Explore Oregon Wines: Wineries | Varietals | AVAs | Cellar 503 Selections
James Rahn Wine Weber Vineyard Pinot Gris
Not for Aunt Peggy
James Rahn is one busy guy. In two years, he transitioned from running the wine program at a well-known downtown restaurant to planting a vineyard and turning a horse barn into a winery at Abbey Road. It’s a gorgeous and unique destination with a beautifully-crafted winery in Carlton. Still focused on unusual varietals, you’ll only find one Pinot Noir on the tasting room line-up and the Pinot Gris is a red one!
When I asked him if he considered himself a “natural wine” winemaker, he laughed. Yes, he believes himself to be making wine in the most natural way he can but he doesn’t like the trappings – or the confusion – behind the “natural wine” label. He greatly admires the winemakers in Oregon who are pioneers of the movement but would rather be known simply as a good winemaker.
For two decades, James has pushed well-known restaurants around the country to “try newbies!” – wines they may not have tried before from small producers. As he says, those small winemakers “have a vision that comes from managing a 100-case production rather than a 100,000-case production, so that’s their baby. And that wine, for better or worse, has more personality than the majority of large-production wines. I believe that wholeheartedly.” We agree!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
James Rahn Wine, Portland, Oregon
Weber Vineyard Pinot Gris
Not your aunt Peggy’s pinot gris.
Way back in the land of 2012 - a simpler time - I was an intern under Luisa Ponzi. One day during harvest we had many tons of Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir come in and it was difficult for my noob self to discern which was which. Some of The Gris was nearly as dark as the Pinot Noir. I asked Luisa why more wineries didn’t make a red wine out of it. Her answer was less than encouraging, however, I was curious.
So in 2016 I made my first skin-contact Pinot Gris - in her winery.
The fruit comes from legendary Weber Vineyard in Dundee. When the grapes come in the door it is treated exactly like a red wine. Remember - all wine gets its color from the skins and the skins of Gris are rather pigmented. So it comes in, it’s sorted, allowed to ferment, and placed into barrels - just like red wine.
The resulting wine has a rosey pink hue with aromas of cranberry leather and baking spice. The palate shows flavors of cherry tarte, watermelon rind, and peanut candies (neat). The acids are mouth-watering and the tannins are light, but layered. This wine is extremely versatile and can be paired with many dishes, but what it makes me crave is a board of hard cheeses and spicy, cured meats.
Weber Vineyard, Dundee Hills
A Cellar 503 selection in April 2025, We Are Family Dundee Hills | Pinot Gris
