King Estate Pinot Gris 2023

Classic hallmarks of Pinot Gris appear on the nose with aromas of ripe pear, lime zest, peach, honeysuckle and lemon blossom. The wine starts off nice and round on the palate with ripe fruit flavors of Asian pear, key lime and nectarine accompanied by jasmine and damp slate. The entrance is followed by bright acidity that carries through to a fresh, balanced and lingering finish.

Vineyards: 50% King Estate, 17% Goschie, 5% Coria, 5% Rich’s Road, 4% Pfeiffer, 3% Fitzpatrick, 2% Sylvan, 2% Walnut Ridge, 12% Other

2023 began with cool, wet conditions dominating in the spring, delaying budbreak and foreshadowing a late harvest. That concern dissipated with a dramatic warming trend that began with budbreak in late April and continued through much of June. Bloom occurred in mid-June, making this the shortest period between budbreak and bloom since King Estate’s founding. Perfect summer weather was only briefly interrupted by a short heat spike in mid-August when highs hit triple digits. Harvest began Sept. 12 with first fruit in from our own estate vineyard, which hasn’t happened in recent memory. After a brief interruption for a storm, harvest ramped back up on Oct. 1 and finished on Oct. 14, right before more rains arrived. Wine quality from this vintage appears to be outstanding.

The wine is fermented in 100% stainless steel temperature controlled tanks to preserve varietal character and aromatic complexity. Aged sur lie in stainless steel for four months.

King Estate is nestled in the bucolic Lorane Valley about 150 kilometers south of the better known Pinot Noir growing region around Dundee and Yamhill-Carlton in the northern Willamette Valley.  Although farther to the south, King Estate lies closer to the cool breezes of the Pacific Ocean, resulting in a slightly cooler climate that renders an elegant and crisp style of wine.  The manor house-style winery atop the estate's central hill commands an Arcadian view of the 1,033 acre estate surrounded by pastures and ringed by forested mountains, and a first time visitor gets the sense of stepping back into a simpler time, when the rhythm of life was intimately connected with the turn of the seasons and the bounty of the earth.  The certified organic vineyards are planted mainly to Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris and are interspersed with fruit tree orchards, gardens of flowers, vegetables, and berries.  There is even an apiary and a charcuterie.  But while this manorial setting evokes a self contained community from yesteryear, this is at the same time a very modern place.  State of the art winemaking equipment and techniques are employed along with the latest sustainable and organic farming practices, and a world class culinary program brings it all together beautifully in the Estate's restaurant.  The pure yet sophisticated wines are natural companions to fine foods.  Wine professionals agree: King Estate Pinot Gris has been the #1 on premise domestic Pinot Gris in the U.S. for the last four years running.