2006 Sokol Blosser Muller Thurgau Estate Cuvee

Considering the recent weather here in the great Northwest, gray and chilly, I needed a reminder of sunny skies and warm weather. What better than a opening a bottle of white obtained from the Dundee Hills during Memorial Day Weekend?

The bottle in question was Muller Thurgau Estate Cuvee from Sokol Blosser. This wine has a beautiful straw color and coats the glass wonderfully. After a thorough chilling, the nose on this bottle was not, at first, noteworthy... As the solution warmed, apple, pear, and mineral notes intensified greatly! After thirty minutes in the glass, just a hint of caramel and vanilla tingle the palette. Note to self, slightly chill this Muller, then turn it loose to breathe!

Like many Rieslings, this varietal has a fruity flavor up front, but finishes clean, smooth, and with a slight mineral linger. Yep, I remember that cool spring day at Sokol Blosser.

This wine was paired with a Gruyere cheese fondue and sun-dried tomato chicken sausage. Fabulous. Definately something that I will pick up again on my next diversion North. Oops, too late, this vintage is already sold out!

Bottoms Up!

Sokol Blosser 11th Edition Evolution

A Memorial Day weekend wine tour with Josh, Drew, Steve, and some other good friends (one from Wisconsin who had only loved macrobrew beer before coming to Oregon) brought us to Sokol Blosser winery. Sokol Blosser, located in Dundee Hills, Oregon is a family owned winery and was one of the first to be established in the Willamette Valley. Located on top of a beautiful vine covered hill, the tasting room feels like an elegant tree house with wood ceilings and large windows overlooking the winery. Sokol Blosser has a library of nine different varietals, ranging from pinot noir to Muller-Thurgau, with two blends, Meditrina and Evolution. Sokol Blosser is known not only for the wine and beautiful location, but for the dedication to running an environmentally friendly winery. Solar panels help provide electricity, and the winery boasts a Silver LEED certified cellar, built underground.

What draws me first to Sokol Blosser's Evolution is the label. Most wine bottles have artist rentions of grape vines and swirly text naming the wine, convincing the drinker this wine will be fine and elegant. Not so with Evolution. The butter yellow label has a crafted feel, as if each one was handmade. The questions "Luck? Intention?" are lettered on the front, evoking a playful curiosity in how the simple elegance of Evolution is created.

Evolution is a blend of nine white varietals. Sokol Blosser does not disclose which nine these are - it's up to the taster to figure it out. The nose of Evolution is reminiscient of a drier Reisling, with honey and tropical fruit notes. The front continues the flavor of a good Reisling, evolving into tropical citrus tones of pineapple and mango, and finishing like a clean, crisp Pinot Gris. Paired tonight with asparagus and cheddar stuffed chicken breasts, Evolution held up well to the sharp cheese but did not overpower the light flavor of chicken. Evolution would be wonderful served chilled on a breezy summer evening with a meal of white fish and grilled vegetables. After allowing Evolution to warm a bit during dinner, it becomes smoother and tastes of fresh ripe strawberries.

Evolution is an easy to drink white blend, and will appeal to both crisp white lovers and those who gravitate toward sweeter dessert wines.

Skol!