2012 Belle Pente Pinot Gris Willamette Valley

Pro Reviews

Wine Advocate (WA)

The 2012 Pinot Gris is mainly estate grown and is one-third fermented in foudres. It has a pleasant, light apricot blossom and beeswax-scented bouquet that opens nicely in the glass. It is quite Alsace-like in style. The palate is well balanced with a light honeyed note on the entry. The acidity is well judged and it gradually builds to a honeycomb, white pepper and orange rind-tinged finish. This is a well-crafted Pinot Gris with plenty of personality.

“The 2011 was an interesting vintage being so late,” Brian O’Donnall explained to me, when I asked him to summarize recent Oregon vintages. “The wines have a nice framework, the fruit a little leaner. Though the wines are different, I think they will evolve like the 2007s as there is a nice underlying sweetness. In 2012, there was a gorgeous summer. I worried that the wines would be all flash and no substance, but I think they will end up being compelling in 15 or 20 years. 2013 was a tough vintage with a lot of rain at harvest. It was gorgeous going along, but we got nailed badly in September, but the wines are much better than anyone would have guessed.” This was a good, you might say “trustworthy” set of wines that really come into their own with the superb Pinot Noir Estate Reserves. My scoring would suggest that Brian excels more in cooler vintages such as 2010 and 2011 than a more benevolent season like 2012, though one should always keep in mind that Pinot Noir can excel in an edgier and more challenging season. Brian is clearly a skilled winemaker and I look forward to tasting more from Belle Pente in the future. –Neal Martin