Winemaker Notes
Deep in the forest, somewhere between the Oregon and California border, exists a vineyard far from any civilization. The only thing close is an old sip and stop grocer that closed long before. Ti's under the radar if you will, almost as if the lines on the map stopped, and this place was beyond. That's what the wine conjures, an unusual place from a different time.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Each of John House's Rieslings is differentiated by AVA and fermentation vessel; this may be the most unique of his stellar lineup. Sourced from the Cedar Ranch vineyard in the Illinois Valley, this is fermented with native yeasts in a concrete egg. Its complexity and detail is astonishing, with baby powder, orange peel, pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon. Long, dry and truly off the grid, if not over the moon.
Editors' Choice -
Decanter
Low-intervention Riesling with light, fresh aromas – lime blossom, hawthorn blossom – that follow onto the medium-dry palate. Floral nectar sweetness hits the tongue, just balanced by gentle acidity. Precise, pretty, very drinkable. Drinking Window 2018 - 2020
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
Home to some of America’s most celebrated Pinot Noir, Oregon maintains a tight focus on small production, high quality wine even while the state’s industry enjoys steady growth. As a world-renowned wine region, Oregon has more than 700 wineries and is home to well over 70 grape varieties. With a mostly Mediterranean climate, its cooler and wetter regions lie in the west, close to the Pacific Coast.
By far the most reputed Oregon wine region is the Willamette Valley, which is further subdivided into six smaller appellations: Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge and Yamhill-Carlton.
The Oregon wine region's most obvious success story is with Pinot Noir, which here takes on a personality that could be described in general terms as somewhere in between the wines of California and Burgundy—and is often more affordable than either one. The best Willamette Pinot noir has a rare combination of red and black fruit, elegant balance, high acidity and rustic earth. While completely enjoyable in their youth, some of the better, single vineyard or appellation-specific Pinot noirs can often benefit from some cellar time.
Other AVAs in Oregon’s west worth noting include Umpqua Valley and Rogue Valley.
In the east are Snake River Valley, which overlaps into Idaho, and Columbia Valley, which Oregon shares with Washington. Summers are hot and dry in these regions but winters are cold and rainy.
Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot blanc also grow successfully in Oregon.