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2001 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris

(updated 7/22/03)

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The Wine

Pinot Gris is one of the wines for which we are best known. We make it in a style as close to Alsace as possible, working to get weight on the palate, while retaining fruit flavors and acidity, harvested ripe to give full, viscous wines with light spice flavors and long finishes. We consider Pinot gris the perfect, universal food wine. In an increasingly popular style, this bright, stainless steel fermented Pinot gris combines Corral Creek, and Ridgecrest, and Stoller Vineyards fruit.

The Vineyards

Fruit comes from our three Estate Vineyards: Ridgecrest, Stoller and Corral Creek, blended into a fully-complemented wine. The estate vineyards are planted on three different soil types, which provide complementary elements in the resulting wines: Ridgecrest on Willakenzie, Stoller on Jory, and Corral Creek on Laurelwood. The interaction of clone and site adds great complexity, consistency and fullness of character to blends of Pinot gris.

The Vintage

2001 is a soft, big vintage. It saw almost ideal growing and ripening weather and less than an inch of rain during harvest. This is not a typical cool climate vintage and the Pinot noirs will be soft, fleshy and early appealing. Whites will be full and broad, and early maturing. The alcohols are restrained slightly by yields that were neither too generous nor forced extreme extraction: Pinot noirs, 2.38 t/ac; Chardonnay, 2.77; Pinot gris, 2.26; Riesling, 2.77; Gamay noir, 1.86; Pinot blanc, 4.27.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 10/2 to 10/19, 2001, from all three estate vineyards (ST, 44%; RC, 29%; CC, 27%), from 2.26 tons per acre cropload

Fermentation:

Tank fermented with VL-1 yeast

Cooperage/Aging:

None.

Clonal Selection:

UCD, 146, 152; minor amount of Pinot blanc blended

Bottling:

Cold stabilized and filtered, bottled 4/4-5/2002

Bottling Analyses:

14.2% alcohol, 4.9 g/l TA, 3.45 pH, 0.94% residual sugar

Cases Produced:

2688

Suggested Retail:

$15

Release Date:

May, 2002

Winemaker's Comments

Very similar to 2000 Willamette Valley Pinot gris, with white, honeyed citrus flavors, approaching lemon custard. There is a bright, stark mineral/wet stone/flint impression on the palate, with an uplifted finish that punctuates the beeswax, maple syrup richness with a talc or lime purity. A big wine that is still pretty.

Quotes

Bon Apetit, August 2003, Hugh Garvey, "Oregon's Pinot Gris Revolution." Oregon Pinot Gris is delicious. It has a satisfying medium-body and is marked by good acidity and snappy apple fruit. Think of Pinot Gris as Pinot Grigio for those who favor a bit more flavor. Rich. Chehalem 2001 suggests melon, grapefruit and almond flavors.

Wine Spectator, September/October, 2002: 87 Points. Soft, pliant and dry, appealing for its forward melon and honey flavors.