Utopia a fine spot to seek out

04 Tuesday Aug 2020

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Carl Giavanti, Dan Warnshuis, Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge, Utopia Cellars, white Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Dan Warnshuis made the move from California to find his ideal vineyard spot.

One of the real adventures of my repeated trips to Oregon’s Willamette Valley has been the discovery of new wineries. In many cases, it’s wineries I simply haven’t visited yet – while new ones continue to pop up.

One of the sub-regions I’ve not yet visited is Ribbon Ridge. Ribbon Ridge sets near the middle or eastern-middle of the valley. It’s small in comparison to most of the other areas with only 20 vineyards comprised of about 500-600 acres of vine.

Just like most of the valley’s other regions the Ridge is producing mostly Pinot Noir and Chardonnay with scattered plantings of other grapes.

One of my most recent delightful discoveries has been Utopia Vineyards. Dan Warnshuis founded the winery in 2002 after working many years in California in the tech industry. His wife Kathy and daughter Erin are also involved at the winery.

Dan tends to his dry-farmed vineyards and was certified for sustainable viticulture in 2008.

I was recently sent samples of the Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir and the winery’s White Pinot. The Pinot Noir was one of the best I’ve tasted in 2020. I enjoyed the delicate rose and berry fruit flavors with a real elegant mouth feel and finish. $48 SRP, 91 points Wine Enthusiast.

The unicorn – or white Pinot Noir also scored well with several publications. The winery’s website described it as bursts of fruit with a great mouth feel.

Much of the wine from this small production winery is sold direct to consumer.Utopia is a stop you might want to include during any visit to the Willamette Valley. The family also has a beautiful vacation cabin rental amidst the vines with many perks.

White Pinot – Different, Expensive

16 Saturday Mar 2013

Posted by Howard in Oregon

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Coeur Blanc, Domaine Serene, Erik Kramer, Oregon, white Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Many serious wine drinkers are serious Pinotphiles. Count me among the serious Pinot Noir junkies when it comes to great wine.

That’s partially why I couldn’t resist trying Domaine Serene‘s Coeur Blanc in the summer of 2011 while visiting Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

The Coeur Blanc is Pinot Noir – but it’s white wine!

A handful of Oregon wineries have experimented with turning Pinot to a rich and smooth white wine. Read Ryan Reichert’s story here from Palate Press.

A shot taken during my 2011 visit.

Domaine Serene is largely credited as one of the pioneers of white Pinot Noir. I tasted it for the first time during that 2011 stop and was taken by just how much I enjoyed it. On the nose, it smells like a light and red Pinot Noir. On the palate it tastes like a very light bodied pinot but with an unusual richness and mouth feel.

It doesn’t have much acid but different should be different. It’s lovely wine!

“I like creating a white wine like this on the feminine side of things, polished, with richness and creaminess,” Domaine Serene winemaker Erik Kramer told the Eugene Register-Guard. “It’s a special wine for us. You have the varietal character of a pinot noir, but above all, the texture is that of a white wine.”

It’s a light gold color with a very faint hint of pink, almost salmon. This is not inexpensive wine and I’m not sure it’s worth the price but it’s definitely different than any white wine you’ve ever tried.

On Cellartracker and other sites, I found it ranging from $75-$95. My memory is that I paid $80 for this wine. The suggested retail price on the current 2010 release is $85.

Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc, $85, Very Highly Recommended, – for those who can afford it and love trying something different!