Singaporean Pilot and Stanford PhD Wei-En Tan’s Journey from Bordeaux + Burgundy to Oregon Culminates in STEM Wine Bar
Now offering Virtual Tastings of 150 Wines and 18 Curated Wine Flights
An email from STEM Wine Bar crossed my desk in the summer of 2020 when fires were ravaging Oregon. Coincidentally, someone had recently shared an article with me about an African American winemaker in Oregon, with roots from the Caribbean. Naturally the story piqued my curiosity. In a peculiar way, Oregon, of no particular focus in the past, suddenly seemed to be a recurring topic in my mind space – I needed to follow through on this anomaly.
In addition to reading about Oregon’s devastating fires, the STEM email and the article about the the winemaker of Caribbean descent all prompted me to broadly research the state as a wine destination with a goal to discover labels from Oregon that industry experts tout as exceptional, outstanding or very good.
My research uncovered the presence and footprint of wineries in Oregon were broader than I could have ever imagined. I was thirsty to learn more (pun intended!). Turns out that the state is widely recognized for its Pinot Noirs and counts more than 700 wineries and vineyards which had spurred robust tourism around wineries and tasting rooms – ahead of the fires and raging pandemic. Scrolling through the alphabetical listing of Oregon wines in Wine Spectator magazine, widely considered the authority on all things wine, I was still scrolling on my iPad Pro after 10 pages, and these were wines scored between 86 to 95 points. WHO KNEW? -
The varying labels and vintages from Oregon, tasted for the Oregon Alphabetical Listing Report of the March 31, 2019 issue of Wine Spectator magazine, ranged in price from $15 to $125 per bottle and scored between 86 and 95 points out of a 100-point scale. For context, according to the magazine, a score between 95-100 denotes a Great wine; 90-95 is an Outstanding wine of superior character and style; and one that scores 85-89 points means the wine is Very Good with special qualities.
And what does this really mean to someone who enjoys a good glass or two of wine? Industry Reporter Wine Folly cautions, “Wine ratings don’t necessarily indicate how delicious a wine is. Instead, wines are scored based on production quality and whether a particular wine ‘typifies’ the style and region it is from.” It goes on to say, “The best way to consistently buy wine you like is to learn about what you like and why. Ratings can help you find quality wines from new regions but you’ll have to do your own leg work.” My translation – “let your palate guide you.”
After some serious research loafing,’ resulting in unexpected discoveries, I returned to STEM Wine Bar, their modern tagline “So Much Wine, So Much Love” especially spoke to me. What can I tell you, I dabbled in advertising once upon a time. On further probing, I discovered a gem of a story: the proprietor and founder Wei-En Tan, a Singaporean, spent many years of her youth in vineyards in Burgundy and Bordeaux. I perked up at the mention of Bordeaux, a place that evokes sublime memories, which I visited on more than several occasions for work, to attend a wedding and as a guest of gracious friends to wait out travel impeded by an Icelandic volcano!
STEM Wine Bar touts its offerings: “150 wines and 18 Curated Flights...a global selection spanning Oregon, California, France, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Australia, Austria, Georgia and Portugal. STEM’S wine director has a stated goal: “to create an Oregon Meets the World wine menu…with no judgment or pretension.” Pictures of the site’s bubblies and rosés, along with an offer for virtual wine tasting, prompted me to send off a quick email inquiry, “Do you deliver to New York City?” The response was rapid, “Yes of course! Just let us know when this is needed. Best Wishes, Team STEM.”
Really? It was time to learn more about Team STEM. According to information on their site, Proprietor Wei-En Tan seemed somewhat of a highflier (pun again intended): “Alongside a stint as a commercial pilot and in competitive aerobatics, Wei-En obtained her PhDs, masters and bachelor degrees in Mathematics, Economics, Political Science and Comparative Literature from Stanford, Cornell and Harvard Universities. After aerospace and venture roles, Wei-En founded her own company in AI Medical Imaging, moved to Portland and fell in love with Oregonian wines.”
The headlines coming out of Oregon at the time of my research were both scary and hopeful:
“West Coast Wildfires Threaten Oregon and Washington 2020 Wine Harvests” Wine Spectator
“What will wildfire smoke do to 2020 vintage Oregon wines?” / KVAL
“Despite Unprecedented Fires Oregon Wineries Are On Track For An Epic 2020 Vintage” / Forbes
I wanted to hear from this young proprietor – who exudes incredible prowess and promise – in her own words, about the challenges and projections for the future of her wine bar business in Oregon:
Q. Wei-En, how are you and your staff faring amid a pandemic and on the heels of the Oregon fires?
A. It’s been a year of the pivot: The bar opened in February of 2020, and after only 5 weeks, had to close. We pivoted quickly to online delivery and pickups(, and that helped to tie us over to reopening. The fires were devastating, and we donated any profits we got in September during our reopening to Wildfire Relief. We are keeping our spirits up, however, and look forward to a new year and reopening fully once it is safe to do so. Meanwhile, we get to do virtual tastings and meet people from all over the US, and even Canada!
As a side note, re: the fires, many Oregon winemakers have turned what would have been their 2020 Pinot Noir vintages, into 2020 Pinot Noir rosé vintages. Since smoke taint – death to red wine grapes – is mostly in the skins, doing rosés instead of reds makes a lot of sense since you don’t press the skins or ferment with them while making rosés. One of our favorites, Brianne Day of Day Wines, has actually come out with a wine called “Lemonade” (we just got it in and will be offering it soon) to show how you can make lemonade out of lemons (of the fires and smoke and everything else.) It is a beautifully done 2020 rosé.
_Q. For wine drinkers not in your state, your Virtual Tasting offer is inviting, is it catching on?
A. Yes, actually! We just did our first one out of state which was mostly couples in the Virginia area. Our package is quite honestly the most affordable, and offers people a chance to have fun while sampling amazing wines. What more could you want?
Q. From your profile it seems you have taken some bold steps in your life, including creating STEM. Where do you see STEM Wine Bar today and what is your outlook for its future?
A. STEM is doing well now (obviously not as well as if we could be truly open) but I am happy with the team and how we have been handling everything. The pandemic also forced us to think unconventionally, and to not give up. Our outlook is filled with optimism, and we really look forward to the new year ahead.
Q. Personally, while I continue to enjoy a glass of Scotch or Cognac neat, I find my drink of choice as I age comes from a variety of grapes, with bubblies and rosés topping the list. Do you mind offering me some starter labels that STEM would recommend during its Virtual Tastings?
A. Ah, we love rosés! Rosé all day for us! Some starter labels which are amazing but don’t break the bank are Maison Saleya (a beautiful French typical Provence rosé) as well as Battlecreek (female winemaker in Oregon) Pinot Noir Rosé. We also offer, in case you’re interested, a lot of “orange” or skin-contact/amber wines. These are essentially white wines with skin contact kept during the fermentation process, giving it either an amber/orange look, or in the case of local winemaker James Rahn’s Pinot Gris, a lovely deep pink. Les Hauts de Lagarde is another favorite, from Bordeaux (a Malbec rosé) and last I’ll mention Misa Eclats, a typical Rhone rosé, a touch sweeter with the Grenache than the others but lovely aftertastes. _)
Q. I am inordinately excited about trying the recommended wine flights and option for Virtual Tasting. I keep on hinting to my husband and children about STEM’s option to purchase gift cards. What do you think, with Valentines Day approaching, maybe I’ll stop hinting and ask outright?
A. Haha, please do!
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Credits and Acknowledgments:
Visuals of Wei-En Tan and STEM’s Bar Lead and Style Curator are courtesy of STEM Wine Bar. All right reserved.
Visual of boutique vineyard in Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley from Porthole Cruises
Editor: Ellie Meek Tweedy