2021 Pinot Gris
Tasting Notes
Our 2021 Pinot Gris displays gorgeous aromatics of fresh melon layered with apricot, lime zest, and floral notes. Aged in concrete for added depth and roundness, the palate is driven with flavors of stone fruit and dried pineapple intertwined with intriguing notes of minerality. The wine exits with a crisp and clean finish and a delicate balance of natural acidity.
Vineyard Designation
100% Estate Grown
Vintage Notes
The 2021 vintage will be recorded as one the warmest in Washington State history. With a mild winter and a warm spring, we saw bud break during the second week of April, about 1-2 weeks earlier than average. Then in late June, we experienced a heat wave for approximately 6 weeks. During this time, we saw over 35 days of 100+ degree temperatures, with some daily highs nearing 118 degrees! This period of extreme heat began when the grapes were in a cluster and berry size development stage, causing grapes to stress out weeks before we vintners would prefer. Smaller berry size led to an overall 30% reduction in crop sizes for us. Nevertheless, the flavors that these smaller berries produced were phenomenal! We also saw rapid ripening at a pace we have not seen since 2015, and this created a very early start to harvest. By the end of August, we had brought in nearly 150 tons of sparkling wine grapes and Sauvignon Blanc grapes, hands down an August record for us at Airfield. By the end of September, we had crushed every white varietal, which was beneficial for us in winemaking as we could then give 100% of our attention to red varietals. October started off with nice warm temperatures and the pace of grape harvesting was going very well with ideal ripeness and exceptional quality. By the third week of October, we did see several freezing events causing our canopies to die. With only a limited amount of fruit remaining, it was easy for us to harvest the last remaining fruit before the end of October. In the end, the 2021 vintage made outstanding wine. Our white wines showcase bright fruit aromas with brisk acidity. Our red wines display dark fruit elements with structure and finesse. The wines created from 2021 will be age worthy and enjoyable in their youth and will be wines that will make a lasting impression.
Winemaking Notes
The grapes for this wine were sourced from the best performing Pinot Gris blocks on our estate vineyard. Harvested in early October in the cold morning hours (which helps to prevent pinking as Pinot Gris is a red grape varietal), the grapes were then sent directly to the press to gently extract the juice without the color. After pressing, the juice was sent to stainless steel tanks to settle out solids. Once clean the juice was racked into another stainless tank and inoculated with a special yeast strain that is specifically made for Pinot Gris. To capture the beautiful tropical and citrus fruit elements, the wine was fermented at a cool temperature of 60 degrees. Cooler ferments allow for a slower fermentation that keeps the aromatics fresh. Alcoholic fermentation took about 24 days to complete, after fermentation the wines lees were stirred back into the wine twice a month for 2 months. This process helps round out the wine and creates a smoother texture. Once the wine was clean and stable, the wine was then sent directly to our concrete tank for additional aging. Concrete aging gives the wine more depth and roundness while incorporating a complex layer of minerality.
* This was produced in a vegan manner meaning no animal byproducts were used in the production of this wine.
Food Pairing
• Avocado, Cucumber, and Grilled Shrimp Appetizers
• Fish Tacos with Cilantro and Mango-Poblano Salsa
• Artichoke, Asparagus & Fennel Salad with Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
• Wood-fired Pesto and Mozzarella Pizza or Fresh-Sliced Pear, Prosciutto, and Arugula Pizza
• Gruyere, Muenster, Grana Padano
- Varietal Composition: Pinot Gris
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Aging / Barrel Program: Aged in stainless steel and concrete
- Cases Produced: 612 cases
- Alcohol: 13.2%
- pH: 3.58
- Acidity: 5.7 g/L
- Ageability: Now through 2026