The success of King Estate Winery has been driven by stewardship, family, and tradition. Sticking to those core values for 34 years has helped Ed King transform Oregon Pinot Gris into a powerhouse wine. When it comes to being called a legend, King Estate’s co-founder and co-CEO humbly deflects. “I don’t do singular; it’s all […]
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In 1979, Phillip Jones abandoned his telecommunications career to plant the first vines in Gippsland—a large but, until then, mostly unexplored wine region east of Melbourne. His aspiration: to make a great Australian Bordeaux. Cabernet, however, struggled to ripen in the cool, maritime climate. Instead, it was his three rows of Pinot Noir that would […]
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Though Napa Valley’s calling card has historically been its Cabernet Sauvignon, in the early days that followed Prohibition in Napa, many premium producers tried their hand at Pinot Noir. “All of the champions of varietal wines from the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s persevered with Pinot,” writes John Winthrop Haeger in his book, North American Pinot […]
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The term “Pinot Noir” describes both a grape and the single-varietal wine produced from that grape. Its name comes from the French words for “pine” and “black,” a reference to the pine-cone shape of its clusters on the vine and the color of the grapes. These grapes make one of the world’s most popular red […]
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One is usually lighter in color, the other a bit darker in hue. One tends to be suave and soft in mouthfeel, the other more firm and structured. One is considered the “heartbreak grape” for how difficult it can be to grow, whereas the other has relative success in landscapes all across the globe. But […]
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Oregon Pinot Noir is the party everyone wants to attend. After all, who doesn’t want to dance with cool climate gems known for striking a balance between beautifully ripened fruit with natural acidity. And like any great party, a lot of hard work was involved. In 1961, winemaker Richard Sommer got the party rolling by […]
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Wine snobs may look down upon Pinot Grigio, but there’s far more to the varietal than the bulk-produced brands lead many to believe. There are excellent Pinot Grigios—produced in a wide array of styles across Italy and beyond—if you know where to look. Since its introduction to American shelves during the late 1970s, Pinot Grigio […]
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Ask the average drinker in the United States about where the best American wine is made, and they might cite the states of California, Washington or New York. Oenophiles, of course, have long known that Oregon—and its Willamette Valley AVA, in particular—is a world-class destination for quality vino. But although Oregon vineyards can produce everything […]
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