Overview: Marco Prete has established bhn in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, utilizing clay amphorae rather than oak barrels to age organic rye moonshine. The brand applies Italian winemaking philosophy to spirits, resulting in expressions like Duet N. 15 and Duet N. 23 that are macerated on noble rot grape skins.
The Full Story
Prete faced major hurdles from the government to bring his Italian winemaking philosophy to whiskey. The company encountered skepticism from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau, requiring a law firm in D.C. to navigate three specific rules regarding grape varietals on labels, vintage dating, and wood aging requirements. Despite these regulatory challenges, bhn secured approved labels reading “Rye Whiskey With Riesling Grape Skins” or “Rye Whiskey With Chardonnay Grape Skins,” featuring the batch year.
During a private tasting earlier this fall, Prete insisted that visitors try his vineyard’s wines first to understand the context of the spirits. He stated, “If I poured you the whiskeys alone, you would not have any clue what you’re drinking.” The brand operates on the principle that any addition to wine is a negative, and wood char contribution is viewed as a defect.
Production & Profile
Instead of cask-aging, bhn matures its wines and ryes in clay pots where they age without wood char contribution. The organic rye moonshine or white dog is infused and macerated for 24 months on grape skins from noble rot Chardonnay and Riesling production. Duet N. 15 presents at 89 proof with notes of mushroom, fennel, lemon, and grapefruit, while Duet N. 23 offers a sweeter profile at 83 proof with hints of caramel, vanilla, chamomile, mango, and buttered toast.
Brand & Industry History
The lowercase bhn (“be here now”) is based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley but founded by Prete, who grew up in Italy. Co-founders Marco and Christina Prete utilize clay amphorae to maintain neutrality, as any addition to wine is viewed as a negative. The production base remains in the Willamette Valley, a well-known vino-producing region, while the founder’s origin traces back to Italy.
What This Means
The idea behind bhn is to apply Prete’s winemaking techniques to the whiskey world with exacting purity standards. Every year there is a new vintage release because every year there is a new harvest. While these small-batch releases have 500 bottle allocations for Duet N. 15 and 1000 bottle allocations for Duet N. 23, they are going for a price of $899. Prete states this figure still barely breaks even, prioritizing the experience over profit.
Consumer Takeaway
These small-batch releases offer a wine-forward rye experience with specific allocations and price points. The bottles feature batch years on the label and utilize noble rot Chardonnay and Riesling production for maceration. For the drinker, this represents an opportunity to share joy and tell the story of a unique aging process in clay amphorae.
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