Winemaker Notes
Eyrie's style is dry, medium-bodied and full-flavored and closely resembles Pinot blanc from Alsace. The wine undergoes natural temperature primary fermentation and full malolactic fermentation in stainless steel. In keeping with our hands-off winemaking style, this wine displays rich and broadly complex varietal aroma, clean and crisp flavors, and soft but bright texture.
Professional Ratings
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Pinot Blanc offers inviting orchard fruit and nutty tones with accents of beeswax, hay and flint. The light-bodied palate is delicate and savory with alluring floral perfume, nutty fruit and a long, refreshing finish.
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.
Home of the first Pinot noir vineyard of the Willamette Valley, planted by David Lett of Eyrie Vineyard in 1966, today the Dundee Hills AVA remains the most densely planted AVA in the valley (and state). To its north sits the Chehalem Valley and to its south, runs the Willamette River. Within the region’s 12,500 acres, about 1,700 are planted to vine on predominantly basalt-based, volcanic, Jory soil.