Cristom Pinot Gris 07
This pale straw colored Pinot Gris has slightly shy aromas of ripe melons and pears. The straightforward clean ripe fruit flavors are more assertive with nuances of anise and flint. The complete malo lactic fermentation helps give this wine a velvety texture yet there is enough acidity left to make this wine a fine foil for a variety of foods, especially seafood. There is also a hint of minerality in the finish perhaps from the Celilo portion of this wine which is a characteristic of that vineyard.
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This is an intriguing blend of Pinot gris from two very different vineyard sites- the Celilo site is in Washington and is higher, drier, and hotter than Oregon pinot gris vineyards. The Cristom site, "Emelia Vineyard" is in the heart of the Willamette Valley and sees less heat and ripens more slowly, producing a more delicate, minerally, nuanced wine. The combination of the two styles of pinot gris into one wine, in Steve's hands, gives us the best of both. From the Celilo grapes, there is richness and aromas of melon, apricot, and pear. From the Emilia site, there's anise, flint, delilcate melon and stone fruit flavors, and a long, gentle finish. This wine comes from just two vineyards: the Celilo Vineyard in Washington, and our estate vineyard here in the Willamette valley called Emilia. Hence, the Oregon/Washington appellation. The 2000 was the third in a string of very good vintages in Oregon. Normal yields and complete ripeness ensured wines with good varietal character.
