Today we’re going to take a look at two white wines from Willamette Valley Vineyards that I decided to package together because they’re kind of similar, but not really; but regardless, they make a nice little duo depending on what style you prefer; so let’s break them down.
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris
We’ll start with the Pinot Gris because I enjoyed this one a hair more since it was a little more up my alley.
This Pinot Gris pours super light in the glass, a pale see through yellow; but don’t let that lead you to believe this little guy isn’t packed with flavor.
The nose starts to hint at it with citrus and stone fruit flavor; but once in the mouth you can tell this one’s got some power behind it. Big peach, pear and green apple flavor; medium bodied, nice acidity and a crisp finish.
This is a gem for the warmer months and would line up nice next to salad, seafood or chicken. I’m going to go 88 points on this wine. If you enjoy Oregon Pinot Gris, than this is a no brainer, but I think it will appeal to a wide range of white wine fans.
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling
I wasn’t sure what to expect in this Riesling, and I was pleasantly surprised. With 8% alcohol I knew it would be a little on the sweet side, which it was, but it worked for me.
12% is generally the cut off. A little trick to determine the sweetness of a Riesling is to gauge the alcohol. Less than 12% is sweeter, more than 12% is drier. I wrote a more detailed story about it for the HuffPost if you want to check that out too.
Too often than not, I think people avoid Riesling, believing them all to be overly sweet, and many of them are. To some degree you have to take a chance. The label you see above on the back of the bottle does include a nice sliding scale graphic, and I would agree right with where they put the arrow for this wine, medium sweet.
This wine poured super light in the glass as well, almost see through clear with a tint of yellow. It’s crisp and acidic with flavors of honey, apricot, pineapple and citrus fruit.
You could pair this with a range of seafood, and spicy Asian cuisine, as well as serve as an apertif. I’m going to rate this Riesling 87 points.
So we have two nice whites here; the Pinot Gris is a little crisper and more fruit forward, while the Riesling shares similar flavor profiles with a touch of sweetness. The pricing between the two is close with the Pinot Gris just coming in a few dollars more (full pricing below).
Let us know in the comments below, and over on the forums if you try these wines, and which one you prefer.
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Gris
Costco item number: 638730 and 105055; price $14-$16, depending on Costco location
Alc. 12.8%
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling
Costco item number: 638800; price $10-$12, depending on Costco location
Alc. 8%
This wine was received as a sample for the purpose of writing this review. All reviews are written at the discretion of the individual reviewer. Opinions of the reviewer do not necessarily reflect those of CostcoWineBlog.com as a whole, and reviewers are not paid for their reviews by wineries or their affiliated distributors. We at CostcoWineBlog.com believe that wine preferences and opinions are often subjective and highly individualistic. Our scores are based on our individual perception of a wine and how well it reflects the area in which the grapes are grown, the expression of the grapes, and also the quality of the finished product. We remind readers that we are 100% independent of Costco Wholesale Corporation, and are simply of a group of Costco wine fans looking to try new wines and share our favorites with this community.