After
visiting Pyrenees Vineyard and Cellars in the Umpqua Valley my next
stop on my second day of wine tasting in Southern Oregon was at Giradet
(pronounced “Jee-ar-day”) Vineyards and Winery.
While visiting the tasting room I was able to meet both the founder of the winery Philippe Girardet and his son Marc Girardet who is the current wine maker and talk to him about their wines. THAT is one of the advantages of visiting small family-owned wineries, it is not uncommon to be able to meet the artisans that make the very wine you are tasting.
While talking to Philippe he pointed to a panoramic picture of his
home town on the wall where he learned the art of handcrafting wine back home
in Switzerland working on his great uncle’s vineyard. Philippe and his wife
Bonnie Girardet established the winery and vineyards in 1971 and his first
vintage of commercially released in 1983, and the following year received two
silver medals at the Oregon State Fair.
I was also able to talk to Philippe’s son and the current winemaker,
Marc Girardet, who learned the family business from his father and then in
1999, at age of 24, he became the youngest winemaker in the state. We talked a
bit about what it is like to grow up in the wine business and how it is not
until one gets away from it that the family wine heritage is truly appreciated.
Marc went off to college to study computer programming and business
accounting, but then returned to become a wine maker because although it entails
a lot of hard physical labor, it seemed to him to be a lot more fun working
outdoors and in the elements rather than being stuck behind a desk in an office
building.
And I
must add… that hard work and family heritage of wine making bearing good fruit
as I did not leave Giradet Vineyards disappointed.
While
visiting I tasted two white wines and five red wines:
My
first wine was the 2009 Chardonnay. It was served a bit too cold (a common
theme in tasting rooms this time of year) but after swirling the glass and
warming it my hands for a while I was able to coax some floral notes, followed
by red apples, canned pears and a hint of oak. On the plate it has a slight
creaminess to it and yet maintains good acidity. A fair priced wine at $15 a
bottle.
My next
white wine was the 2011 Riesling (Estate Grown) from which I picked up
apricots, peaches, canned peaches and a noticeable minerality. Another fair priced wine at $15 a bottle.
My first red wine was the 2008 Pinot Noir, Barrel Select. Dried roses, black cherries, and a hint of cinnamon. I wish I had my Pinot Noir stemware with me but unfortunately left them at home. This wine was just “okay” which is what I expect for Pinots in the $20 price range.
My
second red wine was the 2008 Bonnie’s Barrel Zinfandel. A lighter style zin
that seems like its Italian cousin, Primativo. This is not you “over the top”
jammy styled zin that are common in the central valley and Sierra foothills of
California. On the nose I picked up dried plums, licorice and a hint of pepper and
mouth watering acidity on the palate. So if that is how you like ‘em, you’ll
like this one for $29 a bottle.
My
third was…. interesting… the 2008 14
Vines Field Blend a “es” It was originally called “Vin Maison Rouge” and later “Grand Rouge”
and although there is no indication as to what is in the blend a “reliable
informant” said that there it contains Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Tempranillo, and Syrah amongst other grapes… but that’s just a rumor. This wine
sort of reminds me of a Super Tuscan, it’s a deep dark wine with
earthy-chocolate aromas followed tart dried cherries and some spice and a whole
lotta other things I couldn’t quite put my finger on. It is a little out of
focus as it seems like it is fighting with itself as to what flavors are going
to become dominant. But… for $14, it ain’t a bad pizza wine.
My next
wine was THE reason why I chose to visit Giradet
Vineyards. For me, travelling the wine country is about seeing the vistas,
meeting the people, learning about the winemakers and getting a “sense of
place” where the wine comes from. But it is also about being on the hunt for
something new and different to expand the palate. So the next red was the 2009
Baco Noir which I had never heard of let alone tasted before. Baco Noir is a hybrid red wine grape
variety produced from a cross of Vitis vinifera var var, Folle Blanche, a French wine
grape, and an unknown variety of Vitis riparia indigenous to North America and it is the brain
child of French hybridizer,
Francois Baco. On the nose I picked up wild berries, mocha, red
plums and a hint of vanilla. It is a very bold wine and yet soft on the palate
and medium bodied with good acidity. It reminds me of a cross between Zinfandel
and Sangiovese. I brought two of them home to share with friends at $25 a
bottle.
My
final red wine was the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon. Somewhat green in character on
the nose that tells me “I’m a cool climate cab.” I picked up red currants, red
plums, bell pepper, eucalyptus, mint and anise. An “okay” Cab for $19 a bottle
but I prefer more black fruits and earthy/tobacco tones in my Cabs.
The
final wine in the line-up was the 2008 Frostbite Gewurztraminer. On the nose
this wine has aromas of honey, canned pears, fresh peaches, and dried
pineapples. On the palate it is somewhat weighty and viscous, delightfully
sweet and has a very long fruit cocktail finish. A nice wine for $25 a bottle.
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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