Vintage: 2018

Wine Name/Vineyard: Scott Kelley

Wine Category: Pinot Gris

Grape blend: 100% Pinot Gris

Bottle size: 750 ml

Region: Willamette Valley

State or country: Oregon

Price: $18

ABV: 13.5%

Cases produced: N/A

The Barrel Cellar Score:  88 points

Review date: February 05, 2020

About the Winemaker: Wine Maker Scott Kelley has been making wine for over a decade as a winemaker for multiple well-known producers.  He decided it was time he had his own label and looked to Oregon where he spent summers in his youth.  The grapes for this Pinot Grigio were sourced from well established and respected vineyards from the beautiful state.

Color:  Corn husk

Nose:  Reserved nose with hints of honey suckle and other floral notes

Taste: Honey Suckle, mineral notes, and a hint of ripened pear. Finish: Lime zest

Assessment: Scott Kelley’s Pinot Gris successfully manages to achieve success with a series of contrasts.  It’s creamy yet refreshing, acidic yet soft, reserved yet impressionable.  The wine has a lot of great aspects, perhaps my favorite being its abundant mineral notes.  It would be great for a summer day, but I enjoyed it with a nice ham on a cold mid-winter’s eve.   The white wine reflects some of my favorite aspects of Oregon red wine, reserved character and compelling complexity.  This wine is a fantastic value at $18 and requires no cellaring.  Ready to drink now.

Pairing recommendation:  Shellfish, pork, or charcuterie.

Scott Kelley’s 2018 Pinot Gris is a very good wine.  88 points