Winemaker Notes
A veritable fruit salad in the nose, with cantaloupe, grapefruit, apples, pears and nectarine. Hints of potpourri, lychee, rose petal, orange peel and cold cream. Plenty of ripe fruit in the mouth, with white peach, kumquat, kiwi and nectarine. Rich and vibrant, lush and fruity with a slight taste of fresh herbs, like tarragon and chervil. Medium bodied, with moderate acidity, it finishes long and fruity with lychee nut and perfume.
This Pinot Blanc would work best as an aperitif wine or as a savory dessert wine. Enjoy this wine at the end of your meal with strawberry shortcake and a sprinkle of basil, or as a starter paired with a summery cold pasta salad.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Though not labeled as such, this was made entirely from Crannell vineyard fruit and fermented in stainless steel. It's a lively mix of pear, apricot, starfruit and lemon curd notes, with crisp and juicy minerality. In short, it's lip-smackingly delicious, with impeccable freshness. Editors’ Choice
Approachable, aromatic and pleasantly plush on the palate, Pinot Blanc is a white grape variety most associated with the Alsace region of France. Although its heritage is Burgundian, today it is rarely found there and instead thrives throughout central Europe, namely Germany and Austria, where it is known as Weissburgunder and Alto Adige where it is called Pinot Bianco. Interestingly, Pinot Blanc was born out of a mutation of the pink-skinned Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Chardonnay fans looking to try something new would benefit from giving Pinot Blanc a try.
One of Pinot Noir's most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a continental climate moderated by the influence of the Pacific Ocean, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture and the production of elegant wines.
Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation vineyard sites.
The valley's three prominent soil types (volcanic, sedimentary and silty, loess) make it unique and create significant differences in wine styles among its vineyards and sub-AVAs. The iron-rich, basalt-based, Jory volcanic soils found commonly in the Dundee Hills are rich in clay and hold water well; the chalky, sedimentary soils of Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton and McMinnville encourage complex root systems as vines struggle to search for water and minerals. In the most southern stretch of the Willamette, the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA soils are mixed, shallow and well-drained. The Hills' close proximity to the Van Duzer Corridor (which became its own appellation as of 2019) also creates grapes with great concentration and firm acidity, leading to wines that perfectly express both power and grace.
Though Pinot noir enjoys the limelight here, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay also thrive in the Willamette. Increasing curiosity has risen recently in the potential of others like Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc and Gamay.