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Viticultural Data:
Vine Age:
9 - 24
years
Yield: 3.2 tons/acre
Harvest Sugars: 23.5 Brix
Enological Data:
pH: 3.27
Bottled: May 2010
Cases Produced: 18,430
The Willamette Valley has a suitable climate for this delicate grape variety – enough sunlight and warmth for ripening and cooler night temperatures to retain varietal character. To preserve the freshness, it is whole-cluster pressed, and then fermented at very cool temperatures in small stainless steel tanks, which accentuates aromatics and enhances the richness and viscosity. The fruit is hand-harvested from select hillside vineyards in the northern Willamette Valley. Our estate Pinot Gris is planted in a high-density format, which undergoes shoot and crop thinning for low yields.
2009 was a vintage of abundance. Ideal springtime weather led to a hot summer, which gave us a beautiful, uniform and potentially prolific crop. Warm temperatures at harvest time lulled some growers into picking late, at potentially high alcohols. The right decision, top winemakers agree, was to get the grapes in while they still had fresh flavors. As always, we showed our commitment to quality by thinning and green harvesting to achieve earlier ripening and better concentration of flavors. As winemaker, Adam Campbell, states “harvest went off without a hitch and we picked the grapes at a deliberate but frankly leisurely pace which allowed focusing on retained acidity.” So, vintage 2009 may be remembered as one of those rare combinations of excellent quality and quantity, with the wines showing flash.
The 2009 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris starts out with sweet and unctuous aromatics while showing crispness on the palate with citrus and grapefruit. True to Elk Cove Vineyards’ style, a rich mouthfeel leads to a full and satisfying balanced finish. Drink this lovely white wine as an aperitif or with a variety of food pairings from salmon and main-course salads to Asian and Thai influenced dishes.
90 "ECV 2009 Pinot Gris ~ Named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2010!! & Top Values wine in Jan/Feb 2011!"
"Juicy, with pear, apple and lime. Hints of almond flowers on the finish." - H. S.
Excellent! "One judge simply described this as ‘a damn nice Pinot Gris.’ Starfruit, grapefruit, peach, apricot, Bosc pear and bread dough aromas funnel into pure fruit flavors. It’s clean, crisp and dry, with a dusting of minerality at the end."
Two Clusters. "Bold and lively, this mouth-filling Gris has vigorous flavors of grapefruit, lemon, and lime fruits, along with spicy tones of basil. A fresh Gris to serve with pad thai."
© Elk Cove Vineyards
27751 NW Olson Road • Gaston, OR 97119
Phone (877) ELK-COVE • Fax (503) 985-3525
www.elkcove.com • info@elkcove.com