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2004 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris

(released April 2005)

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The Wine

Pinot gris is one of the wines for which we are best known. We make it in a style as close to Alsace as possible, working to get weight on the palate, while retaining fruit flavors and acidity, and harvested ripe to give full, viscous wines with light spice flavors and long finishes. We consider Pinot gris a universal food wine. In an increasingly popular style, this bright, stainless steel fermented Pinot gris combines Corral Creek, Ridgecrest, and Stoller Vineyards fruit.

The Vineyards

Fruit comes from our three Estate Vineyards: Ridgecrest, Stoller and Corral Creek, blended into a fully-complemented wine. The estate vineyards are planted on three different soil types, which provides complementary elements in resulting wines: Ridgecrest on Willakenzie, Stoller on Jory, and Corral Creek on Laurelwood. The interaction of clone and site add great complexity, consistency and fullness of character to blends of Pinot gris, especially in an excellent vintage.

The Vintage

What a difference some rain makes! Vintage 2004 was destined to be equally hot and ripe as 2003, until we had a quenching rain in late August and then a month later. Young and early vineyards that were almost ready to harvest the first week of September could have done without the rain, but the rest (like Chehalem’s) thought it a blessed relief. A short cropload, plus growing season heat make 2004 properly plump, but with restraint. An interesting vintage—almost an average of 2001, 2002, and 2003, with perhaps a little more variability in reds and more structured, brighter whites similar to 2002.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 9/24-10/5 2004 from 57% Stoller, 37% Corral Creek and 6% Ridgecrest sites @ 22.8-25.0 brix, 3.2-3.4 pH, and 4.9-6.3 g/l TA, from 2.78 tons per acre cropload

Fermentation:

Tank fermented with VL3 yeast

Cooperage/Aging:

No aging

Bottling:

Cold stabilized and filtered, bottled 4/6&7/2005

Bottling Analyses:

14.6% alcohol, 6.3 g/l TA, 3.41 pH, 0.74% residual sugar

Cases Produced:

2299

Suggested Retail:

$17

Release Date:

May 2005

Winemaker's Comments

Platinum color with fresh fruit, white peach pit showing perfect ripeness; broad, rich aromatic profile, showing mineral and talc whiteness with effusive white blossom brightness. Very good body weight and bright acid. A very good white wine year, as good as the 2002.

Quotes

The Wine Advocate, June 2006, Pierre Rovani: 89. Attractive aromas of dried honey and almonds are found in the nose of the 2004 Pinot Gris, a satin-textured, medium-bodied excellent value. Boasting terrific richness and a supple, suave personality, this plump wine delivers loads of yellow fruit flavors that linger in its long, seamless finish.