The same simple and playful label appears on most Eisold Smith bottles. They've also turned it into one of the best true letterpress business cards we've ever held in our hands!
We recently shared some glasses with Adam Eisold and Lauren Smith of Eisold Smith Wines, located in McMinnville and Carlton, Oregon in the famed Willamette Valley. They're not only a wonderful pair of people, but their craft most certainly lives up to their idea of "lovingly crafted Oregon wines". They are some of the most passionate winemakers we know, and it shows in their relatively limited production lineup. We wrote about their 2013 Chardonnay in our best of March post, but wanted to spend some time with their other incredible wine.
2013 Eisold Smith Edel
We couldn't be writing on Memorial Day weekend with a better wine to kick off the unofficial start of summer, a time when the days can be hot but followed by the occasional lingeringly cool night. We love this wine all times of year! This co-fermented white blend of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Riesling is great for serving to a diverse audience: sweet enough to please newcomers, geeky enough to excite aficionados, and refined enough to please snobs. This is a "drink now" kind of wine; no need to cellar it for the future. Adam tells us they are phasing out the Riesling for the 2015 vintage, replacing it with some Sauvignon Blanc. We cannot wait to try!
2013 Eisold Smith Chardonnay
From our best of March post...
“We want to showcase the 2013 Chardonnay because of its unique balance and food oriented qualities. A far cry from the big buttery fruit bomb Chardonnays you’ll find in the supermarket, Adam and Lauren age their Chard in neutral barrels to produce a mellow nose with a touch of insanely pleasing candle scent. Honeydew mellon headlines a smooth, pleasantly creamy texture that never once feels overwhelming. This wine is meant for food!”
2013 Eisold Smith Pinot Noir
This 2013 vintage is a pleasing, more tart offering than some other Pinot Noirs we've tried from different years in the same region. We're told it was rather wet and humid that year. We'd characterize this Pinot Noir as raspberry restrained by cedar. Swirling in the glass will bring out some smoothness in the nose and on the palate. You could drink this now, but we'd recommend you give it at least a year. Adam's hunch was that you could hang on for seven to twelve years, but we can't imagine being able to wait that long to have another glass.