2021
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2021 Pinot Gris Reserve

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From the Elk Cove cellar, a reimagined, reserve-level Pinot Gris that is full and rich with great intensity of fruit.

Sweetly perfumed with pear, honeysuckle, and sugar cookie on the nose, this full-bodied wine is lush, almost oily, and intensely fruit-forward. Peach cobbler and mandarin orange on the palate are complemented by a savory minerality and lime peel on the finish.

Vintage

VINTAGE 2021 was an outstanding year at Elk Cove. Cool weather during bloom and moderate temperatures during most of the growing season brought forth an ample harvest of intensely concentrated fruit.

The timing of weather events was key to our success in 2021. Rainfall during bloom raised expectations for a small, high-quality crop. Then a once-in-a millennium heat dome event brought worrying temperatures to the Pacific Northwest. This was thankfully during the most resilient stage of the growing season and our old vines survived without signs of serious stress or sunburn. Growth resumed normally once temperatures cooled with average heat from July through September bringing even ripening to the plentiful small, loose clusters. Our vines made it through the rain and the heat in fine condition with lots of variable-sized berries, known as hens and chicks.

Harvest 2021 was not only of high quality but also surprisingly bountiful. Low levels of dehydration combined with the numerous small clusters and several acres of young vines coming into maturity meant a record tonnage for Elk Cove. For red Pinot Noirs, expect intense color and flavors bursting out of the glass, while white wines and rosés are fruit-forward with great acidity and balance.

Vineyard

Our Reserve Pinot Gris represents the best of our hand-harvested fruit from our Five Mountain Vineyard, where we have old-vine Pinot Gris dating back to 1978! Pinot Gris has long been a focus at Elk Cove and together with other Oregon wineries, we helped put Oregon Pinot Gris on the map. We love its stone-fruit flavors, fresh aromatics and it’s flexibility in complementing a wide variety of foods. Planted in a high-density format, all our Pinot Gris undergoes shoot and crop thinning for low yields to maximize quality and concentration.

Winemaking

Our family has grown Oregon’s most popular white varietal since 1985. We’re finally honoring our commitment to this cool-climate varietal with a reserve-level wine. Fermentation in concrete eggs brings out stone-fruit character while oak puncheons 2x the size of regular barrels add richness and spice. This is a winery exclusive first offered to our club members.

Viticultural & Enological Data

  • Vine Age 16 years old
  • Harvest Sugars 23 Brix
  • Vatting Whole-cluster pressed and cold fermented in a combination of concrete eggs (73%) and oak puncheons (27%)
  • Cases Produced 192 cases