How an Ex-Fighter Pilot Sparked Oregon’s Most Unique Wine Trend

How an Ex-Fighter Pilot Sparked Oregon’s Most Unique Wine Trend

Austrian by birth, Oregonian by evolution — this crisp, peppery white found an unexpected home in the Pacific Northwest thanks to a handful of bold visionaries.Courtesy of Illahe Estate VineyardAt Oregon’s GrünerFest, visitors swirl glasses of a white wine many have never heard of: Grüner Veltliner (grooh-ner VELT-leehn-er). For most, it’s their first encounter with this Austrian-born variety — flinty, peppery, and full of surprises. Though stil…