92 Points in Wine & Spirits Our 2017 Pinot Blanc has received a 92 point rating from Wine…
“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.
Our 2016 Five Mountain Pinot Noir received an excellent 92 points in Wine Enthusiast:
“There’s lovely styling evident in this young wine, which seems delicately sculpted and boasts mouth-filling flavors. Plum, blueberry and brown spices are in the mix, with polished tannins that ensure a smooth glide through the lingering finish.” –Paul Gregutt
This review posted in the December 2018 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 2016 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir received an excellent 93 point rating from Wine Enthusiast:
“Supple purple fruits show perfect ripeness while rounding off in a lovely and satisfying mid-palate. Barrel aging contributes a streak of espresso. Accents of black olive and clean earth are carefully moderated by smooth polished tannins.” –Paul Gregutt
This review posted in the December 2018 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 2016 Clay Court Pinot Noir received an excellent 93 point rating from Wine Enthusiast:
“Made from Pommard and Dijon clones of Pinot Noir, this is a snappy, lip-smacking wine, loaded with tangy raspberry and blueberry flavors. Highlights of cola, tea and subtle streaks of savory notes contribute to the overall length and complexity.” –Paul Gregutt
This review posted in the December 2018 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.
“Supple and elegantly complex, with pretty raspberry and violet aromas and sleek cherry and orange peel flavors that glide on a long finish. Drink now through 2024.” – T.F.
This review posts in the October 2018 issue of the magazine.
Happy Sweet September!
As harvest begins, we are celebrating the changing of the seasons with a glass of sweet wine. In our cool climate, that means the “world’s most noble grape” otherwise known as Riesling!
We hear a lot of opinions sweet wines, the stereotype is that they’re most popular among people new to wine, but we know better: Riesling is for everyone! And it’s especially popular among wine-professionals. The key is in the balance. No one wants a wine to be cloyingly sweet. Crafting a Riesling is an art that begins in the vineyard with carefully monitoring the sweetness, acidity and pH of the grapes as they ripen. We harvest on exactly the right day for the style of wine we are creating, and Adam and Heather take it from there with gentle winemaking and a slow, cool fermentation.
Another key to enjoying Riesling? Knowing how sweet a wine is before you open the bottle. It’s disappointing to think you have a sweet wine to accompany a spicy meal only to find it dry. It’s equally sad to open a bottle you’re hoping to pair with a goat cheese salad only to find the sweetness overwhelms the dish. That’s why we’ve joined with winemakers worldwide and have adopted the International Riesling Foundation Scale. It’s a system for predicting the average perceived sweetness of a wine based not only on sugar content, which is notoriously misleading, but that also takes into account the acidity and pH of the wine. So next time you’re shopping for a Riesling, check out the back of the bottle and look for the IRF scale.
Here is how our wines stack up on the IRF scale:
For a limited time, we have a special on our “Sweet Three” wines check it out here. And below you’ll find more about Riesling:
Dry, medium dry, medium sweet or sweet? Riesling comes in such a wide range of styles, it helps to have a guide!
The IRF Riesling Taste Profile
The International Riesling Foundation developed the Riesling Taste Profile, an easy-to-read indicator of where a wine fits on the dry-to-sweet scale.
Based on IRF guidelines for the interplay of sugar, acid and pH, winemakers calculate where to place the arrow on the profile for use on the back label to help consumers choose the Riesling that best matches their taste.
Why Do We Love Riesling?
Originating in Germany hundreds of years ago, Riesling today is grown in regions around the globe and is one of the world’s fastest growing varieties. It’s easy to see why. A favorite of chefs, sommeliers and wine professionals everywhere, it is aromatic, food-friendly and filled with personality. In all the world, no other wine so deftly reflects its soil and region.
Here are just a few reasons to love Riesling:
Versatile — Riesling comes in a mouthwatering array of flavor profiles. From dry to medium dry to medium sweet to sweet, Riesling offers a pleasing taste for every palate.
Food friendly — Riesling is the ultimate food-pairing wine, with options for every cuisine. Dry Rieslings are well suited to shellfish and classic preparations of fish, pork and poultry as well as cream sauces. Medium dry Rieslings are terrific with spicy Asian/fusion cuisine, smoked fish and salty cheeses. Medium sweet Rieslings pair beautifully with rich, spicy Indian dishes or dishes featuring fresh fruits. Sweet Rieslings are wonderful with salty blue cheeses, fruit desserts and foie gras.
Evocative — More than any other grape, Riesling takes on the character of the soil and climate where it is grown. Some will say it does so almost down to individual vines!
Easy sipping — Medium dry and medium sweet Rieslings have lower alcohol levels than other wines. When combined with well-balanced acidity, that makes them perfect for sipping in hot weather and for serving at parties in all seasons.
Fine aging — Many fine Rieslings will cellar beautifully and for much longer than other wines. They only grow more concentrated and complex with age.
Whether you are new to Riesling or already an affirmed fan of the noble grape, we encourage you to explore different Rieslings in different flavor profiles from a variety of regions around the globe. You will find options to keep you happily exploring for a lifetime!
Source: The International Riesling Foundation, http://drinkriesling.com
Our 2016 Clay Court Pinot Noir has been honored with a 91 point score in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir Clay Court has a nose of red and black cherry preserves with touches of spice, dried leaves and red licorice. Light to medium-bodied and silky textured, it fills the mouth with ripe black and red fruit preserves with lovely accents of potpourri and earth plus soft, fine-grained tannins and great juicy acidity, finishing long.” –Erin Brooks
This review posted in 238 issue of magazine on August 31, 2018.
Our 2016 Roosevelt Pinot Noir has been honored with a fantastic 94+ point score in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“The pale to medium ruby-purple 2016 Pinot Noir Roosevelt has an open nose of warm black and red cherries and berries with touches of cinnamon stick, dried leaves, red licorice and floral perfume. Light to medium-bodied, silky textured and very concentrated, it fills the mouth with ripe black and red fruits and spice, with a firm frame of grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing with wonderful layers and a touch of salty licorice.” –Erin Brooks
This review posted in 238 issue of magazine on August 31, 2018.
Our 2016 Goodrich Pinot Noir has been honored with a 92 point score in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Goodrich Pinot Noir has a nose of cranberry sauce, warm raspberry and strawberry jam with accents of warm cinnamon, autumn leaves and herbs. Light to medium-bodied, it gives up warm red fruits and pepper accents with a good frame of firm, fine-grained tannins and lovely mouthwatering acidity, finishing long with warm fruit and spice layers.” –Erin Brooks
This review posted in 238 issue of magazine on August 31, 2018.
Our 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir has been honored with a 90 point score in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“The 2016 Pinot Noir is pale to medium ruby-purple in color with a bright, open nose of strawberry jam, boysenberry and blueberry preserves with touches of spice and earth. Light to medium-bodied, it gives good concentration of red and blue fruits in the mouth with juicy acidity and fine-grained tannins, finishing with touches of nutmeg and forest floor. This is a great value.” –Erin Brooks
This review posted in 238 issue of magazine on August 31, 2018.
Our 2017 Pinot Blanc has been honored with a 90 point score in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“The 2017 Pinot Blanc has an open, fresh nose of yellow apples, Bosc pears and white peaches with touches of wet pebbles and white flowers. Mediumbodied, it has great concentration of white stone fruits in the mouth with crisp, refreshing acidity, finishing long and minerally with a nice touch of phenolic texture.” –Erin Brooks
This review posted in 238 issue of magazine on August 31, 2018.
Our 2017 Pinot Gris has been honored with a 90 point score in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate:
“The 2017 Pinot Gris has an open nose of Bosc pears, white peach and apricot with touches of spring blossoms and wet pebbles. Light to medium-bodied with good concentration of fresh fruits in the mouth, it offers crisp, refreshing acidity, finishing long with just a touch of phenolic texture.” –Erin Brooks
This review posted in 238 issue of magazine on August 31, 2018.
“Elk Cove is an Oregon trailblazer, responsible for pushing classically-styled Pinot Noir that has rivalled Burgundy for decades. Their ‘Mount Richmond’ bottling comes from a cool-climate terroir abundant in Willakenzie soils; it’s a deep and luxurious Grand Cru equivalent.”
When we give mention to classic producers, it’s not uncommon to see “pioneer” in the writeup. The word is tossed around quite a bit, but Elk Cove Vineyards matches the definition precisely: They are truly a region-defining producer, having been one of the first 10 wineries in all of Oregon (there are currently 500+ in Willamette Valley) when the Campbell family settled here in the early 1970s.”
These are just a few of the kind words Somm Select has for Elk Cove and our 2016 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir, featured in July, 2018 by the prestigious wine blog. You can read the whole review and sign up for Somm Select’s fantastic daily wine offerings at sommselect.com.
– sommselect.com
SommSelect presents daily offers of world-class wines at all price points, curated by an expert team led by Master Sommelier Ian Cauble. We draw on extensive restaurant wine-buying experience in making our selections, while supplementing our knowledge through regular travel to the world’s great wine regions. Each wine we offer comes with a detailed description of its history and crafting; expert tasting notes; serving suggestions.
We are not deep discounters or otherwise hunting for closeouts or ‘one-offs.’ Our team works closely with top vendors and winemakers, tasting constantly in search of the most memorable bottles across a wide range of styles—from bottles, you can pop and pour tonight to ‘collectibles’ destined for your cellar.
“This sophisticated effort is highlighted by bright, polished fruit flavors of apple, melon and white peach. It’s long and focused, fresh and immaculate, with no apparent new oak.” – Paul Gregutt
This review is in the October, 2018 issue of the 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:
“A brisk pinot blanc, this leads with tart lemon notes and a pronounced whiff of minerals, as if chalk dust were rising from the glass. There’s marvelous tension between the wine’s green apple crispness and rounded texture, reined in by fine acidity. Exciting stuff for something on the green side, like scallops with arugula pesto.” – Patrick J. Comiskey
This is the highest rating so far for our Pinot Blanc, an unusual varietal in the Pacific Northwest, but one that we’re really excited about. Learn more about Pinot Blanc here.
The review posts in the August, 2018 issue of the magazine and at wineandspiritsmagazine.com
Our 2015 Brut Rosé received an excellent 91 point rating from Wine Enthusiast. This is only the third sparkling wine we’ve produced at Elk Cove, so this review is a welcome sign that we are heading the right direction with our sparkling wines!
91 Elk Cove 2015 La Boheme Estate Grown Brut Rose (Yamhill-Carlton). “Sourced from the oldest vines of the estate’s La Boheme vineyard, this lush sparkler is made from 100% Pinot Noir. Its pretty strawberry shade matches the scents and flavors. With exceptional concentration and elegance, it seemingly gathers strength through its long, flavorful finish.” -Paul Gregutt
This review posted in the June 2018 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.
Harvey Steiman of the Wine Spectator takes a look back at the Willamette Valley’s 2008 vintage 10 years on and gives our 2008 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir a classic 95 point score:
ELK COVE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Mount Richmond 2008 Score: 95
“Supple, refined and generous, with layers of black cherry, plum, mineral and floral flavors wrapped in velvety tannins. The finish rolls on, picking up hints of licorice and caramel. Drink now through 2023. 894 cases made.” —H.S.
“Willamette Valley’s 2008 Pinot Noir vintage looked golden from the start. Weather that year was ideal: Cooler-than-usual temperatures for most of the season helped preserve acidity and keep alcohol levels moderate, and harvesttime saw sunny skies and moderate temperatures that prevented overripeness. A smaller-than-usual crop yielded intense flavors.
In my three decades of reviewing Oregon Pinot Noirs, the dazzling 2008 vintage produced more outstanding ratings (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator‘s 100-point scale) and more classic ratings (95-plus) than any year before it. The vintage rated 96 points, topped since only by 2012.
A decade on, it was time to revisit them, and they’re doing even better than expected. Tasted blind, 17 of the 32 bottles I reviewed scored higher this time, some by as many as six points. Ten more scored exactly the same or within one point. (An additional three wines suffered from faulty corks and were not reviewed.)
More important, nearly all the wines showed the vitality and freshness of younger wines while developing the savory nuances of age. Tannins had mostly resolved into textures that range from silky to velvety. In short, these wines have become the classics the vintage promised.” – Harvey Steiman
Read more at winespectator.com or find this article in theJune 15, 2018 issue of the magazine.
How long have you been at Elk Cove?
It will be 16 years in June.It’s been fun. We’ve done a lot of development in that time. When I started we had 90 acres on 3 properties. Now we’re up to 7 vineyard sites with 360 acres planted.
How much has your team grown?
Back in 2002 we might have had 10 year round on the vineyard crew, now we have close to 40 employees in the fields.
And what’s changed in the vineyards here?
We’ve tried to bring in efficiencies in all of our practices. One point – we use auto GPS in our tractors to lay out our vineyards. Probably 99% of Vineyards in Oregon they lay cables to grid out their vineyards, we use a tractor that drives itself. That certainly wasn’t done in the past.
Tell us about Mount Richmond.
Our ideal site is an inverted bowl on one of these hilltops for various reasons: air drainage, water drainage, everything about it is that much better, even if it rolls a little bit to the north or two the west everything is better. But it’s all site specific, everything is site-specific.
Can you tell us a little bit about the soil?
It’s sedimentary marine, very little top soil. In fact in some places there’s no top soil. It’s fantastic for Pinot Noir. Adam can tell you more about what it does for the wines.
How’d you get your start?
I started as a cellar intern for Ponzi Vineyards and apparently was good enough to stick around to run the cellar for the next two years! Then I transitioned to the vineyard around 98/99 I started running their vineyards and slowly phasing out in the cellar. Ponzi went from 40 acres planted to about 110. In 2002 I guess I decided I wanted a break and left Ponzi and Adam called immediately and sucked me in! I had known Adam a couple of years and I liked the program at Elk Cove and what he was doing over here, so here I am.
Did you have a background in viticulture?
No. You know I didn’t. My dad was in construction and I remember the night Luisa (Ponzi) called me, I was having an argument with my dad over something and I had no real interest in wine. I didn’t have any interest in wine, quite frankly. I was 18 years old. But I was mad at my dad so I said heck yeah I’ll work harvest. Sounds like a great thing – I knew they had Bridgeport Brewing, I wasn’t old enough to drink but I thought “Pizza and beer at some point!” It turned out well, I took a bunch of night classes at Chemeketa and headed down to New Zealand in 1999 and helped Larry McKenna, helped Matt Dicey set up his first winery. It’s been a pretty good ride so far.
That’s a pretty great story. So you’re from Oregon?
I was born and raised in Hillsboro. I have a family member who has a farm in Southern Oregon and I would go down and spend a few weeks with him every summer. So I liked the idea of getting into ag, I just didn’t really have an avenue to do that so I seized the moment I guess.
What about sustainability?
You know, Pat and Adam were really farming things sustainably when I started. Windhill was farmed 100% organically, and we still use Organic Materials Research Institute materials. We use a lot of cover crops to build nutrients and organic material. This crimson clover you see growing will build about 60 pounds of nitrogen per acre. If we incorporate that into the soil it will free up not only nitrogen but also carbon, the building blocks of life. So that’s what we use to feed our plants. We might use a small amount of synthetic if we really have to, but that only happens every 7 years or so.
So what’s happening in the vineyard today?
We have two crews in the vineyard today. What they’re doing now is tipping and tying, making sure we have enough buds to wrap on the fruiting wire. When they do the primary cuts they leave 2 or 3 canes on the plants and then they go through at another pass to tip and tie each vine.
Tell us about your own vineyard:
At Bishop Scott Ranch we’ve got 6 acres of Pinot Noir and another 6 acres of Pinot Gris. So the plan is maybe our kids one day will want to take it over. My son starts at OSU next fall and his goal is to get into an enology program. My daughter is 13 and for her science project last year she made some pinot gris. She got a great grade on it (laughs). The teachers wanted to bring in the finished product but the superintendent said no for some reason. So my son thinks he wants to be a viticulturist and my daughter wants to be a winemaker. But if they don’t choose to go that route, I’m going to retire early in Mexico.
Our 2015 Goodrich Chardonnay was awarded 91 points by Josh Raynolds of Vinous:
“Pale gold. Subtly oak-tinged tangerine, pear and honeydew aromas are complemented by gentle floral and ginger nuances. Smooth and focused in the mouth, offering juicy citrus and orchard fruit flavors that put on weight and pick up a spicy quality with air. Gently sweet and seamless in texture, showing bright closing cut and very good persistence.”
These reviews are available to subscribers of Vinous.com
Our 2014 Goodrich Chardonnay was given an “Excellent” rating by Great Northwest Wine:
“It’s about time. One of the Pacific Northwest’s top producers of Pinot Gris and Riesling has joined the Chardonnay renaissance in Oregon. Adam Campbell and his family’s 2014 investment in Goodrich Vineyard near Yamhill pays dividends here with Elk Cove Vineyards’ first Chardonnay since 1998. The care taken during the winemaking includes a barrel program over 12 months with some lees stirring beyond malolactic fermentation. After that, came six months in stainless steel. That combination creates for beautiful aromatics of rosewater, Asian pear and green banana. On the palate, the integration of the oak leads to flavors of Golden Delicious apple and baked pineapple, backed by pear skin and dried apricot.”
View the whole review at greatnorthwestwine.com