Willamette Valley Pinot Gris - $17.99

Wine Details

Price: $17.99
Producer: Willamette Valley Vineyards
Region: Willamette Valley
Varietal: Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio
Container Size: 750 ML
Flavors: apricot, pear, spicy
  • White Wine
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Product Description

  • Bright, fruity, crisp style. Pretty aromas of fresh young pear, starfruit, grapefruit, honeydew and flower. Bold and crisp mouthfeel with generous flavors of pear, mineral, tangerine and spice, interwoven with well-balanced acidity. The Pinot Blanc, picked very ripe, adds emollient mouthfeel, and contributes to the Alsatian style. While the Muscat adds flowery sweetness, the barrel fermented portions of the Pinot Gris add a kiss of toast and richness. Peak drinkability will be between now - 2009. Serving Suggestions: The quintessential match with salmon. Wonderful with cheese, shellfish, chicken, salads and white fish. Serve chilled and allow to warm in the glass for optimal enjoyment.

Expert Ratings

Ratings   Vintage Source Flavors
WineSpectator - 86 Details: Bright and refreshing, with a resiny edge to the peach and melon flavors, finishing soft. Drink now. 21,000 cases made. –HS 2006 WineSpectator
WineSpectator - 88 Details: Lively, almost crisp, with subtle almond and rose petal overtones to the flinty pear flavors. Drink now. 16,000 cases made. –HS 2005 WineSpectator
WineSpectator - 87 Details: Soft and open-textured, with pretty pear, honeydew and floral aromas and flavors, lingering nicely. Drink now. 14,000 cases made. –HS 2004 WineSpectator
WineSpectator - 87 Details: Light and supple, with pretty, spicy pear and apricot flavors, finishing with some roundness and unexpected generosity. Drink now. 14,000 cases made. –HS 2002 WineSpectator
WineEnthusiast - 89 Details: This is a textbook example of Oregon Pinot Gris. It shows characteristic pear-flavored fruit, balanced against firm acids, with good midpalate richness and a full, clean, satisfying finish. 2002 WineEnthusiast apricot, pear, spicy
WineEnthusiast - 89 Details: This is a textbook example of Oregon Pinot Gris. It shows characteristic pear-flavored fruit, balanced against firm acids, with good midpalate richness and a full, clean, satisfying finish. 2002 WineEnthusiast
WineSpectator - 87 Details: Enticing stuff, fresh and lively, with almond-scented pear and melon flavors that hang on through the soft finish. Drink now. 8,000 cases made. –HS 2001 WineSpectator
WineEnthusiast - 82 Details: Flat but clean, with very light and distant apricot and celery aromas. The flavors veer toward green apple and lemon, while the finish is bland. From a texture standpoint, it’s watery, with only modest fruit quality. 2001 WineEnthusiast melon, pear
WineEnthusiast - 82 Details: Flat but clean, with very light and distant apricot and celery aromas. The flavors veer toward green apple and lemon, while the finish is bland. From a texture standpoint, it’s watery, with only modest fruit quality. 2001 WineEnthusiast apricot, green apple, lemon
WineSpectator - 87 Details: Bright and refreshing, juicy with melon, pear and citrus aromas and flavors, which linger nicely. Drink now. 4,085 cases made. –HS 2000 WineSpectator citrus, melon, pear
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Food Pairings

Category Pairing
Vegetables Onion Tart
Fish or Shellfish Caviar, Clam Chowder
Spicy Food Sushi
Pasta & Grains Pasta with Pesto

Wine Terms

Name Value
Oregon This state’s strict wine laws demand that variety wines must contain at least 90% of the named grape (except for Cabernet Sauvignon). The region’s cool climate comes from its proximity to the Pacific and its primary grapes are Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. The latter wine is usually medium bodied, with aromas reminiscent of pears and apples and a surprising depth and complexity. Oregon Pinot Gris is a great food wine, and works especially well with seafood and salmon. Pinot Noir is a more expensive wine here, but that is because it can be such a difficult grape to grow that yields are inevitably low. The best Oregon Pinot Noirs are balanced, fruity and full.
Pinot Grigio (pee noh GREE joe)—also known as Pinot Gris, is grown mostly in northeastern Italy but is also found in Germany (where it is called Rülander), Alsace, Oregon and California. It is deeper in color than other white grapes and has a medium body and low acidity.
United States Wineries exist in all fifty states, but the most predominant (and best) wine comes from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington State, with New York gaining a foothold in the industry. American wines make up about 75% of all wine sales in the US. The appellation system uses the term AVA (American Viticultural Area) to determine where wines were produced, but grape varieties can be planted anywhere in the country. American wineries generally use varietal labeling, and government regulations require that the variety on the label must make up at least 75% of the blend (in Oregon it’s 90%). The words reserve, special selection, private reserve, classic, and so on have no legal definition in the US. Some wineries use these terms to indicate their better wines; others use the words as a marketing tool to move lower quality wines off the shelf.
Oregon Pinot Gris Pinot Gris, like the closely related Pinot Noir grape, needs a cool climate and is highly sensitive to terrior, or growing conditions. Though the grape can grow in several places, it makes good wine in only a few. Pinot Gris is one of the two USA whites that are incredibly versatile with food, the other being Sauvignon Blanc. Oregon Pinot Gris has an inherent creamy yet crisp character that agrees with many foods.
Willamette Valley Stretches from Portland in the north to Eugene in the south. A majority of the Willamette Valley vineyards lie on the foothills of the Coast Range that forms the western edge of the valley.

Tasting Notes

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