Scott Paul Wines

Do you ever have dyslexic moments? I was having a major problem transposing the words in this winery’s name; was it “Paul Scott Wines” or “Scott Paul Wines”? Fortunately, my oldest sister Carole has two sons named Scott and Paul, and Scott was born first. Using this mnemonic device was the only way I could finally get it straight!

As you visit this winery’s remodeled tasting room in Carlton, note the rabbit motif. Turns out this is intentional, and there’s actually an interesting story behind it. Prior to launching Scott Paul Wines, Scott Paul Wright was living in southern California with his wife and future co-proprietor, Martha Wright. Scott was ready to leave his entertainment gig, but his partners convinced him to remain with their booming business. Due to stress (or an undiagnosed bug), Scott became very ill and was bedridden with a high fever for weeks. About that time, Martha discovered a 6-foot-tall painting of a bound rabbit looking skyward, trapped and looking to free his soul. They bought the painting. That was in 1998, and the painting was the catalyst that spurred them to leave southern California and eventually start a winery. That same remarkable painting hangs in their Carlton tasting room. In many ways, the rabbit painting has come home. You see, the artist who painted it is Oregon-based Cody Bustamante, the head of the art department at Southern Oregon University.

Scott Paul Wines has discovered a way to differentiate itself from a crowded field of wineries devoted to pinot noir. Scott has developed close working relationships with select vintners in Burgundy. Like him, these artisan vintners practice “minimal” intervention to produce pinot noirs that reflect their terroir. Their love of pinot noir led to the creation of Scott Paul Selections, an import business that works with 15 French vintners to import wine to America. It’s Old World meets New World, permitting tasting-room visitors to taste select French-made pinot noirs alongside Oregon-based Scott Paul pinots.

I admit I have one regret regarding this winery, and it will require a return trip to make right. In retrospect, I wish I had purchased both a Scott Paul Wine pinot noir and a bottle of one of the French pinots. I wanted to take them home and do the same side-by-side comparison at the next bash I hosted for friends and family. I could have used that recipe for lapin en cocotte I found in an airline magazine.