Vineyard Makes BBQ Sauce from Smoke Tainted Grapes – KXL

Vineyards in Oregon suffered from wildfires of 2020, much of the grape crop was tainted, and not surprisingly, sales of wine dropped because smoke-flavored wine isn’t the best.  Durant Vineyards chef Culinary Director Eric Bartle developed the “Durant Pinot Noir Barbeque Sauce”.   Five thousand bottles of it are on sale this year, and part of the proceeds go to the Dayton Fire Department.   The wine has hints of allspice and clove, with the slow burn of smoked chipotle chilis and black pepper.  Bartle describes it as the perfect compliment to summertime’s grilled and smoked foods.  

We talked to Durant owner Paul Durant about the new BBQ sauce, and the impact the 2020 wildfires had on wineries across Oregon. You can hear that here:

photo by Durant Vineyards

Currently, the limited edition Durant Pinot Noir Barbeque Sauce is being sold in 12-ounce bottles for $12 each, available for purchase on the Durant website and soon to be available at select local retailers.