While
visiting Southern Oregon I stayed in Grants Pass and visited three wineries
further south in the Rogue Valley. On my second day I headed north to the Umpqua
Valley and visited another three wineries.
My
first stop of the day was at Pyrenees Vineyard and Cellars which is located in Myrtle Creek along the South Umpqua River surrounded by 30 acres of
vineyards and rolling hillside.
Across from
the tasting room is an observation deck that overlooks the river and (weather
permitting) you can relax while tasting their wines.
But since I was visiting
on a cold day in December, I sampled all their wines in their cosy tasting
room, just big enough for about a half dozen people.
While
visiting I tasted five white wines and five red wines:
The first
white wine was the 2010 Pinot Gris. Fermented in neutral oak, this wine
displays wonderful aromas of white peaches, apricots and a little lemon zest.
It has great minerality, is slightly creamy with a full mouth feel and yet
still maintains its crispness followed by a long citrus finish. This is
probably one of the best Pinot Gris I have had in a long time and at $18 a
bottle I had to bring one home.
My next
wine was the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc. It displays a classic Sauv Blanc profile –
grapefruit, a hint of grass, a chalky minerality and a delightful acidity all
of which is well balanced. This wine could be mistaken for a New Zealand so if
that is the profile you prefer, this one is for you. A fair price at $20, so I
brought one home.
My
third wine was the 2009 Chardonnay. A full bodied Chard, I picked up a hint of
butterscotch, canned pears, and crème brûlée, good acidity, well balanced
with a medium length finish. A really nice Chard for $20. I have tasted many
like it that sold for $30+, so I bought a bottle.
My
fourth sample was the 2009 Gewürztraminer. Classic profile of lychee, white
flowers and slightly sweet. Not as crisp as I’d like it to be, but not bad for
$18 a bottle.
The
final white wine was the 2009 Riesling. Slight band-aid/petrol on the nose
followed by orange blossoms, melon and sweet apricots. Slightly creamy on the
palate but it still maintains its crispness. A nice wine for $18 a bottle.
I then
transitioned to the red wines, the first being the 2005 Pinot Noir. On the nose
I picked up cigar box, dried cinnamon stick, red apple skins, followed a good
dose pepper and gritty tannins. If I didn’t know better, I would have guessed
that this was from the Santa Cruz mountains as it didn’t have earthiness I have
come to expect from Oregon. Still, a nice wine for only $20 a bottle.
My
second red was the 2009 Merlot. On the nose it has aromas of cherries, cola and
wild berries. It is very soft on the palate and has a medium-length finish. An
“okay” wine for $20 a bottle.
My
third red wine was the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is rather soft for a
Cab, on the nose it displays black currants, anise and eucalyptus on the back end.
It sells for $28 and there are many like it in the $15 - $20 range on the
market.
The
next red was the 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine is much more expressive
than the ’08, bigger on the nose and more intense. I picked up chocolate
covered cherries, cassis, a hint of eucalyptus and mint. On the palate it has a
creamy texture and yet maintains bright acidity and has a bit more tannin. A
well balanced wine and I’d buy this one before the ’08 for only $25 a bottless.
My next
two wines were very similar in profile, the 2008 Syrah ($24) and the 2009
Reserve Syrah ($35). Both of these wines had WAY too much fresh ground black
pepper and I could barely pick up any fruit, though they had some blackberries
and anise faintly in the back ground. So… unless you’re like super peppery
Syrahs, I’d have to say “pass.”
Overall,
I preferred the white wines over the red wines, which is funny because on a
cold day I tend to be more in the mood for a big red wine. The winery is
beautiful (even in the winter) and the service was great. If you’re in the
area, I highly recommend checking this winery out!
To
visit or for more information:
Pyrenees Vineyard and Cellars - South
15332 Old Highway 99 S.
Myrtle Creek, Oregon 97457
Phone: 1-541-863-7797
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