CS: April 2020

Pinot Gris: state’s flagship white a delight

Trella Vineyards 2016 Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley

A combo of sweet grains and fruit shows yeasty sourdough, wheat straw, pear, papaya and caramel on the nose. Pleasantly off-dry with zingy acidity to balance. Pear flavors are joined with petrol, sweet winter squash and a salted caramel finish. $16; 171 cases

Panther Creek 2018 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley

Delicate florals, spicy white clover and banana esters build interest from the first sip. Easy drinking, a bit off-dry with soft acid, the texture is silky and full with a flinty counterpoint. $20; 1,000 cases

Stave & Stone 2019 Broken Shoulder Vineyard Pinot Gris, Columbia Gorge

Pretty honeysuckle, tart lemon-lime, pear and warm, tangy curry spices make a pleasantly curious combination of aromas, while the palate is awash with bright fruity flavors of lemon, orange, mango and floral sweet honeysuckle. Finishes clean with a grapefruit bite. $25; 206 cases

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2018 Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley

A bouquet of rose and honeysuckle with a dollop of honeyed sweetness and a citrus boost of lemon, lime and grapefruit. Light-bodied and refreshingly zippy, the fruit flavors of ruby grapefruit, passion fruit and banana meld into a pleasant finish. $17; 22,000

Reustle-Prayer Rock 2018 Estate Selection Pinot Gris, Umpqua Valley

Savory and slightly tart with aromas of yeasty bread, Asian pear and green melon just shy of ripeness. Flavors reflect the nose with rising dough, melon, golden yellow tomatoes, rocky minerality and a sharp, lime acid finish. $25; 133 cases

King Estate 2018 Estate-Grown “Domaine” Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley

Fruit-basket turnover scents with tangerine, orange, banana, papaya and grapefruit. The mouth-coating palate is a mellow version of the tropical nose with a dash of salinity, a squeeze of lemon, a whiff of white floral and a crisp, citrus pith finish. $29; 2,000 cases

Maryhill 2018 Tudor Hills Vineyard Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley

A yeasty nose further mellowed by beeswax and lifted with lime zest leads to a mineral- and texture-driven palate.  Petrol, honey wheat, lime and salinity glide on a silky mouthfeel with a tart finish. $17; 3,236 cases

Left Coast Estate 2018 “The Orchard” Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley

Peanuttiness, citrus, honeysuckle and orange blossom together create a complex, inviting nose. Salty and crisp on the tongue, the racy acidity is laced with flavors of tangerine, grapefruit and lime. $18; 3,096 cases