In this episode, I sit down with Neal Hulkower, an applied mathematician and longtime wine writer based in Oregon. Neal’s deep dive into comparative tastings spans decades, and his recent blind tasting of Oregon and Michigan Pinot Noirs offers a fresh perspective on how our state’s wines stack up. We discuss his methodology, including the Borda count and stars and bars analysis, and reflect on the results. Featured Michigan wines include Bel Lago, Chateau Fontaine, and Black Star Farms.

For questions, Neal can be reached at [email protected]

Check out his book, "Grape Explications":

https://www.oregonwinepress.com/article?articleTitle=grape-explications%21--1751386610--3868--news

Check out his related articles:

“Smitten with the Mitten”: https://www.oregonwinepress.com/article?articleTitle=smitten-with-the-mitten--1741054267--3834

“Borda is Better”: https://www.oregonwinepress.com/article?articleTitle=borda-is-better--1317231621--959--

Michigan Governor’s Cup awards can be found here: https://wineindustryadvisor.com/2025/06/04/2025-taste-michigan-governors-cup-results/