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Stave & Stone Winery 2016 Pinot Gris
Growing a new family legacy
A fourth-generation apple farmer in Hood River, Jill Fletcher surveyed the 100-year-old apple trees on the family orchard and made a tough decision.
She ripped them out.
They just weren’t producing fruit any more. And rather than plant new apple trees, she took the family farm in a new direction and planted 20 acres of grape vines. Stave & Stone Winery was born.
In the process, she discovered new ways to honor her family’s legacy. Several of Stave & Stone’s wines are named for family members. And their Rosé wine? It’s a special project that includes all of the women in the family foot-stomping the grapes. Their first vintage included three generations of women, and Jill is excited to include her daughter in this year’s production.
As for that name? A “stave” is the wood used to make a bow; exactly what a “fletcher” (one who makes arrows) needs to complete the job. And the “stone”? That’s a reference to the massive boulders that had to be cleared from the land before planting could commence.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Stave & Stone Winery, Hood River, Oregon
2016 Pinot Gris
Did you know that Oregon is the world’s largest producer of premium Pinot Gris? Most of it comes from the Willamette Valley because Pinot Gris grapes likes the cooler climate. But it takes on even more of the fruits characteristics when grown in a warmer region like the Columbia Gorge.
This is a dry, bright, and juicy wine bursting with flavors of pear, tart green apple, and citrus. It’s refreshing acidity is balanced with floral notes and melon flavors and will pair beautifully with seafood, roast chicken, or anything with a cream sauce. As the folks at Stave & Stone like to say: It tastes like joy!
A Cellar 503 selection in March 2018, Battle of the Varietals Columbia Gorge | Pinot Gris
