North America | Oregon | Belle Pente | Belle Oiseau
Belle Oiseau
VARIETALS
48% Riesling, 32% Pinot Gris, 20% Muscat
NOTES
VINEYARDS: Riesling from old vines at Hyland Vineyard in McMinnville, Pinot Gris from Rivenwood Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton (adjacent to Belle Pente's estate vineyard), and Muscat from Stag Hollow Vineyard (Belle Pente's Yamhill-Carlton neighbors).
WINEMAKER NOTES: Enamored with the wine of Alsace, Belle Pente was approached by their friend Andy Fortgang (of Le Pigeon and Little Bird Bistro in Portland) a few years ago to create a traditional Edelzwicker blend for one of his restaurants. Edelzwicker literally means "noble blend", so is made from some combination of the "noble" varieties of Alsace.
Although many wines labeled as Edelzwicker today tend to be sweet and innocuous, Andy was after a classic dry style to match with the house-made charcuterie at Little Bird. So they sat down with the individual varietals, and concocted the Belle Ouiseau "formula": roughly equal parts Riesling and Pinot Gris with a splash of Muscat. Initially served exclusively at the restaurant from kegs, Belle Pente did a small experimental bottling in 2010, and a more extensive one in 2011. 110 cases produced