2023 Rhapsody
Willamette Valley Pinot Blanc
47 cases produced. $38
Named for George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue,” we sourced 100% of the fruit for this jazzy white wine from micro-site Weinberg Vineyards in the Lower Long Tom AVA. Lithe and lively, Rhapsody fermented and aged for six months sur lie to produce a fuller-bodied wine. No malolactic fermentation allows crisp acidity, subtle minerality, and spicy characteristics to take center stage.
TECHNICAL NOTESNOSE: Comice pear, Gravenstein apple, fresh dew, pear blossom, wet slate.
PALATE: Gravenstein apple, citrus, pear, herbaceous notes, minerality.
Michael Apstein, Apstein on Wine: Who knew, great Pinot Blanc from Oregon? By now, everyone knows that Oregon makes gorgeous Pinot Noir. But Pinot Blanc? This one, from Bells Up winery in the Willamette leads with aromatics of white flowers and follows with surprisingly good weight for Pinot Blanc, without being overdone. Bells Up has managed to make a finesse-filled wine that has sufficient heft but only 12.7 percent stated alcohol. It is certainly a good choice for simply sauteed fish or steamed clams. But it has enough oomph to stand up to a heartier dish, like mussels in a tomato sauce. Drink this crisp and refreshing white all summer. 94
Jeff and Melissa Lawson, Drink the Bottles: This wine actually renews our hope in white wines. We tend to view many (most?) white wines as esophageal demons that produce heartburn and a bad aftertaste. In fact, most of the wines that our tasting crew gravitate to are medium to full bodied reds. Everyone (E V E R Y O N E) of us were very pleased how this wine tasted from start to finish. The lack of oak was surprising, but the 6 months of lees stirring helped create a full bodied white wine with citrus fruits, spring rain, wet rock minerality and spice. It was surprisingly mouth coating and left a very crisp but not overbearing finish. 93/100
