2006 Pinot Gris (Central Coast) $18

*Alcohol: 13.4%

*pH: 3.31

*R.S.: .3%

*Grapes: 75% Pinot Gris grapes from Laetitia Vineyards in the Arroyo Grande Valley and 25% Pinot Gris grapes from Moretti Canyon, Edna Valley.

*Production: 633 cases of 750ml bottles and 85 cases of 375ml  bottles (*restaurants only)

*Bottled: February 12th, 2007

Although we at Claiborne & Churchill have been making Pinot Gris since the 1999 vintage, we have only recently had enough on hand to sell outside the winery. With the 2004 vintage (less than 400 cases) we sold a little through distribution, and now with the 2005 vintage (almost 500 cases), and now the 2006 vintage (over 600 cases) there is even more available.

Pinot Gris at Claiborne & Churchill follows the model of our other "Alsatian-style" wines, such as our Dry Gewurztraminer,  Dry Riesling, and  Dry Muscat. We like our Pinot Gris to be not only dry, but  barrel-fermented to dryness. The grapes are picked not over-ripe, but ripe enough to give the wine some structure and body, unlike some of the light "Pinot Grigios" that now abound.

Claiborne & Churchill's 2006 Pinot Gris is crisp and refreshing with firm acidity. A nice blend of barrel fermented (75%) and tank fermented (25%) fruit. It's youthful and fresh with stone-fruit aromas and flavors. It will develop a spicy complexity as it matures, and take on increasingly smokey and nutty nuances. This is a wine that can easily be paired with richly sauced dishes or delicate seafood dishes (king-crab comes to mind).