Phelps Creek Wines Oakridge Gewurztraminer 2006
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Phelps Creek first planted their oldest vines of Pinot Noir in 1990, adding a block of Dijon clone Chardonnay two years later. Over the years they have expanded the vineyards and now nurture 34 acres (25 Acres of Pinot Noir, 4.5 acres of Chardonnay and 1/2 acre of Pinot Gris). In addition to the estate fruit, they experiment with growing "alternative whites" just across the Columbia River on Underwood Mountain.
Phelps Creek is a tributary of the Columbia River. The creek source is a lake between their vineyard and Mt. Defiance, running a path just below our vineyards. Ours is the first private property along its route. Along the way several natural springs feed the flow. The stream terminates as Wah Gwin Gwin Falls, situated on the backside of the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel. Phelps himself was a Cooper, building barrels using a small mill along the lower portion of the creek. The Oregon Geographical Names mentions Phelp's involvement in a tragic rafting accident on the Columbia and the creek is named in his memory.
Gewürztraminer, an expressive and aromatically distinctive white grape variety, is considered a noble variety in the Alsace region of France, and produces wonderful wines in the mountainous Alto Adige region of NE Italy. Generally this grape grows well in cooler regions and its natural intensity makes it a great ally for flavorful cuisine such as Indian, Middle Eastern or Moroccan. Somm Secret—Because of a charming perfume and tendency towards slight sweetness, Gewürztraminer makes for an excellent gateway wine for those who love sweet wines but want to venture into the realm of drier whites.
Straddling the Columbia River Gorge with vineyards in both Washington and Oregon, this 40 mile stretch of vineyards, starting about an hour drive east of the city of Portland, grows a wide variety of grapes, including everything from Syrah to Gewürztraminer.