TASTING NOTES:
Fresh apricot, comice pear and ginger generously introduce a full palate of luscious white peach, honeydew melon and muted ginger. Expressive and weighty in texture. The finish is heightened with crisp acidity and a slight grip while a delicate floral note adds complexity.
VINTAGE:
2014 in Oregon may be remembered as the vintage of a lifetime, one of those rare vintages, reminiscent of 1988 and 2002, when you have high quality and high quantity simultaneously. The tone for the season was set at bud break, which averaged two weeks early, a lead that held on through harvest. Growing conditions were mostly dry and warmer than normal resulting in a large number of small clusters that ripened evenly, giving us wines that are fruit focused, quite concentrated and amazingly fresh.
This year’s warmer than average days and moderately cool nights created the ideal conditions that led to a faster rate of ripening due to less stress on the vines. Winemaker Adam Campbell notes “the amazing summer weather led to the lowest disease pressure I have ever seen, creating a harvest that was the stuff dreams are made of – little rain with gorgeous fruit coming in at an easy tempo for a relaxed and delightful crush”.
As fruit came in with incredible evenness and extraordinary concentration, 2014 will likely be a show stopping vintage. We remain true to our goals as wine growers – looking to capture the beautiful, complex flavors that are the signature of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and other cool-climate varietals.
VINEYARD:
Our Pinot Gris is hand-harvested from select hillside vineyards in the northern Willamete Valley. Pinot Gris has long been a focus at Elk Cove - our Estate Vineyard boasts some of the oldest Pinot Gris vines in Oregon, dating back to 1985. Three of our other estate vineyard sites are also planted with Pinot Gris, including 50 acres on steep sloped Mount Richmond Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Planted in a high-density format, all our Pinot Gris undergoes shoot and crop thinning for low yields to maximize quality and concentration.
WINEMAKING:
The Willamette Valley has the perfect climate for this delicate cool weather white wine. We have enough sunlight and warmth for ripening, but our cool evenings help retain varietal character and prevent over-ripening. We whole-cluster press our pinot gris grapes, then ferment the juice at very cool temperatures in small stainless steel tanks. This gentle treatment protects the aromatic qualities and enhances the natural richness of the Pinot Gris grapes, creating our most popular white wine.
pH: 3.16
TA: 6.6
Alc: 13 % v/v
** Only 2 in Stock **
Beautifully styled, this wine brings a solid blend of citrus, cucumber, tangerine and melon flavors. The length and balance are there for further aging, but the stunningly good flavors encourage near-term drinking. - P.G. - Wine Enthusiast Magazine 92 Points
Bright and sleek, with pretty pear and peach flavors on a jazzy frame, lingering with refreshing acidity on the finish. Drink now. 25,689 cases made. –HS - Wine Spectator Magazine 88 Points
