I recently had the opportunity to sample some of Van Duzer Vineyard’s wines at a festival and really enjoyed the Willamette Valley wines. The two affordable wines I tasted were the 2016 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Rosé and the 2016 Van Duzer Pinot Gris.

About Van Duzer

Carl and Marilynn Thoma, owners of Van Duzer Vineyards (www.vanduzer.com), were among the first visionaries to select the Van Duzer Corridor to establish their family estate in 1998. The 80+ acre estate is planted in the direct path of cool marine winds that help moderate the temperatures over the vineyard.

I don’t typically buy wine based on labels, but the Van Duzer labels are beautiful and were designed by acclaimed illustrator, John Martinez, whose work can be seen in the collections of the Library of Congress and Museum of Modern Art.

About the Winemaker and Wines

Van Duzer’s winemaker is Florent Merlier whose career in wine began in Burgundy. His background helped him understand how to capitalize on the flavors in the thicker-skinned grapes that thrive in the Van Duzer Corridor and around the Willamette Valley.

Van Duzer Vineyards is LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology)-certified as well as Salmon Safe and IOBC.

2016 Van Duzer Pinot Noir Rosé

I was really impressed by this rosé – true summer in a glass. Would be perfect as a summer sipper or paired with appetizers an outdoor party. For those into that sort of thing, this wine received an 86 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Looks: Medium salmon-colored in the glass

Smell: Big, ripe strawberry aromas with some floral notes just screaming for me to take a sip

Taste: Flavors of raspberries/strawberries/ with some juicy watermelon notes

Texture and Finish: Bone dry on the finish with great acidity

Pairings: Grilled fish or seafood

Style: Rosé Wine

Grape Type(s): 100% Pinot Noir

Region: Willamette Valley, OR, USA

Price: $20

2016 Van Duzer Estate Pinot Gris

Worth getting a case of this lovely Pinot Gris for summer get-togethers. This wine received an 87 points from Wine Enthusiast.

Looks: Medium salmon-colored in the glass

Smell: Tropical fruit bouquet – peach, mango, pineapple

Taste: Flavors of juicy apple/pear with some peach and Meyon lemon notes

Texture and Finish: Creamy mouthfeel that with great acidity and minerality on the finish

Pairings: Oysters, sautéed scallops, white-flesh fish

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): 100% Pinot Gris

Region: Willamette Valley, OR, USA

Price: $18

Happy drinking,

Veronique