The nose is floral with notes of white peach, nutmeg, sage, and vanilla. On the palate, the peach and vanilla flavors continue along with citrus, brioche, apple, and sweet oak. The wine is rich and round up front, with good integration of oak tannin and acidity leading to a lingering finish.
A pioneer in the Oregon wine industry, Foris is the southernmost vineyard in the state in the Illinois Valley sub-AVA of the Rogue Valley. The high elevation of this vineyard and its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provide ideal growing conditions for Alsace-style varietals.
Winemaking Process
The fruit was handpicked and whole cluster pressed, then cold settled, racked, and slow fermented at 55 degrees in 50% stainless steel and 50% oak. Sur lie aged five months in stainless steel tanks and French and American oak.
Vintage Notes
The winter was wetter than normal and, with better snowpack than in recent years, the water table in the soils was high. Spring brought mild weather. Bud break was around the middle of April – slightly later than is typical. A heavy vine canopy required a lot of maintenance to remove excessive growth. The fruit set was a week to 10 days later than normal but with warm, dry weather in August through October, hang time was fairly long. August heat kept berry size a little below average, but yields were above average. Most of the valley was harvested by the first of November.
Specs
Varietal: 100% Foris Vineyard Pinot Blanc
Appellation: Rogue Valley, Oregon
Barrel Regime: 5 months in 50% stainless steel tanks and 50% French and American oak
Alcohol: 13.5%
What’s Included
6-bottles:
6x 2017 King Estate Foris Pinot Blanc, Rogue Valley Case:
12x 2017 King Estate Foris Pinot Blanc, Rogue Valley
We were pilgrims to Washington. Since our first Washington harvest in 2005, we have embraced the state. In turn, the state has embraced us as kindred spirits of the Pacific Northwest.
We make wine for wine lovers, simple as that. These are artisan-crafted wines, affordable enough to enjoy every day. My family has always called this our business plan: Integrity. It works for us, and we will always work to bring you the very best.
We treat our wines with dignity and respect. We employ winemaking techniques usually reserved only for the smallest boutique wineries. We respect our vineyard partners and let the quality of the grapes speak for themselves as we craft North by Northwest.
anyways that WE review:
90 Points. The Foris Vineyard is near the California border in southwestern Oregon. This wine is crisp in nature, focusing on apple, pear and melon fruits. Half was fermented in stainless, the other half in a mix of French and American oak. It’s nicely textured and lingers through a clean, mineral-drenched finish. PG 10/1/19
A very special thank you to Alice who patiently dealt with jet lagged me so that I might Rat this report to you.
I had one evening at home to try this wine and gathered a couple of friends and paired it with various appetizers.
The wine was icy cold when we opened it and after pouring I had to go to a light filled area to see the color - very pale straw. On the nose was a beautiful apple, very slightly floral and citrus scent.
I was expecting something close to a New Zealand sauvignon blanc and was quite surprised at the depth of the wine. Green apples (crisp green- green apples) a hint of some thing else -perhaps a zest? and then a not sweet melon mid-palate, especially after it warmed up a bit. There was also a bit of dry minerality at the finish. Delicious!
We paired it with truffle cheese and crackers, fresh tomatoes and avocados with a splash of orange olive oil and sea salt- very nice! The romesco sauce on French bread didn’t pair quite as well, yet the humus and feta crackers held up nicely. I would (and will!- in for a case!) serve this with lighter fare. I would include a Margherita pizza in that category.
For fun we tasted it against a dry riesling.
I was rather surprised at the difference. The King Estate Pinot Blanc was much more balanced, elegant and smooth compared to the reisling.
One more thing- I read somewhere whites should be consumed 3 years from vintage- wait- I may be making that up - but there was nothing off taste about this delicious 2017 sipper and dinner party ready wine.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the ability to try the wee bit that remained the next day.
@Jeanhp3 Thanks for the review, I’m a bit concerned about the age, but ordered a case anyway and hoping yours was not an anomaly. It’s pretty well documented that white wines, with few exceptions, should be consumed within 2 to 3 years. Would be interested to hear what the producer has to say about this particular wine.
@mattig88 Agree! I have had some bad bottles mixed within a case and have a pretty sensitive nose and palate. I believed it was important to add that last part because this is outside the “range”. I hope this wine was stored very well and we all will be the happy recipients of a very tasty wine at a great price.
@Jeanhp3@mattig88 Good review, and there are a few common notes with the my own rattage that I was embarrassingly tardy in posting. I agree that its age is not a worry. This is well structured with a good acidic grip that lends to the sense of crisp freshness this wine displays. Green apple acidity, as you say.
Also, it’s a very good price; I’m in for a case myself.
As for aging, this Foris Pinot Blanc is so easy to drink that even a case won’t last in our house past October.
@baldwino0@Jeanhp3@mattig88 Do I drink young whites, yes. Young reds too for that matter. Not speaking to this wine because I’ve never had it but many a white goes beyond and well beyond two or three years.
Is it the recession kicking in? Is it the fact that most of us have boxes of drinkable wine that will last us years?
I have no indication of the uppers of the uppers sales. You know, the people don’t actually drink, but purchase because some investment firm owns the purchase investment.
I practically see no winery participation. We see the same old offerings. Is WD not offering the deal? Are the winemakers that budget-strapped, knowing all along $60 bottle were never going to sell at that point?
2017 King Estate Pinot Blanc SVD Foris Vineyard, Rogue Valley, 13.5% alc
Sorry for the tardiness of this Rat Report! I wish I could blame an internet outage, but I’m afraid it was just an old fashioned brain outage.
And now, on to what I wrote up yesterday and had all ready to upload hours ago–
Arrived at Casa LabRat 8 days before on-sale date! This simply does not happen. Alice, I hope you enjoyed your week off!
Opened last weekend found it to be quite light. I hoped this was travel shock and stuck the bottle in the fridge for a few days.
Happily, this Pinot Blanc did put on more weight with the extra rest and a bit of air.
Very light in color… the palest of straw. Has generous citrus, apple and white peach aromas, maybe a touch of honeysuckle nectar, and a touch of vanilla.
Clean and bright on the palate, almost green apple acidity contrasting with light honey and more of those peach/pear notes. Random thought: this would make a great Crémant-style bubbly! It does have a wonderfully crisp finish and I think will be a very nice “food wine.” To consider for food pairing.
The Foris Vineyard boasts “Alsatian varietals” at 1500’ elevation near the OR-CA border (they say an “alpine climate”), but the finished wines did not inspire Alsace for me. Not that that’s inherently bad. Just don’t expect that.
Says, “This will be a delicious summer sipper.” And it will be. Too bad this Lab Rat selction arrived in Michigan during a week of freeze warnings and now a weekend of cold, gray, soaking rainy days.
Despite the complicated tasting notes, I do like this Pinot Blanc just fine. So if the price is right, this wine will delight on those warm summer evenings on the deck that we are still dreaming of here in Michigan, to go with a cheese plate or other light fare (oysters, mussels, shrimp cocktail, or maybe ceviche if it is not too assertive… actually that sounds delicious).
Some here might be interested to know there’s also a Foris Vineyard winery: Foriswine.com. I don’t believe they’re associated with King Estate, other than as a source of grapes. They have a pretty good regional reputation for qpr.
@DanOR I came across them when collecting background for my lab rat post. They started out as growers only, then decided to start making wine from their estate fruit some years later. I get the feeling that the elder Mr. Gerber enjoys farming and vineyard tending more than the commercial aspects of marketing and selling wine. So they’ve kept that part of the family business more boutique. Just as we all know that the opposite is true. I know several winemakers who own no land except the warehouses their tanks, barrels and bottling lines and other equipment are in. They know everything about grape growing and trellising and all that goes into winegrowing, but they’re happy to let someone else spend their days doing the hands-on part of farming.
Thanks Lab rats for your great reviews. My experience has been that a well made white wine that is stored properly can be great and might even have some unexpected additional characteristics. I’m in for a case! If anyone wants to
Buy 3-6 bottles I’m in SanFrancisco.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2017 King Estate Pinot Blanc - $30 = 23.07%
EEK!This is a follow up to my rattage- I just received my case and very sorry to say the color/taste/nose of the 1/12 bottles is not what my sample bottle promised to be. In fact, I had the original bottle in the fridge (we had been traveling) with 2 tablespoons left- that bottle was much better- even after being opened for 2 weeks. I am hoping for a 6/12 positive rating as the summer goes on. Have a good weekend everyone.
I got my case a couple of days ago and opened my first bottle. It is simply delicious, the notes of the two rats are spot on. Delicious fruits like peaches and apples in the aroma and taste, perfect minerality, and crispness to finish. The wine went so well with roasted asparagus and sweet potatoes and a chopped salad. It’s one of the best values for money from Woot/ Casemates in all my years of buying here.
@SylvesterSiler I’m back… opened the 2nd of12 bottles and it is as wonderful as the bottle I ratted on. So…I will happily keep trying and agree with you-great value! It is quite tasty isn’t it?!
2017 King Estate Foris Pinot Blanc, Rogue Valley
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
Tasting Notes
A pioneer in the Oregon wine industry, Foris is the southernmost vineyard in the state in the Illinois Valley sub-AVA of the Rogue Valley. The high elevation of this vineyard and its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean provide ideal growing conditions for Alsace-style varietals.
Winemaking Process
Vintage Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
$288.00/Case for 12x 2017 King Estate Foris Pinot Blanc, Rogue Valley at King Estate Winery
About The Winery
King Estate Winery
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, LA, 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, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, May 22 - Wednesday, May 24
2017 King Estate Pinot Blanc
6 bottles for $64.99 $10.83/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $99.99 $8.33/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
Thought maybe here before but don’t see it…
anyways that WE review:
90 Points. The Foris Vineyard is near the California border in southwestern Oregon. This wine is crisp in nature, focusing on apple, pear and melon fruits. Half was fermented in stainless, the other half in a mix of French and American oak. It’s nicely textured and lingers through a clean, mineral-drenched finish. PG 10/1/19
fwiw
I frankly love this winery and their whites are the epitome of quality Northwest Summer sippers. Clean, crisp and minerally…in for two!
King Estate 2017
Rogue Valley Pinot Blanc.
A very special thank you to Alice who patiently dealt with jet lagged me so that I might Rat this report to you.
I had one evening at home to try this wine and gathered a couple of friends and paired it with various appetizers.
The wine was icy cold when we opened it and after pouring I had to go to a light filled area to see the color - very pale straw. On the nose was a beautiful apple, very slightly floral and citrus scent.
I was expecting something close to a New Zealand sauvignon blanc and was quite surprised at the depth of the wine. Green apples (crisp green- green apples) a hint of some thing else -perhaps a zest? and then a not sweet melon mid-palate, especially after it warmed up a bit. There was also a bit of dry minerality at the finish. Delicious!
We paired it with truffle cheese and crackers, fresh tomatoes and avocados with a splash of orange olive oil and sea salt- very nice! The romesco sauce on French bread didn’t pair quite as well, yet the humus and feta crackers held up nicely. I would (and will!- in for a case!) serve this with lighter fare. I would include a Margherita pizza in that category.
For fun we tasted it against a dry riesling.
I was rather surprised at the difference. The King Estate Pinot Blanc was much more balanced, elegant and smooth compared to the reisling.
One more thing- I read somewhere whites should be consumed 3 years from vintage- wait- I may be making that up - but there was nothing off taste about this delicious 2017 sipper and dinner party ready wine.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have the ability to try the wee bit that remained the next day.
@Jeanhp3 Thanks for the review, I’m a bit concerned about the age, but ordered a case anyway and hoping yours was not an anomaly. It’s pretty well documented that white wines, with few exceptions, should be consumed within 2 to 3 years. Would be interested to hear what the producer has to say about this particular wine.
@mattig88 Agree! I have had some bad bottles mixed within a case and have a pretty sensitive nose and palate. I believed it was important to add that last part because this is outside the “range”. I hope this wine was stored very well and we all will be the happy recipients of a very tasty wine at a great price.
@Jeanhp3 @mattig88 Good review, and there are a few common notes with the my own rattage that I was embarrassingly tardy in posting. I agree that its age is not a worry. This is well structured with a good acidic grip that lends to the sense of crisp freshness this wine displays. Green apple acidity, as you say.
Also, it’s a very good price; I’m in for a case myself.
As for aging, this Foris Pinot Blanc is so easy to drink that even a case won’t last in our house past October.
@baldwino0 @Jeanhp3 @mattig88 Do I drink young whites, yes. Young reds too for that matter. Not speaking to this wine because I’ve never had it but many a white goes beyond and well beyond two or three years.
Is it the recession kicking in? Is it the fact that most of us have boxes of drinkable wine that will last us years?
I have no indication of the uppers of the uppers sales. You know, the people don’t actually drink, but purchase because some investment firm owns the purchase investment.
I practically see no winery participation. We see the same old offerings. Is WD not offering the deal? Are the winemakers that budget-strapped, knowing all along $60 bottle were never going to sell at that point?
@KNmeh7 I think to some degree the market is flooded. New vineyards/wineries are popping up everywhere.
2017 King Estate Pinot Blanc
SVD Foris Vineyard, Rogue Valley, 13.5% alc
Sorry for the tardiness of this Rat Report! I wish I could blame an internet outage, but I’m afraid it was just an old fashioned brain outage.
And now, on to what I wrote up yesterday and had all ready to upload hours ago–
Arrived at Casa LabRat 8 days before on-sale date! This simply does not happen. Alice, I hope you enjoyed your week off!
Opened last weekend found it to be quite light. I hoped this was travel shock and stuck the bottle in the fridge for a few days.
Happily, this Pinot Blanc did put on more weight with the extra rest and a bit of air.
Very light in color… the palest of straw. Has generous citrus, apple and white peach aromas, maybe a touch of honeysuckle nectar, and a touch of vanilla.
Clean and bright on the palate, almost green apple acidity contrasting with light honey and more of those peach/pear notes. Random thought: this would make a great Crémant-style bubbly! It does have a wonderfully crisp finish and I think will be a very nice “food wine.” To consider for food pairing.
The Foris Vineyard boasts “Alsatian varietals” at 1500’ elevation near the OR-CA border (they say an “alpine climate”), but the finished wines did not inspire Alsace for me. Not that that’s inherently bad. Just don’t expect that.
Says, “This will be a delicious summer sipper.” And it will be. Too bad this Lab Rat selction arrived in Michigan during a week of freeze warnings and now a weekend of cold, gray, soaking rainy days.
Despite the complicated tasting notes, I do like this Pinot Blanc just fine. So if the price is right, this wine will delight on those warm summer evenings on the deck that we are still dreaming of here in Michigan, to go with a cheese plate or other light fare (oysters, mussels, shrimp cocktail, or maybe ceviche if it is not too assertive… actually that sounds delicious).
Some here might be interested to know there’s also a Foris Vineyard winery: Foriswine.com. I don’t believe they’re associated with King Estate, other than as a source of grapes. They have a pretty good regional reputation for qpr.
@DanOR I came across them when collecting background for my lab rat post. They started out as growers only, then decided to start making wine from their estate fruit some years later. I get the feeling that the elder Mr. Gerber enjoys farming and vineyard tending more than the commercial aspects of marketing and selling wine. So they’ve kept that part of the family business more boutique. Just as we all know that the opposite is true. I know several winemakers who own no land except the warehouses their tanks, barrels and bottling lines and other equipment are in. They know everything about grape growing and trellising and all that goes into winegrowing, but they’re happy to let someone else spend their days doing the hands-on part of farming.
Thanks Lab rats for your great reviews. My experience has been that a well made white wine that is stored properly can be great and might even have some unexpected additional characteristics. I’m in for a case! If anyone wants to
Buy 3-6 bottles I’m in SanFrancisco.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations).
2017 King Estate Pinot Blanc - $30 = 23.07%
That was quick. Cases are gone, so in for 2 halfs
@justinh I just managed to order a case
@dianefreda @justinh
Looks like the cases have been replenished.
@dianefreda @justinh @rjquillin And…gone again.
That’s what I get for hesitating
Adding to our other recent King Estate buys on CM!
/giphy rigid-numb-mask
/giphy pumped-fatal-bee
@CruelMelody ironically I was watching some Simpsons thinking I would order my case later, and the cases sold out.
EEK!This is a follow up to my rattage- I just received my case and very sorry to say the color/taste/nose of the 1/12 bottles is not what my sample bottle promised to be. In fact, I had the original bottle in the fridge (we had been traveling) with 2 tablespoons left- that bottle was much better- even after being opened for 2 weeks. I am hoping for a 6/12 positive rating as the summer goes on. Have a good weekend everyone.
I got my case a couple of days ago and opened my first bottle. It is simply delicious, the notes of the two rats are spot on. Delicious fruits like peaches and apples in the aroma and taste, perfect minerality, and crispness to finish. The wine went so well with roasted asparagus and sweet potatoes and a chopped salad. It’s one of the best values for money from Woot/ Casemates in all my years of buying here.
@SylvesterSiler I’m back… opened the 2nd of12 bottles and it is as wonderful as the bottle I ratted on. So…I will happily keep trying and agree with you-great value! It is quite tasty isn’t it?!