Elk Cove Pinot Gris

From the winery:

VINTAGE 2022: Mother Nature kept us on our toes with unusual weather at each end
of the growing season. A wet, cold spring led into a long, temperate summer leading into a
very sunny fall that brought us much-needed ripening.
What a surprise to have snowfall on April 11th, our region’s latest significant snowfall
since 1942! Most of our vines had not yet leafed out and their tight woolly buds were well-protected. However, frost damage did mean a smaller crop at our Clay Court Vineyard.
Other vineyard sites set a healthy crop, which we thinned heavily to increase intensity
and encourage ripening. August and September were unseasonably warm, but the nights
remained cool, helping us retain varietal character. Worries of late season botrytis (rot)
meant extra passes of hand-work in the vineyard pulling leaves to improve sunlight
penetration and air flow. Thankfully, October welcomed a long string of sunny days and
just exactly the hang-time and ripening we needed to bring grape sugar (brix) to ideal
levels.
Harvest began in late September, with most fruit harvested during two very intense mid-October weeks. Many of our blocks achieved peak ripeness at the same time, so we are
very thankful for our incredible crew for all of the early morning picking sessions in the
vineyard and long days in the cellar. Expect complex, fruit-forward wines from this vintage.

VINEYARD: Our Pinot Gris is hand-harvested from our hillside vineyards in the
northern Willamete Valley. Pinot Gris has long been a focus at Elk Cove – our Winery
Estate Vineyard boasts some of the oldest Pinot Gris vines in Oregon, dating back to 1985.
Three of our other estate vineyard sites are also planted with Pinot Gris, including 50
acres on steep sloped Mount Richmond Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Planted in a
high-density format, all our Pinot Gris undergoes shoot and crop thinning for low yields to
maximize quality and concentration

WINEMAKING: The Willamette Valley has the perfect climate for this delicate cool
weather white wine. We have enough sunlight and warmth for ripening, but our cool
evenings help retain varietal character and prevent over-ripening. We whole-cluster press
our pinot gris grapes, then ferment the juice at very cool temperatures in small stainless
steel tanks. This gentle treatment protects the aromatic qualities and enhances the natural
richness of the Pinot Gris grapes, creating our most popular white wine.

TASTING NOTES: Nectarine, ginger and citrus peel aromatics lead to a synchronous palate that’s rounded and full
with fresh flavors of sliced peach complemented by a savory note of cantaloupe and prosciutto

VITICULTURE & ENOLOGY:
Vine Age: 6-37
Harvest Sugars: 22.5
Vatting: Whole-cluster pressed and cold fermented
in small stainless steel tanks.
pH: 3.28
TA: 5.5
Alc: 13% v/v
Cases Produced: 23,900

REVIEWS:
91 Points – Wine Spectator (March, 2024)
93 Points – Decanter (August, 2023)
91 Points – Wine & Spirits Magazine (April, 2023)
90 Points – Wine Enthusiast (December, 2023)
“Elk Cove is a standard bearer when it comes to Willamette Valley Pinot
Gris. Their latest vintage features aromas of peach sorbet, a trace of
pineapple and a crushed sprig of lemon balm. Energizing acidity drives
a crisp texture and flavors like spearmint and a pear tart sprinkled with
cinnamon.” — Michael Alberty