“Our Grand Meander” Columbia Gorge AVA – Domaine Pouillon
Lyle, WA has a group of four interesting wineries. One we hadn’t yet explored was Domaine Pouillon. Even though the fall harvest and crush season is busy, Alexis and Juliet Pouillon graciously hosted us for a very nice visit. The winery consists of a small shed attached to a larger barn. Juliet explained the small green shed was their original winery!
The little green shed was the original winery for Domaine Pouillon.
Domaine Pouillon is a small winery, producing about 3,000 cases of wine this year. They produce both white and red wines, but they have a particular focus on their whites. They have planted an estate vineyard which is starting to produce fruit, but currently most of their wines are from grapes traded for vineyard management.
Juliet shared the Domaine Pouillon story.
While most of their grapes are currently purchased or traded, Domaine Pouillon believes in organic, sustainable, or biodynamic vineyard methods.
The estate vineyard was planted in 2007 and is starting to provide fruit.
In the winery, the careful but minimalist winemaking approach continues. They don’t raise their wines in new oak, preferring to let the wine’s natural flavors show. They also avoid fining and filter only minimally to maximize the natural flavors in the wine.
A very traditional winemaking approach.
We found Domaine Pouillon wines to be everything they claimed. They are wines of restraint, with pure flavors but not overdone in any way. We were particularly taken with the the Savoir-Faire, Katydid and the Pierre. The Savoir-Faire is made of Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, and Marsanne. It offers rich mouthfeel without the buttery characteristics of more heavily oaked whites. The Katydid is made of Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Cinsaut. The grenache really contributes to the beautiful aroma and medium body of the wine. I can’t wait to try it with a roast chicken! The Pierre is made from Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Julie isn’t a huge Cabernet fan but she really likes this blend. We have bottles of each on their way to Minnesota. While we enjoy sampling, the real test is how the wine pairs with a meal with family and friends.
Domaine Pouillon offers a variety of white and red wines.
Domaine Pouillon wines offer restraint with lively aroma and flavor.
Alexis explained the meaning of the frog emblem on their bottle capsules and on their grape bins. Every spring as the area dries out and warms up, the abundant tree frogs find respite from the heat inside the winery building!
There’s an interesting story behind the frog.
Thanks to Juliet and Alexis for sharing their story and their wines with us!
