Airlie Winery Pinot Gris
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% Pinot Gris
Elaboration: The fruit was gently de-stemmed directly into the press to minimize skin contact. Pressing decisions are done by taste and the press was stopped at just over one bar of pressure. Being 100% estate fruit we decided this year to pick at two different times, separated by 10 days, as well as inoculating each tank with a different yeast in an effort to bring added complexity to our Pinot gris. Fermentation temperatures were kept at 57°F to 60°F and lasted about five weeks until the wines were nearly dry and tasted balanced. The wine was blended, crossflow filtered and bottled under screwcap in January 2021.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of grapefruit and pear lead into a medium bodied mid-palete with notes of apple and citrus. A lingering finish completes this food friendly wine.
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.