Press

WINE How the AAPI Community Is Changing the Narrative of Oregon’s Wine Industry

“People would ask us how being Korean-American affected our wines and palate. The answer is the food that we grew up eating.” For instance, Cho recommends pairing their brut rosé with haemul pajeon, a Korean seafood pancake.

Welcome to Oregon’s Wine Party Scene

The first thing you smell walking into AAPI Food and Wine Fest isn’t the wine—it’s the grill. Charcoal-grilled beef tsukune, specifically, a Japanese skewer, tingly with Sichuan peppercorn and the toasty note of sesame. The suggested pairing is a 2023 pinot noir from Kristof Farms, co-owned by Pulitzer Prize–winning journalists Sheryl WuDunn and Nicholas Kristof.

Oregon Asian American Pacific Islander Food & Wine Fest is a smash hit

The AAPI Food & Wine Fest debuted at Stoller’s 8,000-square-foot Experience Center on May 20 and 21. The event’s mission is to promote diversity in the wine industry by showcasing Oregon’s AAPI winemaking and culinary talent. For two days, over 12 hours, five local wineries and 10 restaurants served 1,000 people.