2016 Gersing Cellars “Brio” Nebbiolo, Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Classic Nebbiolo notes of bright cherry and rose are accompanied by a distinctive hint of sandalwood. A beautiful blend of feminine and masculine characteristics allows this wine to be enjoyed on its own as well as with hearty fare.
Aromas: Red fruits, including red cherry and raspberry, and intense floral notes of rose.
Taste: Bright, red cherry and raspberry fruit.
Length: Present, but fine-grain, tannins offer a finish lasting upwards of a full minute.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
This Nebbiolo fruit was completely destemmed and saw a 7-day cold soak before beginning fermentation, after which it received two punch-downs daily and pump-overs every other day. After completion of the primary fermentation, the wine was gently pressed to tank, allowed to settle for 48 hours, and then transferred to neutral French oak barrels for 16 months of aging. Finally, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration.
The 2016 growing season was warm and dry in Red Mountain. Warm days and cool nights were ideal for even ripening and acid retention, allowing us to harvest after a good amount of time, and flavor development, on the vine (October 12th).
Specs
Silver Medal, 2019 SavorNW Wine Competition
Appellation: Red Mountain, Columbia Valley
Vineyard: Ciel du Cheval
Harvest Date: October 12th
Brix at Harvest: 25.5
Alcohol: 14.6%
pH: 3.71
TA: 5.7 g/L
Closure: Diam 10
Bottled: March 9th 2018
Cases Produced: 69
2016 Gersing Cellars “Legit” Merlot, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
This 100% Merlot - harvested from nearly 30-year-old vines on Willard Farms Vineyard and from equally established vines on Red Willow Vinyeard - hits notes of black cherry, violet, and graphite. But what really gets us about this Merlot is the texture: an expansive mid-palate and a seamless finish. In other words, it’s Legit Merlot.
Aromas: Plum, black cherry, an earthy, herbal note, violets, and graphite.
Taste: Bramble, plum, and cherry.
Length: After a bright attack and fleshy mid-palate, the finish, textured by fine grain tannins, lasts 20-25 seconds.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
The two lots of Merlot were completely destemmed and received two punch downs daily. After completion of the primary fermentation, the wine was gently pressed to tank, allowed to settle for 24 hours, and then transferred to a mix of one-use and neutral French oak barrels for 16 months of aging. Finally, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration.
The 2016 growing season was warm and dry in Yakima Valley and is poised to be a great Washington vintage. We harvested the fruit from Red Willow, an early ripening vineyard for Merlot, on September 19th and the Willard fruit on October 12th. We appreciate the difference in expression of Merlot between these two sites and find the resulting wines complement each other.
Specs
Silver Medal, 2019 SavorNW Wine Competition
Blend: 100% Merlot
Appellation: Yakima Valley
Vineyard(s) – Red Willow/Willard Farms
Avg. Vine Age: 30 yrs
Harvest Date: September 19th/October 12th
Brix at Harvest: 25.8/26.4
Alcohol: 14.7%
pH: 3.47
TA: 5.8 g/L
Closure: Diam 10
Cooperage: French (50% new)
Bottled: March 8th 2018
Cases Produced: 46
Included in the Box
4-bottles:
2x 2016 Gersing Cellars “Brio” Nebbiolo, Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard
2x 2016 Gersing Cellars “Legit” Merlot, Columbia Valley
Case:
6x 2016 Gersing Cellars “Brio” Nebbiolo, Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard
6x 2016 Gersing Cellars “Legit” Merlot, Columbia Valley
Founded in 2015, Gersing Cellars is a small-production winemaking company housed at SE Wine Collective, an urban winery in hip SE Portland, OR. Located just off of bustling Division Street, we keep delicious company with some of Portland’s most acclaimed restaurants and coffee shops, such as Pok Pok, Stumptown Roasters and Ava Gene’s. We source grapes from several select vineyards in the sub-AVAs of Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Washington’s Columbia Valley.
Founder and winemaker, Jason Gersing, is a longtime jazz saxophonist, and his passion for music influences both the wine’s style and its packaging. Each wine name contains a musical reference, and staff lines grace both the capsule and the label. Jason’s winemaking philosophy is informed by the jazz maxim that one needs to learn the rules in order to break them. Accordingly, Jason has studied Enology and Viticulture at Montpellier SupAgro in France and Chemeketa in Oregon. Before starting Gersing Cellars, Jason put his studies to practice at Argyle Winery for two years while also making wine at home.
Our mission is to showcase the diversity and quality of the Pacific Northwest wine-growing region by sourcing fruit from select vineyards in Oregon and Washington. We have a particular interest in crafting balanced, restrained wines from the bolder varieties grown in Yakima and Red Mountain, such as Merlot and Nebbiolo, as well as highlighting Pinot Noir’s expression in the Chehalem Mountains and Eola-Amity Hills.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Gersing Cellars Nebbiolo and Merlot - $40 = 17.76%
Hello, hello! I got to be a lab rat for the Merlot, which turns out to be pretty good. My bottle seemed a little closed down after I opened it, the aroma especially. There’s a hint of fruit, maybe a suggestion of f a hint of oak, not much else initially. The flavor shows a little better, with some subdued dark red fruit (I’d say cherries, maybe a little black plum), and smooth tannins. The color is a bright reddish violet, going translucent when there’s not a lot in the glass.
The flavor perks up given some time, but the aroma never did for me. The first night the tannins really started to reach out and grab you. A little heat, presumably from the alcohol, gets into your nose. On the second day the bottle was open, the fruit brightens up, these cherries get juicier, and the tannins take the back seat, contributing just a little spice now. That heat may be picking up a little more now, too.
On pairing with food: let me say first that I no expertise here. Nor was I really trying to find the best pairing… my attitude is more along the lines of, “let’s try this and see how it goes!” So I started with a spicy cinnamon lentil stew. Not bad, although the stew should have simmered longer. The wine does well next to a little bit of spice. I also had a little barbecue pork, maybe a little heavy on the sauce, which works better with this wine.
This is very much ready to drink now, and would do well for another couple years at least.
Well, I also got the Merlot, and I can’t say I got the earthy, herbal, brambly note described in the winery’s description, but I did enjoy it. And I see that I’m pretty much in line with another Rat. My review, written last Friday:
2016 Gersing Cellars Legit Merlot, Columbia Valley.
So happy to receive this lab rat opportunity with sufficient time to taste and review it, a full week ahead of the anticipated sale date. Turns out today is our best option for drinking it, so giving no deference to bottle shock, travel queasiness, world weariness, or whatever, we drank it the same day it arrived. So, how’s the wine?
Short answer, it’s nice! But a tad alcohol-y for my tastes. We drank it over the course of one evening, and did not decant, Vinturi, or aerate in any way except that the bottle remained uncorked for the duration.
Pop and pour, the first sniff was mostly alcohol, but then some ripe fruit. First sip, the same. Beautiful dark red, almost purple color.
Second small pour, left that one in the glass for about 15 minutes, the alcohol was less present in the nose, but still there when we sipped. The fruit I would characterize as some kind of tart plum. The label says cherries, but I thought plum. Pleasant finish, a little tartness to keep it interesting. At this point we were pairing with olives, hummus, and pita (oops it’s still Passover, oh yeah I mean matzoh, yeah, that’s the ticket!) Paired nicely with those things.
Poured a glass to go with the meal, roasted asparagus and broiled Cornish hen. It went well with that as well. It didn’t seem to develop much beyond the initial impression, though the alcohol dominated less and the fruit was more noticeable.
After that, I had every intention of saving the rest for another night to see how it developed, but at this point, a couple of hours after opening and the majority of the bottle consumed, my lab-rat discipline abandoned me, and we finished the bottle. This glass was similar to the one before.
If I’d had the willpower to save this one, I’d have opened another Columbia Valley Merlot. I still have a bottle remaining of the three 2015 J. Bookwalter Readers Merlots I bought here several months back. I would order that one again. Funny, I see that it has a slightly (.1%) higher alcohol content than this one, yet nothing in my notes to indicate that I was perturbed by excessive alcohol. I guess it’s somehow better integrated, with an extra year in the bottle?
Really guys?? You’re killing me! I just wrapped up a wine summit tonight, checked my email. Lo and behold, a Nebbiolo! I actually took exception. It’s as if you’re purposely messing with me! I don’t care about the Merlot it’ll be a bonus if it turns out solid. What I really want to know is what a Nebbiolo from Oregon tastes like. I’m curious enough to get a case. I’ll take my chances. Done.
@chipgreen right. Yes. What I’m more interested in is how these northwest regions and their more moderate climate is expressed in the grape. So few people grow it outside of Italy, let alone make a single varietal. To me a sign that might be a passion project for the winemaker.
tl;dr The Nebbiolo is a pleasant tannin bomb which possesses nice complexity and is very enjoyable with a well paired meal. It is not (in either of our opinions) a quaffing wine. I’d estimated the deal to be $20; my wife suggested $15-20.
I was thrilled to get the email, and even more so to have a nice, bold red to rat. Bottle arrived in plenty of time for me to put it in the cooler and let it settle. I figure it had most of a week to relax from shipping before I tried it out. The tasters were my wife and I and we planned a small meal to accompany this wine: firm goat cheese, brie, and grated parm to start, with fettucine alfredo for our main.
I popped the cork and poured the “taster” glass as we were preparing dinner. At this point the wine hadn’t had a chance to breathe at all, so we expected it to be a bit tight. The initial inhale was a lot of leather, with a hint of tobacco. I picked up a sweetness that reminded me of plums, and we got just the tiniest undercurrent of wet dog (but not in a bad way).
The wine had legs for days, and a color that really didn’t prepare us for the first taste. It was light in color, almost like a Pinot Noir, but with a brownish tint. I took a few pictures as we went, but I was too focused on cooking, tasting the wine, and taking notes on what we were tasting. As a result, the pictures aren’t great; my apologies. Here’s the best of the lot for what it’s worth:
At any rate, the color gave us the impression that the mouth might be a little lighter than expected from a Neb, but the first sip stripped away those delusions. The tannins are very present, and very bold. My wife described it accurately as a tannin bomb. I found it hard to discern other flavors at first because of how heinously the tannins abused my tongue. A few seconds after the sip, though… heaven. The finish was smooth and balanced. There was a rich taste of overripe cherry, dried stone fruit, and raisins.
While the mushrooms were cooking we tried it with our cheeses. We chose goat cheese for the saltiness and brie for the fatti-/creaminess. The Neb absolutely mowed over the brie. It didn’t benefit much from the Parmesan when had by itself (as opposed to in the alfredo). We both felt that the goat cheese stood up to the wine nicely, mellowing out the tannins and bringing the fruit to the fore.
Approximately an hour and a half after opening the bottle we poured another glass, and had dinner. The nose had calmed down quite a bit - there was more fruit present and a pleasant floral note. The mouth, not so much - the tannins still assaulted the palate unless you were eating something creamy.
We specifically chose our meal because the fatty/salty characteristics of the cream, butter, and Parmesan in the sauce should have balanced the strength of the wine. To our delight they did; the wine accentuated the saltiness of the meal and paired beautifully with our main.
There was something strange on the finish and neither of us could quite put our finger on it. After dinner we read the back of the bottle, and: Behold! The power of suggestion: all of a sudden we recognized some minerality to the finish. Don’t ask which mineral, we couldn’t quite tell.
We put the cork back in and left a glass overnight. On the second day the tannins had become sharper and the fruit flavors were flatter and less interesting. I’d recommend planning to finish the bottle in one sitting. Also, decant! Sadly, we lack a decanter at this time but I think decanting the first night would have made the wine even more enjoyable with dinner.
If we weren’t on a rigid WBM we’d be in for four or a half case split. As it is, I might try to convince her to let me get a couple bottles if any NoVA folks are up for a split.
Interesting offer. We visited wineries throughout the Yakima Valley and Red Mountain AVAs on our honeymoon in 2016 and enjoyed most of what we tasted. We also stayed in the Portland area (Hillsboro) for several days but unfortunately were unaware of the SE Wine Collective where Gersing’s “Urban Winery” is housed. Hope to have a redux at some point in the future and will have to make sure to check out their digs…
Really interested in the Neb but not the merlot, so unfortunately I’m gonna have to sit this guy out. Small case lots so I expect it will all sell quick!
Hi all, I received the Nebbiolo for ratting last friday. I opened it for a quick taste on Wednesday. Initial impressions were a little aroma of alcohol (not the burn your eyes amount) and fruit, though my nose isn’t quite able to discern which ones. The color is purple with a hint of brown. The taste was pleasant, wasn’t chewy and it was more on the dry side. I liked it.
The bottle stayed corked overnight and was opened again yesterday. It really didn’t seem to change much in 24 hours. I first spent a bit more time trying to smell some of the things others always say they smell in wines. (I think my smeller is broken.) I could smell fruit though couldn’t pinpoint which one. After a bit I got jam also.
The tannins (I’m learning) were present, yet not overpowering. It’s funny, some sips felt like there were few tannins at all and in others they were right there out in the open. Is that a normal thing when tasting wine? I made chili (not spicy) last night. The wine paired well with it and was good alone.
Overall, I like this Nebbiolo. For me it was very well balanced. I don’t know how it will change with aging, but it is certainly drinkable now. I recommend it.
I am disappointed my inlaws were not available because I think dad would’ve really liked to try this one. Thank you for picking me again to rat so soon after my last couple.
edit: couldn’t embed the photo so the imgur link is there instead.
Hey all, Jason Gersing here. To get a little more info about my background, wine philosophy, and other tidbits, check out this conversation I had with Heidi on Wine Crush Podcast:
My portion starts at 15:07, and we talk Merlot at the segment starting at 20:27. Happy listening!
@gersingcellars i am a huge fan of the urban wineries in PDX. Last time i was in town we stopped by ENSO, Urban Crush, and Seven Bridges. All fun places with very different products.
I’ll be up there in a few weeks again, so we’ll try to stop by SE Wine Collective and see what you have!
@radiolysis Excellent! Yes, so much variety in Portland alone. I poured right next to the Seven Bridges folks at Pour Oregon last Sunday. Bob and Rob are awesome…as are the wines!
Definitely stop by the SEWC when you’re in town, and feel free to reach out: jason@gersingcellars.com
Would like to try this but (1) I still have 2 cases of other recent orders on the way I don’t even have yet (one is showing-up at a FedEx location for pickup today)…and, (2) I really don’t want to take a risk on the Merlot part. Sorry I am just not a Merlot guy (not 'cause of the movie…) – the only exception where I said “yeah, I like this Merlot” was from Northstar in Walla Walla and it was $60 or $80.
Curious about the Nebbiolo and the reviews that mentioned “mineral” taste. It’s funny because that’s a taste I’ve learned to like is some of the good Washington Rieslings. At first it put me off and then after a while I learned to seek it! I’m wondering where this comes from in the Nebbiolo? I see the Merlot says 100% but I don’t see a blend on the Nebbiolo? Is there something blended? I know Viognier is often a small enhancer for a lot of Washington wines, just wondering if Riesling was used in a similar way here, or does the taste really come from the Nebbiolo?
@pmarin The Nebbiolo is 100% Nebbiolo. As for minerality, it’s a term that - in my experience - is used to mean different things for different wines. As you mention, for Rieslings it can be one thing (petrol? steely?), while in reds it can be meant to suggest something like salinity or even earthiness. Lastly, with respect to Merlot, the Legit is not your typical Merlot (I admit there are a lot of bad examples out there). At Pour Oregon this past Sunday, people kept coming up to my booth saying, “Someone told me I have to try this Merlot.” It was definitely a hit.
@gersingcellars
In for this one.
I’m not aware of, nor actually looked for that matter for, other west coast Neb producers. Any idea how much is planted, and by who, that gets single bottled?
Wiki doesn’t help much, but I did find it surprising some is planted in Baja.
Right down to the last minute! Kind of thought this would sell out, considering the limited production …bejeweled-overwrought-income…of which I am lacking now, thank you.
2016 Gersing Cellars “Brio” Nebbiolo, Ciel Du Cheval Vineyard
Tasting Notes
Classic Nebbiolo notes of bright cherry and rose are accompanied by a distinctive hint of sandalwood. A beautiful blend of feminine and masculine characteristics allows this wine to be enjoyed on its own as well as with hearty fare.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
This Nebbiolo fruit was completely destemmed and saw a 7-day cold soak before beginning fermentation, after which it received two punch-downs daily and pump-overs every other day. After completion of the primary fermentation, the wine was gently pressed to tank, allowed to settle for 48 hours, and then transferred to neutral French oak barrels for 16 months of aging. Finally, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration.
The 2016 growing season was warm and dry in Red Mountain. Warm days and cool nights were ideal for even ripening and acid retention, allowing us to harvest after a good amount of time, and flavor development, on the vine (October 12th).
Specs
2016 Gersing Cellars “Legit” Merlot, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
This 100% Merlot - harvested from nearly 30-year-old vines on Willard Farms Vineyard and from equally established vines on Red Willow Vinyeard - hits notes of black cherry, violet, and graphite. But what really gets us about this Merlot is the texture: an expansive mid-palate and a seamless finish. In other words, it’s Legit Merlot.
Vintage and Winemaker Notes
The two lots of Merlot were completely destemmed and received two punch downs daily. After completion of the primary fermentation, the wine was gently pressed to tank, allowed to settle for 24 hours, and then transferred to a mix of one-use and neutral French oak barrels for 16 months of aging. Finally, the wine was bottled without fining or filtration.
The 2016 growing season was warm and dry in Yakima Valley and is poised to be a great Washington vintage. We harvested the fruit from Red Willow, an early ripening vineyard for Merlot, on September 19th and the Willard fruit on October 12th. We appreciate the difference in expression of Merlot between these two sites and find the resulting wines complement each other.
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
$505/case (including shipping) at Gersing Cellars
About The Winery
Winery: Gersing Cellars
Founded in 2015, Gersing Cellars is a small-production winemaking company housed at SE Wine Collective, an urban winery in hip SE Portland, OR. Located just off of bustling Division Street, we keep delicious company with some of Portland’s most acclaimed restaurants and coffee shops, such as Pok Pok, Stumptown Roasters and Ava Gene’s. We source grapes from several select vineyards in the sub-AVAs of Oregon’s Willamette Valley and Washington’s Columbia Valley.
Founder and winemaker, Jason Gersing, is a longtime jazz saxophonist, and his passion for music influences both the wine’s style and its packaging. Each wine name contains a musical reference, and staff lines grace both the capsule and the label. Jason’s winemaking philosophy is informed by the jazz maxim that one needs to learn the rules in order to break them. Accordingly, Jason has studied Enology and Viticulture at Montpellier SupAgro in France and Chemeketa in Oregon. Before starting Gersing Cellars, Jason put his studies to practice at Argyle Winery for two years while also making wine at home.
Our mission is to showcase the diversity and quality of the Pacific Northwest wine-growing region by sourcing fruit from select vineyards in Oregon and Washington. We have a particular interest in crafting balanced, restrained wines from the bolder varieties grown in Yakima and Red Mountain, such as Merlot and Nebbiolo, as well as highlighting Pinot Noir’s expression in the Chehalem Mountains and Eola-Amity Hills.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IA, KS, LA, ME, MD, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, SC, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Friday, May 31st - Tuesday, June 4th
Gersing Cellars Nebbiolo and Merlot
4 bottles for $74.99 $18.75/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $184.99 $15.42/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Gersing Nebbiolo
2016 Merlot
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Gersing Cellars Nebbiolo and Merlot - $40 = 17.76%
Oh to be the first
Haiku thing drags on too long?
Perhaps time for bed.
@pmarin
Bed is only for
Those who sleep, perchance to dream
Rat reports to post!
Hello, hello! I got to be a lab rat for the Merlot, which turns out to be pretty good. My bottle seemed a little closed down after I opened it, the aroma especially. There’s a hint of fruit, maybe a suggestion of f a hint of oak, not much else initially. The flavor shows a little better, with some subdued dark red fruit (I’d say cherries, maybe a little black plum), and smooth tannins. The color is a bright reddish violet, going translucent when there’s not a lot in the glass.
The flavor perks up given some time, but the aroma never did for me. The first night the tannins really started to reach out and grab you. A little heat, presumably from the alcohol, gets into your nose. On the second day the bottle was open, the fruit brightens up, these cherries get juicier, and the tannins take the back seat, contributing just a little spice now. That heat may be picking up a little more now, too.
On pairing with food: let me say first that I no expertise here. Nor was I really trying to find the best pairing… my attitude is more along the lines of, “let’s try this and see how it goes!” So I started with a spicy cinnamon lentil stew. Not bad, although the stew should have simmered longer. The wine does well next to a little bit of spice. I also had a little barbecue pork, maybe a little heavy on the sauce, which works better with this wine.
This is very much ready to drink now, and would do well for another couple years at least.
Yeah, this is legit.
Well, I also got the Merlot, and I can’t say I got the earthy, herbal, brambly note described in the winery’s description, but I did enjoy it. And I see that I’m pretty much in line with another Rat. My review, written last Friday:
2016 Gersing Cellars Legit Merlot, Columbia Valley.
So happy to receive this lab rat opportunity with sufficient time to taste and review it, a full week ahead of the anticipated sale date. Turns out today is our best option for drinking it, so giving no deference to bottle shock, travel queasiness, world weariness, or whatever, we drank it the same day it arrived. So, how’s the wine?
Short answer, it’s nice! But a tad alcohol-y for my tastes. We drank it over the course of one evening, and did not decant, Vinturi, or aerate in any way except that the bottle remained uncorked for the duration.
Pop and pour, the first sniff was mostly alcohol, but then some ripe fruit. First sip, the same. Beautiful dark red, almost purple color.
Second small pour, left that one in the glass for about 15 minutes, the alcohol was less present in the nose, but still there when we sipped. The fruit I would characterize as some kind of tart plum. The label says cherries, but I thought plum. Pleasant finish, a little tartness to keep it interesting. At this point we were pairing with olives, hummus, and pita (oops it’s still Passover, oh yeah I mean matzoh, yeah, that’s the ticket!) Paired nicely with those things.
Poured a glass to go with the meal, roasted asparagus and broiled Cornish hen. It went well with that as well. It didn’t seem to develop much beyond the initial impression, though the alcohol dominated less and the fruit was more noticeable.
After that, I had every intention of saving the rest for another night to see how it developed, but at this point, a couple of hours after opening and the majority of the bottle consumed, my lab-rat discipline abandoned me, and we finished the bottle. This glass was similar to the one before.
If I’d had the willpower to save this one, I’d have opened another Columbia Valley Merlot. I still have a bottle remaining of the three 2015 J. Bookwalter Readers Merlots I bought here several months back. I would order that one again. Funny, I see that it has a slightly (.1%) higher alcohol content than this one, yet nothing in my notes to indicate that I was perturbed by excessive alcohol. I guess it’s somehow better integrated, with an extra year in the bottle?
Really guys?? You’re killing me! I just wrapped up a wine summit tonight, checked my email. Lo and behold, a Nebbiolo! I actually took exception. It’s as if you’re purposely messing with me! I don’t care about the Merlot it’ll be a bonus if it turns out solid. What I really want to know is what a Nebbiolo from Oregon tastes like. I’m curious enough to get a case. I’ll take my chances. Done.
@winesnob
While the winery is in OR, the Red Mountain AVA is actually in WA.
@chipgreen right. Yes. What I’m more interested in is how these northwest regions and their more moderate climate is expressed in the grape. So few people grow it outside of Italy, let alone make a single varietal. To me a sign that might be a passion project for the winemaker.
@chipgreen @winesnob I’ve not had Nebbiolo from there, but Red Mountain is home to amazing grapes. In fact, that alone may have sold me on this.
@winesnob They’re killing US!
@ttboy23
tl;dr The Nebbiolo is a pleasant tannin bomb which possesses nice complexity and is very enjoyable with a well paired meal. It is not (in either of our opinions) a quaffing wine. I’d estimated the deal to be $20; my wife suggested $15-20.
I was thrilled to get the email, and even more so to have a nice, bold red to rat. Bottle arrived in plenty of time for me to put it in the cooler and let it settle. I figure it had most of a week to relax from shipping before I tried it out. The tasters were my wife and I and we planned a small meal to accompany this wine: firm goat cheese, brie, and grated parm to start, with fettucine alfredo for our main.
I popped the cork and poured the “taster” glass as we were preparing dinner. At this point the wine hadn’t had a chance to breathe at all, so we expected it to be a bit tight. The initial inhale was a lot of leather, with a hint of tobacco. I picked up a sweetness that reminded me of plums, and we got just the tiniest undercurrent of wet dog (but not in a bad way).
The wine had legs for days, and a color that really didn’t prepare us for the first taste. It was light in color, almost like a Pinot Noir, but with a brownish tint. I took a few pictures as we went, but I was too focused on cooking, tasting the wine, and taking notes on what we were tasting. As a result, the pictures aren’t great; my apologies. Here’s the best of the lot for what it’s worth:
At any rate, the color gave us the impression that the mouth might be a little lighter than expected from a Neb, but the first sip stripped away those delusions. The tannins are very present, and very bold. My wife described it accurately as a tannin bomb. I found it hard to discern other flavors at first because of how heinously the tannins abused my tongue. A few seconds after the sip, though… heaven. The finish was smooth and balanced. There was a rich taste of overripe cherry, dried stone fruit, and raisins.
While the mushrooms were cooking we tried it with our cheeses. We chose goat cheese for the saltiness and brie for the fatti-/creaminess. The Neb absolutely mowed over the brie. It didn’t benefit much from the Parmesan when had by itself (as opposed to in the alfredo). We both felt that the goat cheese stood up to the wine nicely, mellowing out the tannins and bringing the fruit to the fore.
Approximately an hour and a half after opening the bottle we poured another glass, and had dinner. The nose had calmed down quite a bit - there was more fruit present and a pleasant floral note. The mouth, not so much - the tannins still assaulted the palate unless you were eating something creamy.
We specifically chose our meal because the fatty/salty characteristics of the cream, butter, and Parmesan in the sauce should have balanced the strength of the wine. To our delight they did; the wine accentuated the saltiness of the meal and paired beautifully with our main.
There was something strange on the finish and neither of us could quite put our finger on it. After dinner we read the back of the bottle, and: Behold! The power of suggestion: all of a sudden we recognized some minerality to the finish. Don’t ask which mineral, we couldn’t quite tell.
We put the cork back in and left a glass overnight. On the second day the tannins had become sharper and the fruit flavors were flatter and less interesting. I’d recommend planning to finish the bottle in one sitting. Also, decant! Sadly, we lack a decanter at this time but I think decanting the first night would have made the wine even more enjoyable with dinner.
If we weren’t on a rigid WBM we’d be in for four or a half case split. As it is, I might try to convince her to let me get a couple bottles if any NoVA folks are up for a split.
Enjoy!
@opiate2002 OK, everybody sing: Oh, tannin bomb Oh, tannin bomb (apologies to the Germans)
Interesting offer. We visited wineries throughout the Yakima Valley and Red Mountain AVAs on our honeymoon in 2016 and enjoyed most of what we tasted. We also stayed in the Portland area (Hillsboro) for several days but unfortunately were unaware of the SE Wine Collective where Gersing’s “Urban Winery” is housed. Hope to have a redux at some point in the future and will have to make sure to check out their digs…
Really interested in the Neb but not the merlot, so unfortunately I’m gonna have to sit this guy out. Small case lots so I expect it will all sell quick!
So sad it’s a mixed case, I would have jumped for that button if it was all Nebbiolo…
Hi all, I received the Nebbiolo for ratting last friday. I opened it for a quick taste on Wednesday. Initial impressions were a little aroma of alcohol (not the burn your eyes amount) and fruit, though my nose isn’t quite able to discern which ones. The color is purple with a hint of brown. The taste was pleasant, wasn’t chewy and it was more on the dry side. I liked it.
The bottle stayed corked overnight and was opened again yesterday. It really didn’t seem to change much in 24 hours. I first spent a bit more time trying to smell some of the things others always say they smell in wines. (I think my smeller is broken.) I could smell fruit though couldn’t pinpoint which one. After a bit I got jam also.
The tannins (I’m learning) were present, yet not overpowering. It’s funny, some sips felt like there were few tannins at all and in others they were right there out in the open. Is that a normal thing when tasting wine? I made chili (not spicy) last night. The wine paired well with it and was good alone.
Overall, I like this Nebbiolo. For me it was very well balanced. I don’t know how it will change with aging, but it is certainly drinkable now. I recommend it.
I am disappointed my inlaws were not available because I think dad would’ve really liked to try this one. Thank you for picking me again to rat so soon after my last couple.
edit: couldn’t embed the photo so the imgur link is there instead.
/giphy flecked-cute-straw
Hey all, Jason Gersing here. To get a little more info about my background, wine philosophy, and other tidbits, check out this conversation I had with Heidi on Wine Crush Podcast:
My portion starts at 15:07, and we talk Merlot at the segment starting at 20:27. Happy listening!
Check out this installment of Oregon Wine Wednesdays to learn more about Gersing Cellars and the SE Wine Collective.
@gersingcellars i am a huge fan of the urban wineries in PDX. Last time i was in town we stopped by ENSO, Urban Crush, and Seven Bridges. All fun places with very different products.
I’ll be up there in a few weeks again, so we’ll try to stop by SE Wine Collective and see what you have!
@radiolysis Excellent! Yes, so much variety in Portland alone. I poured right next to the Seven Bridges folks at Pour Oregon last Sunday. Bob and Rob are awesome…as are the wines!
Definitely stop by the SEWC when you’re in town, and feel free to reach out: jason@gersingcellars.com
PANS! GLANDS! CRAYONS! AWESOME!
@gersingcellars thanks for the invite! I’ll be up the first week of June for work. I’ll see if we can’t put something together!
/giphy uber-flabby-peace
#iAMdrinkingeffingmerlot
Would like to try this but (1) I still have 2 cases of other recent orders on the way I don’t even have yet (one is showing-up at a FedEx location for pickup today)…and, (2) I really don’t want to take a risk on the Merlot part. Sorry I am just not a Merlot guy (not 'cause of the movie…) – the only exception where I said “yeah, I like this Merlot” was from Northstar in Walla Walla and it was $60 or $80.
Curious about the Nebbiolo and the reviews that mentioned “mineral” taste. It’s funny because that’s a taste I’ve learned to like is some of the good Washington Rieslings. At first it put me off and then after a while I learned to seek it! I’m wondering where this comes from in the Nebbiolo? I see the Merlot says 100% but I don’t see a blend on the Nebbiolo? Is there something blended? I know Viognier is often a small enhancer for a lot of Washington wines, just wondering if Riesling was used in a similar way here, or does the taste really come from the Nebbiolo?
@pmarin The Nebbiolo is 100% Nebbiolo. As for minerality, it’s a term that - in my experience - is used to mean different things for different wines. As you mention, for Rieslings it can be one thing (petrol? steely?), while in reds it can be meant to suggest something like salinity or even earthiness. Lastly, with respect to Merlot, the Legit is not your typical Merlot (I admit there are a lot of bad examples out there). At Pour Oregon this past Sunday, people kept coming up to my booth saying, “Someone told me I have to try this Merlot.” It was definitely a hit.
@gersingcellars OK thank you that’s very helpful. In that case…
/giphy scientific-predominant-seashore
@gersingcellars
Might we see some of your other efforts here in the future as well?
@gersingcellars Merlot that’s Legit (
) enough for the wine list at C’est Si Bon, an intimate little French bistro and Portland gem.
@rjquillin We shall see!
@gersingcellars
In for this one.
I’m not aware of, nor actually looked for that matter for, other west coast Neb producers. Any idea how much is planted, and by who, that gets single bottled?
Wiki doesn’t help much, but I did find it surprising some is planted in Baja.
Thanks for the offer.
@gersingcellars @rjquillin
Jacuzzi Family Vineyards in Sonoma makes a Nebbiolo. Got some from wine.woot back in the day.
Right down to the last minute! Kind of thought this would sell out, considering the limited production …bejeweled-overwrought-income…of which I am lacking now, thank you.