Today we’re taking a venture over to the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of the greater Willamette Valley, Oregon. Another beautiful Pinot Noir from Panther Creek and—sorry, no—this one does not come with a slice of pizza. (Though, it totally could.)
Passaggio Wines 2018 Skin Fermented Pinot Grigio
AKA “orange wine.” I recently spoke to a veteran winemaker who suspects that the next winemaking ‘trend’ will be orange wine. Orange wine is made with wine grapes traditionally used to make white wine (like Pinot Grigio, Semillon, or Riesling) but it’s made in the way red wine is traditionally made — with skin contact.
Panther Creek Cellars 2016 De Ponte Vineyard Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir from Willamette is old news now. I know. And yet when you’re craving that style—aroma, flavor, texture—there really is nothing else like it. I’m not saying it’s better than RRV or Mendo, just different. And when you can get the distinction across several different single-vineyards, so much the better to explore the terroir of the Willamette via wine. Over the next few weeks I’ll be featuring various single-vineyard offerings from Panther Creek. (Please check out the previously reviewed 2015 Kalita Vineyard Pinot Noir). Today, we visit De Ponte Vineyard in Willamette Valley’s Dundee Hills…
Passagio Wines 2018 Passion Cuvée
This is a little sneak peek post. This wine isn’t officially on sale until next month, but hey, why not start planning your summer sipper shopping list now? In all seriousness, though, this wine is called passion because that’s what winemaker Cindy Cosco has—serious passion for her craft. Solid body, packed with complex flavors and textures, this is a full-on white wine blend for the kids that don’t think they like white wines or are hesitant to pair white wines with a substantial meal.
Alta Colina 2009 Mourvedre
As you can tell by the look of the label, this wine has been a long-time member of my personal stash — a souvenir, if you will, from a somewhat impromptu pass through Paso Robles. When I ran into Maggie Tillman, the awesome chica who co-owns the winery with her father Bob, at a recent conference, she was so sweet to still remember me. I told her I still had the wine, that it was so special to me. She advised drinking it soon — her and Bob had recently opened one and it was just at the peak of its awesomeness. “Ah, well, I kind of want to save it for a special occasion,” I said. “Yeah, or a Tuesday,” replied Maggie. “When you’ve just had a day and need a goooood glass of wine.”
Yeah, life has been a roller-coaster lately. And Maggie was right. It wasn’t the day, the time, or the place that was of import. It was that I was able to chill-ax with my partner in wine (and life) crime and enjoy a solid Mourvedre, a delicious meal and, at least for a moment, forget about the twist and turns to come.
Thanks, Maggie. You be a wiiiiiise woman.
