Ovum "Big Salt Orange Rosé" Columbia River Gorge, Oregon 2024

FROM SKURNIK WINES:

THE WINE: A blend of Pinot Gris, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat. 2024 Big Salt “Orange Rose” has a hazy, rose gold/amber hue. The nose is an earthy dance between the ginger, turmeric notes of skinzy Pinot Gris, and the tropical island vibes of skin contact Gewurz and Muscat. It’s like stirring a mandarin creamsicle into a glass of hibiscus ginger tea. The palate is soft but retains the tannic grip ramato Pinot gris is known for.

Planted in the mid 80’s, this Pinot gris sits atop Booth Hill, in Hood River, Oregon. Just over 1500 feet in elevation, the volcanic soils of the site were unaffected by the Last Glacial Maximum 13,000 years ago. What does that mean? The south facing site combined with basaltic soils yields a skin contact Pinot gris of tremendous earthy grip, but it lacks florality. This particular Pinot gris is a powerful conduit of the deep soils and history of Booth Hill.

THE PRODUCER: Founded by husband-and-wife duo John House and Ksenija Kostic in 2011, Ovum is a celebration of the diverse expressions of Oregon Riesling. After years of learning the intricacies of the Willamette Valley while working together at Chehalem, John and Ksenija set off to further investigate the myriad terroirs of Oregon through the lens of Riesling, and now source fruit from through the state. They have found sites with blustery Pacific winds, extreme diurnal shifts, and rocky, well-draining soils.

To emphasize the idiosyncrasies of these vineyards, all of Ovum’s wines see the same practices in the cellar: natural fermentations, no additions or subtractions except for SO2, extended lees contact of 8-9 months – all in neutral barrels of acacia and oak, as well as Nomblot concrete eggs. The resulting wines are textured and concentrated, driven by minerality, and framed by unwavering acidity. Ovum’s work is among the most compelling white winemaking we have encountered in our search throughout the Pacific Northwest.