Winemaker Notes
Pinot Blanc is near and dear to the YVV family, we try not to play favorites, but, if we had a favorite white wine, Pinot Blanc would be it. Before it was commercially recognized we were growing it and learning how to make it they way we like. Rich full flavor, minerality, prickly pear and ripe melon with citrus undertones. The creamy yet bright style pairs beautifully with smoked cheeses, white fish, or some oysters if you’re searching for pairing perfection.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
This pinot blanc is so reductive now and shows aromas of mixed apples, pears and herbal character. Medium to full body, compact texture and an easy 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.
Stretching southwest from the city of McMinnville, the AVA with the same name covers about 40,000 acres across 20 miles until it meets the Van Duzer Corridor. This corridor is the only break in the Coast Range whose gap allows the cool Pacific Ocean air to flow eastward into the Willamette Valley.
The Pacific's moderating winds hit McMinnville’s south and southeast facing slopes where cool-climate varieties—namely Pinot noir and Pinot blanc thrive on ridges at between 200 to 1,000 feet in elevation.
Soils here are primarily uplifted marine sedimentary loam and silt, with alluvial formations; McMinnville receives less rainfall than its neighbors to the east because it is situated in the rain shadow of the Coast Range.