Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Winery Spotlight: Sokol Blosser

The winery spotlight today is on Sokol Blosser Winery in Dundee, OR. Susan Sokol-Blosser and her family have played an important part in shaping and helping develop the Oregon wine industry while being a champion of environmentally friendly wine making and sustainable practices in the industry. In 2007, Sunset Magazine honored both Susan and Sokol Blosser with their prestigious "Green Winery of the Year" award.

Sokol Blosser strives to create wines that are of world class quality while being made with sustainable, environmentally conscious methods. Here are some facts about Sokol Blosser's green efforts at the winery (courtesy of the SB website):

  • Sokol Blosser farms their estate vineyards organically and received full USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) organic certification in 2005 from Oregon Tilth.
  • The estate has been certified by Salmon-Safe as a vineyard that protects and restores salmon habitat.
  • They use 50% biodiesel in their farm tractors.
  • Their underground barrel cellar, built to US Green Building Council standards, became the first winery in the country to earn the prestigious LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
  • They use unbleached paper products for labels, wine boxes and gift bags whenever possible.
  • Sokol Blosser staff recycles everything they can, from office paper to pallet shrinkwrap.

As a result of all their efforts, Sokol Blosser is one of the country's most environmentally friendly wineries. A few of their current wine offerings that I heartily recommend trying include:

Meditrina

There is a core of rich, lush berry flavor from the Syrah. The Zinfandel provides spice, tannin and structure. And the Pinot Noir brings flowers, earth and elegance. It all adds up to a luscious, juicy, easy-drinking mouthful of red wine that's both bright and vibrant yet round and soft. Every sip of the wine, Meditrina, honors the goddess of the same name.

2007 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

Delicate and elegant – soft, supple, harmonious, and already showing layers of complexity. Flavors and aromas are of mocha, black cherry, and raspberry, and the winery's distinctive Jory soil forest-floor earthiness is beginning to show through. It’s drinking beautifully now and should age well and develop additional complexity for at least the next five to ten years.

2007 Estate Cuvée Pinot Noir

The flavors and aromas in this wine are predominantly black cherry, blackberry, mocha, and licorice, and again, the winery's distinctive Jory soil adds a pleasant earthiness and forest-floor characteristics are developing. The texture is very soft, lush, rich, and concentrated, with smooth, silky, polished tannins, and the finish is long and elegant.

Evolution, Lucky Edition

Intense fruit up front and a crisp, clean finish. This unique white is truly a parade of flavors across the palate. The 9 grapes tie together perfectly, creating a smooth, layered white wine that can hold its own or stand up to just about any food pairing you dare to serve it with. It is extraordinarily food-friendly, from light salads to the hottest fusion-style cuisine.

2008 Dundee Hills Cuvée Pinot Gris

Created by the true rosé method (by gently pressing only red grapes, not by blending red and white juice or wine), this classic rosé is crisp, vibrant and refreshing. The long, slow, cool fermentation has preserved the intense fruitiness and delicate floral aromas, and the absence of a malolactic fermentation has retained the firm acidity and wonderfully intriguing minerality.

2009 Willamette Valley Early Muscat

Intensely floral and spicy, the aromas are of orange blossoms and jasmine with flavors of citrus and apple. Just enough sugar has been left in the wine to give it a soft, lush mouthfeel, yet the finish is crisp and lively. The alcohol is refreshingly low, making this the perfect wine for lounging on the deck in the summer or with fruit or cheese after dinner. If you are lucky enough to be in the area, Sokol Blosser Winery is located at 5000 NE Sokol Blosser Lane in Dundee, OR and is open daily from 10am - 4pm. Look for their wine in your local wine shop. If you can't find them you can contact them by phone at (503) 864-2282 or order online here.

No comments:

Post a Comment