you as excited about wine driven by people and places as I am? Pick up a bottle (or a case) of wine from Fossil & Fawn and Monument.
