When the Bickford family built their tasting room, they took out a few of the 80-year-old pear trees on their Century Farm. Perhaps it’s no coincidence the Pinot Gris which Rich Cushman makes for them seems loaded with Hood River Valley orchard fruit — pear, peach, apricot and apple. There also are slices of lychee, cantaloupe and nectarine that head into the layered finish of … [Read more...] about Mt. Hood Winery 2021 Estate Pinot Gris, Columbia Gorge $26
pinot gris
Pete’s Mountain Winery 2021 Stoneridge Vineyard Ceille’s Block Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $24
One of Oregon’s most heralded winemakers — Laurent Montalieu — has been behind the wines for Mike and Kris Thayer along the Mt. Hood Wine Trail since 2005. For the same period of time, the Thayers have been leasing a portion of neighboring Stoneridge Vineyard from Dr. Leigh Campbell, wife Ceille and their family. (The Campbell family’s customers of Pinot Gris, planted in 1986, … [Read more...] about Pete’s Mountain Winery 2021 Stoneridge Vineyard Ceille’s Block Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley $24
SMAK Wines 2021 Summer Rosé, Columbia Valley $20
No one can question Fiona Mak’s touch and vision for rosé, and the sommelier-turned-winemaker — a product of Walla Walla Community College’s winemaking program — works with Pinot Gris from venerable Gamache Vineyard in the White Bluffs for her Summer series. It’s a charming expression of the grape, offering tropical and floral aromas alongside rosewater, tangerine and facial … [Read more...] about SMAK Wines 2021 Summer Rosé, Columbia Valley $20
Gård Vintners 2019 Lawrence Estate Grand Klasse Reserve Pinot Gris, Royal Slope $32
Reminiscent of what could be a Northwest expression of an Alsatian “grand vin” — a bit of heresy because the term is reserved for Riesling — the Lawrence family bottles this as a Pinot Gris with some bones. It’s aromatic and rich, bringing hints of orange Creamsicle, nectarine and baking spices. There’s Mandarin orange with a lightly honeyed midpalate that finishes with … [Read more...] about Gård Vintners 2019 Lawrence Estate Grand Klasse Reserve Pinot Gris, Royal Slope $32
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