Summer sipper: Four Graces 2015 Pinot Blanc

When you think/drink chilled white wine, do you consistently defer to either pinot gris and/or chardonnay?   There are worse ruts to be in, I suppose.  But if you’re looking for variety, here’s a suggestion:  try pinot blanc.

Grapes don’t have feelings.

 But if they did,  pinot blanc would have an inferiority complex.

It’s the Rodney Dangerfield of wine grapes:

it doesn’t get much respect.

Which is a shame.  I think pinot blanc is severely underrated.

It might not have as much body as chardonnay or be as fruity as pinot gris.

 But a properly-chilled pinot blanc is crisp, refreshing

and IMO, absolutely perfect for warm-weather sipping.

Four Graces, the Dundee (Oregon) winery well known for their pinot noir, has consistently done a nice job with their pinot blanc.  Their 2015 version is right in the groove.  There’s a little bit of pineapple and a little bit of pear combining for what Wine Advocate called a “pleasant pucker”.

It isn’t widely available.  Even if your store has it, you’ll have to do some searching. It’s somewhat random where pinot blanc winds up on the shelf.  It could be near the rieslings or the sauvignon blancs or the pinot gris.  You might find it in the “miscellaneous white” section.  It could take some effort.

But if it’s time for you to break out of that chardonay/pinot gris rut,

it will be worth your while to seek out the Four Graces

and give pinot blanc some much deserved respect!

As of July 14, we found Four Graces 2015 pinot blanc at:

EASTSIDE

Costco near PDX                       $13.99         Safeway  SE 38th & Hawthorne   $17.49

Fred Meyer   Hawthorne           $19.49         Fred Meyer   Hollywood               $19.49

WESTSIDE

Costco  Beaverton                     $13.99         Safeway  NW Lovejoy                   $17.49

Safeway  NW Cornell                 $17.49        Bale’s Thriftway  NW Cornell         $17.99

Fred Meyer   Walker Road          $19.49          Fred Meyer  Beaverton                $19.49

Fred Meyer  Raleigh Hills           $19.49

SOUTH

Safeway    SW Barbur               $17.49         Safeway  Lake Oswego                     $17.49

Fred Meyer  SW Barbur             $19.49        Fred Meyer  Tualatin                         $19.49