I have become a big fan of Pinot Gris this summer. I wasn’t ever averse to the varietal, but it has never had much real estate in our cellar for some reason. Done right, they are crisp, yet full bodied, great with spicy foods (which we eat a lot of) and you find really great deals like the 2005 R. Stuart Big Fire Pinot Gris for $11.
R. Stuart winery is located in a converted granary in downtown McMinnville Oregon. I think the below “House Rules” sums up there philosophy quite nicely.
The 2005 Big Fire Pinot Gris is 100% of the varietal, fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, coming in at 13% Alcohol with 7.2 g/L of acid and a pH of 3.35. After a demanded somewhat schizophrenic 2005 vintage in Oregon, the hard work and attention of winemaker Rob Stuart paid off in this classic expression of the Pinot Gris grape.
My Tasting Notes
Nose – Apple, pair, raw pumpkin, chalk
Taste – pear, almond, aloe, coconut
Mouthfeel – smooth and round, medium to high acidity and a hint of spice
Finish – short to medium in length kind of disappeared quickly
I really enjoyed this wine and $11 I think it is a great value. The only disappointment in the wine was the finish. IT was quite short and escaped the palate with little to show for all the effort it puts in at the front end. We drank this with home made Pad Thai with Tofu and it paired very nicely. It is distributed quite well and you should be able to find at your local shop, I picked mine up at the Wine Cellar in Midlothian.
Cheers.
Anything Wine 
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