Last month hubby and I had the opportunity to attend a wine tasting of the wines of Oregon winemaker Ross Maloof. The wines were provided by Juice Imports and the tasting was hold at Vessel in Victoria. These are the Maloof wines we tasted. Notes in italics provided by the winemaker at the tasting, other wine notes courtesy of the winery website, my notes in bold italics.
2023 MALOOF L’EAU EPICÉE
Vegan/Organic/Dry Farmed/ØS02/Queer-Led
COMIC
Babbles.
A light and playful aromatic sparkler made from Riesling and Gewurztraminer. The rustic style is akin to Col Fondo Prosecco, where a small amount of sediment remains in the bottle. Store upright and chill before serving.
The fruit for this cuvée comes from an unnamed vineyard behind a house in Sherwood, Oregon. This plot in the Chehalem Mountains was planted in the 90s on classic Jory soils. Onesimo Mora farms this own-rooted site using organic practices and without irrigation. Riesling (70%) and Gewűrztraminer (30%) were direct pressed into stainless steel tank for fermentation, although one third of the latter was fermented on skins for extra texture and aromatic intensity. Once the wine was fully dry, it was racked into barrel, where Ross & Bee added a small amolunt of freshly thawed, unfermented Riesling juice collected at pressing. The wine is then bottled and allowed to undergo secondary fermentation in bottle over the winter/spring.
525 cases were produced.
APPROACH:
Not quite sure what to call this method of achieving bubble. Ancestral? Taking suggestions for portmanteaus of Ancestral + Champenoise + Pet Nat. Maybe, Ancestropetnoise?
We essentially start by making three lots of still wine. Riesling from an unnamed home vineyard we refer to as Ony’s Roadside Attraction, is pressed and fermented in stainless steel. The Gewürztraminer from the same site is split into two treatments. Some of it is direct-pressed and fermented in stainless steel, while the remainder is destemmed and fermented on the skins until dry, and then pressed off and moved into neutral french oak barrels and stainless steel. Over the winter, once all three lots go dry, we assemble into a single tank, and add in some freshly thawed Riesling must that was held back and frozen from crush. We stir the whole thing up, and bottle. After a couple months of resting in tirage, et voila! Bubbs.
VINTAGES:
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
The wine showed a bit cloudy in the glass which is not un-typical of the style. Numerous scents seemed to hit simultaniously which is always interesting; hay, cut grass, followed by brioche then violets, citrus, dill and stone fruit. If, like me, the best part is sometimes sticking your nose in the glass then you will not be disappointed by the start.
On the palate a tiny bit of a tang maybe a bit sharp but crisp. The citrus notes follow the nose with freshness. Slightly lighter in the mouth that gives way to a medium body that is very refreshing. I found the wine to be interesting with great flavour and a lingering finish.
A blend derived from a variety of vineyards.
2022 MALOOF THISTLE PINOT GRIS
Vegan/Organic/Queer-Led
Haakn Lenai Vineyard (originally Thistle Vineyard) was planted in 2000 by Jon & Laura Jennison. Last year it was purchased by Cody Wright, who continues to lease the only two blocks of Pinot Gris to Ross & Bee. The vineyard sits at 700 feet above sea level in the Dundee Hills AVA. Soils here are classic Jory. The grapes were direct pressed intoneutral barrle for both fermentation and élevage. After nine months on lees without bãtonage, the wine is racked and bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with 30ppm of SO2.
472 cases were produced.
Know what I mean? Peaches and cream. Clear cut pithy citrus flavours, supported by a custardy mouth feel and Jurançon Sec-esque aromatics. A fun and invigorating white with nervy acids that will make you want to set up a kiddy pool in your front yard post-haste. Ooh girl I need it.
Serve chilled with summertime seafood dishes or white za. Better yet, serve chilled with white za that has seafood on it.
APPROACH:
Direct press, fermented in neutral oak barrels. Aged on the lees with no bâtonnage for 9 to 10 months and then bottled without any fining or filtration.
VINTAGES:
2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Enticing scents of dusty rose with floral notes. I found the wine quite herbaceous with a stone fruit component present.
The wine is quite delicious and fresh in the mouth, leading with peach and subtle stone fruit flavours including honey, but without the sweetness you would usually think of.
An excellent wine for pairing but it would also make a delightful aperitif.
MALOOF RIBOLLA GIALLA
Johan Vineyard
No extra winemaker notes on this one because it was a surprise addition, not on the list.
The Mighty Duck man, I swear to God, I was there.
I was the one who yelled the Breakfast Clubber’s name. I was like “Ribolllaaaaaa”.
This is the result of a Fruilian plant material grafting project at Johan Vineyards back in 2016, and we couldn’t be more stoked to be splitting the fruit year to year with the Johan team. Passion fruit, orange peel, and celery. So anyways, you guys wanna make-out or what?
Drink aside a tomato pie with anchovies – Scalias if you got ‘em.
APPROACH:
Foot stomped in picking bins and left macerating for a short stint before being pressed. Fermented and aged on the lees in neutral oak puncheons with no bâtonnage for 10 to 12 months. Bottled without fining or filtration.
VINTAGES:
2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Initially this wine exhibited very light undistinguishable scents, a bit of stone fruit lingering in the background with the smallest essence of oak.
I picked up cranberry with sour cherries. A very pleasant scent of Navel orange and a touch of diesel.
Yummy Crème Brulée and caramel notes. Lighter bodied with some citrus on the palate. Good acidity which I enjoy in a wine.
2022 MALOOF WHERE YA PJS AT?
Four sites were used for this cuvéd. No Clos Radio (own-rooted in Tualatin Hills). Logsdon Ridge (own-rooted near Corvallis). Resplendor Vineyard (Yamhill-Carlton), and Ony’s Parcels (own-rooted in someone’s backyard) Each site is incredibly unique, but the farming is unanimously organic and unirrigated. This wine is made from Pinot Gris (75%) most of which was fermented on skins Oopen top and carbonic for 20 days), but some were directly pressed into barrels. The remainder is direct pressed Riesling (5%), Chardonnay (5%), Muller-Thurgau (5%), Cabernet Sauvignon (5%), and an undisclosed field-blend (5%). After the wine is blended. 30ppm of SO2 is added.
“Where ya PJs at?”
This one goes out to two of our dearest friends Paul & Stina. A fun and energetic dichotomy of soft herbs and hard cherry candy aromas from skin contact pinot gris met by lots of high toned acid from barrel fermented, dry riesling. Rose-ish springtime blend to bring to your next slumber party.
Serve chilled or at cellar temp with white za pies or with a bowl of popcorn over your favorite John Lithgow movie. Ours is Ricochet. F**** yaself, cupcake.
APPROACH:
The gris is fermented on the skins until dry. Around 20% of the Gris is fermented via carbonic maceration in a separate bin. The two lots of gris are pressed off together and put into neutral oak. The Riesling is direct-pressed and fermented in neutral oak barrels. The wine is assembled into tank in spring, and bottled without fining or filtration.
VINTAGES:
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
The wine was just a little bit cloudy in the glass but the scents were lovely and quite delicate. Rose and plum followed by red apple. Some ever so slight cheese scents, interesting but not funky.
I found the wine quite light but tasty, flavoured with berries and yellow plum. Acidic, in a good way.
2022 MALOOF ROUGE DE GRIS
Johan Vineyard
Vegan/Organic/Dry Farmed/Queer-Led
Johan Vineyard is planted in the cool Van Duzer Corridor Sub-AVA of the Williamette Valley. Achieving Demeter Biodynamic certification in 2010, this site features marine sediment and granite. The Pinot Gris grapes were treated as you would Pino Noir. 80% was destemmed and fermented on skins for a month with quotidian punch downs to ensure the cap stays moist. 20% was fermented carbonically. élevage was completed in neutral barrels before bottling unfined and unfiltered two years later.
550 cases produced.
A fully macerated, light red wine made from Pinot Gris. Warm aromatics of fall spices, and crunchy flavors of cranberry and cherry.
This wine was very much born out of our yearly “PJs” blend, which is also predominantly skin contact Pinot Gris. As we honed in year to year on what works best for us in fermenting Pinot Gris as a light red wine, the Johan barrels really began to come into their own. In 2019 we began bottling the Johan as our 4th single vineyard designation of Gris, and the only to see any maceration.
APPROACH:
Destemmed and fermented on the skins in open top fermenters with daily pigéage until fully dry. 15 to 20% of the fruit is carbonically fermented separately for the same period. Both lots are then pressed off together, and moved to neutral Burgundy oak barrels to age for 9 to 10 months. Bottled without fining or filtration.
VINTAGES:
2019, 2020, 2021**
**SSA Bottling
Scents of iconic red licorice sticks with rhubarb. Some newly sliced, crisp red apple. Continuing in that vein my next thoughts went to apple sauce and berries and finishing with hard candy.
A medium body wine with pleasant tastes of stewed rhubarb, without the tartness, and plums. A lingering finish with some cranberry to round it out.
A pleasant wine with nice acidity.
2023 MALOOF ALL GRAPES WELCOME
Vegan/Organic/Dry Farmed/Queer-Led
No Clos Radio is in the newly recognized AVA of Tualatin Hills, west of Portland. The isolated vineyard is surrounded by forest and features typical Jory and Loess, as well as pisolitic iron and manganese. It was originally planted by Harvey Shafer in the 1970’s, but Ross & Bee were able to purchase the site in collaboration with their friends Jenny & Jim of Fossil & Fawn. The vines are own-rooted and dry farmed. Ahthough the vineyard was being farmed sustainably, its new steward obtained organic certification in 2023. Pinot Gris (25%) was harvested on October 1st and underwent carbonic maceration. Gamay Noir and Gewűrztraminer were harvested three days later and were destemmed on co-fermented on skins for three weeks. The two wines are then blended for élevage in neutral barrel. The resulting wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 30 ppm of SO2.
199 cases were produced.
Winery notes not available.
Beautiful, rich scents of hard candy, plum torte and Peace roses, orange peel, dark ripe berries and watermelon. If you’re thinking fruit salad that’s too subtle a comparison, these aromas were full bodied and deeply rich.
A medium to lighter bodied wine, what I would describe in a word – heavenly. Cherries linger on the palate along with a toastiness with good acidity and a lovely finish.
2023 MALOOF WAX ON WAX SOIF ROUGE
Vegan/Organic/Dry Farmed/Queer-Led
Ron & Laurie Burley planted this site in the Applegate Valley in 1993. Much cooler than most of the region this site sits near the river on a combination of granite and alluvial deposits. This organic vineyard is consistently Ross & Bee’s last pick each vintage. The wine is made from Syrah (30%), Grenache (40%), and Vignier (30%) co-fermented on skins for seven days. The wine is pressed off into neutral barrel for élevage. It is then racked and bottled unfined, unfiltered, with 30ppm of SO2.
RED BLEND
“Wax On, Wax Soif”
I smoke on the mic like “Smokin’ Joe” Frazier
The hell-raiser, raisin’ hell with the flavor.
Light bodied red for your late summer blues. Earthy and smooth, full of blue fruits and white pepper. Co-fermentation of Rhone varieties. Grenache Noir, Syrah, and Viognier are always in play, as well as Marsanne and Roussanne in certain vintages.
The two Soif wines are produced from grapes sourced in the Applegate Valley, about six hours south of our estate. The vineyards are overseen by our friend Herb Quady and Applegate Vineyard management. These wines provide us the opportunity to step outside the box of plant material the Willamette Valley’s climate has to offer.
APPROACH:
The fruit is destemmed and co-fermented with a small amount of whole cluster at the bottom of each bin. The ferments see daily pigéage for one week before being pressed off into stainless steel tank. From there, the fermentation finishes in stainless steel, and then is moved to neutral French oak for aging. Bottled without any fining or filtration.
VINTAGES:
2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Opening with scents of mixed berries followed by stone fruits. The wine is very tasty with flavours of cranberry, cherries, candy and those berries following.
Smooth with a medium body, good acidity and a nice finish. A little lighter in colour with an amber tinge. The wine is very drinkable.
Last month hubby and I had the opportunity to attend a wine tasting of the wines of Oregon winemaker Ross Maloof. The wines were provided by Juice Imports and the tasting was hold at Vessel in Victoria. These are the Maloof wines we tasted.
By The Lapels
David Lett moved up to Oregon from California in the mid 60s after traveling the world to find the perfect place to grow his grapes. He is revered by the Oregon winemaking community as being a true pioneer, shaping what we know today as the Oregon wine industry. He planted vines, using material from UC Davis’ plant foundation services as a nursery plot in 1965, while he meticulously searched for the absolute perfect site. Within the plant material he hauled north were 160 cuttings of pinot gris, taken from just four plants that were at the University. In 1966, he landed on a neglected 20 acre orchard in the south end of the Dundee Hills, and shortly after, the first block of The Eyrie Vineyards was laid out. With that initial plot, David had planted the very first commercial pinot gris in North America.
Through the decades, The Eyrie Vineyards has steadily been looked up to in awe from newer waves of winemakers and grape growers alike, as the institution has maintained the very pioneering spirit it had from the outset. In 2005, the operations were taken over by David’s son Jason, who continues to make some of the most exciting wines in Oregon.
ESTATE VINEYARD
Perry Heistuman, Ross & Bee Maloof, Ony and Valentine Mora, Jaime Garfias
Estate vineyard and winery site for Maloof Wines and Fossil & Fawn, nestled in the eastern edge of the coastal range in the most northwest corner of the Willamette Valley. Originally planted in the early 70s by Harvey Shafer, it is one of the oldest commercial vineyards in the area, and remains very much off the beaten path from the main hub of the winemaking community in Oregon. Today, the farming program is run by the Maloof crew, which converted the farming program to Organic practices in 2020, and will have official certification for the 2022 Vintage.
We are dedicated to making wines full of energy, with the number one goal of truly capturing a place and time in each bottle. We work closely with our farmers to achieve this goal, and consider them to be the true inspiration of our work. Cheers to them for growing such beautiful fruit, and to you for reading this. You’re a bunch of gems.
Wine notes provided at the tasting (in italics), winery website notes (not italics), my notes (bold italics). This may be confusing because there was one addition, not on the list so no winemaker notes Ribolla Gialla and the All Grapes Welcome was not on the winery website at time of publishing so there are only the winemaker notes from the tasting and my notes. Images: except as noted, courtesy of the winery. Images may not accurately portray vintages currently available. The wine tasting was complimentary for both myself and hubby.
As more information comes available I will update this feature.
Where to find the wines:
ALBERTA
Juice Imports
juiceimports.com
B. C.
Juice Imports
juiceimports.com
E. CANADIAN PROVINCES
Remedial Wine
instagram.com/remyswines
Please note these are distributors, not retailers or wine shops. CONSUMERS: CONTACT YOUR LOCAL STORE TO ORDER; MANY SHOPS OFFER CASE DISCOUNTS; WE CAN NOT SELL DIRECT TO CONSUMER.
