2015 King Estate Backbone Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting Notes
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Each vintage, our winemakers have the ability to ferment and age individual blocks and vineyards separately until they are blended. This allows our winemakers to hand-select individual fruit from a select range of Willamette Valley vineyards. Each vineyard contributes unique nuances and character to this blend, making this wine more than just the sum of its parts. The exceptional quality fruit coming from these storied vineyards provides the backbone for our King Estate Willamette Valley wines.
The 2015 vintage is a brilliant example of Pinot Gris from a warmer than average Western Oregon growing season. The glistening straw yellow color is accented by a nose consisting of lemon, honey, and nectarine notes. Floral elements are present with violet and rose water components, accompanying fruit-forward flavors of pear, melon, and pineapple. The silky, supple entrance is followed by a mid-palate explosion of complex fruit flavor and gorgeous acidity, highlighting the overarching backbone of this beautiful Willamette Valley Pinot Gris.
Winemaking & Vintage Notes
The 2015 vintage of Backbone Pinot Gris was meticulously harvested by hand, and whole cluster pressed. After being cold settled, it was carefully racked and slow fermented at 55 degrees in stainless steel tanks. This wine benefited from sur lie aging for 5 months prior to bottling.
2015 was the earliest harvest in King Estate history. A dry, mild winter led to early bud break in mid to late March, about two weeks ahead of normal. With minimal frost damage to worry about during winter, there was an abundance of fruit set by early June. Warm temperatures throughout spring and summer kept the vines ahead of their seasonal average maturation while a slight reprieve from the heat arrived around harvest and helped to preserve acidity and allowed for optimal flavor development. Fruit came in perfectly ripe, having benefitted from extended hang time.
Specs
Vintage: 2015
Varietal: Pinot Gris
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Alcohol: 13.5%
Vineyards: 40% King Estate; 30% Pfeiffer; 15% Johnson School; 10% Nekia Hill; 5% Antiquum
2015 King Estate Unity Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting Notes
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
The fruit comes half from King Estate and half from Pfeiffer Vineyards. Pale straw in color, the nose conjures a delightful medley of freshly cut pear, apples and orange blossom. On the palate flavors of tangerine, lime and pineapple are detected. After a round entrance, the wine displays great acid balance and ends in a lingering finish.
Winermaker Notes
The King family and the Pfeiffer family have been through quite a bit together. We have grown grapes and made wine with each other for more than 20 years. In that time, much has changed, many challenges have been met, and we have learned to make ever better, more elegant wines that show just how much the relationship has evolved.
Winemaking & Vintage Notes
Cold fermentation in temperature-controlled stainless steel is followed by sur lie aging for six months in stainless steel tanks.
2015 was an early harvest year. A dry, mild winter led to early bud break in mid-to late March, about two weeks ahead of normal. With minimal frost damage to worry about during winter, there was an abundance of fruit set by early June. Warm temperatures throughout spring and summer kept the vines ahead of their seasonal average maturation. A slight reprieve from the heat arrived around harvest and helped to preserve acidity and allowed for optimal flavor development. The fruit benefited from extended hang time and came in perfectly ripe.
2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting Notes
91 Points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast
The wine is pale straw in color. Tropical fruit and citrus notes of pineapple and orange zest greet the nose along with pear, wild honey and rose petal with an underpinning of minerality. Flavors expand to include melon, lime juice, damp slate and violets. The entrance is smooth and lively. The fresh fruit dances harmoniously with acidity across the palate, displaying an ample and juicy finish.
Winermaker Notes
Pfeiffer Vineyard and King Estate have a winemaking collaboration dating back to 1992. In fact, Pfeiffer has sold its grapes to no other winery for a quarter century. Situated in a unique coastal microclimate, this vineyard produces wines with clean, crisp texture and fruit-forward flavors.
Winemaking & Vintage Notes
Fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel. Aged sur lie six months in stainless steel tanks.
2015 was one of the earliest harvests on record. A dry, mild winter led to early bud break in mid-to late March, about two weeks ahead of normal. With minimal frost damage to worry about during winter, there was an abundance of fruit set by early June. Warm temperatures throughout spring and summer kept the vines ahead of their seasonal average maturation. A slight reprieve from the heat arrived around harvest and helped to preserve acidity and allowed for optimal flavor development. The fruit benefited from extended hang time and came in perfectly ripe.
Specs
Vintage: 2015
Varietal: 100% Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Alcohol: 13.5%
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
2x 2015 King Estate Backbone Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
2x 2015 King Estate Unity Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
2x 2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Case:
4x 2015 King Estate Backbone Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
4x 2015 King Estate Unity Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
4x 2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Situated at the tip of the Willamette Valley just southwest of Eugene, OR, our beautiful Estate is where our story begins. Our family-owned winery is dedicated to quality without compromise.
We responsibly produce world-class wines that are consistently excellent, consistently available and consistently reasonable in their price. That’s been our covenant to you, the people who support our winemaking.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 King Estate Mixed Pinot Gris - $35 = 26.91%
@CorTot I was underwhelmed with the King Estates “Thanksgiving Whites” offered here which included Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc from 2015 and a 2012 riesling. Definitely tasted past their prime.
@CorTot@jfuruno Personally I liked them! Might have only a few bottles left of the original case. I think it depends on what style and character you are looking for. I would re-buy that offer again, but this is even more interesting with a different mix in it.
@CorTot@jfuruno Agree. Not a huge fan of the Thanksgiving offer either. Definitely missing the freshness and brightness that I enjoy in most whites. They are still drinkable but I tend to skip them when grabbing a midweek white. My wife wasn’t a fan either.
@CorTot@jfuruno@losthighwayz
I didn’t really find any flaws in the Thanksgiving lot, but the only one I enjoyed was the Sauvignon Blanc. The others were just too sweet for me.
@ThomasF I don’t buy much wine here but the last time was a case in December. The only reason I check the site daily is for the poll. If you plan on removing the poll, I have no reason to come by every day to check the home page.
@jfuruno Yes, with every new product offering, there was a new poll on the home page. You could click on the question to add comments. The last one was about pomegranate.
King Estate 2015 Backbone Pinot Gris Editors’ Choice 92 Points
This is the reserve-level Pinot Gris, comprised of lots from five different vineyards. Juicy, succulent and quite tart fruit flavors emphasize fresh apples and pears, lightly dusted with cinnamon spice. The concentration and lingering finish prove it worthy of its reserve status. PG 7/1/17
King Estate 2015 Unity Pinot Gris 90 Points
Half estate, half Pfeiffer Vineyard fruit, this is crisp and racy, with bright intense flavors of white peach and gooseberry. It’s bracing, clean and thoroughly refreshing—great for a hot summer day. PG 7/1/17
King Estate 2015 Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris
Editors’ Choice
This exceptional release is firm and focused, with lip-smacking acidity. Tart apple and tangy limeade pack the core flavors, underscored with wet-stone minerality. PG 7/1/17
Good morning everyone!
I received the 2015 Unity Pinot Gris.
To be honest this is not my choice of white wine, but happy to try.
Love that the wine is arriving before the actual release date, giving plenty of time to let bottle rest and plan a menu accordingly.
Saying that…I did not enjoy this wine at all!
Day one:
First sip was a fizzy sensation on the tongue and after that not much.
I could not place any fruit and could neither taste any. Left to warm up a little and still no change. Put cork back in and left for another day.
Day two:
Did not get the initial fizz from day one, but just again not a lot, very disappointing, a very flat tasting, meh wine…sorry!
@SueBee22@WCCWineGirl Yes, appreciate the review. I still am likely to go for this offer. But I’m wondering what it might be that was going in this case?
Unfortunately there were no Pinot Gris in the previous King Estate November offer, though I have had PG from this producer before (not these specific ones, though.) I would say that Oregon Pinot Gris tend to be softer, rounder, more mid-palette, lingering finish. And not much like the style of some “Pinot Grigio” which tend to throw fruit at your face in some cases. So I do often expect an OR PG to be more muted and subtle, and often are still very good or improved after a few years. (perhaps not after 5+ years?). But I’m still not sure if this really represents a wine that did not age well, or was somehow unexpectedly flawed, or if it did just not match what the taster expected or enjoyed (which is totally an acceptable answer in this forum!)
@chipgreen
Day one
1st tasting 45 degrees F
No food or snacks-definite fizz and no prominent smell or taste.
1st tasting 45 degrees F
Paired with creamy pesto and spinach dip (Blue Apron) still very bland and no noticeable flavor.
2nd tasting 50 degrees F
No food or snacks-still slight fizz on tongue and no real aroma or taste.
Paired with grilled salmon and roasted veggies, thought the acidity would help with the fatty salmon, but just didn’t really bring anything, just a very flat tasting wine.
Day two
1st tasting 45 degrees F
Paired with smoked gouda and chicken flatbread (Blue Apron) quite spicy, thought the spice and smoked gouda flavor would be a good balance, but the wine just seemed more astringent, did not go well.
2nd tasting 50/55 degrees F
Smoked chicken wings with different dipping sauces - ranch, garlic parmesan, spicy maple and nuoc mam.
I thought the food pairings over the two days would bring a good variety, but it just didn’t happen…for me!
I’m really glad that this offer includes 3 different products, (i.e. different fruit blends, fermentation, and cellaring) so that really makes it much more interesting to me. I guess it’s a “horizontal” in this case since all are from the same year.
Also it’s a form of “insurance” in case one of the three batches just doesn’t work out for you (whether it’s noticeably degraded, or just not to one’s taste.) Despite any concerns, I would probably find any of these hard to turn down at around $8. (but I have not tried any of these specifically yet.)
BTW I did notice a bit of “fizz” one one wine in that November offer, which was a bit of a surprise, but not really offensive and it mellowed quickly. I can’t remember if it was the Gewurz or the SB. I am trying to think back to my VIT 3 class at UC Davis, ‘cause at one time I knew what caused that (some wines do that intentionally), but that class was almost 40 years ago and too many years and cases o’ wine consumed between then and now to remember the details…
@kawichris650 yes, that was it. Which is usually unintended, though some styles encourage it.
For me it’s not unusual to open an older white wine and get some of that, even if that was not the intention of the winemaker when it was produced. This is usually very mild, barely noticeable, but there.
In my opinion it doesn’t necessarily ruin the wine, but of course it changes the character because it means more chemical changes happened after bottling. (well, I guess some changes always happen due to age, but this specific process is generally more noticeable.).
Hope I’m remembering some of that right…
@pmarin
I’ve yet to try my hand at making wine, but I have started getting into homebrewing beer and I have a basic understanding of the fermentation process.
Sorry I’m late…life is drama and stressful right now…
I received the 2015 Kings Estate Backbone Pinot Gris…I was pleasantly surprised by this wine…the first few sips were sweeter than anticipated…in my head I was expecting a more oaky, dry sort of taste, but it came across more sweet than expected, but not overly sweet that I would typically avoid (Muscato). I had a glass the first night (Wed) after my bottle had chilled and enjoyed it, fully flavorful with a light fruity taste that by then end of the glass had a deeper oaky taste - so maybe that’s what happens as it breathes?
Thursday evening I had another glass and still had notes of fruit, that second glass I didn’t get the initial sweetness detected from the wine the first night, it was still enjoyable.
Fast forward to tonight…as I remembered I need to post a review and was out of town Friday-Sunday and hadn’t tasted the wine since Thursday. I poured a glass as a refresher and it definitely had a different taste from the initial glass (maybe I left it alone too long?) Still hints of fruity notes, just not as strong as they had been before, this wine is now definitely subdued from the initial glass, but its still enjoyable. Its moved to the dryer taste I was initially anticipating and don’t judge… but its going great with these buffalo wing flavored cheez-its…
I’m finishing off the bottle tonight for “research” purposes, but I enjoyed this selection…my personal favorite runs to Sauvignon Blanc, but this was a pleasant surprise.
I’m guessing the reason this doesn’t ship to Ohio is the arcane restrictions on direct to consumer shipments from large producers? Anyone know of any prospect for them changing any time soon? Bummed we have to miss out on this (and all the other KE, Gruet, etc).
@cdn1127@DrHellKnow And anything from Scheid (QPR, Metz Road), Broken earth, etc. If I cared enough I’d write my congressman, so I’ll offer that advice to see if you’re less lazy than I am.
We were selected to taste the 2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Vineyards pinot gris.
Color - extremely pale and straw like. I was very surprised by the color given the age on this wine.
Smell - cold out of the wine cellar (I keep my whites at champagne temp, so 45 degrees F), it started out with more apple and quince. As it warmed up a bit, it became incredibly aromatic and floral, particularly honeysuckle.
Taste - Bone-dry, varietally correct. I was surprised by how much acidity it has, though that abated a bit as it warmed. Still quite bracing throughout and never flabby. I liked it a bit warmer as more interesting, not just like sucking on a lemon or an apple.
We paired this with pork chops in brown sugar bourbon seasoning with a sauce containing apples. Pork is a good pairing to be sure. Our sauce was maybe a little too sweet for this wine, but it was a good pairing overall.
I liked this wine but didn’t love this wine. Depending on price point (haven’t looked yet), I could be swayed. I think it drinks like $20 retail.
Edit: at this price, I’m in for a case.
Don’t you love when you read tasting notes and are like, I don’t know how they got any of that? Then again, if those were the notes when it was young, it likely wouldn’t be the same now.
So tempted… But after being burned by the Thanksgiving offer I’m not sure. I’ve popped two bottles of the gewurztraminer and they were both horrible. I attribute it to being too old. The Sauvignon blancs were good but did not make up for the overall loss
@hidden1
@ $7.50/bottle, even if you poured the Gewurz down the sink and figure you then paid $11.25 apiece for the 8 good bottles in the case you still made out alright.
@hidden1 I honestly didn’t find the Thanksgiving offer that bad, considering the price point. The Gewurz was not the best, but still drinkable. Worst case scenario you can use it to cook Or for an Aperol (or, better, Campari) spritz!
I’m not a Pinot Grigio/Gris fan, but SWMBO is! So I’m in for a case. She was just saying tonight that she had not had a Pinot Grigio in a while and she was missing it.
/giphy wireless-longer-peacock
2015 King Estate Backbone Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting Notes
92 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Winemaking & Vintage Notes
Specs
2015 King Estate Unity Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting Notes
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Winermaker Notes
Winemaking & Vintage Notes
Specs
2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasting Notes
91 Points, Editors’ Choice, Wine Enthusiast
Winermaker Notes
Winemaking & Vintage Notes
Specs
Included in the Box
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not for sale online, $320/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NM, NY, NC, ND, OK, OR, PA, SC, SD, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Mar 1 - Tuesday, Mar 2
King Estate Mixed Pinot Gris
6 bottles for $64.99 $10.83/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $94.99 $7.92/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2015 King Estate Backbone Pinot Gris
2015 King Estate Unity Pinot Gris
2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Pinot Gris
SO really enjoys Pinot Gris. Hoping for some rats!
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2015 King Estate Mixed Pinot Gris - $35 = 26.91%
Seems like a nice offer, my wife would go through these quickly. I’m curious about freshness with these being 6 years old.
@CorTot I was underwhelmed with the King Estates “Thanksgiving Whites” offered here which included Gewürztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc from 2015 and a 2012 riesling. Definitely tasted past their prime.
@CorTot @jfuruno Personally I liked them! Might have only a few bottles left of the original case. I think it depends on what style and character you are looking for. I would re-buy that offer again, but this is even more interesting with a different mix in it.
@CorTot @pmarin Thanks for adding that. They won’t be wasted. They just tasted a little flat/one note to me.
@CorTot @jfuruno Agree. Not a huge fan of the Thanksgiving offer either. Definitely missing the freshness and brightness that I enjoy in most whites. They are still drinkable but I tend to skip them when grabbing a midweek white. My wife wasn’t a fan either.
@CorTot @jfuruno @losthighwayz
I didn’t really find any flaws in the Thanksgiving lot, but the only one I enjoyed was the Sauvignon Blanc. The others were just too sweet for me.
No poll today?
@cengland0
Here’s one for you: Do you care about the polls on Casemates?
@cengland0 @pseudogourmet98 yoink
@cengland0 @pseudogourmet98 Vote #2 for me!
@cengland0 I felt the same way, the front page is, well…so empty…like my wallet
@ThomasF I don’t buy much wine here but the last time was a case in December. The only reason I check the site daily is for the poll. If you plan on removing the poll, I have no reason to come by every day to check the home page.
@cengland0 @pseudogourmet98
“I check out the polls while I’m here to buy and discuss wine”
@cengland0 @forlich @pseudogourmet98
“Polls? There are polls?” Serious answer. I don’t pay any attention to the front page.
@jfuruno Yes, with every new product offering, there was a new poll on the home page. You could click on the question to add comments. The last one was about pomegranate.
@cengland0 thanks. that looks familiar, but I skip right past to the wine discussion and have never responded.
@cengland0 Probably not removing the poll, just forgot to set it up for this offer. The poll shall return.
From Wine Enthusiast as noted above:
King Estate 2015 Backbone Pinot Gris Editors’ Choice 92 Points
This is the reserve-level Pinot Gris, comprised of lots from five different vineyards. Juicy, succulent and quite tart fruit flavors emphasize fresh apples and pears, lightly dusted with cinnamon spice. The concentration and lingering finish prove it worthy of its reserve status. PG 7/1/17
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/king-estate-2015-backbone-pinot-gris-willamette-valley/
King Estate 2015 Unity Pinot Gris 90 Points
Half estate, half Pfeiffer Vineyard fruit, this is crisp and racy, with bright intense flavors of white peach and gooseberry. It’s bracing, clean and thoroughly refreshing—great for a hot summer day. PG 7/1/17
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/king-estate-2015-unity-pinot-gris-willamette-valley/
King Estate 2015 Pfeiffer Vineyards Pinot Gris
Editors’ Choice
This exceptional release is firm and focused, with lip-smacking acidity. Tart apple and tangy limeade pack the core flavors, underscored with wet-stone minerality. PG 7/1/17
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/king-estate-2015-pfeiffer-vineyards-pinot-gris-willamette-valley/
fwiw
Good morning everyone!
I received the 2015 Unity Pinot Gris.
To be honest this is not my choice of white wine, but happy to try.
Love that the wine is arriving before the actual release date, giving plenty of time to let bottle rest and plan a menu accordingly.
Saying that…I did not enjoy this wine at all!
Day one:
First sip was a fizzy sensation on the tongue and after that not much.
I could not place any fruit and could neither taste any. Left to warm up a little and still no change. Put cork back in and left for another day.
Day two:
Did not get the initial fizz from day one, but just again not a lot, very disappointing, a very flat tasting, meh wine…sorry!
@SueBee22 thanks for the honest review.
@SueBee22 @WCCWineGirl Yes, appreciate the review. I still am likely to go for this offer. But I’m wondering what it might be that was going in this case?
Unfortunately there were no Pinot Gris in the previous King Estate November offer, though I have had PG from this producer before (not these specific ones, though.) I would say that Oregon Pinot Gris tend to be softer, rounder, more mid-palette, lingering finish. And not much like the style of some “Pinot Grigio” which tend to throw fruit at your face in some cases. So I do often expect an OR PG to be more muted and subtle, and often are still very good or improved after a few years. (perhaps not after 5+ years?). But I’m still not sure if this really represents a wine that did not age well, or was somehow unexpectedly flawed, or if it did just not match what the taster expected or enjoyed (which is totally an acceptable answer in this forum!)
@SueBee22
Curious as to what temperature you tasted the wine at and how was it with food? You mentioned preparing a menu for it.
@chipgreen
Day one
1st tasting 45 degrees F
No food or snacks-definite fizz and no prominent smell or taste.
1st tasting 45 degrees F
Paired with creamy pesto and spinach dip (Blue Apron) still very bland and no noticeable flavor.
2nd tasting 50 degrees F
No food or snacks-still slight fizz on tongue and no real aroma or taste.
Paired with grilled salmon and roasted veggies, thought the acidity would help with the fatty salmon, but just didn’t really bring anything, just a very flat tasting wine.
Day two
1st tasting 45 degrees F
Paired with smoked gouda and chicken flatbread (Blue Apron) quite spicy, thought the spice and smoked gouda flavor would be a good balance, but the wine just seemed more astringent, did not go well.
2nd tasting 50/55 degrees F
Smoked chicken wings with different dipping sauces - ranch, garlic parmesan, spicy maple and nuoc mam.
I thought the food pairings over the two days would bring a good variety, but it just didn’t happen…for me!
@chipgreen @SueBee22
Thanks for adding these notes, helps a lot with context.
@rjquillin @SueBee22
Yes, thank you!
I’m really glad that this offer includes 3 different products, (i.e. different fruit blends, fermentation, and cellaring) so that really makes it much more interesting to me. I guess it’s a “horizontal” in this case since all are from the same year.
Also it’s a form of “insurance” in case one of the three batches just doesn’t work out for you (whether it’s noticeably degraded, or just not to one’s taste.) Despite any concerns, I would probably find any of these hard to turn down at around $8. (but I have not tried any of these specifically yet.)
BTW I did notice a bit of “fizz” one one wine in that November offer, which was a bit of a surprise, but not really offensive and it mellowed quickly. I can’t remember if it was the Gewurz or the SB. I am trying to think back to my VIT 3 class at UC Davis, ‘cause at one time I knew what caused that (some wines do that intentionally), but that class was almost 40 years ago and too many years and cases o’ wine consumed between then and now to remember the details…
@pmarin
Are you thinking of secondary fermentation?
@kawichris650 yes, that was it. Which is usually unintended, though some styles encourage it.
For me it’s not unusual to open an older white wine and get some of that, even if that was not the intention of the winemaker when it was produced. This is usually very mild, barely noticeable, but there.
In my opinion it doesn’t necessarily ruin the wine, but of course it changes the character because it means more chemical changes happened after bottling. (well, I guess some changes always happen due to age, but this specific process is generally more noticeable.).
Hope I’m remembering some of that right…
@pmarin
I’ve yet to try my hand at making wine, but I have started getting into homebrewing beer and I have a basic understanding of the fermentation process.
The screenshot below is from this link:
https://grapes.extension.org/secondary-fermentation/
In for a case!
/giphy irritating-adventurous-macaw
Sorry I’m late…life is drama and stressful right now…
I received the 2015 Kings Estate Backbone Pinot Gris…I was pleasantly surprised by this wine…the first few sips were sweeter than anticipated…in my head I was expecting a more oaky, dry sort of taste, but it came across more sweet than expected, but not overly sweet that I would typically avoid (Muscato). I had a glass the first night (Wed) after my bottle had chilled and enjoyed it, fully flavorful with a light fruity taste that by then end of the glass had a deeper oaky taste - so maybe that’s what happens as it breathes?
Thursday evening I had another glass and still had notes of fruit, that second glass I didn’t get the initial sweetness detected from the wine the first night, it was still enjoyable.
Fast forward to tonight…as I remembered I need to post a review and was out of town Friday-Sunday and hadn’t tasted the wine since Thursday. I poured a glass as a refresher and it definitely had a different taste from the initial glass (maybe I left it alone too long?) Still hints of fruity notes, just not as strong as they had been before, this wine is now definitely subdued from the initial glass, but its still enjoyable. Its moved to the dryer taste I was initially anticipating and don’t judge… but its going great with these buffalo wing flavored cheez-its…
I’m finishing off the bottle tonight for “research” purposes, but I enjoyed this selection…my personal favorite runs to Sauvignon Blanc, but this was a pleasant surprise.
@amehzinggrace the fact that it was still enjoyable after 5 days is saying something for the wine!
I’m guessing the reason this doesn’t ship to Ohio is the arcane restrictions on direct to consumer shipments from large producers? Anyone know of any prospect for them changing any time soon? Bummed we have to miss out on this (and all the other KE, Gruet, etc).
@cdn1127
Yes, that is exactly the reason. I doubt there are any changes in the pipeline.
@cdn1127 @DrHellKnow And anything from Scheid (QPR, Metz Road), Broken earth, etc. If I cared enough I’d write my congressman, so I’ll offer that advice to see if you’re less lazy than I am.
Labrat checking in, sorry I am late in the day.
We were selected to taste the 2015 King Estate Pfeiffer Vineyards pinot gris.
Color - extremely pale and straw like. I was very surprised by the color given the age on this wine.
Smell - cold out of the wine cellar (I keep my whites at champagne temp, so 45 degrees F), it started out with more apple and quince. As it warmed up a bit, it became incredibly aromatic and floral, particularly honeysuckle.
Taste - Bone-dry, varietally correct. I was surprised by how much acidity it has, though that abated a bit as it warmed. Still quite bracing throughout and never flabby. I liked it a bit warmer as more interesting, not just like sucking on a lemon or an apple.
We paired this with pork chops in brown sugar bourbon seasoning with a sauce containing apples. Pork is a good pairing to be sure. Our sauce was maybe a little too sweet for this wine, but it was a good pairing overall.
I liked this wine but didn’t love this wine. Depending on price point (haven’t looked yet), I could be swayed. I think it drinks like $20 retail.
Edit: at this price, I’m in for a case.
Don’t you love when you read tasting notes and are like, I don’t know how they got any of that? Then again, if those were the notes when it was young, it likely wouldn’t be the same now.
So tempted… But after being burned by the Thanksgiving offer I’m not sure. I’ve popped two bottles of the gewurztraminer and they were both horrible. I attribute it to being too old. The Sauvignon blancs were good but did not make up for the overall loss
@hidden1
@ $7.50/bottle, even if you poured the Gewurz down the sink and figure you then paid $11.25 apiece for the 8 good bottles in the case you still made out alright.
@chipgreen totally agree. Guess it was mostly just disappointment because I was excited about the gewurztraminer
@hidden1 I honestly didn’t find the Thanksgiving offer that bad, considering the price point. The Gewurz was not the best, but still drinkable. Worst case scenario you can use it to cook
Or for an Aperol (or, better, Campari) spritz!
In for a case. I have a couple of bottles of the regular King pinot gris from Costco on the rack. I’ll be interested to see how these have aged.
/giphy silent-ultimate-squid
/giphy informative-fastest-smile
I LOVED their viognier so excited to try this!
/giphy feisty-withered-fig
I’m not a Pinot Grigio/Gris fan, but SWMBO is! So I’m in for a case.
She was just saying tonight that she had not had a Pinot Grigio in a while and she was missing it.
/giphy wireless-longer-peacock