Airlie Winery Gewürztraminer
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The Airlie winery and their estate vineyard, Dunn Forest, are live certified sustainable and Salmon Safe.
- The vineyard is hand-cultivated, allowing them to respond to individual vine needs.
Varietal Composition: 100% Gewürztraminer
Elaboration: The grapes were hand harvested and immediately pressed off to minimize skin contact. Pressing decisions are done by taste and the cycle was stopped at just over one bar of pressure to minimize potential phenolics. After pressing, the juice settled for several days before being racked and inoculated. Fermentation temperatures were kept at 52° to 55°F and lasted about four weeks until the wine tasted balanced. The wine was cold stabilized in February and after crossflow filtering the wine was bottled in March 2017 and, for the first time, under screwcap.
Tasting Notes: Dry in style with notes of rose, citrus and apple. This Gewürztraminer is a full-bodied wine with a soft lingering finish, bold enough to pair with spicy foods.
PRESS
n/a
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Airlie winery and the estate vineyard were purchased by Mary Olson in 1997. She was joined by winemaker, Elizabeth Clark, in in 2005. Susan Simons, marketing and sales, joined the time in 2018. Sebastian (2003) and Gustavo (2012) round out the Willamette Valley’s best vineyard crew. Airlie Winery is nestled in the coastal mountain range on the western edge of the Willamette Valley, the inviting setting, complete with a picnic area and pond, extends any plans for just a brief stop. Located in the Heart of the Willamette Valley, Corvallis, Salem, Albany, Dallas and Monmouth are just a short drive away.
Today they have thirty acres of grapes consisting of nine varietals; Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Maréchal Foch, and Muscat Ottonel. Sixty-five percent of the grapes used in making Airlie Wines come from their own vineyards. BeckenRidge Vineyard, located 20 miles away west of Dallas Oregon, supplies the remaining grapes.