A Willamette Valley, Oregon Pinot Gris

Let's try the white cousin of Oregon's signature red grape (Pinot Noir)...

Elk Cove Vineyards Tasting Room

I believe this is my first Oregon wine review. Oregon has become an important wine producer whose signature grape is the red Pinot Noir. The Willamette Valley stretches from the Columbia River in the north to just past Eugene in the south, and from the Oregon Coast Range in the west to the Cascade Mountains in the east. You may want to take a tour of the area along Highway 47. For more information check out Sip 47 on the Internet. The family owned and operated Elk Cove Vineyards has been in the wine business since 1977. They own some 600 acres (about 240 hectares) in 4 vineyards, farmed using organic or sustainable processes. Elk Cove does their Pinot Grigio by pressing whole clusters and fermenting them in small stainless steel tanks. Today’s companion wine is a Pinot Grigio (the Italian name for Pinot Gris) from Argentina at half the price.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Elk Cove Vineyards, 2009 Willamette Valley, Pinot Gris 13.5 % alcohol about $20. (I paid $23)

Let’s start by quoting the marketing materials. “Description: This wine ranked #79 in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2010. Tasting Note: Light and fragrant, this is juicy with pear, apple and lime flavors, hinting at almond flowers on the finish. Drink now through 2012. Score – 90. (Harvey Steiman at the Wine Spectator web site, Dec. 31, 2010).” And now for my review.

At the first sips this wine was refreshing and long. It offered light sweetness, good acidity, and pears. Japanese rice crackers lengthened and deepened this liquid. A Wasabi pea brought out lots of pears. My initial meal centered on an omelet perked up with black pepper, ground garlic, and basil. This libation was sweetish with a pleasant burnt taste in the background. When paired with zesty guacamole, this liquid was oh so long. Initially chocolate mousse weakened this Oregonian, but before long it bounced back.

The following meal centered on a boxed Baked Ziti Siciliano. In response this wine was long, somewhat metallic, and multilayered. Homemade roasted eggplant brimming with garlic rendered the Pinot Gris light, and filled it with expressive acidity and apples. Fresh strawberries for dessert muted the wine somewhat, but it remained long and round.

My final meal started with homemade vegetable soup, whose ingredients included carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, celery, and zucchini. In response this liquid was floral, offering balanced acidity and delicious fruit. With chicken meat balls I tasted lightly sweet apples in my glass. When paired with cubes of sautéed chicken breast, this liquid exuded lime; it was slightly oily with bright acidity. The accompanying leeks sautéed in olive oil imparted great length to this mouth filling wine. In closing I came across something negative; fruit juice candy muted the wine.

Final verdict. This was one fine wine. I don’t think that I have ever enjoyed a Pinot Gris so much. Since I prefer Pinot Noir, I’m going to buy Elk Cove’s version soon.

Access the companion wine A Wine Lover's Weekly Review Of $10 Wine - A Mendoza, Argentina Pinot Grigio

About the Author

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine French or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine websites include    www.theworldwidewine.com    with a new weekly review of $10 wines and    http://www.wineinyourdiet.com devoted to the issues of wine, weight loss, and health.

Visit his sites devoted to touring Italy and Italian food
www.travelitalytravel.com    and    www.fooditalyfood.com

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