Joe Ginet’s roots in Southern Oregon’s Applegate Valley reach back to the late 19th century with his French-born grandfather resurrecting an old orchard near Jacksonville. After decades as a dairyman, Joe transformed his ranch into a vineyard, and he’s planted Merlot in clay soil. Ripeness is not a problem in this valley, which shows in aromas of black currant and plum with … [Read more...] about Plaisance Ranch 2014 Merlot, Applegate Valley, $25
Oregon
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2014 Grower Series Brut Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley, $55
Jim Bernau has hired several consulting winemakers for his growing list of special projects, and he wisely retained the services of Andrew Davis and Radiant Sparkling Wine Co., for this young sparkling wine program. This debut effort with brut from estate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay is remarkable. Its complexity is apparent starting with the nose of banana taffy, nougat and … [Read more...] about Willamette Valley Vineyards 2014 Grower Series Brut Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley, $55
Winter’s Hill Winery 2015 Estate Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills, $19
Russell Gladhart’s second vintage as the winemaker after taking over for his wife, Delphine, and Pinot Gris from this record-warm vintage began to be harvested Sept. 26 from the family’s certified L.I.V.E. estate in the middle of the Dundee Hills. There’s neither oak nor malolactic fermentation involved in this bottling, and the results are aromas and flavors of butterscotch, … [Read more...] about Winter’s Hill Winery 2015 Estate Pinot Gris, Dundee Hills, $19
Elk Cove Vineyards 2014 Goodrich Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton, $40
It’s about time. One of the Pacific Northwest’s top producers of Pinot Gris and Riesling has joined the Chardonnay renaissance in Oregon. Adam Campbell and his family’s 2014 investment in Goodrich Vineyard near Yamhill pays dividends here with Elk Cove Vineyards’ first Chardonnay since 1998. The care taken during the winemaking includes a barrel program over 12 months with some … [Read more...] about Elk Cove Vineyards 2014 Goodrich Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton, $40
Ghost Hill Cellars 2013 Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $42
The Bayliss family established their vineyard near Carlton, Ore., in 1999, but the land near Abbey Road has been a part of its bloodlines for more than a century. Their largest production of Pinot Noir is this four-clone blend, and they stick with their traditional percentages of Pommard (45%), 777 (20%), 114 (20%) and Wädenswil for what amounts to about 25 percent of their … [Read more...] about Ghost Hill Cellars 2013 Bayliss-Bower Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $42