Cellar Selects: Oct. 2019
Fill in the Blanc: Refreshing
J. Scott Cellars 2018 Albariño, Washington
A layered nose of lilies, hay, petrol and citrus peel leads to a palate volleying between sweet and tart flavors — lemon to apple, honey-sweetened cereal to ruby grapefruit. Softly textured with a fleeting spritz in the beginning, this wine leaves a refreshing impression. $20; 355 cases; jscottcellars.com
Schmidt Family 2018 Albariño, Applegate Valley
Perfumed and fruity, the nose shows fresh notes of early-season pear and candied citrus. Tropical flavors of papaya and honeydew give way to a long lemon-lime zesty finish. $20; 125 cases; sfvineyards.com
Mt. Hood Winery 2018 White Pinot, Columbia Gorge
Summery notes abound with banana, lime, kiwi and nectarine aromas, repeating on the palate. A pleasantly oily texture lends noticeable weight while being balanced with salinity and lemony tartness. $32; 100 cases; mthoodwinery.com
Eola Hills Wine Cellars 2018 Lucent White Pinot, Willamette Valley
Complexity rules with representations of floral, fruit, mineral and spice. White peach, limestone, white pepper, jasmine and bergamot entice the nose and palate, resulting in a juicy reaction on the tongue, warranting yet another sip. $24; 500 cases; eolahillswinery.com
David Hill 2018 Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley
A fruity medley of orange, melon, kiwi, green apple and starfruit aromas. Orange repeats on the palate and is met with nutty cashew, salinity and a tart Meyer lemon finish. $25; 74 cases; davidhillwinery.com
King Estate 2017 Foris Vineyard Pinot Blanc, Rogue Valley
Tart Seville orange, pineapple, lemongrass and toasty notes present on the nose and continue to wash over the palate, hitting all the trigger points. Juicy, refreshing, dry and slightly bitter with a lengthy finish sealing the deal. $24; 204 cases; kingestate.com
Furioso Vineyards 2018 Tocai Friulano, Yamhill-Carlton
A rose-y experience on the nose and palate, with additional flavors balancing a fine line between lightly fruity and astringent, like pineapple with the drying effect of flesh close to the rind and the bitter green note of fruity olive oil. $38; 106 case; furiosovineyards.com
