Elk Cove was the first Oregon Pinot Gris I ever had, though several years ago. We had this at The Jacksonville Inn with Crab Ravioli in Dill Beurre Blanc, and Hazelnut Prawns in Dill Beurre Blanc.

The wine had a subdued nose of honeydew with citrus undertones. On the Palate, the wine is rich with flavors of pineapple and kiwi. I liked it more than babsy did. 89

I tasted this one at a party over the weekend and was pretty impressed. While I didn't focus on it enough to assign a rating to it, it did exceed my expectations.

I have a friend who lives in Dundee and used to be in the wine business. Several years ago, he sent me a bottle of Elk Cove Pinot Gris. I had never had one from OR and I was impressed. I think we'll see some truly great ones being produced in the not-too-distant future.

There is a glut of Pinot gris planted in Oregon right now.

There is high hopes for Oregon Pinot gris, I have had some very nice bottles (AZ, St. Innocent, J. Albin) but I don't feel that Pinot gris is going to be Oregon's white wine. I have talked to a few Oregon winemakers who feel that Oregon is having a hard time making great Pinot gris due to the fact that we are not able to get the desired flavors unless we have incredibly ripe fruit which makes high alcohol wines. Who wants to drink 15.5% alcohol Pinot gris?

I have been loudly preaching Oregon Chardonnay for some time now and I am convinced that in 10 years our chard could be as popular as Oregon Pinot noir. The oldest 76 clone is about maybe 11 years old, it's just a baby.. The 11 year old 76 clone that I am talking about belongs to Domaine Drouhin who has just produced a 2002 Chardonnay which will blow your mind. Yes, I have tasted a whole lot of disgusting Oregon chardonnay but look out when our 76 clone gets some age on it. It will compete with white burgundy.

Jim,
I agree with you in regards to Chardonnay. Certainly the best white wines I've had from Oregon have all been Chardonnays (although, as you say, the good ones are hard to come by). My only issue would be with the economics. Even if cropped to yield 15-20% more than the Pinot Noir, I don't think that the grape is as profitable for winemakers as Pinot Noir. While people may be willing to regularly pay $30+ for Pinot, I don't think the same is true of Chardonnay.

In Burgundy winemakers grow Chardonnay on the soils where Pinot Noir would do poorly. I don't think we have those issues here - Pinot will grow just about everywhere that is suitable for growing grapes. Why grow Chardonnay?

Looks like I disagree some with you two. While some excellent Chardonnays are produced in Oregon, there are loads of mediocre ones. I think Pinot Gris production is still in its infancy and this grape holds more promise for me than Chardonnay.

Board-O I agree that Chardonnay right now in Oregon is horrible, in fact most of it is hideous. Most of that wine comes from the 108 clone which flat out sucks. This clone is used in California and early grape growers in Oregon used this clone to make money, see this clone produced BIG clusters with big berries which gave the grower bigger yields, more money. Early grape growers in Oregon needed to make money, there was more for of a farmer influence than a winemaker/viticulturist than there is now. This 76 clone comes from France and has smaller clusters, smaller berries and ripens earlier.

There have been some great chardonnay's that have been made with the 108 clone, my father made a chardonnay which was the 38th best wine in world I believe but most of 108 wasn't very good and it's being torn up and replanted with 76.. It's going to be a new era for Oregon chard.

OK. You convinced me. I'll drink 'em both.

The other point worth taking into consideration is that PG requires good vine age for it to really produce quality fruit. So in more time the PG may come even better! Finger crossed..more good wine around the world benefits everyone- well almost everyone.

Jeremy, have you tried the Kim Crawford Pinot Gris? I like it a lot- just got a half case of the 2003.

Boardo,
Yeah I saw that in the what are you buying thread. I am not a fan of Kim Crawford wines, as his style often tends towards simplisitc with the wines I enjoy (Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cab) but have recently tried both the 2003 and 2002 PG's and was impressed with
them.

I prefered the 2003 over the 2002.

Because he uses contract growers he has been able to source grapes from reasonably old vines even though he has only produced PG for six years. The vines he mostly sources from are 15-22yr old, and this shows through in the depth of the wine IMO.

Hope you enjoy them.

Thanks for your input, Jeremy. I've had the 2002 several times, one of them with the Rothkos in Florida. I thopught I read somewhere that the 2003 vintage wasn't as good as the 2002, so I wanted the 2002, but could only get the 2003. You just brightened this gray, cold day a litle for me.

The whole which vintage is better in NZ is a relative thing. Because our weather here is so consistant (with the exceptions of frosts which hit in both 2002 and 2003) our version of a bad vintage is often varietal dependant. Example 2002 was better for Marlborough sav blanc than 2003 (although i think this a little premature consideirng what I ahve tasted.), but thats only in Marlborough. In Hawkes Bay 2003 was a cracker, and Otago has shown through with both vintages beign very very good.

So for Kim Crawford 2003 PG I think it needs some time (say 6 months) just to settle (higher acids due to a cooler Novemeber) a little and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

The Kim Crawford Pinot Gris has been my favorite of his wines.. I don't know if I would be able to pick it as a Pinot Gris in a blind tasting though. IIRC it had a lot of cross-over with sauv blanc with the zippy grapefruit and citrus notes.

The elk cove is definitely a stand out for oregon pinot gris. Currently one of my favorites with my "house" pinot gris King Estate.

smaug, have you ever done a side-by-side with the King Estate regular bottling and the Reserve? I've had the Reserve numerous times, but never the regular. Considering the difference in price is only $2 or $3, iirc, it never seemed worthwhile to buy the regular bottling.

Elk Cove is my favorite from Oregon, with the Chehalem Reserve about equal to it.

no side by side, but I can usually find the regular for $11.ish making it a good enough buy to get over the reserve. It isn't as good, but costs enough less to maked it a good choice for me.