I narrowly missed making the cut to attend the Oregon Pinot Camp, an annual affair hosted by a revolving selection of 50 wineries vetted from the nearly 400 located in the Willamette Valley just below Portland, Oregon. After being invited by a distributor to participate in this trade-only event, my beloved agreed to meet me in Portland after the program ended. When I learned my participation was, for an unexpressed reason in jeopardy, I told my distributor friends “no problem. . .but you’ll need to pony up $300 to reimburse the cost of roundtrip airline tickets.” Remarkably, I soon heard from the organizers with registration details.

After motoring more than 700 miles north on I-5 with my Airstream in tow, I joined a group of 270 wine buyers from 40 states and five countries around the world. This collection of wine professionals came in all stripes: sommelier consultants, buyers for restaurant groups, distributors, buyers for major resorts, Whole Foods wine managers, a dude from a pizza restaurant in Chicago and independent wine shop owners. There may have been others, but as far as I know, I was likely the only person who represented a hybrid wine shop/wine bar/restaurant.

This was an eclectic group, united by a passion for and a career dependent on finding great wine. What impressed me most was there were so many young people in the group. In fact, at 60, I was probably one of the oldest people attending. These kids—many were in their 20s—were both knowledgeable and curious. . .and most seemed responsible in their approach to tasting the hundreds of wines thrust at us during the three days of camp. . .though a party atmosphere enveloped the group every evening.

The concept for Oregon Pinot Camp (OPC) is a stroke of genius, in my opinion. Though winemaking here dates back to the 1970s, Oregon is still widely viewed as an emerging wine producer in an intensely competitive market, especially with its neighbor to the south. So rather than attempt an expensive media campaign, the wineries of Willamette (mostly from the north) created OPC to capture the hearts and minds of those on the front line of wine. . .the retailers and restaurateurs who are the last link in the distribution chains. . .the people who actually touch the customer.

Over the three days of OPC, “campers” are indoctrinated about everything relevant to “cool-climate” wine making, where pinot noir is king. We learned about the history of the region; the pioneers; AVAs; peculiarities of the terrior, especially related to temperature, rainfall and soil types. We were convinced of the ageability of Oregon wines, both red and white; we were lectured on the strategy of promoting Willamette’s whites, especially pinot gris, Riesling and fruit-expressive chardonnay.

And we tasted. . .boy did we taste. Each seminar featured a tasting that was equal parts information exchange and a challenge of some sort: among these six wines, for example, which three are library wines and which are new vintages? Each day’s schedule included three seminars, a lunch (with wine) and dinner. . .with tons of wine, on the table and poured from magnums or three liters by winemakers visiting each table. I’ve never tasted so many pinots at one time in my life. . .and unless I come back for the International Pinot Festival held here each year, I probably never will again.