Fresh and lively, with a bright acidity and crisp clean finish. Made by Laurent Montelieu, formerly winemaker at Willakenzie Estate, where he made a string of highly rated Pinot gris."a fresh, crisp wine with bountiful fruit tones in the nose. Freshly cut pear and bright citrus aromas fill the glass. The mouthfeel is lush with grapefruit and starfruit components, a result of carefully blending fruit from Oregon's Rogue and Willamette Valleys. The intense fruit flavors of the wine lend viscosity to the structure and acidity of the mid-palate for a long-lasting finish. Enjoy this wine with spicy foods, Asian cuisine, or as an aperitif." - Laurent Montelieu
Detailed Info, Previous Vintage Notes, Reviews:
2004 Vintage Tasting Notes
2004 was our most challenging vintage in 6 years.
Bud break was early, around the 1st of April.
Very early bloom, June 8th, as a result of a dry May.
The weather was nice, except for a few weeks during June when the vines began to bloom.
The heavy rainfall, nearly an inch the first week of June, dramatically reduced crop size.
Cluster weights were small, nearly a third of the average, Solena Pinot Gris cluster weights averaged 40 to 52 grams, where as normal weights range from 100 to 150 grams.
The mild winter and spring of 2004 resulted in problems in the vineyard with rust and bud mites, stunting the growth of vines.
Harvest was long and drawn out starting in early September and lasting to the end of October.
2004 harvest was good, with nice weather during the picking season, clean fruit and low yields.
VINEYARDS
The 2004 Pinot Gris includes fruit from vineyards in Oregon's Willamette and Rogue Valley Appelations.
The fruit was harvested from some of Oregon's best known vineyards, including Wooldridge Creek Vineyard, Del Rio Vineyard, Croft Vineyard, and Guadalupe Vineyard.
The blocks were closely monitored as harvest approached, and the picking date was chosen based on taste and physiological maturity.
All grapes were harvested in ideal conditions in early September.
VINIFICATION
100% stainless steel fermentation was used to emphasize the naturally fruity character of the Pinot Gris grape.
The grapes were cooled prior to processing utilizing the enourmous cooling capacity of our state of the art winemaking facility, NW Wine Company.
Primary fermentation was held at a maximum of 60 degrees F.
Whole cluster pressing took place in order to capture essence and freshness of the fruit.
No malolactic fermentation was allowed.
Each lot was fermented seperately in order to create our best blend.
The wine was carefully blended to obtain a crisp refreshing style, capitalizing on the variences in terroir. Fruit grown in Southern Oregon gives the wine a full lush mouhtfeel, where as the fruit from the Willamette Valley adds to the structure and acidity of the wine.
Select yeasts chosen to complement and preserve the fruit components.
