Featured
Double Platinum – 2018 Rosé
Our 2018 Rosé was awarded a Double Platinum by Wine Press Northwest’s 20th annual “Best of the Best!” Platinum Judging:
“The continued collaboration among winemaker Heather Perkin and second-generation vintner Adam Campbell is stronger than ever. One of the Northwest’s largest offerings of rosé from Pinot Noir offers a gorgeously fun color and strikes the right balance. Notes of strawberry, Jolly Rancher watermelon candy, white peach and melon make this not only a crowd-pleaser but also a complete rosé.”
Steven Spurrier – of Bottle Shock fame – Recommends Elk Cove
Steven Spurrier weighed in on his summer visit to Oregon’s Willamette Valley – and recommended our 2016 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir:
“These wines are very site-specific, reminding me of Burgundy, which is probably why Burgundians are taking such an interest… From the Pinots, I had so many scores over 92 that it is hard to choose just five from the splendid 2016s, but here goes: Cristom, Jessie Vineyard; Elk Cove, Mount Richmond; Evesham Wood, Le Puits Sec; Nicolas-Jay, Willamette Valley; R Stuart & Co, Autograph.”
Spurrier is a British wine expert and one of the most influential wine writers in the world. He opened France’s first private wine school in 1973 and his discovery of California wines inspired the movie Bottle Shock. Spurrier is currently the Consultant Editor for Decanter Magazine.
Chef Amy’s Pinot Noir Salted Crackers
Chef Amy’s homemade crackers have garnered quite the following, so by request we’re sharing her recipe. This versatile cracker ecipe can be garnished with all sorts of salts and seeds… but our favorite are salted with beautifully tinted Pinot Noir salt. Goes great with cheese and charcuterie.
Gold Medal – Great Northwest Invitational
It’s an honor just to be nominated for this competition, but this year we succeeded with Gold Medals for both our 2017 Estate Pinot Noir and our 2018 Pinot Noir Rosé.
Best Rosé – Great Northwest Invitational
Our 2018 Rosé was awarded “Best Rosé in a blind tasting of 756 northwest wines. It’s an honor just to be nominated for this competition, but this year we succeeded with Gold Medals for both our Rosé and our 2017 Estate Pinot Noir.
93 Points in Wine Spectator
Our 2017 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir received a spectacular 93 point rating from the Wine Spectator:
“Offers grace and presence, with layered cherry and pomegranate flavors, accented by sassafras tea and spice notes, building tension toward refined tannins.” – T.F.
This review posted online to subscribers at winespectator.com in 2019.
The End of Prohibition: Why we Celebrate Repeal Day
The 18th Amendment was repealed over 85 years ago. What a great excuse to celebrate – join us for our annual Repeal Day Party in the Elk Cove wine cellar.
The end of prohibition is also an excuse for us to delve into a bit of the family history of Elk Cove cofounders Pat and Joe Campbell:
Pat’s great grandparents were Swiss farmers and winemakers in Helvetia, Oregon in the early 1900s. Did they make wine during Prohibition? If you were a subsistence farmer with 4 kids, 12 grandkids and 5 acres of Chasselas grapevines, what would you do?
Oregon Chardonnay is Catching Up
Our 91 point 2017 Goodrich Chardonnay was featured in “8 Oregon Chardonnays at 90+ Points: these new releases prove there’s more to the state than its Pinot Noirs”
According to Wine Spectator reviewer Tim Fish:
“Pinot Noir gets all the love in Oregon, but Chardonnay is catching up. After decades of uneven quality, the grape is finding its place in the Pacific Northwest.
91 Points in Wine Spectator
Our 2017 Goodrich Chardonnay was awarded 91 points in Wine Spectator:
“Floral and elegantly festive, with pretty tropical fruit and pear notes, laced with honeysuckle details and lingering on a plush finish.” – Tim Fish
This review was also featured in Wine Spectator’s “8 Oregon Chardonnays at 90+ Points”
So how does Oregon Pinot Noir age?
We’re often asked how long to age our Pinot Noirs. While some 95% of wine buyers drink their purchases as soon as they get their wine home, aging an Oregon Pinot Noir can be fascinating as the wines take on more leather, dried fig, and tobacco leaf components.
At Elk Cove, we maintain a library of older vintage wines so that we can regularly assess how those wines are aging. We often open a bottle of our Pinot Noir from the 70’s or 80’s and find that it’s aging quite nicely. Part of the enjoyment is in knowing the family history of these wines. As Elk Cove winemaker Adam Campbell told Oregon Wine Press Magazine in 2019, the wines his dad made in the 1970’s “are still tasting lovely, and we feel so fortunate to be able to break out a little piece of history every now and then…”
STAFF PICK: Our 2017 Soil Trilogy
STAFF PICK: Our 2017 Soil Trilogy
We’re featuring Charlotte and Lila’s favorite Elk Cove wine – our 2017 Soil Trilogy – throughout the month of October 2019 in our tasting room and online. Charlotte and Lila Bright are the newest members of the Elk Cove tasting room team. When we asked them to each pick a favorite Elk Cove wine, but they both wanted to do the 2017 Soil Trilogy – together. Here’s what Lila has to say about it:
How long have you been working at Elk Cove?
Just 4 months. Dane Campbell – one of the best people in the world – is a really good friend of a friend, and he referred me to Elk Cove. I wasn’t knowledgeable about wine, but Elk Cove gave me a chance. I’m learning something new every day and that’s an exciting part of the job. Plus we really do have the best customers in the whole world.
Why the Soil Trilogy?
We’re one of the few wineries that have wines from all three of these soil types, and I LOVE Jory soil because that’s where Clay Court comes from.
So really Clay Court is your favorite, why?
It’s such a beautiful wine – really smooth but also lingering… It’s a great stand-alone wine – you don’t need food to enjoy it. I like to say it’s “deliciousness in a bottle”.
Also, Clay Court is Elk Cove founder Pat Campbell’s favorite too. When I found that out I said “YES!” because she is one of my heroes. She was the first woman winemaker in Oregon and she does amazing things for the community. I’ve gotten to know her because she’s often up here taking care of the flowers and the garden. I really hope we can stay family-owned forever and be 4th, 5th and 6th generation winery someday.
What’s it like working with Charlotte?
Charlotte and I are definitely the two newbies, but we’re a good team. We’re both bubbly people. We might be a bit enthusiastic, but she and I are a force to be reckoned with.
– Lila Bright, Tasting Room Associate
Learn more about our Soil Trilogy >
2018 Pinot Blanc a Trophy Winner
We’re proud to announce that our 2018 Pinot Blanc was awarded a Trophy in the Six Nations Wine Challenge!
This is the very highest award for the aromatic whites category in an international, invitation-only, blind-tasted competition that includes many top-rated wines from the US, Canada, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.
Since 2003, Six Nations Wine Challenge invites prominent wine experts from each of the leading New World wine countries: USA, Canada, Chile, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The experts nominate their top 100 wines to be included in the competition. At a week-long convention in Sydney Australia, the judges blind taste hundreds of nominated wines. The trophy is awarded October 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Winemaker Adam Campbell will unfortunately will not be able to attend because it’s during our harvest season.
“Because the wines are all selected by each of the judges the standard of wine quality must surely be higher than any competition of this size in the world” – Bob Campbell, New Zealand Master of Wine
This score posts online at sixnationswine.com
Holiday Catalog
We’re proud to announce our Holiday Catalog for 2019!
We’ve always run specials this time of year, but for 2019 we decided to make it official. These products are also available on our shopping cart. You can always order by emailing orders@elkcove.com or calling us at 503-985-7760 during business hours. We love helping people plan their holiday wine purchases.
Harvest 2019
Welcome to Harvest 2019! Each year we document the vintage with a photo gallery.
Read More
91 Points and Editor’s Choice – Our 2018 Pinot Gris
Our 2018 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris was awarded 91 points and named and Editor’s Choice by Wine Enthusiast Magazine:
“Tones of lemon, lime and green apple penetrate deeply on the nose and palate. It’s tart and juicy, with a bright profile that will please many.” – Paul Gregutt
The review will post in the October 2019 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine and at winemag.com. According to Senior Tasting Director Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast blind tastes wines for review and rates their wines according to a 100 point scale:
Classic 98-100: The pinnacle of quality.
Superb 94-97: A great achievement.
Excellent 90-93: Highly recommended.
Very Good 87-89: Often good value; well recommended.
Good 83-86: Suitable for everyday consumption; often good value.
Acceptable 80-82: Can be employed in casual, less-critical circumstances.
Wines receiving a rating below 80 are not reviewed.
91 Points in Wine Enthuasiast
Our 2017 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir was awarded 91 points by Wine Enthusiast!
“All of Adam Campbell’s 2017 Pinots are fine-tuned and elegant. Not as ripe as the 2015s, nor as sturdy as the 2016s, they perfectly express the character of this vintage. This vineyard selection offers tight raspberry limned with citrus. Flavors are sharp, and the tannins polished. Another year or two in the bottle should further improve this wine.” – Paul Gregutt
The review will post in the October 2019 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine and at winemag.com. According to Senior Tasting Director Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast blind tastes wines for review and rates their wines according to a 100 point scale:
Classic 98-100: The pinnacle of quality.
Superb 94-97: A great achievement.
Excellent 90-93: Highly recommended.
Very Good 87-89: Often good value; well recommended.
Good 83-86: Suitable for everyday consumption; often good value.
Acceptable 80-82: Can be employed in casual, less-critical circumstances.
Wines receiving a rating below 80 are not reviewed.
92 Points in Wine Enthusiast
Our 2017 Clay Court Pinot Noir was awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast!
“Made from Pommard and Dijon vines set atop Parrett Mountain, this is a spicy wine with pinpoint flavors of mountain berries, backed with juicy citrus. A finesse wine, stylish and deep, the details remain in sharp focus through a mineral-backed finish.” – Paul Gregutt
The review posts in the October 2019 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine and at winemag.com. According to Senior Tasting Director Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast blind tastes wines for review and rates their wines according to a 100 point scale:
Classic 98-100: The pinnacle of quality.
Superb 94-97: A great achievement.
Excellent 90-93: Highly recommended.
Very Good 87-89: Often good value; well recommended.
Good 83-86: Suitable for everyday consumption; often good value.
Acceptable 80-82: Can be employed in casual, less-critical circumstances.
Wines receiving a rating below 80 are not reviewed.
2017 Five Mountain Pinot Noir – 91 Points in Wine Enthusiast
Our 2017 Five Mountain Pinot Noir was awarded 91 points by Wine Enthusiast!
“Peppery aromas carry that spicy impression into the palate, where medium-ripe red berries rule. Look for additional details of sweet grass and fresh herbs as it gently fades. Drink now through the early 2020s.” – Paul Gregutt
The review will post in the October 2019 issue of Wine Enthusiast Magazine and at winemag.com. According to Senior Tasting Director Joe Czerwinski, Wine Enthusiast blind tastes wines for review and rates their wines according to a 100 point scale:
Classic 98-100: The pinnacle of quality.
Superb 94-97: A great achievement.
Excellent 90-93: Highly recommended.
Very Good 87-89: Often good value; well recommended.
Good 83-86: Suitable for everyday consumption; often good value.
Acceptable 80-82: Can be employed in casual, less-critical circumstances.
Wines receiving a rating below 80 are not reviewed.
Distributor Retreat 2019
These are the people who help us show Elk Cove to the world and we are so grateful for all that they do!
DISTRIBUTOR RETREAT 2019!
In August 2019, rock star members of the trade came from across the US to learn about Elk Cove and the Willamette Valley with vineyard visits, wine tastings, expert panels and fantastic meals all hosted by the Elk Cove staff.
Campers: we hope you all had a fantastic time in Oregon and at Elk Cove. Please share your fantastic pics here or on IG/TW @elkcove using #elkcove Cheers! THANK YOU for the photos: Brittany Mott, Wine Specialist with RNDC Dani Heidle, Elk Cove National Sales Manager Amy Griffith, Elk Cove Winery Chef