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Aubichon Cellars 2015 Pinot Gris
The easy way? Not for these guys.
Jim Sanders was busy, working on a doctorate in psychology and needed a quiet place to read, write, and ponder the mysteries of the human brain. What better place than a little house tucked away in wine country on the property of famed Oregon winery Beaux Freres? But like any good academic, Jim got curious. He befriended the winemaker, Mike Etzel, and peppered him with questions about winemaking. Before long, Jim had discovered a passion and a talent for making wine. (He did get that Ph. D. too.)
Meanwhile, Le Cadeu Vineyards owner Tom Mortimer was looking for a winemaker for his Equinoxe Pi not Noir. He prides himself on working with different winemakers for each wine produced with his Parrett Mountain grapes - and when he met Jim, he had his man.
Today, Jim still makes the Equinoxe for Le Cadeu, but in 2007, Tom and Jim partnered to form Aubichon Cellars.
These two friends and self-proclaimed wine geeks love handcrafting wines. They tout the "artisanal" nature of Aubichon wines and often say "if there is an easy way to do something, chances are we didn't do it that way."
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Aubichon Cellars, Dundee, Oregon
2015 Pinot Gris
Tom and Jim love Pinot Gris, a classic Willamette Valley varietal. Between their three labels they bottle six different Pinot Gris a year - with more in the barrel already planned for the future. They test and try every approach - from stainless steel to oak barrel aging to rose editions.
This Pinot Gris was aged 100% in stainless steel tanks for five months. The aging was done "on the lees," with spent yeast kept sitting at the bottom of tank. With very little residual sugar, it is bone dry - but the yeasty texture from the lees gives it a rounded feel on the palate.
Lovely aromas of honeydew melon and lavender lead to flavors of pears, citrus fruit, wet stone, and fresh herbs. With strong acidity, this Pinot Gris will be wonderful with your Thanksgiving meal, cutting through the richness of your gravy and scalloped potatoes.
A Cellar 503 selection in November 2016, A Friendsgiving Thanksgiving Willamette Valley | Pinot Gris
