On Nov 6, 6:21*am, Doug Anderson >
wrote:

>
> Pinot Gris (or whatever other name one calls it) is interesting. *I
> feel like the bulk of these wines that I taste are truly insipid in
> the sense of being almost flavorless.
>
> But, I've had examples (some from Alsace, mostly from Oregon, but that
> is probably because of proximity in my case) that are truly delightful
> wines at very modest prices ($11-$15).
>
> From the internet, I suspect the wine you had was in this price range,
> though it doesn't seem that widely distributed.
>
> An Oregon pinot gris that I like a lot and that seems to be widely
> distributed (in some Costcos for example) is this one:
>
> http://www.willamettevalleyvineyards...oducts/core/#3
>
> It is under $12 in Costco.
>
> Another Oregon winery that is big (for Oregon), and thus has some
> national distribution in the US, and has a good pinot gris is King
> Estate, but I think the Willamette Valley Vineyards one mentioned
> above is a better value.
>
> And there are lots of smaller Oregon vineyards with good pinot gris
> (and lots of insipid pinot gris from Oregon, but a much better
> proportion of good wine than the pinot grigios I see from Italy).

Doug:

You have named two Oregon wineries where Oregon pinot gris may be as
good as it gets in America. So far.

Willakenzie in Oregon, if they make pinot gris, would be another
suggestion; I think they make consistently good wine overall (which is
unusual, considering the weather).

I firmly believe that pinot gris would be a successful grape for the
east coast, but there again, it's economics. Why grow a successful
pinot gris in New York, when you can sell mediocre cabernet, just
because of the name recognition, for three times the price? And even
at its best, New York pinot gris could never approach the greatness of
New York riesling, some of the finest and most under-rated wine in the
world.

If wine was a Goldman Sachs financial derivative, like phony stock
assets and phony real estate loans, I would bet on riesling and short
pinot gris.

Just saying.

--Bob