Tzum 'Lorelai' Columbia Gorge White Wine 2023

A co-fermentation of Albariño and Gewurztraminer from a site at the Rainforests edge; looking straight down on the river and south toward the summit of Mt. Hood. We fermented the two grapes together in a conical wooden vat for about 10 days before pressing it into barrel to finish fermentation and age for a little over the year. The Gorge is a particularly special place for this grape. The very long growing season (these grapes were harvested in the first week of November) allows the grapes to pass through gold and develop a deep ruby color. The wines avoid the over-the-top exoticism and residual sugar that we see from wines in Alsace. This is replaced with more minerality, and a subtle and very fine perfume. In many ways this ends up being more like top level Condrieu than what we would expect from its parents grapes. The gentleness and subtlety is striking.