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“Polished and sleekly built, with expressive dark berry, violet and spiced tea accents that build complexity toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2024. 1,012 cases made.” – T.F.
This review posts in the October 2018 issue of the magazine.
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 Pinot Noir Rosé.
Our 2019 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.
The 18th Amendment was repealed over 85 years ago.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?
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.
“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”
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 >
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
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.
Welcome to Harvest 2019! Each year we document the vintage with a photo gallery.
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“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.
“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.
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.
“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.
These are the people who help us show Elk Cove to the world and we are so grateful for all that they do!
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
Mount Richmond Vineyard
Josh Raynolds of Vinous gives high praise for our 2016 Pinot Noirs:
94 Pts – 2016 Roosevelt Pinot Noir
93 Pts – 2016 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir
93 Pts – 2016 La Bohème Pinot Noir
93 Pts – 2016 Five Mountain Pinot Noir
92 Pts – 2016 Clay Court Pinot Noir
92 Pts – 2016 Goodrich Pinot Noir
91 Pts – 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir – sold out
We’re incredibly proud of our winemakers today. These reviews can be read online by logging in at vinous.com
Curious how soil affects wine? Our Soil Trilogy is a great way to experience three wines made with the same varietal, by the same winemaker, our own Adam Campbell, from grapes grown on each of the three primary soil types here in the northern Willamette Valley. We are very fortunate to farm Pinot Noir on each of the three major Willamette Valley soil types: Willakenzie (marine sedimentary), Laurelwood (windblown silt) and Jory (volcanic clay). Our wines that typify the expression of each soil type are:
La Bohème (Willakenzie/marine sediment)
Five Mountain (Laurelwood/windblown silt)
Clay Court (Jory/volcanic clay)
From early on, it was our goal to farm on this diversity of soil types so that we could take Elk Cove 100% estate. The final piece of this puzzle was our purchase of Clay Court Vineyard in 2009. Clay Court is now home to Elk Cove founders Pat and Joe Campbell – and the namesake tennis court.
There is a relationship between soil type, aromatics and fruit expression that is fascinating to explore. Our soil trilogy is your chance to find out first-hand and taste for yourself. Our Single Vineyard Wines are made in small runs, this offer is only available while supplies last.
Want to know more about our local geology and how it affects wines? Check out this article by local wine geologist and Portland State professor Scott Burns.
Our 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir was awarded 90 points by Wine Enthusiast! This is a great score for an Oregon Pinot Noir priced at around $30:
“A lovely, fruit-packed wine, this is made in a forward, friendly style and given the same care as the single-vineyard wines. Released a bit later, it has benefitted from both the excellent vintage and the extra bottle age. Mixed blueberry and blue plum fruit offers pleasing notes of coffee and chocolate, and retains a hint of anchoring minerality.” – 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.
We’ve been notified of some excellent reviews in the October 2019 issue of the magazine – all 90 points and above – including two Editors’ Choice designations! Our Pinot Blanc was awarded 92 points by Wine Enthusiast for the second year in a row, showing that our winemakers are on their game when it comes to this little-known varietal.
92 Pts & Editors’ Choice – 2018 Pinot Blanc
92 Pts – 2017 Clay Court Pinot Noir
91 Pts & Editors’ Choice – 2018 Pinot Gris
91 Pts – 2017 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir
91 Pts – 2017 Five Mountain Pinot Noir
90 Pts – 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
These 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.