Mo Momtazi,
Vineyard and Winery owner
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"Maysara Estate Evolves From Owner's Childhood
Memories"
"Estate Grapes Garners Winemakers' and Public's Attention"
By Christina Kelly
Avalon Editor/Writer
It took seven years for Mo Momtazi to find a chunk
of land in the Willamette Valley that reminded him of his childhood, where
his grandparents grew crops on lush farmland in Northern Iran.
Northern Iran?
Despite the fact that most Americans picture Iran
as a desert with mounds of sand, a dry, arid climate, and no water, Northern
Iran, near the Caspian Sea, has thick forests, green valleys, and a picturesque
mountain range. It is an area where Momtazi's grandparents grew tea, rice,
wheat and wine grapes.
"I always wanted to get into agriculture, like
my grandparents," said Momtazi, a design engineer by day, and winery
owner/grape grower by day and night. "I remember the tastes and flavors
of my childhood and for the most part, my grandparents didn't interfere
with Mother Nature.
His grandparents refused to use chemicals and fertilizers
in the soil or on the plants.
"I wanted to do the same."

Momtazi found his dream farm just west of McMinnville
in 1997 and began planting grapes in 1998. His first intention was to
grow and sell grapes on the 522 acres, and slowly build a winery-Maysara
Estates.
Wine industry insiders say Maysara is a sleeper,
but word of mouth is spreading quickly in the Northwest. Some of the best
Oregon wineries are using Maysara fruit, and Momtazi is selling his first
commercial releases this year-2001 Willamette Valley Reserve Pinot Noir
(available now as a blend of three different vineyards), 2001 Pinot Gris
(available now) and estate cuvee (available in April) and a single-vineyard
Pinot Noir called Delara, which will be released in August.
Maysara will produce only estate wines next year.
The list of wineries lining up to purchase Maysara
grapes is impressive. Lynn Penner-Ash, one of Oregon's top winemakers,
said she was surprised at the intensity and balance of such young fruit
and predicts Maysara will rank highly with the best Oregon Pinot Noir
in the years to come.
Other wineries purchasing Maysara grapes include:
Bergstrom, Sam Tannahill (Shea Vineyards) for his own label with his wife,
Cheryl Francis, Andrew Rich, Adea, Tori Moore, Elk Cove, J. Christopher
and Rex Hill, among others.
Jimi Brooks, Maysara and
Brooks Winery winemaker
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Meet the Winemaker
Jimi Brooks met Mo Momtazi shortly after the purchase
of Maysara Estates in 1997. At the time, Brooks was working as an assistant
winemaker at Willikenzie, but dreamed of being the top winemaker.
He saw the development at Maysara and became friends
with Momtazi. When Momtazi began his search for a winemaker, he went to
Brooks. Happy to work in the vineyards and the winery, Brooks left Willikenzie,
where he worked primarily in the winery.
"We hit it off right away," said Brooks.
"We have similar interests and similar approaches to farming and
winemaking. Mo wanted to start organic farming from the get-go and be
as non-intrusive to the land as possible.
"He wanted to move towards biodynamic farming
and capitalize on what the land had to offer."
Brooks left Willikenzie in 2000. Although Momtazi
has his own engineering design company, he spends a lot of time at the
vineyard with Brooks, learning what his land can yield. The property has
five different types of soils, vineyard blocks with warmer days and cooler
nights, rolling hills and sloping terrain.
"We want the end product to speak for itself,
so we've been somewhat low key so far," Momtazi said. "We're
gradually working our way into the market, but we're picky about who we
sell our grapes and wine to."
When asked what makes his wines memorable, Brooks
smiles and says, "It's the land coming through."
"We look for intensity and balance," Brooks
explained. "The land has a rustic feeling. Our wines aren't big and
overblown, but balanced.

"I try to approach each block (of land) individually.
I am not a believer in single-vineyard designates. I think a wine is richer,
more complex and more complete in blending. That is the artistic process,
after you've captured the essence of the land in the grape."
Brooks finally has his own label-Brooks Wines and
plans to produce about 3,800 cases. But his first focus is Maysara, learning
the lands and developing richer, fruit driven wine with vibrant acid levels
so they compliment food.
When he isn't farming and winemaking, Brooks spends
a lot of his spare time with his 7-year-old son Pascal, who helps at the
winery with punch-downs and anything else he can get into.

Momtazi will likely have his daughter join the winery in the future. Daughter
Tahmiene, 20, is a student at Oregon State University, studying enology
and fermentation. His other two daughters, Naseem, 11th grade, and Hanna,
6th grade, get called upon during harvest, along with his wife Flora.
Maysara produced 2,800 cases of Pinot Noir, including
1,000 cases of Pinot Gris in 2002. This year, Momtazi expects around 5,000
cases of Pinot Noir, including 1,500 cases of Pinot Gris. He expects to
increase each year.
Wine industry experts say Maysara is the winery
to watch. Demand for their cuvee and single-vineyard designate this year
will be high.
If the winery can produce such great fruit after
a few years, says one winemaker, just think what will come from the vineyards
in five years.
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