The Cellar: Oregon Pinot Gris + Washington Rosé
Friday, July 12, 2013
In preparation for next week’s ‘Evening with Wine’ tasting at the Providence Wine Academy (to which 4 tickets remain) I have tasted a slew of wines from Oregon and Washington. Unfortunately, not every wine makes onto the tasting menu. The following is a review of two wines; one that did and one that didn’t.
2012 Ponzi Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
If there is one group of varietals that Oregon winemakers have embraced over the past 30-40 years and have become experts at vinifying, it is the Pinot varietals (Gris, Blanc and Noir). While the price-train may already have left on Pinot Noir, there still are a lot of great Pinot Gris’ and Blanc’s out there for under $20.
The 2012 Pinot Gris from Ponzi Vineyards is a great example. Ponzi is a 120 acre family business founded in 1970. This certified sustainable Estate is truly a family affair with several members of the Ponzi family taking
active roles in every aspect of grape growing and winemaking. I have been a big fan of this wine for a while and while the 2012 vintage was outshined (just by a hair) during selection, it is still a solid effort and a wine I recommend you seek out. They achieved more ripeness in 2012 resulting in a slightly bigger wine than in previous vintages. It is a wine with more tropical fruit flavors and richer fruit. It spent its entire life in stainless steel which helped preserve its acidity making the wine come across fresh and lively.
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2012 Charles & Charles Rosé, Columbia Valley, Washington
The next wine is one of my personal ‘go-to’ Rosé wines so far this summer and one I couldn’t wait to place on next week’s tasting menu. The wine I am loving is the Syrah heavy Charles & Charles Rosé from Columbia Valley, Washington. The 2012 vintage is made up of 81% Syrah, 16% Mourvedre, 2% Cinsault and 1% Grenache.
Charles Smith is a self-taught winemaker who has already gained a lot of recognition in his relatively short winemaking carrier. A series of “Best New Winery” and “Winemaker of the Year” awards have propelled the guy to the forefront of a lot of peoples mind. Next week’s tasting will feature two of his wines, this Rosé and a Syrah. The Rosé is medium-bodied and delicious filled with watermelon, strawberries and spice. It has an acidic core that elevates the wine and keeps everything nicely balanced.
Cheers!
Steffen Rasch is a Certified Sommelier and Specialist of Wine. Feel free to email him at [email protected] with any wine-related question or sign up for one of his tastings through the Providence Wine Academy.
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