Willamettte Valley Wines – Sokol Blosser
Willamette Valley Wines – Sub-AVA tour
As we drive around the Willamette Valley (virtually) we see the rich soil of the valley floor is great for lots of agriculture, but not grapes. Grapes grow best on the hillsides in poor soil. We start to see the smaller AVA’s defined by a minimum altitude contour line. Continuing on our virtual tour of Willamette Valley, our next stop is the Dundee Hills AVA.
(click on either photo for full size slideshow)
Dundee Hills AVA
The Dundee Hills AVA is located 28 miles southwest of Portland. It’s the first area where grapes were planted (Eyrie Vineyard in 1966) and today holds some of the most well known wineries in the Willamette Valley. The Dundee Hills AVA is marked by a single lifted landmass and delineated at the 200 foot contour line. The soils are nearly all volcanic in origin and are known in the region as the famous red jory soils of the Willamette Valley. The Dundee Hills AVA was approved in November 2005. Interested in digging in further? Here are a couple links:
- Willamette Valley Wines website Dundee Hills page
- Dundee Hills website media kit
Sokol Blosser Estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
Sokol Blosser Winery
Originally planted in 1971, Sokol Blosser today farms a total of 125 acres in Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills, with 85 of those acres in the Dundee Hills. The family owned winery is committed to sustainability, all their estate vineyards are certified organic, and the winery is a certified B Corp. Organic certification covers their care for the earth, B corp certification means they are committed to caring for the earth, their people and the business.
“Society’s most challenging problems cannot be solved by government and nonprofits alone. The B Corp community works toward reduced inequality, lower levels of poverty, a healthier environment, stronger communities, and the creation of more high quality jobs with dignity and purpose. By harnessing the power of business, B Corps use profits and growth as a means to a greater end: positive impact for their employees, communities, and the environment.” (certifiedbcorp.net)
If the term “Certified B Corp” is new to you, here’s a good brief introduction.
The Sokol Blosser family is one of the pioneers of Willamette Valley wine. They were in the early group of winegrowers with their first harvest in 1977. They opened the first tasting room in Willamette Valley in 1978. They have also been pioneers in care for the land starting with their efforts in planting cover crops to reduce erosion back in 1983. In 1996 they were the first winery to be certified Salmon-Safe. In 2005, they received their organic certification. Of course, you can visit on a future trip to the Willamette Valley. Up to date visit information can be found here.
Disclosure: the wines for this post were provided as samples. No other compensations was involved, all opinions expressed are mine.
Sokol Blosser Estate Chardonnay, Dundee Hills AVA
Sokol Blosser Estate Chardonnay Dundee Hills 2018 (sample, $38 SRP or online here) 13% abv
Eye: Clear, pale lemon
Nose: Clean, medium intensity aromas of pineapple, lemon curd, ripe pear with subtle hay and buttered popcorn notes in the background
Mouth: Dry, medium intensity flavors which follow the nose. Prominent pineapple followed by lemon curd and ripe pear, buttery notes in the background. Medium acidity, medium body with creamy texture, medium alcohol and a nice medium length pineapple and buttered popcorn finish.
Observations: On the rich side for Oregon Chardonnay, this wine still shows its elegance. A very nice wine which lovers of both leaner and more rich Chardonnay will likely enjoy.
Sokol Blosser Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills AVA
Sokol Blosser Estate Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 2017 (sample, $42 SRP or online here) 13.5%
Eye: Clear, pale ruby
Nose: Clean, medium intensity aromas of cedar, cinnamon, ripe strawberries, red cherries, blackberries and subtle notes of clean earth
Mouth: dry, medium+ intensity flavors following the nose with ripe strawberries, cherries, blackberries, cinnamon, cedar and earth. Medium acidity, medium- fine grained tannins, medium body with a rich creamy texture, medium alcohol and a medium finish.
Observations: Well balanced with creamy texture and a mixture of red and black fruits with just a hint of oak.
Dinner – A Recipe So Good We had to Repeat
With the exception of classics, I don’t usually repeat recipes on this blog. However, this Bon Appetit grilled carrots with avocado and mint was so good, I just couldn’t resist serving it again. If that is not enough of a hint, YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE! It’s easy to make and the combination of serrano pepper heat with the cooling flavors of creamy avocado and earthy carrots really grabs attention. We served it alongside summer staples: steak from the grill and fresh sweet corn.
Either wine would work beautifully with this dinner. Since we could enjoy both, I’d say the Chardonnay was best with both the rich corn and the spicy/creamy carrots. Of course, the Pinot Noir was super with the steak.
foodwineclick 
I love Sokol Blosser’s wine, but those carrots!!!