Willamette Valley Vineyard, Pinot Gris, 2008
Here's another wine we got from Willamette Valley Vineyards. And while we review a lot of Pinot Noir, we also like the Gris and Blanc cousins.
This one smells like pear, and lime ... and peach! This was a well balanced and tasty Pinot Gris and was not overly acidic. The taste was a pear and peach combo — it starts peach (just hints of sweetness) and then ends in pear (not sweet). So it feels dry and smooth with just enough tartness to give it a little backbone.
Denise, who normally isn't much for whites, really like this one. She thought that initial spark of sweetness was like a can of sweet mandarins (in a good way). Yet, she liked that that sweetness immediately dissipated into what she thought was a celery mixed with lychee fruit (that sounds weird to type, but the flavor was really nice). Denise also thought it has a little buttery-ness to it and a slight effervescence. She concluded that this wine would go great with chili and satsumas.
For me, I think they did a really great job with this too. I read the back label and found that they blended in a little Pinot Blanc and Muscat into this bottle. I really like Pinot Blanc (though most people don't seem to); I think it gave this wine that buttery-ness Denise found and liked. And while I don't usually like Muscat, I suppose it's a lot like Grenache: better when blended, but perhaps hit-and-miss on it's own (that's my personal opinion anyway).
Bottomline: Denise and both really liked this one. And only $16, that's a great bargin too.
Cost:
$16Rating:
8.5
Willamette Valley Vineyards, 'Whole Cluster Fermented', Pinot Noir, 2008
Lots of people love Pinot Noir because of the thrill in the inability to really know what you're going to find inside the bottle. Pinots, more so than other varietals, can be hit and miss. Usually these people (myself included) love the highs so much that they brave (and endure) the lows. And then sometimes, you find something really unusual, like this bottle.
Oregon Pinots are known for being really big and jammy. Often when they're on the lighter side, they're called "Burgundian". But Pinots from Burgundy aren't just lighter, they're generally more earthy and subtle in their flavors. This bottle was neither jammy nor Burgundian.
Instead, it was light and fruity -- almost akin to a really great Beaujolais. The nose was raisin, dust, red cherry, violet, and a hint of wood. The taste started with a flash of sweetness, and then it changed into a strong red cherry and maybe some blackberry. The finish was pomegrante and was really quick. This wine reminded me of another Oregon Pinot we liked: the Phelps Creek, 2007. This wine was really well balanced.
Denise really liked this one. See said it "a wine that dances, and wears chiffon". And then, "this would be perfect to drink when sitting in a red velvet room eating chocolate". She thought it would be great with a Christmas dinner because it wasn't overly heavy.
We never read the marketing descriptions on the wines we review until after (and this was no exception). And too often, those descriptions don't seem all that helpful. However in this case, I think Willamette Valley Vineyards hit the nail on this head in describing this wine: "As refreshing as liquid fruit salad in a glass". Yeah, that's exactly right, it's like liquid fruit salad.
Cost:
($19)Rating:
8.5