Five of Brian Carter’s 39 career Platinum Awards have been earned by this blend, which is named for the French term for steed and inspired by Right Bank Bordeaux. And this melange of Merlot (58%), Cabernet Sauvignon (21%), Cabernet Franc (14%), Malbec (4%) and Petit Verdot emerged as the top-rated red blend of the 2023 Platinum Awards. Solstice Vineyard in the Yakima Valley and … [Read more...] about Brian Carter Cellars 2018 Le Coursier Bordeaux-Style Red Wine Blend, Columbia Valley $40
Wine reviews
Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards 2021 Estate Selection Pinot Grigio, Umpqua Valley $26
Of the 48 career Platinums awarded to Southern Oregon’s Stephen Reustle, 19 have been for work with white wines, but not one for Pinot Gris. Perhaps this fall will produce his first. Some of the vines for this program are nearly 20 years old, and they are thriving in this valley north of Roseburg. The beautiful nose is filled with lemon verbena, peach blossom and dusty white … [Read more...] about Reustle-Prayer Rock Vineyards 2021 Estate Selection Pinot Grigio, Umpqua Valley $26
King Estate Winery 2021 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $20
This spring, there were more than a dozen expressions of Pinot Gris — styles, vineyard-designate, block-specific — commercially available at King Estate. And the flagship wine for the King family, heck, arguably for the Oregon wine industry, was rated among the best in this comparative tasting. While the estate accounts for 51% of the bottling by Brent Stone’s team, close to a … [Read more...] about King Estate Winery 2021 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $20
Brandborg Vineyard and Winery 2021 Pinot Gris, Elkton Oregon $19
Best Buy! The namesake behind the 2015 Oregon Winery of the Year crafted two of the top examples of Pinot Gris in our tasting. For this one, Terry Brandborg had a short drive from his downtown Elkton winery to the two vineyards he pulled from on Sept. 15 — Anindor and Elk Valley. The nose of Meyer lemon, caramel corn and facial powder transitions to succulent flavors of … [Read more...] about Brandborg Vineyard and Winery 2021 Pinot Gris, Elkton Oregon $19
Chemistry Wine 2020 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $16.99
Best Buy! The Stoller Wine Group describes this young brand as a collaborative effort among the winemakers at Chehalem Winery and Stoller Family Estate, and there’s definitely synergy at play. Bill Stoller’s myriad plantings of Pinot Gris include Corral Creek and four clones at Chehalem Estate Vineyard, so there are options available to Melissa Burr, Kate Payne Brown and Katie … [Read more...] about Chemistry Wine 2020 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $16.99