The 2011 Wine by Joe Pinot Gris is part of Joe Dobbes Wines value priced line of wines. The major difference between the Wine by Joe wines and Dobbes other wines is that these grapes are sourced from contracted vineyards and not Estate grapes. He is not buying bulk grapes on the open market, these are grapes grown by friends and neighbors in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Pinot Gris and Pinot Grigio wines use the exact same grape, Pinot Gris is made in the French style and Pinot Grigio is produced in the Italian style. This Pinot Gris is fermented and aged in stainless steel, there is no oak aging. I went to a Wines of Willamette Valley roadshow tasting the other day and while I knew the Pinot Noirs would be out of this world, it was the White wines that really turned my head. The alcohol content is 13.5%.
The color is almost clear, there is just a hint of wheat yellow. The nose is a pretty combination of flower garden and citrus. This Pinot Gris is long and lean, crisp and clean with just a touch of nectar sweetness from the fruit. It tastes of honeydew melon, not too tart grapefruit and Anjou pear. The flavors are balanced and show great length and the acidity is subdued (when compared to the leading Italian Pinot Grigio). The finish is silky, delicate and long.
I was never a fan of Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio, I didn’t have a lot of experience with them, but the most of the ones I tried were too acidic with too much tart citrus to be an enjoyable glass of wine. Oregon Pinot Gris has me reevaluating my position on Pinot Gris/Grigio, these wines are delicate, made with finesse and are extremely delicious. The Wine by Joe Willamette Pinot Gris is a fine bottle at a good price.
