Is Oregon pinot gris dull? (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on February 3, 2010 10:20 AM. The previous post in this blog was Cameras in the courtroom? DIY.. The next post in this blog is Peddling pedaling. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Is Oregon pinot gris dull?

These folks think that a lot of it is. But they liked Anne Amie, King, and Bethel Heights, among a few others.

Posted at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Comments (11)

Meh. We're a pinot nois state.

Posted by Roger | February 3, 2010 10:28 AM

Isn't pinot gris supposed to be dull?

Posted by Allan L. | February 3, 2010 10:29 AM

Hmm. Pinot gris is my favorite wine. Guess I'm dull.

9 out of 10 times, I order good beer anyway.

Posted by Snards | February 3, 2010 10:42 AM

Oregon wines are generally thin and dull. I'm unconvinced by the hype over the past 10 years. Winning contests I've never heard of mean nothing to me.

Low cost French or Italian wines usually have better flavor and more body than many of the celebrated (and more expensive) Oregon wines.

Posted by Mike D | February 3, 2010 11:54 AM

Anne Amie is owned by sand, gravel and newspaper tycoon Bob Pamplin (his daugthers are named Anne and Amy).

I'll be excited when Oregon produces a good malbec, though I'm wondering if that will require a couple more decades of global warming.

Posted by Gil Johnson | February 3, 2010 12:49 PM

Hmm... This one sadly falls in the Who Cares department for me. As I understand it the vast majority of Oregon wine is made from Washington grown grapes. It all seems rather over priced compared to competition from Chile, Australia, Italy, Spain, etc. etc. etc.

Posted by Dean | February 3, 2010 1:02 PM

Bergstrom.

Posted by David E Gilmore | February 3, 2010 1:55 PM

Many of the best Oregon Pinot Gris' (Noirs too) are from smaller wineries that lack East Coast name recognition. Or produce amounts that get sold quickly to their fans/club members, so don't have a more commercial following.

Mike D... stick to Bordeaux... not everyone has the complex palate to appreciate an Oregon Pinot Noir.

Gil... Southern Oregon could easily turn out a nice Malbec... and I believe a couple Rogue Valley wineries are doing a pretty nice job already.

Posted by pacnwjay | February 3, 2010 3:12 PM

2006 Pinot Gris from Van Duzer Winery was nice.

I'm thinking that the upper Columbia River Valley / Wenatchee area might be a nice location for Malbec. Also, a new area in the Horse Heaven Hills along the north side of the Columbia just east of the I -82 bridge. Everybody out there seems to be growing more and more cab, though. Too damn much cab.

Posted by Nonny Mouse | February 3, 2010 8:11 PM

Gil Johnson and pacnwjay, have you tried Abacela's (Roseburg) malbec?:
http://www.abacela.com/Wines/Malbec06.htm

Certainly less expensive malbecs can be obtained from France, Chile, Argentina, and CA; but Abacela's will not disappoint, which can be said about virtually all of their many vintages.

pacnwjay's observation regarding the lack of East Coast distribution is accurate. OR has so many smaller vineyards that there really is no "OR pinot gris." RoxyAnn, for example, favors fruit, while Siltstone, for another example, emphasizes minerality. The few OR wines that reach NYC cannot be taken as standard or even representative. One thing that can be said: you needn't spend $20 to obtain an intriguing OR pinot gris.

Nonny Mouse, Central WA, which accounts for the majority of that state's 600+ registered vineyards, does produce a lot of cab; but why travel so far when varietal bliss is near. Try Cor and Syncline in Lyle, just east of White Salmon. Indeed, the whole Hood River/White Salmon region has become rather exciting; the number of wineries has been increasing every year. Have you tried Maryhill's cab franc? If you have the time, head east to Walla Walla, where sangiovese is very popular. Save an hour to visit Zerba on this side of the river.

Posted by Gardiner Menefree | February 4, 2010 4:36 PM

Gardner -

Why travel so far when varietal bliss is near you ask?

Best reason in the word. 'cause my sweetie lives in Kennewick.

Posted by Nonny Mouse | February 4, 2010 9:09 PM

In Vino Veritas

Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007
Cameron, Chardonnay
B.R. Cohn, Cabernet, Silver Label 2006
Graffigna, Cabernet 2005
Palo Alto, Reserve Red 2008
Menguante, Garnacha 2008
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Felsina Berardenga, Vin Santo 1997
Anne Amie, Pinot Gris 2009
McKinley Springs, Bombing Ramge Red 2007
Vieux Papes Red
Dionysius Chardonnay 2009
Haden Fig, Pinot Noir 2009
Vega Montan, Mencia 2008
Chateau la Vernede, Coteaux du Languedoc 2007
Mount Defiance, Hellfire (White) 2008
Root: 1, Cabernet 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Pinot Grigio 2009
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 White, 2008
Columbia Crest, Two Vines, Vineyard 10 Rose, 2007
Abacela, Grenache Rose 2009
Avia Cabernet 2004
Lemelson Pinot Noir, Thea's Selection 2007
Chateau de la Roulerie, Rose d'Anjou 2009
Casal Garcia, Vinho Verde Rose
La Ferme Julien, Rose 2008
Cana's Feast, Bricco Red, 2006
Hogue, Genesis Merlot, 2008
Owen Roe, Sharecropper's Cabernet, 2008
Kim Crawford, Unoaked Chardonnay 2008
J. Scott, Pinot Noir 2008
Edmunds St. John, White, Heart of Gold 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2006
Stevenot, Cabernet, Sierra Foothills, "Stanford" 2000
Portuga, Vinho Rose 2009
Taylor Fladgate, First Estate Reserve Porto
Franciscan, Cabernet, Napa 2006
Chaparral de Vega Sindoa, Garnacha 2008
Quinta da Aveleda, Vinho Verde 2008
St. Francis, Chardonnay Sonoma 2008
E. Guigal, Cotes du Rhone Blanc, 2007
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Noir 2008
St. Innocent, Pinot Noir 2006
Jigsaw, Pinot Noir 2007
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Merlot, Indian Wells 2007
Charles Shaw, Chardonnay 2008
Edmunds St. John, Bone-Jolly, Gamay Rosé 2009
Cameron, Willamette Valley Chardonnay
Il Valore, Sangiovese, Giovane, Puglia 2008
Duck Pond, Chardonnay, Wahluke Slope 2007
Kim Crawford, Marlborough Pinot Noir 2008
Domaine du Pesquier, Cotes du Rhone 2005
Cantina Zaccagnini, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2006
Domaine Matrot, Chardonnay, Bourgogne 2007
David Hill, Oregon Sparkling Wine, Brut
Chandler Reach, Monte Regalo 2006
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2008
Kirkland, Columbia Valley Merlot 2008
D'Aragon, Old Vine Garnacha 2008
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2005
Pavin & Riley, Merlot 2006
David Hill, Estate Pinot Noir, Barrel Select 2006
Castle Rock, Paso Robles Cabernet 2006
Magnificent, Cabernet, Steak House 2008
Conundrum 2008
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1998
Saint Cosme, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
La Granja, Tempranillo 360, 2008
Santa Rita, Mendalla Real Cabernet 2006
Columbia Crest, Grand Estates Merlot 2006
Andezon, Cotes-du-Rhone 2007
Collegiata, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
Troon, Druid's Fluid 2008
La Granja, Tempranillo 2008
Monte Antico, Toscana 2006
Vieux Papes, Blanc de Blancs

The Occasional Book

Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 54
At this date last year: 50
Total run in 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269