A wine from one of many stops while on an Oregon-Washington themed wine cruise. I was pleasantly surprised by the 2015 Puffin Oregon Pinot Gris made by Ray Walsh, former winemaker at King Estate. King Estate’s jewel is their Pinot Gris, and this unlikely label sold in an equally unlikely place—proprietor Steven Sinkler sells Puffin from his unassuming shop, The Wine Shack in touristy Cannon Beach—bears the same fingerprint, the same regal pedigree. At least, it’s as regal, I think, as Pinot Gris can be. Dappled aromas of white flowers, dewy pear, Granny Smith apple, and lemon zest. And akin to King Estate wines, it’s beautifully balanced with sur lie aging lending structure to vivid acidity and talcy minerality. Bravo! Sample
9.0 Points