I still can’t believe that I’ve never traveled to Left Coast Cellars located in Rickreall, Oregon, 15 miles from McMinnville. Each time I sample their affordable, delicious wines and read about the family who’s responsible for these wines and stunning property (click here for more information), I remind myself that a trip is in order. You may want to consider that, too, after you have a few glasses of their wine.
Photo Credit: www.leftcoastwine.com
Left Coast Cellars offers estate, single vineyard wines of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Viognier, Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier, and Syrah from sustainably farmed vineyards. The wines reviewed below, sent as samples, should have a place on every winelover’s table for sharing and enjoying with friends and family. Each is a delightful choice for opening on a late summer day as you reflect on the joys of the season and anticipate more to follow.
Intense and absolutely refreshing, The Orchard Pinot Gris 2017 ($18) was of 91% Pinot Gris and 9% Pinot Blanc cultivated in vineyards located on the site of an apple and pear orchard that dates back to the original Oregon pioneers. Aged in stainless steel for four months, fresh fruit notes burst through on both the nose and palate. Bold aromas of tropical fruit (pineapple!), ripe green apples, and yellow flowers led to flavors of juicy melon, spiced apples, and minerality. Fish tacos and fresh fruit were my pairing choices on an evening that offered one of the most glorious sunsets I’ve seen this year.
It was a joy to taste something new: the Left Coast White Pinot Noir 2017 ($24). In 2011, a “small experimental wine” became one of the winery’s most distinctive offerings. Pinot Noir and Pinot Blanc fruit was crushed at very cold temperatures in order to diminish the coloration from the skins, fermented in stainless steel, then aged on the lees. What I discovered was a unique wine presenting pale lemon in the glass and boasting lovely aromas of juicy citrus and beeswax. On the palate, more citrus, ripe melon, and minerality led to a persistent finish. I paired the White Pinot Noir with a fresh spinach salad with goat cheese and grilled salmon – on point complements to a balmy summer evening.
If you are looking for a refreshing rosé of Pinot Noir, I found it! Of 54% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and 6% Pinot Blanc, the Left Coast Estate Rosé 2017 ($24) was aged in neutral French oak for four months before bottling. This fruit forward, crisp wine paired beautifully with a light pasta salad, grilled chicken, and sliced baguettes with honey butter enjoyed lakeside. On the nose, a hint of stone fruit, black cherries, and spice wafted from the glass. Dry with bright acidity, the chilled Left Coast Estate Rosé offered flavors of red berries, jasmine, and ripe cherries. A summer refresher, indeed.
Cheers! Cindy
