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The ‘Estate’ designation is from our oldest block of Riesling planted on the gentle slopes of the winery property. This sublime wine highlights the quality that old vine material can give from this noble grape in the Northern Willamette Valley. It shows a traditional bouquet of pear and apple overtones, with a succulent palate that finishes with a hint of petrol. A pretty wine now yet has enough fruit and balanced acidity to age a number of years with cool cellaring.

2004 vintage continues what has strangely become almost routine up in Oregon – a very warm growing season. However, cold Spring weather naturally lowered crop sizes, and early Fall rains challenged picking, but the extended warmth in late September produced healthy, balanced, and concentrated fruit – just a lot less than normal. Generally, the wines are light-colored, but with great varietal intensity and excellent structure. This new varietal for Elk Cove Vineyards is true to our style of white wines; clean, crisp and focused on the fruit. While there is great ripeness apparent in this wine, lean and racy also describes the 2004 Pinot Blanc. This fruit is blended of, not only, both Elk Cove Vineyards’ Estate and Mount Richmond vineyards but also two other sites in the Willamette Valley, Helmick Hill near Monmouth and Tukwilla near Dundee. We hope you enjoy this new wine selection from Elk Cove Vineyards, as we are proud to add it to our “family” of wines!

2004 vintage continues what has strangely become almost routine up in Oregon – a very warm growing season. Thus the 2004 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Gris once again shows continuity of varietal expression and Elk Cove’s interpretation of it. This wine shows beautiful white flowers, such as honeysuckle, hinting of springtime freshness while also giving traditional notes of citrus and grapefruit. Yet true to the Elk Cove Vineyards’ style, there is richness in the mouthfeel to give a full and satisfying balanced finish. Drink this lovely white wine as an aperitif or with a variety of food pairings from salmon and main-course salads to Asian and Thai influenced dishes.

2003 was an incredibly warm year in Oregon, which meant great physiological ripeness for the grapes. (This was particularly true for our higher elevation, own-rooted sites.) A very long growing season also gave balance and acidity to the sweetness seen in the grapes at harvest. All of Elk Cove Vineyards’ 2003 Pinot Noirs will be full, juicy, balanced wines for drinking upon their release but further cellaring time will bring out additional nuances not to be missed with a little patience.

Happily, 2004 has the potential to be an excellent vintage! Though production will be limited because yields were down by 20-50%. Around the state we experienced a phenomenon the French call coulure ~ unsettled weather during flowering, resulting in poor fruit set. This cold Spring weather naturally lowered crop sizes and then early Fall rains challenged picking. Yet, low yields do not indicate a loss of quality and extended warmth in late September produced healthy, balanced, and concentrated fruit. In addition, Elk Cove manages some of the highest elevation sites in the state, which typically results in an extended harvest. Late September's warmth extended harvest into late October, and ensured grapes of true maturity, offering the potential for ripeness and complexity without exaggerated alcohol levels. Fans of more elegant Pinot Noir will be pleased. Winemaker Adam Godlee Campbell reports "we have loose clusters and more concentrated flavors. This is a good year for us." 2004 promises to be a long-lived vintage with beautiful wines!

The 2002 Pinot Noir Reserve may be the finest Pinot Noir ever produced at Elk Cove Vineyards. This label is held in the highest regard at Elk Cove and only used when a truly unique vintage and barrel blend warrant it. A blend of a select few vineyards, this eight-barrel lot was crafted to highlight the deep ruby color and concentrated rich ripe black cherry flavors. These intertwine with a pleasant note of cocoa and exotic spices on the palate. After a long growing season, picking in mid- to late October, the grapes were harvested at peak ripeness. Severe pruning, shoot thinning and green harvesting techniques were employed to hold yields to 1.8 tons per acre. Intense work in the vineyard allowed for a very “hands-off” approach in the winery. The Pinot Noir Reserve was aged in the finest quality three-year air-dried French oak barrels (Rousseau & François Frères), consisting of 75% new oak. All Elk Cove Pinot Noirs are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The 2004 vintage is nothing short of spectacular! Even at the very earliest stages of harvest there was a feeling of greatness rumbling in the Willamette Valley. At Elk Cove Vineyards, we saw unheard of levels of ripeness and concentration. This 2002 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley gives beautiful black fruit combined with an intensity of earth showing on the nose. The palate follows the bouquet with sweet black cherries intertwined nicely with tar and spice notes, finishing off with a bit of tobacco while acknowledging the purity of fruit and acidity. Bottled unfined and unfiltered, this wine has aging potential up to ten years with cool cellaring.

Happily, 2004 has the potential to be an excellent vintage! Though production will be limited because yields were down by 20-50%. Around the state we experienced a phenomenon the French call coulure ~ unsettled weather during flowering, resulting in poor fruit set. This cold Spring weather naturally lowered crop sizes and then early Fall rains challenged picking. Yet, low yields do not indicate a loss of quality and extended warmth in late September produced healthy, balanced, and concentrated fruit. In addition, Elk Cove manages some of the highest elevation sites in the state, which typically results in an extended harvest. Late September's warmth extended harvest into late October, and ensured grapes of true maturity, offering the potential for ripeness and complexity without exaggerated alcohol levels. Fans of more elegant Pinot Noir will be pleased. Winemaker Adam Godlee Campbell reports "we have loose clusters and more concentrated flavors. This is a good year for us." 2004 promises to be a long-lived vintage with beautiful wines!

Elk Cove’s Ultimas are our definition of dessert. Opulence in a bottle. Having long ago established a “cult-like” status, the Riesling is the cornerstone of the Ultima line. The 2002 Riesling Ultima is a brilliant pale gold hue, only hinting at what is to come. It shows a lively and luscious mouthfeel with robust characteristics of apricot and honey. A slight presence of botrytis is distinguished on the persistent finish. While descriptors such as decadent and indulgent certainly apply, the Ultimas are always kept in balance with crisp acidity and freshness. Historically these wines only grow in beauty with age. Potential for this wine with cool cellaring is up to twenty years.

The site here is cool so the grapes were harvested later and at higher Brix levels than most sparkling wine producers would attempt. The fruit was whole-cluster pressed and fermented cool in small stainless steel tanks. Dosage was our frozen-pressed Ultima Riesling. This sparkling wine has been made in a Brut style.