Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesFrom the winery that introduced Pinot Gris to America, this is a full-bodied, fleshy and beautifully fruited wine, which delivers the same level of richness and complexity as many toptier Chardonnays. Robust apple, white peach and green melon flavors are dappled with white pepper, or perhaps daikon radish. The finish seems to carry on indefinitely. Editors’ Choice
Limpid straw. Vibrant, mineral-accented Meyer lemon, pear and honeysuckle aromas show fine delineation and acquire a hint of succulent herbs as the wine opens up. Juicy, focused and energetic on the palate, offering vibrant citrus and orchard fruit flavors and a touch of bitter peach pit. Delivers a solid punch but comes off lithe and fat-free. Finishes very long and taut, leaving citrus zest and floral notes behind.
The 2017 Pinot Gris is scented of Bosc pear, spring blossoms, crushed stone, baker’s yeast and nutty accents. The palate is light-bodied with a core of pure orchard fruits, bright acidity and a long, energetic finish.
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.
This “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir and shows a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness. The grape boasts two versions of its name and two generally distinct styles: the crisp, Italian Pinot Grigio and the softer French Pinot Gris. Somm Secret—Given the color of its berries and aromatic potential, Pinot Grigio is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made with fermentation on its skins (similar to red wine making), leading to n orange hued wine with ephemeral aromas and extra complexity.
