Coelho Winery Bunny Pinot Gris 2022
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Pristine and delightfully aromatic with graham cracker, citrus peel and white floral aromas and brightly expressed on the palate delivering vibrant lemon/lime flavors with fleshy texture and crisp acidity. Youthfully charming and gorgeously elegant.
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Rich pineapple and butterscotch aromas are flanked by a wee note of melting beeswax. If you enjoy less acidity and a creamier texture, this Pinot Gris fits the bill. Grapefruit and ripe honeydew melon flavors abound.
The name means “rabbit” in Portuguese and is pronounced simply “Quail Oh.” The rabbit logo on each of our wines symbolizes all we do in farming unique soil and creating honest bottles of wine that frame special moments for our customers.
We got our start as youngsters in the San Joaquin Valley in California, farming about 800 acres of row crops. We moved to Oregon in 1991 for better educational opportunities for our kids, who have come up through the business, and now are off on their own.
Winemaking runs in our blood. Dave’s grandfather, Joe Coelho, best enjoyed wine surrounded by loved ones. A dairyman, Joe made Portuguese wine for family and friends, instilling a love and appreciation for the wine experience in Dave.
Deolinda’s grandfather, José (Joe) Serpa was a carpenter who made wine in the family basement. Unfortunately, one of his kids siphoned wine for friends to taste. The next morning, the Serpas found the siphon in the barrel and several sick boys on the floor, ending Joe’s winemaking.
In 2004, we bottled our first vintage of Pinot Noir and have not looked back. We opened a tasting room in 2005 in the historic fire-damaged Amity Hardware Store. We’re proud that our tasting room has since become an anchor business for our community.
Showing a unique rosy, purplish hue upon full ripeness, this “white” variety is actually born out of a mutation of Pinot Noir. The grape boasts two versions of its name, as well as two generally distinct styles. In Italy, Pinot Grigio achieves most success in the mountainous regions of Trentino and Alto Adige as well as in the neighboring Friuli—all in Italy’s northeast. France's Alsace and Oregon's Willamette Valley produce some of the world's most well-regarded Pinot Gris wine. California produces both styles with success.
Where Does Pinot Gris / Pinot Grigio Come From?
Pinot Gris is originally from France, and it is technically not a variety but a clone of Pinot Noir. In Italy it’s called Pinot Grigio (Italian for gray), and it is widely planted in northern and NE Italy. Pinot Gris is also grown around the globe, most notably in Oregon, California, and New Zealand. No matter where it’s made or what it’s called, Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio produces many exciting styles.
Tasting Notes for Pinot Grigio
Pinot Grigio is a dry, white wine naturally low in acidity. Pinot Grigio wines showcase signature flavors and aromas of stone fruit, citrus, honeysuckle, pear and almond. Alsatian styles are refreshing, expressive, aromatic (think rose and honey), smooth, full-bodied and richly textured and sometimes relatively higher in alcohol compared to their Italian counterpart. As Pinot Grigio in Italy, the style is often light and charming. The focus here is usually to produce a crisp, refreshing, lighter style of wine. While there are regional differences of Pinot Grigio, the typical profile includes lemon, lime and subtle minerality.
Pinot Grigio Food Pairings
The viscosity of a typical Alsatian Pinot Gris allows it to fit in harmoniously with the region's rich foods like pork, charcuterie and foie gras. Pinot Grigio, on the other hand, with its citrusy freshness, works well as an aperitif wine or with seafood and subtle chicken dishes.
Sommelier Secrets
Given the pinkish color of its berries and aromatic potential if cared for to fully ripen, the Pinot Grigio variety is actually one that is commonly used to make "orange wines." An orange wine is a white wine made in the red wine method, i.e. with fermentation on its skins. This process leads to a wine with more ephemeral aromas, complexity on the palate and a pleasant, light orange hue.
One of Pinot Noir's most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a continental climate moderated by the influence of the Pacific Ocean, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture and the production of elegant wines.
Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation vineyard sites.
The valley's three prominent soil types (volcanic, sedimentary and silty, loess) make it unique and create significant differences in wine styles among its vineyards and sub-AVAs. The iron-rich, basalt-based, Jory volcanic soils found commonly in the Dundee Hills are rich in clay and hold water well; the chalky, sedimentary soils of Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton and McMinnville encourage complex root systems as vines struggle to search for water and minerals. In the most southern stretch of the Willamette, the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA soils are mixed, shallow and well-drained. The Hills' close proximity to the Van Duzer Corridor (which became its own appellation as of 2019) also creates grapes with great concentration and firm acidity, leading to wines that perfectly express both power and grace.
Though Pinot noir enjoys the limelight here, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay also thrive in the Willamette. Increasing curiosity has risen recently in the potential of others like Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc and Gamay.